Could This Be Something Else? | Arthritis Information

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It has been 2 years this month since I have been diagnosed with RA.  I am a bit confused and wondering if perhaps my diagnosis may not be correct.  I orignally went to a Rhuemy because of swelling in my knee which I was sure was caused by my running 6 miles a day for over a year.  I had no other symptoms and my knee was swollen but I had no pain with it and no other joints with pain.  My rhuemy did some tests and diagnosed me with RA. (she said it was severe)  She started me on methotexate 25 mg once a week and plauqunil daily.  She also drained the fluid from my knee.  Since then I have had no other symptoms of RA.  No swelling in any joints and my leg has not bothered me since.  I stopped the metho and plaquenil 7 months ago without the drs. permission... although i will be going back to see her next week.  I feel fine without it.  I do get aches on occasion in some of my joints but they are not painful...just little nonbothersome aches.  I continue to run and lift weights on a regular basis.  I question my diagnosis as I have never had any of the pain or swelling that so many mention on the site.  My oncologist also questioned my diagnosis when i told  him i had RA.  He does not believe I have it as I don't present with any of the signs of RA.  He believes it could perhaps be a vitamin defienciency.. I am just really confused at this point.

Does anyone  have any suggestions as to what, if anything else it could be?  I want to go to my next rhuemy appt. armed with questions regarding my diagnosis. 
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions you can offer me.
Lori
If you were diagnosed by lab tests and/or testing on the fluid withdrawn from your knee, there is no doubt that you have RA.  If you were diagnosed clinically, there may be some doubt.  Ask for yor lab test results when you go back to the doctor and have him explain how he determined your diagnosis.  Meanwhile, I'm happy to do not have pain.

Ann
I believe I was diagnosed with lab tests.  But I have also read that there is no test that can without a doubt diagnose RA.  I know there is one that they say comes close.  So if it is a fact that I do have RA and that the drs. diagnosis cannot be wrong..then is it normal to have RA for 2 years and not have any pain or swelling?  Could this be because I am in the early stages of RA?  I am 45 years old and very active.  I stress everyday waiting for the RA bomb to drop....Time,
 
I believe there is a definitive blood test for RA.  It tests for RA factor, the presence of a particular antibody.  I tested positive for it, but my mom and sister who have RA like symptons did not.  There is a set criteria for diagnosis of RA, something like, the SED rate (denotes inflammation) whether or not the joints are swollen, painful, warm and the number of joints affected.  You might go over to the Arthritis Foundation's website, there's a lot of info there that might be helpful.
 
RA can go into remission, I don't know the % of cases that do however.  You might consider researching omega 3s (fish oil and flaxseed oil) they are helpful controlling inflammation and have other benefits as well.
 
Because you are very athletic, you may be not acknowledging RA like joint aches and pains, or have a high tolerance for aches and pains. 
 
Anyways, try not to worry, I know that is easier said than done, but even if the RA doc's diagnosis was correct, there are many drug treatment options available today that  control and manage RA and still keep you active.
 
Good luck, take care.
 
 
 
My uncle is a chiropracter. He said many people only have one or two flares in a life time. It is possible you are in a remission. I used to get years between swelling. I just do not at all get any breaks from it at presant time.
Not to lecture but it may be best to do what your doctor suggest. As if you are capable of beating this thing you should do it while you are healthy. If you wait until you are sick to fight this it could be alot harder. Glad of course that you are feelling great. I hope you are in remission. That would depend on the blood work. Have them run it again.
Anti ccp (antibodies) test (blood) is the tell all of RA.  That is what my Rheumy told me.  RF can be high or neg but anti ccp never lies : )There are so many possibilities here that you really shouldn't rush to judgement.  You could be in remission, and I do believe damage can still be happening even without pronounced pain.  You could also have caught it so early and medicated before major swelling etc.
 
I agree with the others.  First step is to find out how you were diagnosed...lab tests etc.  And yes, CCP is the RA specific test.  RF is where the doctors start, but there are many people with RA with a normal RF.
 
I too am extremely active.  I power walk 5 miles a day, 6 days a week.  I ski in the winter etc.  I thank god for the MTX, and plaquinel.  All I experience nowadays are intermittent "lurking" pains.  I like the aggressive treatment, so hopefully I can continue a very active life.  Good-luck.  Let us know what the doctor says.  La
CCP is only something like 90% for sure.  If you have a positive one you probably are RA.  If you do have it - you might consider medication because you can still get damage even tho you aren't necessarily in a lot of pain.
 
Also, is it possible you are Palindromic?  We don't get a lot of swelling in the beginning and we can 'resolve' for long periods of time.  Unless we move on to 'all the time' and of those that do that, 50% of them eventually move on to regular RA.
 
I had my knee once when I was Palindromic; after my shoulder and before my toe and before I moved on to 'all the time, kill me know and then boogied into RA.
 
Pip
Yeah I think I was anti-ccp negative.  No doubt about my RA dx now as I just showed erosions on an x-ray.  I just read about how many people have one flare, are treated quickly, and never really have big problems again.  I hope thi is the case for you!Thank you for all your kind posts.  I have an appointment with my rhuemy on Oct. 9th.  My last appt. was 6 months ago and at that time she thought I was in remission so at this appt she will be doing xrays and blood tests, etc before she will officially say I am in remission. 

I believe I did have the anti-ccp test and that it came back high and was told I had severe RA.  My RD told me that it was very likely that I would be on Enbrel within 3 months time... well that was 21 months ago and it hasnt happened yet.

I thank God for each day that I live pain-free.  Its strange how being diagnosed with a chronic disease can change your perspective on life so much.  I never take any of my pain-free days for granted anymore!

My wishes go out to all of you that you may continue to improve and enjoy each new day!

Lori
Hi Lori......I think I would get the tests done again.......my short story, I was dx 25years ago after my second child after excruitiating pain in my right arm, but only took pain killers as it would come and go so quickly. After my second child 20mths later I never had any more pain and forgot about RA.
 
I worked as a fitness instructor, doing weights and classes for 20 years with a few nonbothersome pains as you put it, then bang the RA hit me like a ton of bricks.........I must have had RA for all that time and didn't realise...maybe I kept it at bay because of my fitness, I will never know. 
 
I guess what I am trying to say is you might have been in remission or maybe the meds have been helping...You don't say why you are going back to the RD......But I would have tests done again before the RD put me on to heavier drugs or even look at AP therapy.....Hope all this makes sense.................Annie
Annie.. I am just going back for a checkup.  She will be doing xrays to compare to the xrays she took 2 years ago to see if any joint damage has happened.  Also she will be checking my RF factor and Sed rates.  If all are back to normal she will say I am in remission. 
 
Most of you talk about how your RA started with excruiciating pain in one or more joints.  I never had any pain.  Just a swollen knee...but it didn't hurt.  After the dr. drained the fluid it never came back.  I guess that is why I second quess my diagnosis.  I never had the pain and still have not had any episodes of pain or swelling.
 
So when your RA came back.. were you able to get it back into remission?  How are you doing now with it?
 
Lori
Lori..... I can still remember when I think back 20 odd years ago, the pain when trying to lift my arm, I actually had been leaning on it holding my head up.  I had completely forgotten about RA till 2001, two weeks after my mothers funeral I woke up with a stiff neck and that was the start. I have since read that neck pain was rare in RA.
 
I wish I had done more research instead of leaving it all up to the docs, as I have been on many different meds, but the damage to my wrists is still happening & prevents me from doing what I love most dancing gym work, classes. (although I still do what I can).
 
I was feeling very defeated and then I came across this forum and read the thread "Requesting APers" so after much research and lots of reading decided to try AP.  I have only been on it 1 1/2 weeks, but with the diet and positive thinking I feel better already.
 
No, I am not in remission yet, but I will be, with this AP journey back to living and with the help of all the members on this forum and roadback.
 
You are fortunate not to have had the pain, I too had a very swollen knee and drained twice, feels great afterwards.
 
Good luck with your check-up Lori, I do hope your xrays show no damage and your test check show that you are in remission, please keep us posted on your results.......Annie
just popping in to add, that I was a single joint for years and years and years.... since age 10... til I was in my 30's....  then it was both knees... I had flares after each child birth that were not horrible but it was painful... but again it was only two joints for the majority
into my 40's.. it started bothering me in different places... but not flaring...
by the time I was 50.. it was everywhere...... and I was flaring regularly
 
don't discredit because you are feeling good... I had years when I felt great..but it was there..
 
take care of yourself..
Yes, I guess you are all right.  My other Dr. just gave me this little glimmer of hope.  But I guess thats all it was.  I will just be thankful that I am feeling good and hope for the best.  Thank you all for being here and caring enough to reply to my message.  Bless you all.

Lori
I know it has been awhile but I always thought that the criteria used for diagnosis was not just blood test results but also the presence of swollen joints over a period of time. That's why it took so long for me to be diagnosed (and this was 15 years ago) because every time I had rheumy appt it seemed the swelling was gone.I have never had any visable swelling.Johns Hopkins has classification criteria. Follow the link and select the Rheumatoid arthritis category:

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/physician-corner/education/acr/guidelines.html


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