Test Results

[DJEligio]

Hello everyone

In brief - I have been suffering quite a few symptoms relating to Lupus for sometime and as I have private medical insurance was able to get an appointment quickly. Saw the rheumatologist 2 weeks ago and had bloods and x-rays of feet, hands and chest.

Today I had my follow-up and all my bloods were normal apart from the Rheumatoid Factor which was 1439.

Taking my symptoms into account he gave me a steroid injection (I'm diabetic type 2) he said the injection wouldn't raise my sugar as much as tablets.

Follow-up in 4 weeks to see if the injection has improved my ailments.

I'm not sure what to make of this course of action so thought I would post for your views.

Thanks.

[Jmiller623]

Hi DJ. Sounds like maybe you have rheumatoid arthritis and your doctor is seeing if your pains and symptoms are steroid responsive. Typically if your symptoms respond to steroids, it means anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive medications should work for you. Methotrexate in particular if deemed RA. Rheumatoid factor can be elevated outside of rheumatoid arthritis so I am hoping they rule out things like infection.

I’m assuming the injection you got was triamcinolone and not IV solumedrol. One injection will cause an increase in blood glucose for one day and that’s it as opposed to multiple days with oral steroids, which would require additional management.

I think the management sounds fine but without a full clinical picture - symptom timeline and work up, it’s always hard to tell what a doc is thinking when they formulate a plan in treating autoimmune illnesses.

Hope this helps. Sorry you haven’t been feeling well. Sending hugs. ❤️xx

[DJEligio in reply to Jmiller623]

Hi Jmiller

Thank you very much for taking time to reply.

Symptom timeline hard to define but been suffering with joints for a long time. It seemed to have got worse since December 2020 along with other symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.

The pain is in my feet, knees, wrists, fingers, elbow, neck and shoulder. Really suffered to the point where I had to take action as quality of life, work etc is becoming a struggle. My mother who was a nurse suggested it could be Lupus which I never heard of until I Googled and found this site.

After reading many posts I did feel like there could be a possibility I had lupus. I have a red rash over my face which comes and goes - along with joint pain, fatigue, brain fog etc...

I also discovered why my left-hand fingers sometimes go white and numb and tingly exactly like Raynaud's disease would never of know until I read on this site. Also I get horse throat, swollen glands one day, gone the next, super cold feet, then super hot feet.

All this info I gave to the rheumatologist and he did explain that the the RF in itself is not conclusive for RA but given my symptoms wanted to see how I felt after the injection.

Well the good news is - the steroid jab whatever it was seems to have worked a miracle as last night was the best sleep I've had since I can remember. Waking up without pain, feet, knees, wrists, everything and all day no pain. Is this really possible, it is very surreal I fell like I've been loaned a new body lol....

I guess only time will tell but all I can say right now is it seems as though the steroid has kicked in and is working. I wonder how it will be tomorrow!!

Just one side effect my blood sugar level went up to 10.8 need to keep a watch on that.

Stay safe