Hello, I'm new

[Guest guest]

I have been diagnosed with RA but I have absolutely no symptoms at all. My RA

screen was 253.6IU/ml. I have no idea what to expect. My doctor doesn't seem

that concerned (shouldn't she be?)because there are no nodules and I have no

joint pain at all. So, I thought I would join a group to try to learn more.

Anyone have any advice for me? The RA web sites sound so dour, I just don't

know what to think.

F

[Guest guest]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I mentioned to her that I sometimes felt like an old

woman when I would get off the couch after watching a movie for two hours, so

she ordered some blood tests. This was a couple of years ago and I still have

no symptoms but this test came back just last week:

RHEUMATOID FACTOR (IU/ml) <14.0- IU/ml 253.6

So, to say it is a little high is an understatement and she said I have RA and

maybe an associated syndrome that makes my mouth and eyes dry, but I still don't

have any pain at all.

F

>

> > I have been diagnosed with RA but I have absolutely no symptoms at

> > all. My RA screen was 253.6IU/ml. I have no idea what to expect.

> > My doctor doesn't seem that concerned (shouldn't she be?)because

> > there are no nodules and I have no joint pain at all. So, I thought

> > I would join a group to try to learn more. Anyone have any advice

> > for me? The RA web sites sound so dour, I just don't know what to

> > think.

> >

> > F

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, , that is a very high Rheumatoid Factor. When mine was first

checked, it was 170, and I had a very bad case of RA, with lots of

joint pain.

Sjogren's Syndrome is the associated one that she was telling you

about, that makes your mouth and eyes dry. That also can cause a high

RF, but I don't know if that alone would cause one as high as yours or

not.

It's very good that you don't have any joint pain. Maybe you don't

have RA after all, or maybe it's just lying dormant for a while.

You said that you sometimes feel like an old woman when getting off

the couch. Are you stiff? RA of course does cause stiffness, or

" gelling " when you sit for a while. It also causes fatigue, which you

might be describing. But it most definitely causes joint pain. So just

be thankful that you don't have pain.

Is your doctor a rheumatologist? If not, you might want to think about

getting one. They are better at diagnosing these autoimmune diseases.

Sometimes it takes a long time to get a firm diagnosis, because the

symptoms of the different diseases overlap.

In the meantime, you could read about autoimmune diseases and high

Rheumatoid Factor. Just use Google. And will post some links to

articles if she sees this.

Please keep us informed as you find out more.

Sue

On Nov 6, 2010, at 12:24 PM, wrote:

> Hi, thanks for your reply. I mentioned to her that I sometimes felt

> like an old woman when I would get off the couch after watching a

> movie for two hours, so she ordered some blood tests. This was a

> couple of years ago and I still have no symptoms but this test came

> back just last week:

>

> RHEUMATOID FACTOR (IU/ml) <14.0- IU/ml 253.6

>

> So, to say it is a little high is an understatement and she said I

> have RA and maybe an associated syndrome that makes my mouth and

> eyes dry, but I still don't have any pain at all.

[Guest guest]

, I have had RA for nine years, and I have no deformities. You

don't have to become crippled; there is hope these days for those with

the disease. There are much better meds for it than there were in the

past. Enbrel has turned out to be my miracle drug. I can hardly tell

that I have RA any more. Enbrel is one of the injectable biologic

DMARD's, but it didn't take long for me to become an expert at

injecting myself. It is important for RA to be treated aggressively

from the beginning.

What meds have you been started on?

Sue

On Dec 15, 2010, at 10:35 AM, wrote:

> Hello There,

>

> My name is and I was just diagnosed with RA. The first thing

> my physician told me after she told me I had RA was that it will be

> " an inconvenience " . But *nothing* I have read supports her claim. It

> seems like I will have a life of crippling and pain. Early death,

> heart5 and lung problems.

>

> Do any of you who have had RA for a long time lead a normal life? Is

> there always pain? Are you helped just with oral meds?

>

> I want to be in the truth about this disease. I would really value

> any input from you.

[Guest guest]

, I agree with Sue.  Some of us have had incredible responses to biologic

drugs.  My rheumatologist said that if I didn't tell her I had RA, she would

never know.  My labs and clinical exam are all normal.  I'm classified as having

severe or aggressive RA since my antiCCP antibody is pretty impressive, and I

was a sick puppy before I found Enbrel.  I am 39 now and I was diagnosed in

2006.  However I was first very sick at age 28 and misdiagnosed because my labs

hadn't yet " converted " to a classic RA pattern and the antiCCP antibody test had

not been discovered.  So in the years I have had RA I have: served my country in

the US Navy, got married, finished my doctorate, had two bouncing boys, and

moved coast to coast.  I work full time, chase our dumb labradors, I do pilates,

I goof around the house...blah blah typical mommy stuff.  I need to stay on

Enbrel, but that's my key to good health.  If it weren't for sheer laziness I

could train for a running event, my joints are that healthy.  Keeping down

inflammation is the key to joint preservation.  If your doc can get the swelling

down, you'll be in good shape.  The second key is heart health since RA patients

(including my grandmother with RA) tend to die of heart disease.  So lots of

exercise, healthy diet, fish oil, watching lipids, etc etc.  It takes a while to

process the shock and grief of diagnosis, but after you find a good doc to be

your partner in management, things start to get brighter.  Chin up dear, this is

do-able, hugs, Kate F