I am new here......

[LD1954]

Following a recent blood test my GP has referred me to Rheumatology at the local hospital and I am waiting for an appointment and suggested DMARD treatment.

My blood tests showed above normal RA level, but normal ESR and CRP levels. My fingers are a bit stiff first thing in the morning, and I have a herberden's node developed on one of my fingers, but that causes me no problems. The rest of me is relatively okay except for OA in my hip joints which is painful after a fair bit of walking. Does this mean I have RA, or could it be something else?

Many thanks for any help you can provide. I am very worried....

[Beaches2]

Hi and welcome

Sounds like your GP is following the right pathway and sending you off to see a rheumatologist based on raised rh factor and stiffness in the morning.

You may have RA or something else going on, the rheumatologist should be able to tell you. You can have a raised level and not have RA .....the consultant will look at blood tests, your history and current symptoms and put it all together to come up with a diagnosis.

If it is RA, then it doesn't sound like it's giving you too many problems just now and you might have caught it early which means you have a good chance of keeping symptoms at bay with some treatment. You are in the right place on here for loads of support and empathy.

Good luck

[Gretchy]

Hi. I went to my doctor two months ago with some stiffness and painin my thumb and my toe. I tested slightly high on an anti-ccp test so my GP referred me.

I was gobsmacked when I saw the consultant who took one look at me and said ah...you've got RA. I associated the disease with what my gran had. All twisted fingers and deformed feet. The consultant checked me over and said, most of my joints were swollen but I was obviously just thinking this was normal when it wasn't. She also asked me if I'd had problems sleeping at night but felt really tired which again she said was the disease.

I'm now on treatment and to be honest feeling terrible but hopefully they have caught it early. You may find the same. All my inflammatory markers other than the anti ccp were and continue to be normal. Any other GP and they probably wouldn't have referred me. Indeed one I saw in the iterim said I didn't have RA and I was just a hypochondriac!

[LD1954 in reply to Gretchy]

HI thanks for your reply. Sleeping at night is difficult due to the OA in my hips so quite often I have to get up a couple of times in the night and go for a walk around the house. I hope you feel better on your meds real soon. x

[nomoreheels]

Hiya LD1954 & welcome. Unfortunately blood tests form only one part of the diagnosis, so not always a good indicator on it's own. Sounds like you're aware you have OA, Heberden's nodes & your hips, but for your GP to refer you to Rheumatology would suggest that he's reasonably on the ball (or is aware of symptoms & guidelines) & suspects RD or autoimmunity of some form so that's a positive, the earlier you receive diagnosis the better because if treated early enough the likelihood for complications lessens. Try not to worry, it's not all gloom & doom & bear in mind there are a lot of horror stories out there in Google land, even forums such as ours aren't a good barometer of the disease as many who use them are more often than not struggling at that moment in time or, like yourself, haven't received a diagnosis or are newly diagnosed, though there are some of us are generally well controlled & choose to be here. Maybe a look through the NRAS site would help ease your fears nras.org.uk, or ask questions here, there's always someone who's be able to respond. Keep us updated & if there's anything you'd like to know to prepare you for your appointment ask away, or you could use the 'Search NRAS' box, lots of posts of regularly asked questions there. Take care.

[LD1954 in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you for your reply - I keep thinking that it might all be a bad dream, but obviously not. My late Father had RA and I saw how he suffered. Still that was 20 years ago now, and medication will have much improved since that time. Many thanks again. Will let you know how things progress.

[Chez1]

I am in a similar position, all blood tests were slightly higher had pain in hands and hips, saw a consultant privately to get seen quicker as worried and he more or less said i was a hypochondriac and the pain would not come back as had cleared up with the steroids. well... saw another consultant 3 months ago who was brilliant looked at everything and took more x-rays I am going back on Monday to see what he says now as I have had more pain in shoulders hips knees hands, ribs and swelling in feet, part of me wants it to be ra as it gives me an answer and hopefully with meds would stop/help with pain, although pain is not too bad but then i have walked round on a broken foot before!!!.

Feel guilty when i read of the pain others are in , am I a hypochondriac???!! as my pain is not too bad, it is the fatigue that gets to me especially when i want to go to bed and my daughter wants to stay up (she is 19 with Down Syndrome so i have to look after her)

Just want to stop crying and feeling sorry for myself

[LD1954 in reply to Chez1]

Hi it sounds just like the situation I am in and I too have walked around with a broken foot by now. I rarely go to the Doctor unless I really have too, but as I was on leave I decided to get an appointment to get checked out. When I previously mentioned pain in my hands and feet to another Doctor (now retired), he told me to rub in hand cream! I am waiting for an appointment at the hospital so I should get some kind of resolution and then I will know exactly what I am dealing with. I must admit to reading posts on line too and it really is worrying. I guess the answer is to try and keep busy when you feel you can, and rest at other times. Take care...

[DelicateInput in reply to Chez1]

X-rays will only identify osteo arthritis or very advanced RA. You need ultrasound so insist on it. Shoulder and hand pain is RA or some other inflammatory arthritis, usually.