Re: RA Factor Negative Positive Negative/

[Guest guest]

Hi ! WAY behind on list mail but wanted to thank you for responding to my

email.

I am pretty sure all 3 tests I had were different. My new rheumatologist uses

Quest Laboratories and feels that since they are a large, commercial lab that

their results should outweigh all of the others.

The first test I had done at a local hospital. It is listed on the report as RA

QUANT (Rheumatoid Factor) It does not give a number but rather <20

The 2nd test, and only positive test, was done in house at my former

rheumatologists office. It was: Rheumatoid Factor/3, ELISA Method, IgM, IgG, IgA

Results: RF IgM 11 (Normal Max 25) RF IgG 29 (Normal Max 20) RFF IgA 34

(Normal Max 35)

The 3rd test through Quest and is the only one I do NOT have my own copy of the

results! I know it was less than 20, though.

All of my Anti-CCP's have been negative.

What appears to be the main concern of the doctors is the prevention of another

case of Scleritis. From what I gather, it is a very rare condition however when

it happens, it is more than likely to happen again. The ophthamologist I saw

told me I had one of the most severe cases he has ever seen in a younger person

(I am 38). He was very worried that if it continued to spread that I may lose

vision. Thankfully I responded well to the massive dose of steroids given

initially as well as the drops. He is confident that a connective tissue

disorder is to blame....

If I don't have RA, that would be GREAT however I would like to know WHAT I

have.... The responses I have to steroids is a good one and I would love it if I

could stay on them forever because honestly I have never felt better in my life

on them.... :-)

*~ Kami ~*

[ ] RA Factor Negative Positive Negative

>

> What, if anything, does this mean? I have had 3 RA Factors done within the

past 3

> months. November 21 (negative) November 27th (Positive) January 26

(negative).

>

> The first and third tests were run at large, commercial labs. The middle

one was an

> IgG specific test run at my former rheumatologist's office during a case

of scleritis,

> which is an inflammatory eye disease.

>

> I met with my new rheumatologist and she says that with no positive RA

Factor, no

> inflammation markers, and no active RA that I do not have rheumatoid

arthritis

> HOWEVER.... She has ordered an MRI on my hands, is sending me to hand

therapy,

> and is keeping me on the Plaquenil as a precaution against the Scleritis.

I definitely

> have Fibromyalgia, which I have known but HATE to admit because I feel

that it is a

> bullshit diagnosis. Sorry if that offends anyone... it is the way I feel.

I think that there

> are too many people being treated for Fibromyalgia that have more serious

diseases.

>

> ANYWHO... I don't know what to think..... My family doctor wants me to

continue

> treatment with my former rheumatologist because he feels that I have some

sort of

> mixed connective tissue disease. I'm sooo confused right now I can't even

think

> straight.

>

> So Queen of Research Miss ... What can you find out for me about

fluctuations of

> RA Factor? What about IgG testing? Can your RA factor change day to day?

>

> Sign me confuzzled in PA..... :-)

>

>

>

>

> *~ Kami ~*

[Guest guest]

Kami,

I do know some things about scleritis in general. What I am curious about is

specifics regarding yours. Do you know how it was classified?

Not an MD

> Re: [ ] RA Factor Negative Positive Negative/

>

> Hi ! WAY behind on list mail but wanted to thank you for responding to

my email.

>

> I am pretty sure all 3 tests I had were different. My new rheumatologist

uses Quest

> Laboratories and feels that since they are a large, commercial lab that

their results

> should outweigh all of the others.

>

> The first test I had done at a local hospital. It is listed on the report

as RA QUANT

> (Rheumatoid Factor) It does not give a number but rather <20

>

> The 2nd test, and only positive test, was done in house at my former

rheumatologists

> office. It was: Rheumatoid Factor/3, ELISA Method, IgM, IgG, IgA

> Results: RF IgM 11 (Normal Max 25) RF IgG 29 (Normal Max 20) RFF IgA 34

> (Normal Max 35)

>

> The 3rd test through Quest and is the only one I do NOT have my own copy

of the

> results! I know it was less than 20, though.

>

> All of my Anti-CCP's have been negative.

>

> What appears to be the main concern of the doctors is the prevention of

another case

> of Scleritis. From what I gather, it is a very rare condition however when

it happens, it

> is more than likely to happen again. The ophthamologist I saw told me I

had one of

> the most severe cases he has ever seen in a younger person (I am 38). He

was very

> worried that if it continued to spread that I may lose vision. Thankfully

I responded

> well to the massive dose of steroids given initially as well as the drops.

He is confident

> that a connective tissue disorder is to blame....

>

> If I don't have RA, that would be GREAT however I would like to know WHAT

I

> have.... The responses I have to steroids is a good one and I would love

it if I could

> stay on them forever because honestly I have never felt better in my life

on them....

> :-)

>

>

> *~ Kami ~*

[Guest guest]

I honestly have no clue and cannot understand my doctor's handwriting!

*~ Kami ~*

Re: [ ] RA Factor Negative Positive Negative/

>

> Hi ! WAY behind on list mail but wanted to thank you for responding to

my email.

>

> I am pretty sure all 3 tests I had were different. My new rheumatologist

uses Quest

> Laboratories and feels that since they are a large, commercial lab that

their results

> should outweigh all of the others.

>

> The first test I had done at a local hospital. It is listed on the report

as RA QUANT

> (Rheumatoid Factor) It does not give a number but rather <20

>

> The 2nd test, and only positive test, was done in house at my former

rheumatologists

> office. It was: Rheumatoid Factor/3, ELISA Method, IgM, IgG, IgA

> Results: RF IgM 11 (Normal Max 25) RF IgG 29 (Normal Max 20) RFF IgA 34

> (Normal Max 35)

>

> The 3rd test through Quest and is the only one I do NOT have my own copy

of the

> results! I know it was less than 20, though.

>

> All of my Anti-CCP's have been negative.

>

> What appears to be the main concern of the doctors is the prevention of

another case

> of Scleritis. From what I gather, it is a very rare condition however when

it happens, it

> is more than likely to happen again. The ophthamologist I saw told me I

had one of

> the most severe cases he has ever seen in a younger person (I am 38). He

was very

> worried that if it continued to spread that I may lose vision. Thankfully

I responded

> well to the massive dose of steroids given initially as well as the drops.

He is confident

> that a connective tissue disorder is to blame....

>

> If I don't have RA, that would be GREAT however I would like to know WHAT

I

> have.... The responses I have to steroids is a good one and I would love

it if I could

> stay on them forever because honestly I have never felt better in my life

on them....

> :-)

>

>

> *~ Kami ~*

[Guest guest]

One word is definitely nodular.

*~ Kami ~*

Re: [ ] RA Factor Negative Positive Negative/

>

> Hi ! WAY behind on list mail but wanted to thank you for responding to

my email.

>

> I am pretty sure all 3 tests I had were different. My new rheumatologist

uses Quest

> Laboratories and feels that since they are a large, commercial lab that

their results

> should outweigh all of the others.

>

> The first test I had done at a local hospital. It is listed on the report

as RA QUANT

> (Rheumatoid Factor) It does not give a number but rather <20

>

> The 2nd test, and only positive test, was done in house at my former

rheumatologists

> office. It was: Rheumatoid Factor/3, ELISA Method, IgM, IgG, IgA

> Results: RF IgM 11 (Normal Max 25) RF IgG 29 (Normal Max 20) RFF IgA 34

> (Normal Max 35)

>

> The 3rd test through Quest and is the only one I do NOT have my own copy

of the

> results! I know it was less than 20, though.

>

> All of my Anti-CCP's have been negative.

>

> What appears to be the main concern of the doctors is the prevention of

another case

> of Scleritis. From what I gather, it is a very rare condition however when

it happens, it

> is more than likely to happen again. The ophthamologist I saw told me I

had one of

> the most severe cases he has ever seen in a younger person (I am 38). He

was very

> worried that if it continued to spread that I may lose vision. Thankfully

I responded

> well to the massive dose of steroids given initially as well as the drops.

He is confident

> that a connective tissue disorder is to blame....

>

> If I don't have RA, that would be GREAT however I would like to know WHAT

I

> have.... The responses I have to steroids is a good one and I would love

it if I could

> stay on them forever because honestly I have never felt better in my life

on them....

> :-)

>

>

> *~ Kami ~*

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi ! WAY behind on list mail but wanted to thank you for

responding to my email.

>

> I am pretty sure all 3 tests I had were different. My new

rheumatologist uses Quest Laboratories and feels that since they are

a large, commercial lab that their results should outweigh all of

the others.

>

> The first test I had done at a local hospital. It is listed on the

report as RA QUANT (Rheumatoid Factor) It does not give a number but

rather <20

>

> The 2nd test, and only positive test, was done in house at my

former rheumatologists office. It was: Rheumatoid Factor/3, ELISA

Method, IgM, IgG, IgA

> Results: RF IgM 11 (Normal Max 25) RF IgG 29 (Normal Max 20)

RFF IgA 34 (Normal Max 35)

>

> The 3rd test through Quest and is the only one I do NOT have my

own copy of the results! I know it was less than 20, though.

>

> All of my Anti-CCP's have been negative.

>

> What appears to be the main concern of the doctors is the

prevention of another case of Scleritis. From what I gather, it is a

very rare condition however when it happens, it is more than likely

to happen again. The ophthamologist I saw told me I had one of the

most severe cases he has ever seen in a younger person (I am 38). He

was very worried that if it continued to spread that I may lose

vision. Thankfully I responded well to the massive dose of steroids

given initially as well as the drops. He is confident that a

connective tissue disorder is to blame....

>

> If I don't have RA, that would be GREAT however I would like to

know WHAT I have.... The responses I have to steroids is a good one

and I would love it if I could stay on them forever because honestly

I have never felt better in my life on them.... :-)

>

>

> *~ Kami ~*

>

>

>

> [ ] RA Factor Negative Positive Negative

> >

> > What, if anything, does this mean? I have had 3 RA Factors

done within the

> past 3

> > months. November 21 (negative) November 27th (Positive)

January 26

> (negative).

> >

> > The first and third tests were run at large, commercial labs.

The middle

> one was an

> > IgG specific test run at my former rheumatologist's office

during a case

> of scleritis,

> > which is an inflammatory eye disease.

> >

> > I met with my new rheumatologist and she says that with no

positive RA

> Factor, no

> > inflammation markers, and no active RA that I do not have

rheumatoid

> arthritis

> > HOWEVER.... She has ordered an MRI on my hands, is sending me

to hand

> therapy,

> > and is keeping me on the Plaquenil as a precaution against the

Scleritis.

> I definitely

> > have Fibromyalgia, which I have known but HATE to admit

because I feel

> that it is a

> > bullshit diagnosis. Sorry if that offends anyone... it is the

way I feel.

> I think that there

> > are too many people being treated for Fibromyalgia that have

more serious

> diseases.

> >

> > ANYWHO... I don't know what to think..... My family doctor

wants me to

> continue

> > treatment with my former rheumatologist because he feels that

I have some

> sort of

> > mixed connective tissue disease. I'm sooo confused right now I

can't even

> think

> > straight.

> >

> > So Queen of Research Miss ... What can you find out for me

about

> fluctuations of

> > RA Factor? What about IgG testing? Can your RA factor change

day to day?

> >

> > Sign me confuzzled in PA..... :-)

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > *~ Kami ~*

>

> kami,i hope the drs. can find out what is wrong with you so u dont

have to worry soo much.if its not ra they need to do something about

the way u r feeling.lots of hugs & stay strong!!<melyndagamez>wrote:

>

>

>

>