rheumatoid arthritis

I have had the diease since I was 9 years old. I am now 24. Everything I thought I knew or things doctors told me wasnt always the truth. This diease takes over your body. Even though it always isnt found in your blood. Theirs are 20% of patients that dont. As far as dental pain. I always seem to be having A bad tooth or A tooth pulled. Please do research on your own. Even though the info isnt going to make you happy you need to know.

Can anyone help me understand some lab results? I am a 38 f 110, i have always been active. For the past 6mo my bone and joints keep me from doing the things i love...
Lab results:
RA FACTOR <7.0f
ANA Negativef
SED RATE 26H
Any input would be appreciated!

HELP PLEASE, ANYONE. I have been to two doctors and one rheumy. I have been stuck, poked, x-rayed, and drugged. I have all the physical signs of RA but my RF first was a 10 in 2008 then 14 in 2010 then 11 at Rheumy and now 10.8 as of yesterday. My CRP is <0.5 and the range is <0.8. CCP was a 2 have not got current results on that back yet. Vitamin D deficient, on 50,000 units of script supplement twice a week. Been tested for gout (negative), fibromyalgia (nope), thyroid (negative). My hands and feet hurt so bad, they are the worst but I have soreness in my my knees, hips, and shoulders too. What more do I need to prove RA is my predator. I go to work stiff and in pain and only staying active gives me any reflief. I am 32 and I feel like an old car that needs to warm up in the morning lol. I've been on gabapentin, prednisone, muscle relaxers, pain killers. The one I got the most (which wasn't a complete relief) is the steroids but is dried my mouth out so bad I almost chokes when I ate anything . I just want to know what it is I'm duling with. Tired of playing the guessing what its not game. Sorry to make this so long and a few spelling errors but I'm at my wits ends. Also I'm curious, is any CCP in your blood a positive or only above normal.....

mandi wrote:

... I have all the physical signs of RA but my RF first was a 10 in 2008 then 14 in 2010 then 11 at Rheumy and now 10.8 as of yesterday.... Also I'm curious, is any CCP in your blood a positive or only above normal.....

You can have severe active RA and be RF negative, about 20% of people with RA never test positive for rheumatoid factor. Have you been formally diagnosed, or is your rheumy still questioning it? Are you taking any biologics?(Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Orencia, etc)

"According to American College of Rheumatology, approximately 95% of patients with a positive CCP will develop RA in the future." Even a weakly positive (having any) CCP is considered suspect by rheumys.

this is from a great site to find out about lab tests online;
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/a...

I've been taking LifeJoint (http://www.lifejoint.com ) and it has helped me immensely with my chronic joint pain. It's a daily supplement that has only one ingredient: NEM (Natural Eggshell Membrane). If you have yet to try it, I strongly recommend that you do!

I had a root canal in May of 2008, several months later i began developing inflamation in my joints, in addition to a lot of other problems....No doctor or dentist or oral surgeon could possibly believe that a root canal can cause RA..... Well listen up, i had that tooth pulled, and within a half hour, my symptoms subsided, unfortunately, the jaw bone had absorbed the material enough where it has taken 2.5 years for it to remove itself from the bone through natural regeneration. My RA is nearly gone, and i am back to my life again. I have read a lot of information about this but long and short if it is, some people have bad reactions, if your body doesnt like something and cant get rid of it from your system, it attacks its own cells, causing auto-immune problems such as RA. get the tooth out!

I had onset of RA after having all my teeth pulled for dentures. I was sick all the time and didnt know why, even lost my job from missing work to often. finally a year ago I found out I had RA. it is awful. Im not sure which way to go. A lot of the meds make me sick. Im on methotrexate and Enbrel which I feel is not working well. any ideas

I have my first visit to a rheumatologist Friday. Was told by my regular Doctor after a series of blood tests, that they came back positive for RA. It's scary to me. Not sure what to expect.

Hello, Whilst I have been diagnosed with RA about 6 years ago, the last two weeks is the first time that I have experienced a flare up. no one prepared me for what I experienced and I am still surprised at the many different types of pain I have been through. Please someone explain is this is what is "normal". There is the somebody has a red hot poker they are pushing through your joints, the I cant move my legs and arms because the muscles are so sore, the obvious tendonitis. The one that has really got to me is the "who poured the concrete into my arms and legs and has made it impossible to move them without excruciating pain. My shoulders and elbows are very painful, my hands are so sore I am wearing braces to support them and the tendonitis goes up to my elbow, how does one manage to get out of bed or even move in bed without any of these working? I know I sound like I am making light of this, however I am really serious, also how long can these "flareups take" probably how long is a piece of string I guess.

Advice would be great thanks

Gabe wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes it can as it causes systemic inflammation in the body, I had RA for 17 years before abandoning the mainstream drugs and trying a strick Gluten free diet with daily green vegetable juicing. No dairy, refined sugars, caffeine etc. In addition I use Neprinol enzymes, Samento and mangosteen as well as a whole food vitamin/mineral supplement. I am 100% healed of the so called incurable disease.

Hi Gabe
17years with RA ? WOW! do your body change? any surgery?
100% healed wow! congrat!
where i could learn more about strick Gluten free diet
i'm male 33y, in my 2nd years with RA.
so depresing....
i'll be very happy to know someone who healed from RA
please email me rematikindonesia @ gmail .com (WRITE WITH NO SPACE)
Thanks

Brian wrote:

I had a root canal in May of 2008, several months later i began developing inflamation in my joints, in addition to a lot of other problems....No doctor or dentist or oral surgeon could possibly believe that a root canal can cause RA..... Well listen up, i had that tooth pulled, and within a half hour, my symptoms subsided, unfortunately, the jaw bone had absorbed the material enough where it has taken 2.5 years for it to remove itself from the bone through natural regeneration. My RA is nearly gone, and i am back to my life again. I have read a lot of information about this but long and short if it is, some people have bad reactions, if your body doesnt like something and cant get rid of it from your system, it attacks its own cells, causing auto-immune problems such as RA. get the tooth out!

hey brian, i feel like my root canal is possibly the cause of my RA too.. but i'm not sure how to go about geting it resolved..root canal was in feb 2009 and got diagnosed with RA sept 2009... all the dentists i've talked to don't think there could be a link either! i was wondering did you go to a holistic/biologic dentist and have them remove/clean the root too? did you get an implant afterwards? i'm in soo much constant pain.. i'm on humira, sulfasalazine, minocycline, and a bunch of vitamins. i stopped mino for a few weeks before laser hair removal (due to photosensitivity) and the symptoms of RA got soooo bad.. now back on the mino but the progressed pain hasn't gotten better.
another thing i recently think is my bed is making things worse.. i went out of town for 2 weekends and felt better (slept in hotels) and then when I came back home and woke up in the morning i felt like a ton of bricks hit me.. just so much pain.. just curious if anyone else has had any similar issues.. sorry for the long post.. just want the pain to go away =(

Hi everyone, I have osteo-arthritis and mild rheumatoid arthritis, which has worsened recently. Over the past couple of years I have used a diet recommended by 'Say no the Arthiritis' books and it has improved my condition.
Every time I come off it [sometimes the temptations and the inconvenience make me eat what I know I shouldn't] I get worse. Unfortunately, I have found , that a rather bland diet is best. And anyone with RA shouldn't have any of the deadly night shade family of plants ie potatoes, aubergines, peppers [all kinds] and tomatoes. It takes a bit of getting used to but one of the advantages is that bloating stomachs go down! Good luck to all of you - you are 'fighters' and researches those are the best approaches.