I have been to the RA for the first time and been diagnosed with RA. When she got my blood work back she said I did not have RA and to stop all my meds. If I dont have RA I have some other horrible disease. I need to know where I can find info. on what test they run to determine if you have RA. She is going to retest me after I have been off Humira and it is out of my system. Could Humira make a test show you are not positive? If it fakes out your body in a way to think it is o.k. I dont know I just need to know what to do. I would appreciate any info. anyone can give me. Again THANKS
There are so many of us that have RA and it does not show up in our blood work but we have all the symptoms. Some of these doctors crack me up, why do some Rheumatologist's get it and some don't. My doctor told me that although my blood work doesn't show it, my MRI's and the joint deformities do. Give it a little time and maybe see a new doctor if you don't feel comfortable with the diagnosis.
Sandy
I would try another doctor. Many of us here are sero-negative. That means we have never tested postive. However, we do have swelling, sed rates, and more than one joint that hurts.
Try the arthritis foundatiion web site. I think there is a seven point check list for RA. You should have at least 5 out of he 7.
Kieye
That's pretty bad Franny; Sandy is exactly right.
Also Humira would also change your blood work and make it seem like you didn't have it...even if your blood work showed it before RA.
You know what Lovie, I told her the same thing (the doctor), and what is bothering me at this moment is why did she not realize that. She should have known that auto immune drugs can give you a false positive with hepatitis. I read that on the Internet. So I am not feeling to secure with her. I am so stiff I cant stand it. I know all this is for not. I dont need them to tell me I have RA duh I knew that already. There are only three rheumatoid doctor's in Ogden and I so dont want to have to drive 45 minutes away, at least not yet that is. This is such a waste of time I paid her 243.00 dollars for what I had to find out why these test would show such a difference. She ought to pay me back dont you think? I think I am starting to sound just a tad angry
I've been on remicade for 5 years. These days all of my blood tests are normal too. SED,CRP, sero negative always.
I always have some swelling and pain, and I assure you I still have RA! My RD thinks so too.
Do you suppose that the lab tested someone else's blood and put the results on your report? Surely that is more likely, since you still feel just like you have RA!
Peace & Love...Neasy
I drive more than 30 minutes to see my RD due to insurance reasons. The RD I use to see is 5 minutes from my office....but I had to meet my deductable before it would pay for my lads and that's an expense I can't swing...so I changed. I hate the drive; but we do what we have to do.
I agree. I drive at least 45 minutes for my RD and that's without traffic! It seems like a small price to pay to get help with RA. When it comes to feeling like )(*&^ you do what you have to do. To answer the questions, I have been diagnosed by family practice doctor's four different one, 1 internest. When I went to a specialist for Rheumatoid that is what she said. It is hard for me to drive, I have lazy eye and it really screws up my driving. If I have too I will go there I just wish these people would buck up and get a clue. I am mad at all of them. All the crap I have taken and felt like dog doo if for nothing really chaps my hide!!! But I know I have arthritis it is a shame I have to prove it. I give up!One more thing, I am tired of being put on hold, yanking all my meds and you watch for what nothing!!!!!!!!!!1
Franny, I too was diagnosed with RA and then told I didn't have it because I don't have swelling. It shows in my blood and x-rays. I am stiff am in so much pain at times I cry and I have a tolerance to pain as I have had Fibro since 1995 diagnosed 1999 and still not on any meds for it. What r your symptoms? I know your frustrations. The question would b ok, if I don't have RA then what do I have?
Jackie
Franny, i would be whopping mad too. just can't believe some of the doctors you all talk about here. Of course, my gp still thinks i only have oa. but i forgive him, because they really don't know a lot about it. I've been seronegative from the beginning and my ra says he was suprised at my weak markers. he must mean the other bloodwork, yet he says mine is very severe ra. i drive an hour and 30min. to see him and it's worth every mile. find you a good one girl, would you have to go to salt lake (if you're in ogden, utah) I used to live there too.
good luckHello All, I am going thru the same problem with my new RD.
I live on the western slope of Colorado and there are only two docs to
chose from and they are a 3 hour drive to Grand Junction from my
home. Denver docs are 8 hours away and Salt Lake City is 7 hours
away. Both the Grand Junction docs are insulting and arragant and
do not like that I have spent probably 500 hours researching RA and
autoimmune deseases. I have been thru 4 RA docs now in a year
including a 2 1/2 week stay at Mayo in Rochester for K of med
work. I am seropositve with a positve CCP (anticitroline
antibodies/highly specfic RA marker) but do not present with classic RA
as my inflammitory indicatory indicators have all been normal all
along. This did not seem to phase the Mayo RA doc as he said he
has seen several other patients like me who had aggressive and severe
RA with normal inflamitory indicators. He said in my case he sees
my high platlet count as "my" inflammitory indicator. All the RA
docs instantly became convinced I had RA when they looked at my hand x
rays and saw the erosions. I went to see new RD on Monday (3rd
visit) and asked him to consider going on Remicade as the 25mg of MTX
he had me on was causing too many side effects and suggested that we
try to back down on the MTX and add Remicade. He has not looked
at any xrays as of yet and started arguing with me and tells me he
thinks my pain is probably related to OA rather than RA and wants
to put me on Arava. I told him I would not take Arava as the side
effects are to severe. He kept taking the opposite side on
everything we discussed and I broke down in tears in his office as I
was so dissappointed that I have been thru so much crap in the last
year and over 400 pages of medical reports seemed to mean nothing to
this new doc. He suggested I go off the MTX for a month so he
could see me flare up badly again. I am so frustrated with
this mess of drugs and docs. I am hoping my GP internist doc can
help me with come Remicade and I dump the local RA docs and maybe try
seeing the Mayo docs in Scottsdale AZ (11 hour car drive) occassionally
for follow up as needed. Can anyone reccommend a good RA doc in
Salt Lake City area?? I have been recently diagnosed with
Hypothyroid, RA, Raynauds Ph, major gastro problems of unknown nature
and also have a myoclonic twitch that Mayo docs suspects are autoimmune
mediated but none of the docs understand it. The last
two RA docs suspect I have lupus, but the blood work does not show it
yet. I am on MTX 25 injectible, Lexapro 10 mg, folic acid, .112
mg sythroid, Ralifen, and have failed Sulfasazine and prednisone due to
side effects. Very Frustrated with it all,
marcia
Hi Marcia. Sorry to hear you ALSO having Rheumy problems. I don't have any leads for you, but wanted to suggest you copy and paste your post over at the other board: www.rafriends.com as to get the most exposure. (if you haven't already).
Hope you get some help and nice to "meet" you.
Laurie
I know we can't but we ought to start an RD blacklist board. Gees the time and money spent on miserable idiot docs, who cause terrible pain and suffering.
If there is any justice in their next life they will have ra. And the only docs available to them will be idiots just like themselves. If they have insurance it will deny all applications for better drugs. Their bosses will fire them for being lazy. Their in-laws will know all sorts of people who were cured by 2 aspirin.
Feel free to add on! Let's vent!
oooooooh....I like that marian.
and their doc tells them to take tylenol for their awful pain!
yea when i went to my rheumy about a month ago i asked him what i can take for pain and he told me motrin or tylonel. How the heck is that going to help me??? So i ended up having to go to my interal med dr cause the motrin was messing up my stomach and he said stop taking that and wrote me a precription for the 12 hr morphine....stupid drs..
It just goes on and on.
I have a pretty good RD. He is about the 8th one I've had in 25 years. I've had 4 pretty good ones out of 8. Even the worst one cared.
I have had more trouble finding a regular dr. I finally found a good one. She is about 55. So I'm scared she will retire before I croak!
All my Doctors live at least an hour away. They ask me why I don't have a doctor in my town. I just tell them that there are no good ones. I have traveled to doctors since I got since in 92. Guess I am use to it.