Re: Hi Everyone (Newbie)

[Guest guest]

Welcome! This is a fantabulous group!!!! and

a are great with the info! Glad that you are

here! WOW! Your RF is high, I would think? However,

mine has leveled out for a bit. Hopefully and/or

a or even several other members will probably be

more helpful and we have a nurse or two in this group,

I do believe. I have only been posting updates for

several months now. Anyhow, I need to get back to

being more supportive! So, again welcome! KIm

--- Suzanne <smatney1960@...> wrote:

>

> I have been scanning this group for the past week,

> and am truly awed by

> some of your stories and how many of you live with

> your conditions

> everyday. I am a RN, and of course, we never think

> it's going to happen

> to us, but something is going on and I finally

> realized I needed to get

> myself checked out.

>

> I have been experiencing symptoms of dry eyes,

> extreme fatigue at times

> (especially in the afternoon and early evening),

> finger swelling and

> generalized malaise for years. I attributed it to a

> hectic work

> schedule, not enough rest, raising 2 kids alone and

> eating too much salt

> and junk, and the winter climate here in the

> midwest. As part of a

> program I participated in, I had genetic testing

> done to look for

> genetic predisposition to certain types of health

> problems, and the most

> significant for me was a tendency toward

> inflammatory problems. I have

> followed some of the recommendations made at that

> time to decrease my

> chances of having those tendencies expressed

> physically.

>

> About 3-6 months ago, I developed left shoulder and

> right elbow pain for

> no apparent reason and this has been persistent

> along with what feels

> like carpal tunnel. I also have gotten to the point

> that I can't

> comfortably wear my wedding rings--I have to soap

> them on and off!

> Compounding all of this is a failed back surgery for

> which I will need a

> lumbar fusion in the next few weeks. Anyhow, I went

> to my primary care

> MD about 10 days ago and he ran only the ANA and

> quantitative rheumatoid

> factor tests (no sed rate or CRP). The ANA was a

> weakly positive 1:40,

> speckled pattern (which is associated with RA,

> Sjogren's and a few

> others), but my quantitative RF was 2510! After

> doing some reading, I

> realize that this can mean almost anything (there

> doesn't seem to be a

> lot of literature regarding the significance of a

> really high quant.

> RF), but I am really nervous about it and what this

> might mean. I see

> the rheumatologist this Wednesday and already have a

> ton of questions

> for her--most importantly how it will impact the

> need to get my back

> fixed so that I can get back to work!

>

> Thanks for the chance to post and for bearing with

> me getting my fears

> written out (which really helps!). I have much to

> learn from all of you!

>

> Suzanne

>

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

Thank you for your welcome! I am truly fortunate to have found you

all!

One question I have is whether the presence of multiple pulmonary

nodules (that look like granulomas) is a common finding in RA or the

related autoimmune diseases? I was diagnosed with these several

years ago and followup CT scans show no real change--I am awaiting

the results of the one done last week.

Suzanne

--- In , kim rodgers <ksamedifference@...>

wrote:

>

> Welcome! This is a fantabulous group!!!! and

> a are great with the info! Glad that you are

> here! WOW! Your RF is high, I would think? However,

> mine has leveled out for a bit. Hopefully and/or

> a or even several other members will probably be

> more helpful and we have a nurse or two in this group,

> I do believe. I have only been posting updates for

> several months now. Anyhow, I need to get back to

> being more supportive! So, again welcome! KIm

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Suzanne!

So sorry that you haven't been feeling well and that you are worried about

what might be going on with you.

I would ask for the anti-CCP test.

Amgen

" Anti-CCP antibodies and RF: specificity of 100 percent " :

http://www.kineret-eu.com/en/pro/news/news037.jsp

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Hi Everyone (Newbie)

>

> I have been scanning this group for the past week, and am truly awed by

> some of your stories and how many of you live with your conditions

> everyday. I am a RN, and of course, we never think it's going to happen

> to us, but something is going on and I finally realized I needed to get

> myself checked out.

>

> I have been experiencing symptoms of dry eyes, extreme fatigue at times

> (especially in the afternoon and early evening), finger swelling and

> generalized malaise for years. I attributed it to a hectic work

> schedule, not enough rest, raising 2 kids alone and eating too much salt

> and junk, and the winter climate here in the midwest. As part of a

> program I participated in, I had genetic testing done to look for

> genetic predisposition to certain types of health problems, and the most

> significant for me was a tendency toward inflammatory problems. I have

> followed some of the recommendations made at that time to decrease my

> chances of having those tendencies expressed physically.

>

> About 3-6 months ago, I developed left shoulder and right elbow pain for

> no apparent reason and this has been persistent along with what feels

> like carpal tunnel. I also have gotten to the point that I can't

> comfortably wear my wedding rings--I have to soap them on and off!

> Compounding all of this is a failed back surgery for which I will need a

> lumbar fusion in the next few weeks. Anyhow, I went to my primary care

> MD about 10 days ago and he ran only the ANA and quantitative rheumatoid

> factor tests (no sed rate or CRP). The ANA was a weakly positive 1:40,

> speckled pattern (which is associated with RA, Sjogren's and a few

> others), but my quantitative RF was 2510! After doing some reading, I

> realize that this can mean almost anything (there doesn't seem to be a

> lot of literature regarding the significance of a really high quant.

> RF), but I am really nervous about it and what this might mean. I see

> the rheumatologist this Wednesday and already have a ton of questions

> for her--most importantly how it will impact the need to get my back

> fixed so that I can get back to work!

>

> Thanks for the chance to post and for bearing with me getting my fears

> written out (which really helps!). I have much to learn from all of you!

>

> Suzanne