RA or post-viral? | Arthritis Information

 

Hi everyone...newbie here.  I'm a 34 year old female.  I've always considered myself to be quite a bit achy, but nothing that some ibuprofen/naproxen couldn't handle usually.  Last week, I suddenly got debilitating pain/stiffness/swelling in my hands and knees mostly, but also in my feet and hips.  My pcp drew lots of blood Thursday.  By Friday, I had some results - normal CBC, negative strep, elevated sed rate, and postive rheumatoid factor.  She scheduled a follow-up with rheumatologist on the 19th.  Yesterday, additional result of postive for parvovirus (IgM indicating active infection vs. IgG indicating past infection).  So, she thinks that explains the sudden onset of symptoms, but not the elevated rheumatoid factor, so consult on the 19th is still on.

Hi mjk, welcome to the forum.  I can't give you much medical information although I'm sure you'll hear from others here who can.  But I really, really understand that "I'm going to drive myself crazy" part.  You want answers and you want them NOW, not in a couple of weeks.  We've all been there and that's one of the hardest parts...waiting for an appointment, diagnosis, medication to start working and on and on.  If it helps, keep posting here with your frustrations, worries and concerns and we'll do what we can to help ya out.  Good luck.  Okay, deep breaths here, to start with. Just try and chew off one little piece of this puzzle at a time. At this stage, it could be anything. The Rheumatoid Factor does not necessary mean RA, it shows up high with other things as well. I don't have an Rheumatoid Factor at all and I have raging RA.

So, one step at a time here, okay. There is nothing else you can do. Whatever it turns out to be, it does and unfortunately Rheumatic diseases, if you have one can take several months and lots of tests to diagnose. So try and keep yourself calm and relaxed. I know it's hard but stressing yourself out will likely make you feel worse physically because stress very much effects anything rheumatic on a physical level.

Your elevated red rate is a better indication that something rheumatic may be happening. The sed rate plus another blood test called C-reactive protein are the tests that show your inflammation levels in your body. My sed rate and C-reactive are both high. They should be 10 and 5 and mine started at 82 and 65. They will test your C-reactive next I would think as it is a good indicator of inflammation and that is what RA is all about...inflammation. But, like I said. I don't show a Rheumatoid Factor at all.

This is a really hard time but you will get through. Research, ask questions. Knowledge is power with these diseases. Vent and debrief this is what this site is for, what we do. We support each other.

Try and focus yourself on something other than what is going on, it will make the wait time easier. Do things you enjoy and try to keep your life as 'normal' as possible.

Most of all, hang in there. Keep reading and posting here. It will help with some of the worries. You will make it through and they will sort it out but it is overwhelming and scary when you have to go through this process.

And RA can flare as a result of a virus so it is a possible thing but until you see the rheumatologist I wouldn't get too worried.  The rheumatoid factor is an indicator test only and while it is positive in most people with RA it can also be positive for no reason at all or in the presence of other ailments. hi Marissa, try not to worry yourself too much. Wait until you see the dr and then get things straightened out. Like someone said, keep a journal off all your ailments and questions you have for the dr. Please keep us posted and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!  Though, I'm really seeing some improvement over the last two days in the joint pain and stiffness, so I'm really leaning more toward thinking that it really was just a bad parvovirus reaction that will continue to get better.  So, I'm going to think positive for the next couple weeks and hope that I get good news at the rheumatologist.  Thanks for the suggestion to keep a diary...I had to do one last year when my asthma was first diagnosed, so I should have thought of it myself!