Is RA without joint pain possible?

[WK1010]

I was wondering if RA without joint pain is possible. Symptoms: fatigue, memory and concentration issues, constipation, flatulence, numbness and tingling in hands and feet. Btw could RA cause these gut symptoms? Colonscopy and endoscopy was normal. No celiac disease or gastrointestinal diseases (other than eosinophilic esophagitis). Thyroid normal. Vitamins and minerals normal. Doctor said rheumatic diseases were not a possiblity, but my heart is telling me I should keep looking.

Blood tests:

IgG 12.0 referance range(6.1 -14.9)

IgA 1.4 (0.7 -3.7)

IgM 2.8 (0.4 - 2.1)

RF-latextest >450 (<20)

ANTICCP <1 (<7)

ANA NEG (NEG)

ANCA Performed ( - )

MPO-ANCA <0.3 (<3.5)

PR-3-ANCA 0.6 (<2.0)

[Gloria814]

I will tell you about my symptoms being somewhat similar at least in the beginning of the inflamm. arthritis. I had been diagnosed about 10 yrs prior with a bowel disease --crohn's and that can be associated with RA. The past 2 yrs I had been extremely fatigued. Having to go to bed almost right after dinner and being tired thru out the day. After about 18 months of that I started having pain in one finger of my left hand and occas soreness in my hands. First 2 blood tests neg. for RA and a yr later xrays showed joint erosions and followed by MRI with same finding/ confirmation of diagnosis. I did have swelling of that one finger but not significant enough for the doctor to recognize it. No swelling anywhere else. Multiple blood tests always come back neg. But we are all individuals with all different ways of the disease showing symptoms. You may have to wait awhile before you can get a confirmation on a diagnosis. It can be very frustrating. Years ago I had diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. The former can cause all sorts of symptoms but biggest problem was overwhelming fatigue for me. Good luck

[Michiganpbc]

Have you been checked for PBC? Have you had AMA blood test?

[WK1010 in reply to Michiganpbc]

I'm only 20 years old and do not drink, so I don't know if PBC is even possible. Blood tests for liver enzymes are also normal. No, I haven't had an AMA test, where I live (not the uk) that has to be done in a hospital I think.

[Michiganpbc in reply to WK1010]

It is autoimmune liver disease has nothing to do with alchohol you describe symptoms common in PBC the c stands for cholangitis not cirrhosis, ask to have a blood test for AMA .

[sjewell_77]

I'm not a dr but my with all my medical issues I think u have fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome. I have both on top of ra and many other medical issues. Ur dr should test ur crp (c-reactive protein).

[WK1010 in reply to sjewell_77]

Hmm...don't people with fibromyalgia experience pain everywhere? I don't. My CRP and ESR were both normal. I was given the diagnosis of IBS but I'm taking it with a grain of salt, as I'm not confident of such a diagnosis based on the fact that the reason given was based on probability and not certainty. I still need to find out why my blood tests are elevated and if whatever is causing that is not causing the gastro symptoms, then I can conclude with IBS. I redid the tests and RF is still 450 but IgM has increased to 3.1, which is strange. I did an electrophoresis test with immunotyping which was normal as well.

[sjewell_77 in reply to WK1010]

Fibromyalgia is known as a widespread pain but it can also affect the joints. Some ppl get misdiagnosed with ra when they have fibromyalgia. I'm not saying u do or don't have ra but since there's no test for fibromyalgia yet they usually run tests for everything else and when everything comes back negative it's fibromyalgia. The same goes for IBS. Once all other diseases r ruled out it all leads to IBS. I have both conditions as well as ra. I did a ton of research on all 3 and gout and lymes disease.