Re: Test results negative... now what? Amy

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy:

Frustrating isn't it, when your gut knows something is

wrong, yet the doctors can't diagnose you? You know

the blood work is not the only way to diagnose RA, a

lot depends on you symptomatology and your physical

examination - if you have warmth and swelling in your

joints, fatigue, and other signs of RA or another

autoimmune disease, keep on trucking, and find a

second opinion. There is such a thing as seronegative

RA in which you do not have RA factor positive in your

blood and yet have RA, or your RA maybe so new that

you don't have the levels in your blood yet to get

positive results.

Whatever it is, if you feel there is something wrong,

keep searching. Find a doctor who does not just treat

on laboratory work alone, but will go with your

symptoms and physical complaints, and make a diagnosis

from that. My first RA doc said that even if my RA

factor had not come back positive that she would have

treated me for RA anyway because I had all the

symptoms for it. Keep looking, and best of luck. Let

us know what happens, okay?

Kathe in CA

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at www.Answers.. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

Kathe is so right my blood didn't test positive but my shoulders and feet

showed signs plus my father and grandmother had it. I also have Hashimoto's

disease it took me firing my doctor and finding one that would do the tests I

need that showed I had Hashimoto's but I got lucky with my RA he didn't just go

by the blood test so hang in there and look for another doctor.

Marhsa

Kathe Sabetzadeh <lv2ryd@...> wrote:

Hi Amy:

Frustrating isn't it, when your gut knows something is

wrong, yet the doctors can't diagnose you? You know

the blood work is not the only way to diagnose RA, a

lot depends on you symptomatology and your physical

examination - if you have warmth and swelling in your

joints, fatigue, and other signs of RA or another

autoimmune disease, keep on trucking, and find a

second opinion. There is such a thing as seronegative

RA in which you do not have RA factor positive in your

blood and yet have RA, or your RA maybe so new that

you don't have the levels in your blood yet to get

positive results.

Whatever it is, if you feel there is something wrong,

keep searching. Find a doctor who does not just treat

on laboratory work alone, but will go with your

symptoms and physical complaints, and make a diagnosis

from that. My first RA doc said that even if my RA

factor had not come back positive that she would have

treated me for RA anyway because I had all the

symptoms for it. Keep looking, and best of luck. Let

us know what happens, okay?

Kathe in CA

__________________________________________________________

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at www.Answers.. Try it now.