I was reading a little article about RA progression and I came across this passage:
"There are certain genes that are associated with a
tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Some people who have the
disease don’t have the genes, and others who have the genes don’t
develop the disease."
I'm no genetic scientist, but the fact that we don't all have the gene suggests to me that maybe your genes don't have anything to do with wether you develop RA or not.
I realise the issue is more complex
than I am imagining, and that we are all individual RA snowflakes, as
Joonie once said, but I wanted to share that thought.
So I did.
Ya know that makes sense that maybe it isn't the genes.
or maybe they just haven't found the correct common gene
or maybe everything that today is called rheumatoid arthritis is actually several different diseases
Bingo, Buckeye - I think that's why all these symptoms overlap.
Have you been keeping up with all the genome stuff? That stuff is all pretty and nice and I can see how predominantly male reseachers would love the precision of it...but how exactly does it help us?
Pip
Am I the only one confused? This is what went through my head:
Scientist 1: So like...there's this gene right? And these people that all have RA have it, right? But then like..these other people have it, but don't have RA.
Scientist 2: Woah...
Scientist 1: I know! But then there's more, see...there are these OTHER people, who have RA and they DON'T have the gene...like, there's a connection there man!
Scientist 2: You are so smart...
** I love how everyone turned out to be a stoner in that thought process......
Or maybe RA is really several different diseases with common symptoms? I was tested for the genetic marker and I don't have it, but then again I'm sero-negative for the rheumatoid factor, too.Yes, but you'd still think, to have RA, you'd at least have one of the markers. If you don't have the marker, then in theory (at least for the MD's that need paperwork proof) you don't have RA. And if you don't have RA - then it's all in your head.
So, if it's possibly several diseases with different manifestations - then what is the cause of the disease? What is triggering the gene so the disease manifests?
Hint: It's very, very small and has no cell wall....
:-)
Pip
Katie, that was my laugh for the day. Thank you.And they do sound like stoners, don't they.
This is a subject that goes far beyond RA.
Since my doctors told me 2 years ago that my RA wasn't RA or i have more than it (kept changing what they thought) i started to do research of any and everything that came with my symptoms.
There are tons and tons and tons of sicknesses, many that aren't known by most doctors that can cause the same thing. Things like allergies to odd things like chemicals, to additives and preserves in the food, causing an change in the stomach which causes a change in the immune system causing attacks on joints.
There are also some other diseases from infections in skin and bone that cna't be found on normal infection tests, to diabetes etc. all can cause, even if rare, swelling of the joints as well as other parts.
There are a lot out there. I suggest doing some reading on the net, search google for swelling of the knee, wrist, whereever you hurt and go from there.
It takes a long time to find some info.
Also, i think a lot of people diagnosed with RA without RFactor might have another immune system problem not related to RA, but since the symptoms are the same, they get diagnosed with it. I feel it's the shortcut of the doctors to say "lets treat you for this".
Well, whoever discovered this "RA gene" might have been stoned. One of