Re: Re: RA factor question - Mimi

[Guest guest]

Mimi, thanks for your response!

Yes, Plaquenil twice a day, and Tylenol = all my medication. I also take an

Omega 3 oil supplement, and that has made a huge change since last June.

About the RF == I left a message with my rheumy yesterday, at the insistence of

my GP.

I've just had a phone call back now from the receptionist, saying that the

rheumy said to tell me that the RF is " never to be tested again after RA was

diagnosed " .

Something there doesn't sound right, does it? I've never questioned her actions

before, and I really like her.

Told my GP yesterday that I saw her (rheumy) on Jan. 19, and that I think she

was irritated with me because she couldn't find any specific joints that hurt.

She would manipulate my wrists or thumbs and they would be fine, but when I move

them in a certain way, the hurt was instant and blinding.

She left my " people-gram " blank. It is a stamp of the body outline, with the

joints marked, and she would circle the ones that hurt specifically. Not sure

what it is called. Just my name for it. I asked then if I should adjust my

medication, and she clicked her tongue and said no, it is fine, and she only

wants to see me in 4 months again.

I've since started setting my alarm clock to take the Plaquenil at set times

every day, to keep the levels in my blood equal as much as possible. She shook

her head and said that wasn't necessary, that I could skip days and it wouldn't

make a difference.

I'm really very, very confused right now, and I thank you all for reading, and

for the responses on my question from yesterday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

________________________________

From: Mimi <mimi212@...>

>Is Plaquenil the only medication your Rheumy has you on besides the Tylenol

Arthritis? IMHO, it sounds like its time for a new Rheumy. >

[Guest guest]

,

It is the philosophy of some rheumatologists that the RF test, once

found to be positive, should not be run repeatedly. A couple of

reasons: it is expensive and it's not always a good indicator of

disease activity.

HSS.edu

2003

Excerpt:

" What is the significance of a rheumatoid factor test?

C. Rheumatoid factor test (RF): 80% of RA patients produce antibody

proteins called rheumatoid factors. This test is also non-specific

because a positive test can be found in patients who have certain

infections, tumors or other autoimmune disorders such as systemic

lupus. The 20% of patients with RA who do not have positive blood

tests for RF often have less severe inflammation. Once this test is

done, it does not have to be repeated. "

Not an MD

On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 10:01 AM, Meerkat <meerkat01@...> wrote:

> Mimi, thanks for your response!

> Yes, Plaquenil twice a day, and Tylenol = all my medication. I also take an

Omega 3 oil supplement, and that has made a huge change since last June.

>

> About the RF == I left a message with my rheumy yesterday, at the insistence

of my GP.

> I've just had a phone call back now from the receptionist, saying that the

rheumy said to tell me that the RF is " never to be tested again after RA was

diagnosed " .

>

> Something there doesn't sound right, does it? I've never questioned her

actions before, and I really like her.

> Told my GP yesterday that I saw her (rheumy) on Jan. 19, and that I think she

was irritated with me because she couldn't find any specific joints that hurt.

She would manipulate my wrists or thumbs and they would be fine, but when I move

them in a certain way, the hurt was instant and blinding.

>

> She left my " people-gram " blank. It is a stamp of the body outline, with the

joints marked, and she would circle the ones that hurt specifically. Not sure

what it is called. Just my name for it. I asked then if I should adjust my

medication, and she clicked her tongue and said no, it is fine, and she only

wants to see me in 4 months again.

>

> I've since started setting my alarm clock to take the Plaquenil at set times

every day, to keep the levels in my blood equal as much as possible. She shook

her head and said that wasn't necessary, that I could skip days and it wouldn't

make a difference.

>

> I'm really very, very confused right now, and I thank you all for reading, and

for the responses on my question from yesterday.

>

[Guest guest]

HI LISA, I SO TOTALLY NO WHAT UR TALKING ABOUT. ONE MINUTE UR FEELING THIS WAY,

THEN THE NEXT U FEEL THIS WAY. IT'S SOO ANNOYING!

WELL,I'M GLAD TO HEAR U DON'T HAVE LUPUS.HOW LONG HAVE U HAD RA? IS IT SEVERE?

WELL,MY NAME IS MELYNDA. I HAVE NOT POSTED IN A WHILE THEN I SAW YOUR POST &

COULD RELATE TO U.. I'M 40YRS.YOUNG & HAVE JRA,OSTEO,MONOPLYGIA & NEUROPATHY.

IS THAT LIKE NOT ENOUGH OR WHAT???

WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING? TODAY IT'S LIKE I HAD THE WORST APPT.EVER WITH A DR.HE

SPECIALIZES IN " PAIN MANAGEMENT. " I ANSWER ALL THE Q'S HE ASKED & THEN HE

SAID, " WHO

SENT U HERE? " I SAID, " MY PCP,HE FELT I COULD USE THIS & IT WOULD WORK. " I'M

THINKING TO

MYSELF, " I FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT. " SO, I STOOD UP, TURNED AROUND,HE CHECKED MY SPINE

&

MY LEFT SIDE OF MY WHOLE ENTIRE LEG. THEN HE ASKED, " WHAT TYPE OF MEDS DO U TAKE

FOR UR PAIN? " I SAID,NORCO,TRAMADOL & MARAJUANA!!!!

HE SO " FREAKED OUT. " HE WAS WHAT DO YOU USE THAT FOR? I SAID, " FOR MY PAIN " ,

THEN

HE ASKED DOES IT HELP? I WAS LIKE " IT SO TOTALLY HELPS WITH MY SEVERITY OF MY

PAIN.

I'M NOT AN ADVID USER BUT WHEN I'M IN THE PAIN,THAT I WAS IN THIS WEEKEND I

SMOKE

SOME.......

MY OTHER DRS. SO AGREE THEY SHOULD LEGALIZE IT IN TEXAS, I DO TO!!!!!

WELL,I HOPE I PUT A SMILE ON UR FACE,BUT THEN AGAIN U COULD B LIKE THIS WOMAN

IS " KRAZY. "

MY THOUGHT'S FOR U LISA R TO KEEP TELLING UR DRS. HOW U FEEL & THE TYPE OF

PAIN U FEEL... THERE'S SO MANY WAY'S TO DESCRIBE OUR

PAINS(ACHING,DULL,SHARP,TENDER

THROBBING,NUMB,TINGLING,IRRITATING,UNBEARABLE,ETC.) I " KNOW U WILL FIND THE HELP

U NEED,LISA. " HERE'S A QUESTION FOR U,WHEN UR IN SEVERE PAIN DOES UR BLOOD

PRESSURE TEND TO GO UP?

PLEASE,LET ME NO? MINE GOES UP EVERYTIME! WELL,MY PRAYERS WILL B WITH

U,LISA.GOD BLESS,~MELYNDA~

[ ] Re: RA factor question - Mimi

A few months ago when I switched Rheumy's, we tested my Rheumatoid Factor (RF). 

It came out to be 1,226.  I didn't feel any more pain than usual.  He said that

was off the charts and put me on Enbrel.

I sure hope he doesn't get irritated with me when he is manipulating my joints. 

I never say owe.  It either doesn't hurt at the time or it doesn't hurt the way

he is moving it.  Sometimes I wonder if it is RA that I have at all!  He also

tested me for Lupus.  My RF was 1,226 and my ANA was elevated.  Don't know what

all that means but he said I didn't have Lupus.

But I sure hope he doesn't think I'm faking it.  I hurt all the time, but not

the way he is checking me.  Once in a great while I'll say owe but it isn't that

bad.  But when I get home... man o man... I just get so disgusted with my body! 

I say..why can't you feel this way at the doctors office?!  Never fails.

Michigan 

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