Well... that is what I keep telling myself anyways. It does not help me to cope better, though. I came up with that to see if it would help me to cope better, I do not think it has. Anyone else think it has?
What are ya talkin about... RA'er's are a rare breed. I mean how many people you know that lives near you that has RA? I know of none.
I just recently thought I might have found a person that had RA, because my neighbor wanted to know what RD I went to, because her friend from church has what I have and needs a new RD. Then I come to find out the lady has Lupus. Close, but no cookie!
I felt so let down. Now... It's just ME again. Sigh.
The woman who takes my blood has RA! We compare notes when I go. She seems just as happy as me to commiserate face to face with a fellow sufferer. We spend much too long in the exam room!"Normal" people can only commiserate with you so much and then you just get wonky about it and then you are back where you started... being alone and wallowing in your own misery. Or they say one too many "I know what you" and you darn well know they don't know what you mean! heheheeeSadly, I'm in the positive category. I was very surprised that there are so many seronegatives, out there. I don't think my RD has any patients that she calls seronegative. I've found, where I live, that the people that don't test positive with RA are usually diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I guess the doctors, in the south, are different.
I'm just curious...how do they know you have RA if you don't have a positive RF, sed rate, and ANA? Is just based on symptoms? If so, what's the difference between seronegative RA and Fibromyalgia?
for me the difference is I have chronic swelling, where with fibro you have no swelling. PLUS, I was DXed with JRA when I was 18 months old in the state of California.
My most recent blood work, which tested for SED & ANA, was back in 2007... and they were...
Sed Rate - 51
ANA - Negative
C-reactive protein - 10.3
I did have a high ANA in June 07 during a flare.
I have a friend who has Lupus, who's sister has RA..... and another friend w/ Lupus w/ a sister they are supposing has RA and is labeled connective tissue disease or somethign liek that for now..... sero-neg.
Positive.SeronegativePositive
Positive -- but the numbers have been cut in half over the last 2 years. I am hopeful it will keep going down.[QUOTE=renee22]Sadly, I'm in the positive category. I was very surprised that there are so many seronegatives, out there. I don't think my RD has any patients that she calls seronegative. I've found, where I live, that the people that don't test positive with RA are usually diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I guess the doctors, in the south, are different.
I'm just curious...how do they know you have RA if you don't have a positive RF, sed rate, and ANA? Is just based on symptoms? If so, what's the difference between seronegative RA and Fibromyalgia?
[/QUOTE]
I was dx'd with sero negative RA because I had a really high sed rate, hot, red, crazy swollen joints, high wbc count in the fluid in my knee even though I had no infection, morning stiffness that lasted at least a couple of hours and pain in my joints that left me pretty much an invalid for almost four months. Also, my Rd said that he tested me for everything under the sun that it could be and even a bunch of things that it couldn't be. RA was the only thing that I fit. Then I started taking mtx and later enbrel and that got me back to pretty darn good. I don't know if that sounds anything like fibro, but I know it sounds an awful lot like RA.
Linncn2009-06-16 15:44:54Renee- Without a positive RF or Anti-CCP I was diagnosed based on hot, swollen, symmetrical joints. High inflammation markers. Terrible pain and stiffness lasting 12 hrs of the day, etc. I think fibro is pain in the muscles right? My pain was strictly joints. Hands and feet the most affected but they all ached.
Negative. Fibro does not respond to Prednisone nor does it cause inflammation.Seronegative.Positive
I didn't mean to make anyone mad. I was just so surprised that there were so many with seronegative RA. I've met several people with positive RA, but no one with seronegative, so seeing the responses really shocked me. I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings, because that was not my intention. I was just surprised.No offence taken Renee, you have a great day!!
Would you believe me if I said I didn't get a little defensive there?? Hahaha I didn't think so! Really though, their isn't a thing wrong with asking and I am neither mad nor offended. A little embarrassed maybe............I'm positive. Oh, Fibromyalgia doesn't cause joint damage or affect other organs. I don't think you get low grade fevers with it either. It does cause severe pain.
Nope, not offended in the least. Ask all the questions you want, none are too stupid and someone always has an answer or will find the answer for you.
[QUOTE=renee22]I'm just curious...how do they know you have RA if you don't have a positive RF, sed rate, and ANA? Is just based on symptoms? If so, what's the difference between seronegative RA and Fibromyalgia? [/QUOTE]
I was diagnosed based on fluid aspirated from my joints and the laboratory analysis of that fluid, x-rays demonstrating synovitis, clinical presentation (swollen, painful, discoloured joints) and a high sed rate (ESR).
diagnosed clinically by three different Rheumys over the years. Seronegative based on history, swelling, redness over joints, damaged joints as shown by xray,high sed rate, morning stiffness, range of motion, fevers, and a dose of prednisone that stopped much of the pain in it's tracks.. I may have had JRA that went undiagnosed and called "growing pains".
Ann
PS No question here should be taken as a lslight. We learn by asking questions.
Positive thanks and a proud democrat!Negative. I was diagnosed based joint destruction. I have little or no heat or swelling, but major pain and the joints and soft tissue around them are destroyed in a matter of months.
There's no symmetry to the joints that are damaged. Right wrist totally destroyed, left wrist still functioning. Left foot completely flattened arch, right foot still arched. Same story for knees and hips.
My lower back is agonising. My RD says "can't be RA, your bloods are normal" - after he's just told me he can see destruction progressing in my right (good) foot.
It's very frustrating when you have a disease that doesn't follow the usual pattern.Positive for RF, and high ESR.
Negative for ANA, Anti CPP, and whatever the other one is.........
Positive RF (low), Positive anti-CCP (low), and Positively REPUBLICAN (high).seronegative and the same as janalex2 with the non symmetrical joint destruction. Left ankle is toast...right one not so bad but getting there slowly. Right wrist is also shot but lefty still works pretty well. Other than those two none are really terrible though. Well the hips were shot but I had them replaced and that took care of that.Positive, now negative, go figure. Lindypositive
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?
Does that mean you came here w/ a proxy? Hmm? or that you don't know if you are positively negative? *giggle*
babs102009-06-19 05:47:27
Positive.
Have RA and Fibromyalgia. Janie.
janiefx12009-06-19 06:29:28
[QUOTE=LinB]Positive, now negative, go figure. Lindy[/QUOTE]
My latest set of lab values moved me from negative to positive with an RF of 1540. Go figure is right!
just a bump for the weekenders!!
Missed this way back....Seronegative
Was dx'd because of swelling, pain, positive ANA high ESR and CRP, and some other stuff I can't think of right now.
Mildy positive with an RF of 33...still seeking diagnosis and have not yet started any treatment.
I'm also surprised at the number of negatives. Understand that 80% of RA'rs are RF positive but that percentage does not seem to hold with members of this board. Maybe internet use drives the RF factor down :)
Another Seronegative JRA'erActually I do not know. As the story goes I am both or niether. I am Rf positive and anti-ccp positive. Ana negative. As far as the story goes it means nothing. That is I could still have sero negative RA and the Sjorgrens could be what makes my bloodwork come out positive RF and anti-ccp. I do not have Sjorgrens blood markers. So your guess is as good as mine. I think I am sero positive.NegativeNegative now, but I was positive before. I was diagnosed with JRA at age 9, I was positive when I was first diagnosed with RA in my early 20's . I'm 28 now. I read in this thread that no one who had JRA first was positive, I guess I'm strange, lol.
Positive.PositiveI also missed this because I have been absent lately. I'm seroneg. My RD had to convince ME that I have ra. (That makes me pretty lucky I guess. I know a lot of people have to fight for their diagnosis)
I had symptoms but negative blood work. Mtx made me feel good and enbrel made me feel even better. My RD says that's proof of an autoimmune disorder and that I can call it anything I want as long as I stay on the meds
Good to see ya'll again!
LeilaTurned up positive in 04/09. Have had joint pain since early 20s. Have been tested for Lyme every year for the past 15 years which always turned up negative. PMD kept thinking that was what I had. RD feels I have Lupus and Celiac disease as well though serologies are negative. As for joints, I have symmetrical pain but do not swell or get inflamed, just stiff and painful joints along with a rash on my upper chest and lower neck that has been there for at least 10 years.
Negative, but then I may have AS, rheumy can't make up his mind.
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