I post just now and again but I do read the posts. Something funny happened today at the Rheumys. I was told all my blood results were excellent but I still feel ill. I asked the rheumy if he could explain how come my ersults were so good and normal and I still had pain and tenderness in joints, particularly my hands and wrists. JUst wondered if anyone else gets such good results but still has painful joints???????????????????????? Confused UK, Anna
You are sero-negative....this isn't new news to you is it? Just because your blood work is normal doesn't mean you don't have pain.
What did your doctor tell you?
Anna, My blood work sometimes comes back fine but I am still in pain. I have often thought it must be ra damage "acting up". My rd agrees that is a good possibility. Blood work is definitely not what a good rd goes by to determine the progress of ra or the degree of your pain. What did your rd say?Anna, welcome to my world. I am sero-negative and even when I am doing my worst, my sed rate never goes out of the normal range, my CCP is always normal, etc. I'm definitely not a hypochondriac and I'm pretty tough when it comes to pain. Those blood tests are almost insulting. [Just kidding.]i AGREE WITH YOU ALL. jUST WENT TO RHEUMY AND ALL BLOOD WORK WAS NORMAL EXCEPT LOW ON POTASSIUM. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING THE LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT EYE PAIN, LIGHT SENSITIVITY AND THE OTHER DAY I COULD BARELY OPEN MY EYES. I ALSO WAS HAVING UNEXPLAINED FEVERS, SWOLLEN NECK GLANDS AND DRY MOUTH AND COUGH AND SHE JUST 'BLEW ME OFF' AGAIN AS JUST A SIDE EFFECT OF RA. WENT TO AN INTERNIST WHO IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED SJOGREN'S THEN TO AN OPTHAMOLOGIST FOR RE-CONFIRMATION. I HAVE SEVERE CORNEA ULCERATION BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME, ONLY THE TESTS. I READ ON A LAB WEBSITE THAT ANA TEST FOR ONE PERSON AT CERTAIN LEVELS CAN MEAN REMISSION AND FOR OTHERS CAN BE VERY ILL AT THE SAME LEVELS!! THEY ARE NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE OR DEFINITE. LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS WHO FEEL THAEIR RHEUMY'S ARE JUST NOT LISTENING!!