question

[bunnycaramel]

can someone have RA without needing medication. I know someone that says she has it but not taking any medication for it.

[zen4]

Hello You can be positive for the rheumatoid factor but not have any symptoms or signs of RA If you had RA I would say it's very likely that you would have stiffness or swelling or pain in joints or all 3 If you have those signs and symptoms you should be taking medication to stop the progression of RA It seems unlikely that you would have no symptoms at all What does anyone else think??

[Matilda_1922 in reply to zen4]

Thank you for your answer

I think this person is confused between RA and OA as the joints affects affected are more associated with OA not RA when they show me their fingers.

[Luludean in reply to zen4]

Why would you be tested for RA if you had no specific symptoms?

After a certain age most back pain is at first diagnosed by GPs as » normal wear and tear” So to even get to see a consultant (especially now) there must have been some other problem?

But then , What if one is told by one consultant in rheumatology that one has RA then after 2 years that diagnosis is ruled out by the same consultant? Then a new consultant is installed and agrees that one has osteo not RA and «  that is the reason Biologics did not work for feet and back pain . It does get horribly confusing and one loses trust. RA / Osteo ? It does seem to be a minefield.

[helixhelix in reply to Luludean]

Because it can be difficult to diagnose, especially if sero-negative.

[Luludean in reply to helixhelix]

So glad you have good drug regime Helihelix , and , have found life easier . Retiring , less stress must help !! Could your improvement be also due to living in France ?

[helixhelix in reply to Luludean]

Well right now I don’t have a drug regime as last one failed and waiting to start new one, but fingers crossed I’ll be back to RA-normal soon.

[Luludean in reply to helixhelix]

Do you see your rheumatology department in France on a regular badis? How long will you wait to be seen for new drug regime?

I think » quite a few «  of us here have had no improvement or bad reaction to a drug , had to stop it but, due to delays here are left with nothing till next appointment . It seems that «  nurse practitioners » can prescribe drugs by telephone appointment . This is a minefield .

I expect a tirade of criticism for that last comment.

[helixhelix in reply to Luludean]

It’s very different here. I see my rheumy (who has her own surgery) every three months at moment. I want to get back to 6 month appointments, or even a year.

In between time I can email, or ask for a video call.

This wait between drugs is so long because she wants to do a new baseline of me. So all the blood tests, x-rays and an MRI. And I can’t get an MRI until end of February. 🙁

[Luludean in reply to helixhelix]

Another world Helix !!!!!! You are blessed!!!!!! L

[helixhelix in reply to Luludean]

I know 🙂. It’s not all perfect as can be long waits for things here too. My MRI will be nearly 2 months and dentists are a vanishing specialty.

However every time I think of returning to the UK the medical care stops me.

[Matilda_1922 in reply to Luludean]

This is exactly how I feel. Recently bilateral knee pain came on in a few hours one evening. Kept being told it’s OA and advised to lose weight as this was the cause no imaging going on X-rays taken 7 years ago. 6 months later having lost 3 1/2 stone pain remains the same. Then xray taken then decided I should have a steroid shot in both knees pain so much better.

[Luludean in reply to Matilda_1922]

Hope It worked Matilda ! Nice to hear.

Good for you ! I think our histories are very different .

[medway-lady]

This is a question without an answer and may not even be the truth. They may be self diagnosed or not diagnosed and/or in denial. Who knows, and what does it matter?. I’d not listen to such people it’s almost like saying everyone else is self indulgent pill swallowers. Honestly just think ok but they could drop down with blood clots or lung disease as RA is far more than swollen joints and inflammation.

[rmros]

Like Jack Monroe?

[Brychni in reply to rmros]

Is she pretending to have RA?

[rmros in reply to Brychni]

I don't know if she's pretending but she said she didn't take medication for it. But then another time said she stopped drinking due to medicatio for RA. But then in a later inteview she described drinking a bottle of whisky a day in that same period. Then she said she had regular steroid shots instead.

Personally I think there's something about her story doesn't add up.

[Brychni in reply to rmros]

Yes. That does all sound like a load of rubbish 😆

[Gilliancheche]

I am wondering, does it matter? If she thinks she has it but it not experiencing pain or needing medication then lucky her!

[AgedCrone]

But who else besides her says she has RA?

If she has been diagnosed by a Rheumatologist and told she doesn’t need medication……..she probably hasn’t got RA. Maybe it’s OA? Or if she has just decided herself she doesn’t need medication….she will regret it.

Very rarely - if ever - is somebody professionally diagnosed with RA told they don’t need DMards.

If she is your friend…explain to her that RA does need treatment…& to ask her doctor for an explanation.

[Matilda_1922 in reply to AgedCrone]

I did try to explain they would need medication to treat the Ra. I think they have OA and little knowledge around RA.

[AgedCrone in reply to Matilda_1922]

She has probably read an Ad online about a Dr called Paul O’Connell who writes PAGES ON “ARTHRITIS” ……. but never mentions he is talking about OSTEO ARTHRITIS…..and as we all know the majority of the population have no idea of the difference between RA and OA.

So as has been mentioned..consult a doctor who is not selling something without saying what is is intended to be used for. …try your GP for starters!

[Matilda_1922 in reply to AgedCrone]

I agree with you

[Chester1975]

Yes my best friend is one of these lucky people.

[Linysaurous]

could she be in remission? 🤷‍♀️

[Matilda_1922 in reply to Linysaurous]

They have never been on medication so I’m not sure if they have RA and confusing it with OA which the do have

[Sebastian247]

I'm currently not taking medication (since early December) and appear to be free of any obvious symptoms at the moment (in remission). But I have taken dmards in the past so I guess that's different. Without knowing her circumstances it's difficult to make any informed comment. Seb

[veg_c2000]

I have a friend who was diagnosed with RA and Lupus via blood tests several years ago. She says she doesn’t have any symptoms but I know she has problems with her hips (has had to give up horse riding). She isn’t on any meds and is not not open to discussion. I’ve given up as it’s not worth falling out about!

[bienassis]

Well, how can anyone answer such a question without knowing the full facts? On this forum we can only give our own experiences and how we, personally, have been affected and the medication we have been taking.

My experience of “not having RD” was because it was not diagnosed at the time of the first symptoms. Housemaid’s knee, was the reason for the symptoms and an elastic bandage was prescribed! Well, that was in the ”stone age”, and I had to wait 7 years before the true diagnosis after a massive ”flair”.

But we are not in the “Stone Age”, and I would think If someone is diagnosed in the early stages of RD, he/she would be very carefully monitored, at least; and early treatment is essential to control the very damaging inflammation.

Perhaps there is more to this story than you know. So many people muddle RD with OA. The word “arthritis” is often used for both amongst the uninitiated.

[Matilda_1922 in reply to bienassis]

This is what I think is the case confusion between RA and OA

[cyberbarn]

I had a lovely old friend who was in her 80s. Diagnosed with RA when she was 21, long before the current drugs were available. She lived a very full life, head mistress of an infant school in a very deprived area of a large city, travelled before that teaching English to forces families living abroad in the post colonial days, living life to the full. She recounted to me the time she was organising a fund raising dance for the school from her sitting room, having to lay flat on the floor due to ankylosing spondylitis.

She told me one day that she was very glad she didn't go in for all those drugs as they came out, as she feared they may have shortened her life, and she coped with the pain and disability okay. She used to put liniment on and wrap herself in red flannel then put her fancy dancing dress on and go off to dance with the troops at the British compounds. The soldiers used to comment on her unique perfume!

It was ovarian cancer that killed her at age 84 because the doctors refused to listen to her when she said she had abdominal pain.

She was an amazing woman, and no drugs.

[DaisyBubbles7]

I tested positive for RA but had no symptoms about 10 years ago. About five years later I developed symptoms. Now on medication.

[Beviej]

I have a fried who claims she's had it for years and has never been on meds.Personally in this case I believe ahe was miss diagnosed

[ScooTash]

Hello. I have learnt that this is not a good idea. Medication is not the enemy; inflammation is. RA involves systemic inflammation. One of my doctors once said to me “you do know, don’t you, that it’s not just your joints that are inflamed?” I didn’t know. No doctor had ever told me that. I now know that systemic inflammation means throughout every system and organ in my body; in my blood, blood vessels, veins and arteries. Medication is required to prevent further damage. This is my understanding. I have had Psoriatic Arthritis (PSA) for over 20 years. I do everything I can to manage this condition and bring my inflammatory markers down so that I can reduce and eventually get off meds. Recently my rheumatologist cut my methotrexate in half because I was doing so well. Then I went on the low FODMAPS diet for SIBO, ate gluten in the form of sourdough bread (because it is allowed on the diet) and had a massive flare up that lasted two months. Within 3.5 days of cutting out the sourdough bread, I began to improve and I am now back where I was when I started the diet. I have found that exercise is the most important thing I can do to keep mobile and relatively pain free. Diet and stress management go hand in hand with this. And sleep management which has been a big problem for me lately.

I am someone who doesn’t like to take meds, not even for a headache which I know is my body’s way of telling me something is wrong. However, I have learnt that it is foolish not to take meds for PSA whilst ever my inflammatory markers are up. I am 78 and believe it is possible for me to one day come off meds if I keep on the path I have set for myself.

I hope this helps you in some way, and wish you and the other person well on this journey to recovery.

One last thing …. I have found that this chronic condition is a blessing for me. It forces me to reflect on life and seek to transform my mind. In other words, it’s taken me on a spiritual journey to find my true self and for this I am grateful every day.

[benhemp]

I have been diagnosed with RA based on blood markers but have no RA symptoms. My symptoms match psoriatic arthritis. I have been put on methotrexate to "protect my joints" (which are all normal). I was also on Enbrel to see if it would help my PSA symptoms, but it was discontinued due to no discernable improvement after 8 months.

[JFlay]

I'm the same as @Sebastian247 I was taken off meds last April due to eye concerns (hydroxy) still waiting for the opthalmology appointment at the hospital 🙄😒 So far, I've only had an occaisional problem of my feet throbbing at night 🤞

I've developed a bit of eczema and IBS type symptoms flare up, not sure if any of that is connected though?

I can contact rheumatology for an appointment if I need one, otherwise they will see me in two years time 🙄

I was seropositive.

[mld78]

hi. I have had RA since I was 19. Now aged 62 the RA isn’t as active but my fingers are looking more OA. But I have been on strong meds until a year ago, and needed them. I still have pain but my CRP and ESR levels are in normal levels for the first time in my life! I wonder if your friend is having the same history.