Intro and What to do?

[Guest guest]

Female age 59. Subject of RA came up as a big surprise at doctor

appt for horrible chest infection 4 mos ago. This was a new doctor

for me and from history and exam he strongly suspected Ehlers-Danlos

(so many joint dislocations) and also RA (for various reasons).

Tested me for all kinds of things and RF was positive. The pain and

stiffness in both hands and feet is a brand new thing concurrent

with the February lung infection.

Referred to a rheumatologist who doubted RA. He ran tests to rule

out everything else that could cause the positive RF and didn't find

anything else. But because he did not see swelling and redness, he

thinks I do not have RA. Part of the problem with diagnosing me is

always that I don't seem to feel pain in the same way other people

do ... it doesn't necessarily " hurt " me when my joints are squeezed,

even though the same joints hurt very much when they are not

squeezed. The squeezing can feel good to me, like massage. I admit

that I said it did not hurt when he squeezed my hands. Anyway, he

seemed to believe me that there was something wrong, but he thinks

it is osteo and asked if I wanted anything for pain. I declined,

since I wasn't doing badly that day (3 weeks ago) and my pain was

not constant.

My GP was surprised by the Rheum's report when I saw him for a

follow up last week; he said my symptoms sound much more like RA

than osteo. I kind of shrugged it off because I am not anxious to

get a diagnosis like RA. But ... the last two days I have been in

almost agony. I am pretty much ok when I'm moving around, but I

cannot sleep or sit still because of the pain (in my toes at the

moment, especially, but hands and back are annoying me too).

Other odd thing, I seem to have a constantly low body temp --

doesn't go over 97.3, and this must have been going on for a long

time because I remember throwing away a thermometer about 5 years

ago because I couldn't get it to 98 -- thought it must be defective,

lol. Thyroid tested ok, and neither of my doctors has commented on

the temperature thing. Everything else tests ok for me. I haven't

had any prior health problems except for many joint dislocations and

some broken bones, and am not taking any medicines.

Does this sound like RA? Do you think I should I go back to the

Rheum guy and lay it on thicker? Or wait until this either goes away

(wouldn't that be nice) or gets bad enough for him to see it for

himself? I can put up with a lot of discomfort, but I have to get

some sleep. Thanks ... Lynne