Yes, your doc is right. You may have RA with negative RF. Good news is that you may have a mild case. People with positive RF tend to develop a full blown RA from moderate to severe disease with a lot of bone destruction. Early treatment is important!I just visited with my orthopod and he looked at my hands and said that I have RA clinically regardless of what prior tests have shown. He has referred me to a rheumatologist. I have gone to them twice years before but never had a positive r factor. This orthopod said it doesn't matter. Some people don't. Does anyone know anything about this?
CarlitaYes. I have had at least 4 different blood tests for RA in the last 2 years. I had increasing pain in both wrists but my left one was so bad that I had a surgery called arthroplasty (to remove the wrist-thumb trapesizm bone ),upon post-op follow-up the surgeon said my xrays looked like classic RA bone erosion. My rheumatologist said I have seronegative RA and began treatment. At this point my RA is getting worse, with both radiocarpal joints nearly naturally fused due to bone erosion. I have begun theHumira pen injections.When I was first diagnosed 20 years ago I was told that the R factor was so low it was almost undetectable. I think it's partly due to me being diagnosed so early and gettign on aggressive treatment that I don't have the joint damage in my hands that some people suffer from.
I do know that not everyone with RA has a raised R factor and some with a raised R factor don't alwast go on to develop full blown RA. It seems to be one of those tests that's more of a risk asssesment factor than anything else.
hi Stella85 I have never had a positive r factor and was undertreated for many years. I have severe permanent damage in many of my joints, most of which could have been prevented with the right treatment. I hope your hands don't have permanent damage. The genetic tests they are developing may be more helpful in the future for seronegative sufferers.
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