question about being misdiagnosed with RA

[Guest guest]

Hello group friends,

I have to ask if anyone here or know of anyone that has been diagnosed as

having RA by their regular doctor and after seeing the specialist he runs tests

and finds you have something else instead of RA?

Can you have the RFshow up in your tests and not have RA at all?

My first appt with my Rheumy is later this month and I am getting nervous.

At same time I almost can't wait because he may have lots of answers for me.

I read a lot of your posts and can very well relate to how the whole thing

started and the pain. But I don't have the inflammation that I am aware of.

Just ungodly pain first thing in the morning and last mostly all day. It

lightens up late at night if I'm not in I think what ya call a bad flare that

keeps me up all night. Every day is painful. Instead of having some good days

and bad days, it is more like bad day's and real bad days. Started

constantly a year ago and getting worse everyday.

Also, my PA only ran blood test on me. Only thing else she did was ask me

to raise my arms and touch my nose which I had a hard time doing. She came

back with the blood work a couple weeks later and told me I had Rheumatoid

Arthritis

Well anyway, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as having the RF

in your blood and not having RA at all?

Thanks,

**************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget?

Read reviews on AOL Autos.

(http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017

)

[Guest guest]

> Well anyway, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as

having the RF

> in your blood and not having RA at all?

>

> Thanks,

>

Yes, a high RF doesn't in itself mean RA, some people just have that

without having any RA symptoms their whole lives. But you can also

have RA without a high RF factor as well. That's why there are so

many different blood tests, to look for all sorts of antibodies and

not just the rheumatoid factor. You can even have RA and test

negative or normal to ALL these tests.

Most of the time, my inflammation was not noticable as outer

swelling. But it is what caused the intense pain in the joints. It

doesn't take much inflammation to muck up the intricate workings of

joints! So early on, you may or may not have obvious inflammation but

it can still be present. Only a couple times, at my worse, did a

joint swell up so bad that others could see the difference. And

treating inflammations helped relieve my symptoms, so I have to

assume it was there

THT,

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,

That does clear up the reason why I may not be seeing the inflamation

and still feel the pain. I do know for a fact something is going on

with my fingers. It doesn't look obvious to anyone else but me.

Also I can't wear my wedding ring anymore.

Yea same as you, The treatment of inflamation helps some so there

must be some kind of swelling.

Thanks a bunch,

> > Well anyway, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as

> having the RF

> > in your blood and not having RA at all?

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

>

> Yes, a high RF doesn't in itself mean RA, some people just have

that

> without having any RA symptoms their whole lives. But you can also

> have RA without a high RF factor as well. That's why there are so

> many different blood tests, to look for all sorts of antibodies and

> not just the rheumatoid factor. You can even have RA and test

> negative or normal to ALL these tests.

>

> Most of the time, my inflammation was not noticable as outer

> swelling. But it is what caused the intense pain in the joints. It

> doesn't take much inflammation to muck up the intricate workings of

> joints! So early on, you may or may not have obvious inflammation

but

> it can still be present. Only a couple times, at my worse, did a

> joint swell up so bad that others could see the difference. And

> treating inflammations helped relieve my symptoms, so I have to

> assume it was there

>

> THT,

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I have a neighbor that has started going to the same rheummy that I

go to. At first they thought she might have Lupus, but that was

ruled out. They did many test and xrays. Her RA factors are so low

that her other doctor said it wasn't RA, but our rheummy says she

believes it is and is treating her for RA.

I know the rheummy told me that she has seen patients with little

inflammation but active RA and patients with inflammation and the RA

is in remission. So numbers do lie and can not be relied on totally.

I am so glad you are going to see your new doc this month. I hope

you get your answers quickly and some long due relief!

I was also nervous, the not knowing is stifling, I felt much better

after my first appointment and knew my doctor had a plan for me.

Please keep us posted.

Shirley

>

> Hello group friends,

>

> I have to ask if anyone here or know of anyone that has been

diagnosed as

> having RA by their regular doctor and after seeing the specialist

he runs tests

> and finds you have something else instead of RA?

>

> Can you have the RFshow up in your tests and not have RA at all?

>

> My first appt with my Rheumy is later this month and I am getting

nervous.

> At same time I almost can't wait because he may have lots of

answers for me.

>

> I read a lot of your posts and can very well relate to how the

whole thing

> started and the pain. But I don't have the inflammation that I am

aware of.

> Just ungodly pain first thing in the morning and last mostly all

day. It

> lightens up late at night if I'm not in I think what ya call a

bad flare that

> keeps me up all night. Every day is painful. Instead of having

some good days

> and bad days, it is more like bad day's and real bad days.

Started

> constantly a year ago and getting worse everyday.

>

> Also, my PA only ran blood test on me. Only thing else she did

was ask me

> to raise my arms and touch my nose which I had a hard time

doing. She came

> back with the blood work a couple weeks later and told me I had

Rheumatoid

> Arthritis

>

> Well anyway, I was just wondering if there is such a thing as

having the RF

> in your blood and not having RA at all?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

> **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in

your budget?

> Read reviews on AOL Autos.

> (http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?

ncid=aolaut00050000000017 )

>

>

>