Does illness/infection affect RA symptoms/tests? | Arthritis Information

I've recently posted about my initial test results and was wondering about something else. The original reason I went in to the dr was for a nasty strep throat infection. I have had symptoms for over 2 years but the week before was especially bad. The strep hit 3 days before I went to the dr so the RA symptoms were bad before I had symptoms of strep but the whole weekend I was sick, the sore throat and fever were less of an issue than the complete inability to relax due to the joint pain.

So here are my questions:

1) does RA flare up worse with fever/illness

2) could my positive RF results have been related to the infection and not RA at all?

I'm really not freaked out about a potential diagnosis. I believe in dealing with things as they happen and this is not the end of the world (my song today, perhaps) but if I'm going to walk into the Rheum office and feel like an idiot....I need to be prepared for that!

Any thoughts or input?
Rachel

1.) yes.

2.) I don't know.

If your PCP is sending you to the rheumy, how on EARTH would you feel like an idiot! *hugs* You're only doing what your medical professionals feel is best. And like we've said before, it's the "better safe than sorry" song.

Dood. I'm 24 and I'm about to see my PCP and ask to see a cardiologist cause I'm worried about some on going issues. Do I feel kinda dumb? Yeah, a little. Do I know that I KNOW MY BODY and SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT! You betcha!!! I would MUCH rather be a little "dumb" than live with permanant damage that I could have prevented.

"Dumb" won't last, joint damage will!

the most likely test to be elevated in the case of an infection besides your WBC is the sedimentation rate (sed rate or ESR). A transitory illness does not generally affect the rheumatoid factor.

yes RA can flare with illness.