CRP

[Nanabrodie]

Just got a copy of the letter my rheumatologist sent to my GP and she refers to inflammatory markers were raised with CRP 25. She also refers to the fact that I have sero negative inflammatory arthritis. As I’m new to all of this can anyone enlighten me. Is CRP 25 high (don’t know what normal is) and what does sero negative mean?

[helixhelix]

Hello, it is all a bit of jumble of technical nonsense to start with, but it will make more sense eventually, but take it all out ne step at a time.

There are two antibody tests used to help with diagnosis, the RF rheumatoid factor test, and the anti-CCP test. If you are negative for both of those you are called sero-negative. The theory is that sero-negative people will have a less aggressive disease......but you still can have RA. Sometimes sero negative people have a struggle to get diagnosed, so it's helpful (sort of) that your diagnosis has proceeded smoothly.

And the CRP is a blood test that measures inflammation in your body. Normal is below 5, so yours is raised. But it can go sky high, 200 or more, so you are in a moderate zone.

It's good to keep track yourself of these results, particularly the CRP, so you can monitor how you are progressing and get a feel for how your blood tests reflect how you feel - or don't as the case may be!

[Nanabrodie in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you for getting back to me you have explained it really clearly. I was put on prednisilon for ten weeks and felt on top of the world; haven’t felt that good for a long long time. I have just this week finished it but am also on hydroxychloraquin but not sure that this helping as since I’ve cut the steroids out I am feeling back to how I was at the beginning. I’m not extreme pain just in some of my fingers, occasionally in my feet and general aching throughout my body so I am much luckier that a lot of people.

[helixhelix in reply to Nanabrodie]

That's prednisalone for you - turns us into wonder women! (And men...). But not good to have long term, so sadly not a solution.

I hope you are being given another blood test sometime soon? If the CRP has dropped to normal, and you still feel rubbish then push your rheumy to review your meds. And if it hasn't dropped then perhaps shows that hydroxy is not the drug for you.

[Nanabrodie in reply to helixhelix]

I’m afraid I have to wait 5 months for my next appointment to see rheumy , it’s a very busy clinic 😕

[helixhelix in reply to Nanabrodie]

But are you having another bloood test before then?

[Nanabrodie in reply to helixhelix]

No nothing has been arranged

[Philing in reply to helixhelix]

Sorry to butt in, but can you have RA or inflammation if your crp is 0.6 ? Doctor tells me I have zero inflam but that’s not what my hot joints tell me

[helixhelix in reply to Philing]

Well I don't know, but I often have CRP or 2 or 3 and joints hot, swollen and inflammed. My rheumy now looks at my joints and not the piece of paper.

[dwsurquhart]

Normal crp is between 0 on the low end to a high end of 3.0. Anything higher is classified as systemic inflammation. To me I would have been happy if my crp was 25, mine topped out at 159. Now with the proper mess I am down to less than 0.5.

[wishbone in reply to dwsurquhart]

Me too. My last CRP reading about 6 weeks ago was 60 and that was taken on a so called good day. I started a new med two weeks ago so am hoping today's blood test at 11am will show some improvement.

[Nanabrodie in reply to dwsurquhart]

Gosh you must have been in a lot of pain.

[wishbone in reply to Nanabrodie]

Nah, not really. I suppose that being a rough'n tough ex paratrooper and ex coal miner has conditioned me to not to feel much pain so I pretty much ignore it.......honest!......well the coal miner part is true.

Seriously though, it's not good, but in the past my CRP's been well over 100 for a relatively long period. Now that was absolute hell!! After experiencing that sort of prolonged pain having a CRP of 60 doesn't seem so bad.. if you know what I mean. Since starting the new med I'm feeling less stiff so hopefully my CRP is decreasing.

[Amhoarten]

My CRP at diagnosis was 22. I looked like the marshmallow man on ghost busters I was so swollen. My crp when I'm ok is below 3. I'm in agony at 7. My ccp was greater than 340 with positive RF too. So I would say crp numbers are a guide but everyone is so different. For me at 7 I have needed another dmard added so now on triple therapy and I also needed a steroid to dampen things down. Like others have said keep a pain diary and keep a check on bloods so you know what's a good/bad day for you. There is so much to take in but this site is great for info and support.

[Nanabrodie in reply to Amhoarten]

Thank you you’ve all been really helpful

[Mandalou]

Nanabrodie

If you are in the UK you must have been given a Rheumy nurse help line number?

If you are now off Prednisalone and just on Hydroxy but are still suffering you absolutely can ring them and ask to be considered for a cancellation.

5 months is a long time to wait.

Have you been told to go and get an eye test? as a base line image is necessary if you are going to be on Hydroxychloroquine for a long time.

Mx

[Nanabrodie in reply to Mandalou]

Yes had eye test as soon as I started hydroxy. Due to see my GP on Wednesday for drugs review as I am on anti coagulants for AF and gabapentin for fybromalgia so if I feel the same can see what he says. Thanks for answering my post.

[Colaba]

I note that many of the posts here are 6 years old. That does not, of itself, invalidate them. Most of them contain references to measurements and information quite foreign to me. such as CCP and CRP. The writers seem to be full of medical knowledge of which I have never heard. Nobody has shared the results of any blood tests with me. I just presume they are OK. There has been some concern about a X ray showing a slightly enlarged aorta.

I am on Methotrexate and it seems to work very well. My strength is much diminished compared with pre RA but I have very little in the way of recognisible 'Flares'. That is clearly very fortunate.

Psychologically, I suppose I am apprehensive as well as ignorant. In other parts of my life I remain well-informed and intellectually pro-active.