Blood test...results | Arthritis Information

Well...I just don't get it...

How can ALL my blood work come back normal when I have such aches and pain? How do they really know what's wrong with me just by my symptoms and history? I am so sick and tired of being tired and sick!!!! Well what tests and blood work are you taking about.

Lisa, all of my bloodwork comes back fine also but I do have RA. One reason the Dr. was sure is that Prednisone helps and the MTX toned down the swelling a lot.

Take care

Whatever tests they take to ck for inflammation, RA, Lupus, etc...I assume.

Bonnie...do your tests for inflammation come back negative as well?
Blessed i had bloodwork done last week..CRP...ESR....RF and all came back within normal limits as well. In times past, the numbers were high. I forgot to have them order the ccp tests which is the only test so far that determines whether you have RA or not. I was taking natural anti-infla for 12 days, so it's either the natural sups that thru it into remission or I have PALINDROMIC RA. It mimics RA but doesn't cause joint damage. I see a rheumy tommorow. Hey be happy your numbers came back normal. Have you ever thought maybe it's fibromyalgia?Blessed--

My bloodwork has always come back normal...ESR was slightly elevated before I started on meds, but my RF factor has been normal. (ESR is supposed to show whether you have inflammation or not.) This was even though I had quite severe visible swelling in numerous joints. After about 12 weeks, my doc diagnosed me with sero-negative RA. (About 20% of RA patients are ser-negative--meaning it doesn't show up in your bloodwork.) He started me on meds, first MTX then added Enbrel a year later. I've heard that being sero-negative means it's likely that you have a less aggressive form of RA, but I'm not sure if this is true or not.

dordale

Hi Lisa,

I'm in a similar position in that I've had all normal blood work and am waiting on the my 1st rheum appt.

I'm just going to throw this out as a possibility: Has your doctor tested you for Lyme's Disease?

I'm currently being treated for Lyme's, despite the fact that I don't remember getting a tick bite (and not everyone gets the bulls-eye rash) and despite the fact that the Lyme's titer came back negative; however, many of the symptoms of RA are mimicked by Lyme's. This is a really good board that I joined for info--you might want to visit just to see if anything clicks: http://www.healthboards.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=82

I hope that you feel better, no matter what the cause!

Best,

Christina

For all the experts, I just had a thought. Could her meds be why her numbers are reading normal? Aftre-all, isn't that what they are supposed to do?,<confused>The majority of my blood work comes out negative as well!!! Some things are off but they do not pertain to ra, such as high cholesterol, cortisol issues and hormone imbalances. I have had chronically, visually swollen hands and feet for three years and even with that my c reactive protein which measures inflammation is only sometimes slightly elevated. I do not get it either!!! I have had the standard western blot test for lyme but am considering paying for the more extensive lyme testing even though my insurance won't cover it. I just had 22 viles of blood taken from the university of Michigan, the rheumy I saw there said I was just fat but my regular rheumy says I still have sero negative ra as well as fibro an the things listed below. I am fighting with the hospital to get copies of the blood work they did do.
Lisa, my blood work is all normal since I started taking Enbrel. My doc says that the meds are doing what they're supposed to do. I do still have some aches and pains, but nothing like before. Are you still in alot of pain?? [QUOTE=Linncn]Lisa, my blood work is all normal since I started taking Enbrel. My doc says that the meds are doing what they're supposed to do. I do still have some aches and pains, but nothing like before. Are you still in alot of pain??[/QUOTE]

Yes, I still have a lot of pain...the only thing that has ever helped was the Prednisone in higher doses such as 40-60mg. My RD just added MTXwith the Plaquenil Friday before last because the Plaquenil was not cutting it alone. So my RA is not under control. If that's what it is...

They believe, (RD and staff), that I am sero-negative and don't have Fibro. I don't have any pain in the expected spots associated with Fibro...I just wish I had a FIRM dx's.
I know how you feel on that. I'm seronegative, but that just keeps the door open in my mind to...maybe I don't really have anyhting. I wish the RA could just show in my blood and then I wouldn't have to have that doubt in the back of my head all the time. It isn't rational.I do hope the MTX works for you. Maybe the plaquenil just needs a boost. What are the spots that hurt with fibro?
It doesn't make sense, does it? We have normal blood test and a lot of pain...could it be something else they don't even have a test for yet? That's what I sometimes wonder...But ya know, I'm the world's best second guesser. This is what I found on it:

Tender points of fibromyalgia exist at these nine bilateral muscle locations:

Low Cervical Region: (front neck area) at anterior aspect of the interspaces between the transverse processes of C5-C7.

Second Rib: (front chest area) at second costochondral junctions.

Occiput: (back of the neck) at suboccipital muscle insertions.

Trapezius Muscle: (back shoulder area) at midpoint of the upper border.

Supraspinatus Muscle: (shoulder blade area) above the medial border of the scapular spine.

Lateral Epicondyle: (elbow area) 2 cm distal to the lateral epicondyle.

Gluteal: (rear end) at upper outer quadrant of the buttocks.

Greater Trochanter: (rear hip) posterior to the greater trochanteric prominence.

Knee: (knee area) at the medial fat pad proximal to the joint line.