RA vs Lupus | Arthritis Information

Just wondering if anyone has been considered to have Lupus vs RA? I am dx with RA, but I have many other symptoms that are characteristic of Lupus.

HEY CRUNCHY,

I'VE BEEN OFF THE BOARD FOR A FEW DAYS, DOING RESEARCH. AFTER THE RHEUMY VISIT ON WEDNESDAY HE REALLY UPSET ME WITH THE DX OF FIBRO. NOT THAT THAT WOULD BE ANY BETTER.

FIBRO HAS ALOT OF SYMPTOMS I DONT HAVE.

I'M LIKE YOU ALOT OF LUPUS THINGS GOING ON HERE, WHAT ARE YOUR SYMPTOMS? MAYBE WE HAVE SOME OF THE SAME.

WELL ANYWAY IM LOOKING INTO IT MORE EACH DAY, ESPECIALLY SINCE MY BLOOD COUNTS HAVE BEEN OFF FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS. I WONDER ARE YOU HAVING THE SAME RESULTS WITH YOUR'S?

ARE YOU EBV SERO POSITIVE? THEY ALSO THOUGHT I HAD INFECTIOUS MONO, BUT I CANT SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING ON HAVING IT FOR 15 YEARS, ANY SUGGESTIONS?

DO YOU HAVE RINGING IN YOUR EARS?

WELL IT'S LATE GOING TO BED.

Hi crunchy, I'm not at all sure I don't have lupus in addition to the RA, OA, fibro and Sjogrens. For years my rheumatologist just said I had OA. I think the blood work can suddenly change and I think a lot of these auto immune diseases are interrelated. I had skin cancer across the bridge of my nose where the malar rash would be. I also have supposed roseacea which is a red rash on the face. I'm extremely sun sensitive and sometimes break out in rashes if I've been in the sun too long. My blood work was completely normal for years and now only the rheumatoid factor is positive. If you can be sero negative RA I immagine you can be seronegative lupus. Who knows. My personal opinion is that all autoimmune diseases including RA, fibromyalgia, MS, allergies and cancer as well as all the others are somehow interrelated.    Crunchy and Lindak,
   Last year at this time, when all of this began, I had a positive ANA test. The GP doc called me and told me that I had lupus and that's how I got the referal to the RA doc. In the meantime, I went out on workman's comp and that doc did his own tests. The ANA was still positive, as was the RA. Finally went to the RA doc and she did her own test again. Positive RA but the ANA and lupus panel were now borderline positive. So more tests and a whole lot of questions. There's a list of 11 things that make up the critera for having lupus. You have to match 4 things out of the 11, to have lupus. I missed it by one.
   This year the lupus panel has been repeated and in 2 weeks I go back to the doc to find out what this latest tests will show.
   I'm finding out that's it not easy to have a autoimmune disorder.

   Marisa

LindaK, I am so interested in your story. I am being told that I only have OA also, based upon my blood work. It's not that I want to have a systemic illness by any means, but I just don't understand why all of sudden this is happening to my body - aches and pains everywhere!

I've had what doctors defined as a "sun allergy" for my entire life. In the last few years it has gotten much worse. My kids call it my "leprosy"! Butterfly rash across the nose too.

Eight years ago I developed a autoimmune thyroiditis, and I have asthma which is also considered to be an autoimmune condition. I can't help but wonder what lies ahead.