RE: New here and to RA (kinda long)

April 25, 2010

Charlotte, Ok, if the Rheumatoid Factor was positive, I would ck and see if the

DRs did an anti CCP antibody test, if they did not, I would request one. My long

time rheumy, DR. Hendriks Whitman orders both for me.The sed rate being normal

is good...

What I always tell friends when they have issues such as these...(BTW, I have

SD, RA, Sjogrens, Raynauds, and OB) I suggest:

ANA test, Titer and pattern

Rheumatoid Factor, for RA along with an Anti CCP antibody test

CPK test

CRP test

DSDNA test

and given your symptoms, maybe an RNP...to see if you have Mixed Connective

Tissue Disease, MCTD

My RNP has always been negative, but I am positive for SD, scleroderma..and

positive on both the RF and the anti ccp..meaning RA...but my RNP is

negative..so therefore I have SD and RA..but not MCTD...

it can get confusing...these are the tests I would request...just some basis

ones to get an idea of what you are dealing with.

Hope this helps.

Debbie in Cincinnati

rheumatic New here and to RA (kinda long)

Hi, I'm totally new to all of this, any experience, advice, etc would really

be appreciated. (sorry this is long, I couldn't figure out a short version to

explain)

I've always had occassional strange pains in my feet and ankles (hurts when I

get up and start to walk, feels like I'm going to fall, feet burn and feel

bruised after wearing shoes) for years, it will flair up for weeks or months and

then fade away (my calfs, ankles and feet are constanly swollen, hurts to wear

socks). Had carpal tunnel found in 99 and had surgery. Slight back pain and hip

pain every now and then. My knees started acting really bad a year ago, started

leaning myself on the wall to feel safe on stairs so I wouldn't fall if they

gave out.

I checked with friends on a group I'm on, many told me to go to doc, could be

RA, fibro, etc. I decided I must be making a big deal out of nothing, I couldn't

have anything like that and decided to ignore it all until the last couple of

weeks.

My elbow starting hurting all the time, tender to touch, one night I was in

pain everywhere, no over the counter meds were touching it and I couldn't

concentrate on anything because of the pain. Next morning I couldn't close my

hands to make a fist, had to have help to get down stairs etc. I could hardly

walk when I first got up. Went to doc, they sent me for blanket blood tests,

talked of possible fibro. Called me back next day saying nothing wrong, just

liver function off (probably due to regular meds), said my sediment test (?) was

normal. I still couldn't tighten hands (and other problem areas still hurting)

and now my middle fingers on both hands wouldn't straighten all the way. I had

to push them to look further into it. They gave me prescription anti-inflamatory

and sent me for RA test. Called me back again, my RA result was extremely

positive (in their words) and because of 3 family members with RA and my

symptoms, they feel I have RA.

A week of anti-inflamatory and I'm basically back to normal now. Stopped

taking them Friday night (didn't know if I needed to keep taking them when I

wasn't hurting anymore)

Because I'm in Canada, I will have to wait weeks for my referral to a

rheumatologist.

What kinds of things should I expect visiting a rheumatologist? Do you think

RA is the diagnois they'll stay with or will they be testing me for other

possible causes??

Thanks so much for reading my novel, Charlotte in Canada

April 26, 2010

Charlotte,

Your symptoms sound exactly what I am going through right now.

I have been seeing rheumatologists for over 10 years now, and am

currently on the antibiotic protocol (AP) for the second time. I have

had four different diagnoses by four rheumatologists over these ten

years: rheumatoid arthritis, pseudogout, polymyalgia rheumatica, and

most recently, reactive arthritis. The challenge for rheumatologists

is that all my blood tests come back normal and there are no crystals

in my synovial fluid, so the diagnosis of reactive arthritis is what

remains after other rheumatic diseases have been ruled out.

Fibromylagia does not explain swelling of foot pain.

I now question if I have reactive arthritis or a rheumatic disease at

all. After extensive reading, I have come to the personal conclusion

that of my symptoms may all be due to delayed food sensitivity, or at

least be aggravated by food sensitivity. I had my blood drawn for

food sensitivity testing this past Friday, and will see an allergy

specialist for the first time tomorrow, Tuesday.

Rheumatologists are a conservative lot, and should only be trusted so

far. My current rheumatologist denies that there is a such a thing as

food sensitivity, but food sensitivity has been associated with

swelling and pain in feet and ankles, as well as skin rashes (hives),

joint and muscle pain, nasal congestions, and a lot more.

I will keep you posted. Please keep me posted as well.

Sincerely, Harald

At 11:06 AM 4/25/2010, you wrote:

>

>Hi, I'm totally new to all of this, any experience, advice, etc

>would really be appreciated. (sorry this is long, I couldn't figure

>out a short version to explain)

>

>I've always had occassional strange pains in my feet and ankles

>(hurts when I get up and start to walk, feels like I'm going to

>fall, feet burn and feel bruised after wearing shoes) for years, it

>will flair up for weeks or months and then fade away (my calfs,

>ankles and feet are constanly swollen, hurts to wear socks). Had

>carpal tunnel found in 99 and had surgery. Slight back pain and hip

>pain every now and then. My knees started acting really bad a year

>ago, started leaning myself on the wall to feel safe on stairs so I

>wouldn't fall if they gave out.

>

>I checked with friends on a group I'm on, many told me to go to doc,

>could be RA, fibro, etc. I decided I must be making a big deal out

>of nothing, I couldn't have anything like that and decided to ignore

>it all until the last couple of weeks.

>

>My elbow starting hurting all the time, tender to touch, one night I

>was in pain everywhere, no over the counter meds were touching it

>and I couldn't concentrate on anything because of the pain. Next

>morning I couldn't close my hands to make a fist, had to have help

>to get down stairs etc. I could hardly walk when I first got up.

>Went to doc, they sent me for blanket blood tests, talked of

>possible fibro. Called me back next day saying nothing wrong, just

>liver function off (probably due to regular meds), said my sediment

>test (?) was normal. I still couldn't tighten hands (and other

>problem areas still hurting) and now my middle fingers on both hands

>wouldn't straighten all the way. I had to push them to look further

>into it. They gave me prescription anti-inflamatory and sent me for

>RA test. Called me back again, my RA result was extremely positive

>(in their words) and because of 3 family members with RA and my

>symptoms, they feel I have RA.

>

>A week of anti-inflamatory and I'm basically back to normal now.

>Stopped taking them Friday night (didn't know if I needed to keep

>taking them when I wasn't hurting anymore)

>

>Because I'm in Canada, I will have to wait weeks for my referral to

>a rheumatologist.

>

>What kinds of things should I expect visiting a rheumatologist? Do

>you think RA is the diagnois they'll stay with or will they be

>testing me for other possible causes??

>

>Thanks so much for reading my novel, Charlotte in Canada

>

April 26, 2010

Dear Harold,

Reading your post made me think of (Dragon Slayer's AS story) about

getting better on a starch free diet; I've copied the link here in case it

helps. Regards, El

http://www.rbfbb.org/view_topic.php?id=872

<http://www.rbfbb.org/view_topic.php?id=872 & forum_id=3> & forum_id=3

_____

From: rheumatic [mailto:rheumatic ] On Behalf

Of Harald Weiss, Technical Marketing Group

Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 3:20 PM

rheumatic

Subject: Re: rheumatic New here and to RA (kinda long)