Lyme Disease

[Guest guest]

Hi all.

I wrote in last week to ask about sero-negative RA. My first

rheumatologist has diagnosed me with " undifferentiated

polyarthritis " and wants me to start on a DMARD (Plaquenil or

Methotrexate). I am getting a second opinion from a city

rheumatologist today.

Meanwhile, several people I know are urging me to pursue a doctor

who will agressively search for clinical or seriological signs of

Lyme disease, which is very common in our part of Pennsylvania. We

have a cat who brings ticks into the house from time to time, and I

have been bitten before.

I thought Lyme disease primarily affects large joints, but the woman

I spoke to yesterday told me my symptoms (pain in hands, wrists,

knees, ankles, balls of feet) are exactly the same as her early Lyme

disease symptoms.

I did have the ELISA test for Lyme which was negative. All of my

blood work so far (including RF) has been completely normal, and

xrays of hands and feet taken last week are also normal.

However, I don't want to waste time pursuing a possible Lyme disease

diagnosis and miss a " window of opportunity " for treating what could

be early RA.

Aarrgghh! I feel so confused. Has anyone in this group been

diagnosed, correctly or incorrectly, with Lyme Disease?

Meg in Pennsylvania