Re: Hi everyone from new member...

[Guest guest]

Is it worse in the morning? That's a sign. Those sound like the joints for RA. In fact RA with a positive rheumatoid has a worse prognosis according to s Hopkins (I think. I just read that today)

First never take the receptionists word for anything. I was upset with my Dr and missed being diagnosed for a year longer and that was when my joints were damaged.

The rheumy should send a report to your GP. If you don't persist with this rheumy or another at least make sure your GP stays on top of this.

My opinion anyway

Annette

On 1/7/06, mar01chi <mar01chi@...> wrote:

I tested positive for the Rheumatoid Factor but,was not given the diagnosis of RA. I have very sore joints, my feet, knees, elbows and fingers and thumbs. The rheumatologist I went to was very rude and I did not go back to find out the results of additional tests he ran. I called his office and was told that everything came back normal.

Where do I go from here?The high RH factor came up in some routine blood work I had done. My GP sent me to the Rhuematologist for a follow up but apparently I don't have it. Can something else cause my RH factor to be high? I also have Interstitial Cystitis, and IBS. Thanks for the replies in advance. Mar:)

[Guest guest]

By saying " knees, elbows, feet " , you appear to have bilateral symptoms, a

classic RA symptom. You might need a different doctor, my first one was

clueless, the second one looked at me and said I had RA, other tests

confirmed it.

> >

> > I tested positive for the Rheumatoid Factor but,was not given the

> > diagnosis of RA. I have very sore joints, my feet, knees, elbows and

> > fingers and thumbs. The rheumatologist I went to was very rude and I

> > did not go back to find out the results of additional tests he ran. I

> > called his office and was told that everything came back normal.

> > Where do I go from here?

> >

> > The high RH factor came up in some routine blood work I had done. My

> > GP sent me to the Rhuematologist for a follow up but apparently I

> > don't have it. Can something else cause my RH factor to be high? I

> > also have Interstitial Cystitis, and IBS. Thanks for the replies in

> > advance. Mar:)

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Many things cause a high Rheumatoid Factor (RF) so a high one is only a slight indication of RA. Diagnosis of RA is not easy in many cases because of the wide differences in how the disease presents. Some people wait a year or more to get a positive diagnosis. The American College of Rheumatology has seven criteria for diagnosing RA and because of its variability they only require any four to make a positive diagnosis. My quick summary of these criteria is

1. Morning stiffness, lasting for at least an hour, present daily for at least 6 weeks2. Arthritis of 3 or more joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks3. Arthritis of the hand joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks4. Symmetric arthritis, lasting for at least 6 weeks5. Rheumatoid nodules6. Positive rheumatoid factor (blood test)7. Joint changes on x-ray

Only one is the RF. About a fourth of the people DIAGNOSED with RA have a positive RF and I think many people actually HAVE RA but are not diagnosed because of no RF. My guess is that perhaps about half of the people who actually HAVE RA do not have a positive RF but that's just my guess. Another test, the anti-CCP, has about the same number of false negatives as the RF test but a lot less false positives.You should get a copy of your lab work to see what was checked and what the results were.

I don't know how or why your doctor was rude but if you think you have several of the symproms of RA you should probably see another rheumatologist. God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: mar01chi

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 11:04 AM

Subject: Hi everyone from new member...

I tested positive for the Rheumatoid Factor but,was not given the diagnosis of RA. I have very sore joints, my feet, knees, elbows and fingers and thumbs. The rheumatologist I went to was very rude and I did not go back to find out the results of additional tests he ran. I called his office and was told that everything came back normal. Where do I go from here?The high RH factor came up in some routine blood work I had done. My GP sent me to the Rhuematologist for a follow up but apparently I don't have it. Can something else cause my RH factor to be high? I also have Interstitial Cystitis, and IBS. Thanks for the replies in advance. Mar:)

[Guest guest]

First off Mar, I would start going to another rheumy if there is another

one near by. Just because a rheumy is having a bad day doesn't mean

he has to take it out on you. And as Annette said don't take the word

of a receptionist that is unless you know her real well. The best thing

is to have his office to send you a copy of all the tests that was done

or go to his office and pick the papers up. My Dr always give copies

of my tests to me if I ask for them.

Joyce from Texas

----- Original Message -----

From: Annette McKinnon

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 6:35 PM

Subject: Re: Hi everyone from new member...

Is it worse in the morning? That's a sign. Those sound like the joints for RA. In fact RA with a positive rheumatoid has a worse prognosis according to s Hopkins (I think. I just read that today)

First never take the receptionists word for anything. I was upset with my Dr and missed being diagnosed for a year longer and that was when my joints were damaged.

The rheumy should send a report to your GP. If you don't persist with this rheumy or another at least make sure your GP stays on top of this.

My opinion anyway

Annette

On 1/7/06, mar01chi <mar01chi@...> wrote: I tested positive for the Rheumatoid Factor but,was not given the diagnosis of RA. I have very sore joints, my feet, knees, elbows and fingers and thumbs. The rheumatologist I went to was very rude and I did not go back to find out the results of additional tests he ran. I called his office and was told that everything came back normal. Where do I go from here?The high RH factor came up in some routine blood work I had done. My GP sent me to the Rhuematologist for a follow up but apparently I don't have it. Can something else cause my RH factor to be high? I also have Interstitial Cystitis, and IBS. Thanks for the replies in advance. Mar:)

[Guest guest]

just because you have the RF doesn't mean you have RA, but i would try getting

your labs

sent to your GP and asking for a referral to a DIFFERENT rheumy. my GP sent me

to one

and i didn't like the person so she gave me another referral and i really like

the doc. RA

comes with lots of pain, emotional as well as physical, so the LAST thing you

need is a

specialist who you feel is rude and causes you to avoid them! I would, however,

followup

on the test results a little further (get them in your hot little hands).