raynauds syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis

[subu123]

my RA factor test was 25 iu/ml at first and when i tested again it was 2.5 .

anti ccp was 49 u/ml and later it was 7.5 iu/ml ??? does it change like this ???

my fingertips turn bluish in the wintertime and the pain is excruciating . i literally put my hand over the gasstove . after few minutes the finger tips become red and swollen ... is it raynauds or rheumatiod ?

i do have gout for which i am taking febuxostat 80 everyday .

[Hidden]

Have you seen a rheumatologist? There is so much crossover with connective tissue symptoms - could be undifferentiated connective tissue disease maybe but we aren't medically trained and RA is a disease of many faces - only a rheumatologist can diagnose RA.

For what it's worth my rheumatoid factor went from 26 (only a low positive) to 15 as methotrexate tackled pain and inflammation - not sure what it's doing now but you can have RA with negative bloods anyway.

I know Raynaud's and gout can both be very painful - and if you get digital ulcers then you might want to push for a nailfold capillary test to rule out Scleroderma.

[helixhelix]

Like Twitchy says, you need to get answers from a rheumy - but you don't say if you have any other symptoms of RA. However, I know my results have varied over the years so that's possible. Did you get a printed sheet with your results, as that should list the reference ranges for that test in that lab? And from that you can see whether your results are within normal range or not. Labs differ a bit so can't tell you what they should be - but it may well be that your results are pretty normal/inconclusive for RA.

[siskin]

subu123 Hi, I have RA and Raynauds. Your description of your fingers, is in my experience, Raynauds. I have had that since about 13. Now 76. I have had RA for 20 yrs.

The pain caused by Raynauds is becuase if your hands get cold the tiny cappilaries in your fingers contract and reduces blood flow, That is when they look blue.

As the hands warm the blow flow increases and causes the pain that is when they go red. Sometimes the fingers go very white after they become blue.

that is the extreme end of blood flow to fingers.

The best way to restore circulation is to put your palms together and place your hands between your knees and rub gently. Body heat is better than

putting your hands over heater which can cause more pain as blood flow is increased too quickly and may lead to chillblaines.

Try to keep your hands as warm as possible to prevent occurrence. Sometimes even a cold draught can trigger Raynauds even if you don't feel particularly cold.

RA does not have these symptoms to my knowledge.

Regards.

[Hidden]

Hi there

You need to talk to your rheumy Or gp. I have RA and Raynaud's phenomenon and the Raynauds was diagnosed by my gp. In the very cold I cannot get my hands feet and tip of my nose warm. This year I'm just going to stay in. I Agree with Siskin that you need to keep your hands n feet warm and not warm in an unsaturated way ( so no wheat bags or hot water bottles) check out Www.raynauds.ork.uk . I wear Ugg boots in the house and have sheepskin liners in my walking boots for outside. I've yet to find some gloves to keep my hands warm so think I will have to splash out the £89 to get some Ugg gloves. Wear wool socks not cotton. Good luck x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Unsaturated? Ha ha ha I meant "unnatural"

[shareasmile in reply to Hidden]

When I was a teacher, I used to take my class outside for recess on cold winter days. I had a pair of battery powered heated gloves to combat my raynauds! I also carried hand warmers in my pockets. I was a walking heater!! Gotta do what it takes to cope with this stuff!