Hello everyone. i am new to the forum. i am a 34 yo male and for the past 6 mos i have been in pain..In my joints in the wrists fingers and ankles mostly..sometimes the knees..I get these weird low fevers like i feel like im burning up..At first i thought it was carpel but now my ankles and fingers hurt..its bad in the am and at night...my doc has checked for lupus and lyme disease but fro some reason i dont why he wont test for rheumatoid..is what i am describing systoms..i dont swell up..just man even slight moves of the joints hurt sometimes...
Thanks for any help..>What tests should my doc be doing
Hi, welcome to AI, you certainly seem to have the classic symptoms of RA, however there are many types of autoimmune disorders that can closely resemble RA. Swelling isn't always present and the DR. sould normally request blood tests for rheumatoid factor, ESR, and CRP, these tests can indicate if there is a problem with your inflammation levels etc, but even if they are "normal" it still does not mean you don't have RA, you can be sero-negative and still have RA. Don't let up on your Dr, keep a journal of symptoms, how long they last in the morning especially and take maybe some tylenol or panadol, they never helped me but you have to give it a go and see what happens. If your symptoms persist you need to get to a Rheumatologist as the earlier you get treated, usually the better the outcome. Best of luck and you will get great assistance on this site. Has anyone in your family suffered from RA? Best wishes from Janie. PS feel free to PM me if you wish, if I can be of any further help.
Welcome Tpapa (?), Glad to have you join us. I'm so sorry you are having so much pain. We can certainly sympathize with you.
Did your doctor just refuse to check for RA? What tests did he do when he checked for Lupus? Did he offer any opinions as to what the problem is or what your symptoms indicate? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get some idea about your doctor.
The pain sounds like it could be RA, but there are many other diseases that have similar symptoms. Also, my Rheumatoid factor, c-reactive protein and sed rate are very high, as is my anti-CCP. My rheumy has no doubt that I have RA. However, even she is puzzled by the lack of swelling I have. Inflammation numbers are all high, but very little redness or swelling.
Those are the kind of things that make RA, as well as other autoimmune diseases, so difficult to diagnose with certainty. I have asked my RD many times if she is sure it is RA, and she says with all the tests I've had and the results they get consistently, it is RA. without doubt.
There are many tests your doctor could do, but I would think that the blood tests are the most obvious place to start. If there is any indication of an autoimmune disease, you should be seen by a Rheumatologist. I think that doctor would be able to tell you more accurately, just what tests are needed to diagnose your symptoms.
Hope to hear from you soon. And I'm sure others will be along soon to offer more ideas for you. Sign on anytime you need someone to talk to.
Best wishes,
Nini
Hey and Welcome T Papa -
Which Lyme test did he run? The Western Blot is notoriously faulty. Even the Elisa has problems. If you suspect Lyme and you're having low grade fevers maybe you should insist on the IgeneX test.
Hugs,
Pip