I'm confused, can anyone help?

[Guest guest]

Can anyone give me some direction on further testing and

treatment?

My main issue for the last year has been periodic joint inflammation,

followed by extreme morning fatigue (tired til 10am) and achy. If

I really get lots of sleep/rest I do recover in a about a week, and will feel Ok

for awhile (maybe a week or so).

Aspirin, motrin etc has no effect on the fatigue and does not seem to reduce

inflammation in the morning (even if I take it at bedtime)

I am 52 and female, I do take vitamin D, B12

and calcium .I do have osteoporosis and take estrogen.

My RAF was normal, CRP was normal. ANA pattern that is associated

with SLE or RA. We do have RA on my mother's side of the family.

My rheumotogist said for me to consider taking plauqnil.Are there

any other tests or treatments I should consider prior to this

medication trial? Does this sound like RA? Does this sound

like a good next step?

Pam

[Guest guest]

Pam,

I had your same symptoms with negative ANA and RA for about three plus years

prior to diagnosis of RA and Lupus. I Had to suffer with the fatigue and

the symptoms that got worse as time passed. I saw a multitude of different

specialists they could not figure anything out until end 2009 It sounds to

me that you have a good Rheumatologist! Has he done a sed rate? That is

the first test that showed and abnormality in my case.

I have a friend with all the RA and Lupus text book symptoms and her doctors

keep telling her she has a virus. Mind you this virus has lasted over a

year. Needless to say she is suffering...

It seems to me like your doctor knows that since you have RA in your family

that you might be showing signs of it even though your test are negative.

There is an RA that is called zero negative where you test negative but you

have RA. I would ask him if he thinks you have this.

God bless - Vivian

[Guest guest]

Dear, Pamela, please let us know, what is exact pattern of ANA if it is

positive. Get ENA test also done, if it is positive. How about the dryness of

eyes and mouth. Get the serum uric acid also done in your case, Exclude any

other positive finding suggestive of any other diseases like lymph node

enlargement. At your age get all the systems checked as so many times

Nonrheumatological diseases can also present with joint symptoms. Best of luck.

Regards,

Dr. OP Garg, VSM

Blog . Facebook . Twitter

Senior Consultant Rheumatologist

BLK Hospital, Pusa Rd.

Rajendra Place

New Delhi - 110005

RheuMed, The Arthritis Clinic

65A, DDA Pocket 2

Sector 6, Dwarka

New Delhi - 110075

________________________________

From: Pamela <susanonderko@...>

Sent: Thu, 10 February, 2011 9:06:15 AM

Subject: [ ] I'm confused, can anyone help?

Can anyone give me some direction on further testing and

treatment?

My main issue for the last year has been periodic joint inflammation,

followed by extreme morning fatigue (tired til 10am) and achy. If

I really get lots of sleep/rest I do recover in a about a week, and will feel Ok

for awhile (maybe a week or so).

Aspirin, motrin etc has no effect on the fatigue and does not seem to reduce

inflammation in the morning (even if I take it at bedtime)

I am 52 and female, I do take vitamin D, B12

and calcium .I do have osteoporosis and take estrogen.

My RAF was normal, CRP was normal. ANA pattern that is associated

with SLE or RA. We do have RA on my mother's side of the family.

My rheumotogist said for me to consider taking plauqnil.Are there

any other tests or treatments I should consider prior to this

medication trial? Does this sound like RA? Does this sound

like a good next step?

Pam

[Guest guest]

Pam,

If you have joint pain and swelling of the joints typically affected

in RA, you can ask for imaging of your hands and feet.

Not an MD

On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 11:06 AM, Pamela <susanonderko@...> wrote:

> Can anyone give me some direction on further testing and

> treatment?

>

> My main issue for the last year has been periodic joint inflammation,

> followed by extreme morning fatigue (tired til 10am) and achy. If

> I really get lots of sleep/rest I do recover in a about a week, and will feel

Ok for awhile (maybe a week or so).

>

> Aspirin, motrin etc has no effect on the fatigue and does not seem to reduce

inflammation in the morning (even if I take it at bedtime)

> I am 52 and female, I do take vitamin D, B12

> and calcium .I do have osteoporosis and take estrogen.

>

> My RAF was normal, CRP was normal. ANA pattern that is associated

> with SLE or RA.  We do have RA on my mother's side of the family.

>

> My rheumotogist said for me to consider taking plauqnil.Are there

> any other tests or treatments I should consider prior to this

> medication trial? Does this sound like RA? Does this sound

> like a good next step?

>

> Pam