Dr.s nurse calls today and says blood panel is in normal limits. I asked her what the numbers were. She said my ESR(SED rate) was 17, and my rf(rheumatoid factor) was 5. 1. I asked her if she was sure it wasn't 51, and she said no, 5.1. My CRP(another infla test) measured less than .5
Either my natural supplements pushed me into remission, or I don't have it....but how does that explain two seperate tests with the same blood work having elevated numbers. The tests were taken within 6yrs of each other. The second set of tests I took in 1998 did come back less than the first panel. My ESR was 38 in 1998, but i believe 50 something in 1992.
Trust me I am NOT complaining, I secretely desired to hear those words ("all tests came back normal") but still want to be realistic. I'm still having twinges of mild pain here and there in my joints but nothing major.
Anyone have a clue?
Do you have morning stiffness? How about swelling?
Your mild pain might be from damage.
Someone else might come along with more info. I am not much on DXing folks, I cannot even tell what my JRA feels like most times
Your onset and disease progress sound a lot like mine. I had high CRP and sedRates which resolved to normal levels after only 2-3 weeks on supplements and diet changes. I am still seronegative. My rheumatologist said I went into spontaneous remission. He refused to attribute it to any supplements or diet, but I am not willing to give these up.
I still have some stiffness (less than 10 minute after waking), and some aches and pains. But not enough to need pain killers...yet.
From the little I have been able to glean from others, this disease can come and go on its own. So I am still being diligent with doctors appointments, labs, xrays and watching my diet.
This makes me feel like any day I could wake up with a sudden flare that could disable me. It is a fear that no one around me understands. Some days I wonder if I should plan for disability. Sounds crazy, I know.
If you want to PM me to share your feelings and/or which supplements you are using please do.
Marybeth
About 30% of people with a positive rheumatoid factor do not have RA. Its an indicator test not a definitive test. Both the sed rate and crp tests can be positive for any number of reasons including an infection so again have positive tests does not always mean RA.
Did they run an anti-ccp test. It is curently the most definitive test we have for RA it is positive in over 90% of cases. Also did they run a complete thyroid panal (tsh, fress t3, free t4, antibodies). Hypothyroidism can mimic the signs of early RA including test results.
My bloodwork taken every 2 months is almost always within normal ranges.
My RD says I have an active case of RA. Based on how I'm feeling I agree. Blood tests don't tell the whole story even for inflammation - CRP and ESR are often normal even when I have a flare.
Sorry for hyjacking your thread but...
Buckeye, It's funny you mention Hypothyroidism. Many women in my family have this, including my mother. Everytime I go to the doc, they say "It's not your thyroid, it's normal". But, I still wonder. If I don't have a firm diagnosis of RA, my next step is going to be an endocronologist (I know I spelled that wrong!) Would a RD automatically do the anti-ccp test? I just saw mine yesterday and ordered lots of blood tests, would this be one of them? just curious.
The anit-ccp is a fairly new test, just in the last couple of years, so there are probably still rheumatologists who don't run it automatically. Call and see if he ordered it and if he didn't see if you can get it added to the order
There is a lot of controversy over what are the correct ranges to measure thyroid function. There have been recommendations to lower the range but as of yet it hasn't taken place so many people who fall into the so-called "normal" range in fact are hypo. The about.com/thyroid website is very informative and the members of the thyroid forums are very knowlegable if you have questions I wouldn't hesitate to head over there
Pretty certain my thyroids fine. Never had a weight prob, plus it was checked last yr when i was having 'womenly' issues. Acually the ccp test is what i *meant* to ask for but forgot the acrynom, and I instead asked for crp. I'll call back and see if he can put the order in. [QUOTE=marian]My bloodwork taken every 2 months is almost always within normal ranges.
My RD says I have an active case of RA. Based on how I'm feeling I agree. Blood tests don't tell the whole story even for inflammation - CRP and ESR are often normal even when I have a flare.
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That's what's confusing. From what I read, normal bloodwork indicates that the disease is in remission from a clinical standpoint, also no visible swelling. So your doc says that it's active even when clinically it's dormant?
newbb, i was RF positive as well as ESR and CRP being elevated. I wasAbout 30% of people with a positive rheumatoid
factor do not have RA. Its an indicator test not a definitive test. Both the
sed rate and crp tests can be positive for any number of reasons
including an infection so again have positive tests does not always mean
RA.
Did they run an anti-ccp test. It is curently the most definitive test we
have for RA it is positive in over 90% of cases. Also did they run a
complete thyroid panal (tsh, fress t3, free t4, antibodies).
Hypothyroidism can mimic the signs of early RA including test results.
[/QUOTE]
My RF is off the chart, ESR at high end of normal and CRP in normal range. Have swelling and pain. I have just paid to have the antibody CCP test and will get my results back in 5 days time. My RD says that this is a very specific test for RA antibodies and gives them an indicator of whether or not you are headed into the RA group. All that said, the National RA Society in the UK (I spoke to them last week), say that the percentages in the UK are that 40% of those who have RA will have a negative antibody CCP result but that doesnt mean they dont have RA if some/all of the other indicators are present (ie elevated RF, ESR, CRP, swelling, nodules etc etc). Its sooooo confusing.
I have an underactive thyroid and take thyroxine daily. My TFT presently shows 15 (which is bang in the middle of our normal range), to get it to that level I take 75mg thyroxine a day. Apart from dry skin, lethary (sleeping 13 hours a day type lethargy) I didnt have any joint pain (not like now) before last year.
Who is to know if there is a link? Underactive thyroid is an autoimmune disease though.
You can by hypothyroid and not have an autoimmune disease though Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism is autoimmun and the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
Wills if you are that lethargic and have dry skin you are still showing signs that your thyroid levels aren't optimized.
Lorster, the anti ccp only came out within the last 3-4 years. I believe it will become one of the diagnositic criterea next time it they evaluate it. I think they just need more "real" world numbers to validate the test
Buckeye, my the description of my thyroid challenge were prior to me going on the thyroxine. I hate taking drugs and thought I could manage.... eventually I couldnt and when I went on the thyroxine it was like night and day.... I got my life back and could have kicked myself for being so stubourn.
I didnt realise the antibody CCP was that new, that makes sense as to why its not on the NHS yet and why I had to pay for it privately. Only cost £50.00 so a bargain if it can indeed give a definite answer or a way in which my Consultant can make a more accurate diagnosis.
oh..I'm glad the thyroxine is helping then. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the test gives you some answers
I would get the results on paper from your lab to see what their value ranges are. From what I know any ESR above 10 is abnormal and shows systemic inflammation. But whether that is true at the lab your blood was sent to, I don't know. Get a copy of the lab results for yourself.[QUOTE=cheesehead]I would get the results on paper from your lab to see what their value ranges are. From what I know any ESR above 10 is abnormal and shows systemic inflammation. But whether that is true at the lab your blood was sent to, I don't know. Get a copy of the lab results for yourself.
Do you feel good or as though you are in remission? I really hope you are!
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Guess the jury still out on that(your first few sentences)
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