What exactly is is and the difference? Because thats what i have.
:] x
What exactly is it* i meant.
Sorry
It means that you didn't register an abnormal response on a blood test called Rheumatoid Factor.Ah right. So thats a good thing then yeah?
Sorry for sounding thick its just ive been thrown into all this head first and havent got a clue. I may not be the best person to answer this. I consider myself a "newbie" at all this too. I've read articles that say people with a positive RF tend to have a more agressive disease but from what I've found on this website and others, that might not be true. I really don't think it means anything other than your test was negative.It supposedly means you may have a milder form of RA but based on people's comments on this board I don't think that is neccessarily true.
It could mean you might have problems getting a referral to a Rheumatolgist. But since you know you are sero negative I am assuming a rheumatolgist diagnosed you?
What meds are you on for this?
hessalina
This is the weird bit - apparently a negative RA factor doesn't mean you haven't got RA but a person can have a positive RA factor and not have RA. This is why other tests and examinations are taken to determine if a person has RA, eg xrays of hands and feet, history of joint pain, physical exam.
Whether the neg factor stays that way in someone dx with RA through other tests or a pos factor person goes on to develope RA I don't know. Anybody?
From what I've been told your bloodwork can stay negative for RF indefinately but you can still have all the symptoms. Many on this board are in this catagory. However, I know from personal experience that you can start out negative and then go positive. That's what happened to me. I was diagnosed with Sero-Negative RA, started on Plaquenil and then within (8) weeks after starting meds and being diagnosed "Sero-negative", all of my bloodwork went positive and my Rheumatologist changed my diagnosis from Sero-negative RA to full blown "RA".
I'm in this boat myself. I've been sero-negative for 13 years now and the only thing that's abnormal is often my seds-rate which is a test for inflammation.
I started moderate.....went to mild.....went to moderate/severe and everywhere in between. Right now I consider my symptoms mild/moderate; but that's only because I've experienced the severe and it wasn't pretty. Things can change.....change back and change back again. It's so unpredictable.
I know so many at this site and others who have always been sero-negative and are in horrible shape; while others that are positve manage really well.
Obviously this isn't any help.......but it might be comforting to know that even those of us that have had this a long time are also confused by what it all means.
Hope to see more of you here.
I'm negative also - and my rheumy says he really doesn't pay much attention to this - I'm like lovie have been at different stages from mild to severe and back again - it is really weird - I know this doesn't help but figured it couldn't hurt. Hugs and good vibes.
Hey thanks for the reply. This is the letter i got today. Please read and tell me what u all think. It says........................
DIAGNOSIS : SERO NEGATIVE INFLAMMATORY ARTHIRITUS
OTHER DIAGNOSIS: ENTHESITIS OF THE ACHILIS PLANTAR FASCIA
INTERVENTION: BLOOD TEST CHECKED, XRAYS DONE OF HANDS AND FEET, PREDNISOLONE, SULFASALAZINE.
REFERAL TO PHYSIOTHERAPY AND ORTHOTICS.
If I interpret it correctly, you have signs of having RA. In this case, maybe your SED rate is high, which means you have a lot of inflammation but your RF factor still is not significant. You also have damage occuring in your foot. In that case, a poditrist might be helpful. They are recommending what medications, Predinsone and Sulfasalazine, to start you on (we don't get reports like this in the US. Labs never make recommendations except for more films).
Doctors will disagree which medications to start you on. For instance, I'm allergic to Sulfa, they would start me on MTX. They are also recommending that you get with a physical therapist and get fitted for orthotics, some kind of brace, that will help you with both your pain and your ability to walk.
Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and this is just a guess.
As far as sero-negative/positive goes, my last Rheumy said my bloodwork is all good and that I don't have RA. I've had it for over 6 years with damage showing up on the films, in my eyes, lungs and heart. Whatever your bloodwork results are, it is the quality of the doctor interpreting them that makes the real difference.