Hiya!

   RA is like a fire...the smaller it is when it starts out, the easier it
is to put out. You're showing signs of inflammation that aren't going away
on their own and the RD is right to put you on a DMARD ( Disease Modifying
Anti-Rheumatic Drug). You might find that you'll need to change to this or
that DMARD as the one you have becomes less effective. When it does your RD
will move you onto another.

   Many kinds of arthritis are similar to cancer in that if you hit it
early and hit it hard it can be stopped from doing a whole lotta damage.

   You're lucky to have caught it and be treating it when it's small. :-)
Your RD sounds like a keeper!

Hugs from Rosie

Your blood work says it all. Many people are diagnosed without positive blood
work. Don't feel silly about being on medications and please don't stop going to
your rheumatologist. And hang around here, you'll get some good advice, keeping
in mind we are not doctors, but we do have experience! :-)
---
Joan

Hi,

I think your doctor was concervative before she dx you with RA.  She
took the test several times.  Plaqilnil is one of the milder drugs for
RA so she is starting you off slow to see how it does.  Sounds like you
have a good doctor to me.

debbie m.

Hi,

I think your doctor was concervative before she dx you with RA.  She
took the test several times.  Plaqilnil is one of the milder drugs for
RA so she is starting you off slow to see how it does.  Sounds like you
have a good doctor to me.

debbie m.

Ditto on what they said...stay with your RD!!!!

RhondaM

You should thank your lucky stars it's been diagnosed while you're
in your 30, and have access to a disease modifying drug (DMARD).
Many of us were not that lucky 20, 30, 40 years ago.  DMARDs can
s-l-o-w the progress of arthritis.  Can't stop it, can't reverse any
damage already done, but it can slow the disease's advance
through your body.

We've had a few people begin to feel better, stop their meds,
then have the disease come on with a vengence.

What you have now is a small bonfire.  Ignore it, let it go
unattended,
and you'll wind up with a roaring, raging wildfire.  The choice is
yours.

Treat it now, or regret it later when you're in your 50s or 60's, bent
over, hobbling along with a cane or in a wheelchair, can't open a can
or bottle, can't reach your shoes to tie the laces. The choice is
yours.

... How much does it cost to ride an  IO  bus?      2 bits

With the double vision and the other test results I'm curious if the
doctors have rules out MS (Multiple Sclerosis)?

Ari

Unfortunately, autoimmune disease is difficult to diagnose.  There is no
specific test that will give a distinct answer.  All the tests are pieces of
the puzzle that the doctor has to put together.

I have systemic lupus and it started in my hands... and has progressed over
the last 10 years (I'm 30 now).

Plaquenil is the mildest of the medications but it can do a world of good.
If the rheumy thinks you should be on it, I'd try it.
You don't want to wait until one of these diseases gets more advanced then
you're trying to treat the disease instead of preventing the disease (what
Plaquenil and other DMARDS do- they suppress the immune system cuz our
immune system is overactive).
Good luck to you!
Nicole

Thanks for all of the feedback.  I guess I should be lucky if it is RA
and it is caught early.  I think part of my confusion with these tests
is that I think of RA as a very painful and debilitating  disease, and
I'm so far from that.  But, I was not realizing that it doesn't start
off like that overnight.  So, you've convinced me to keep taking the
medicine.  :)

Also, about the double vision.  The docs didn't think it was anything
neurological b/c it was with both eyes.  It was in very specific
conditions (bright lights while driving at night) and eyes drops fixed
the problem.

don't stop going to your rhuematologist!  she sounds like a gem of a doctor.
how fortunate you are that she's caught it at this early stage and has
started you on meds to prevent it from doing real damage.  and don't feel
silly, at all; consider yourself extremely lucky!

kate

Hello,

I had some problems with my eyes (double vision) so I went to an
opthamologist who sent me to a neuropthamologist a few months ago.  He
ordered some bloodwork, one of which was a CRP test.  My regular doctor
did the bloodwork and saw an elevated CRP (10.4) and sent me to
rheumatologist.  This was b/c my neuropthamologist didn't think that
was the cause of my eye problems.  He thought it was just dry eyes b/c
eye drops fixed the problem.  Also, he was testing me for Sjogrens and
those tests came back negative.  I think the other reason my main
doctor sent me to a rheumatologist was b/c I had shoulder pain a month
or so before the bloodwork was done.  So, I went to the rheumatologist
and she said it really wasn't a big deal to have an elevated CRP.  It
could be because I was not feeling well.  So, she wanted to do the test
again.  Now, the reading was 13.6.  I was coughing a little at the time
when I came in.  So, she said to wait until I knew I was completely
fine to come in.  So, I waited another month or so before coming in
again and the CRP level had gone up again.  Then, she wanted to do a
few more blood tests, including the CRP again.  It had gone up to 16
now.  She did a rheumatoid factor test and it came back mildly
positive.  She said normal is 0 - 13.9 and mine was 15.7.  She also
said my sedimentation rate had gone up.  It was 10.7 and 12 earlier,
and now it was 20.  So, she put me on Plaquanil.  The only RA type
symptom I have is my hands are a bit stiff in the morning.  But, I'm
not sure if it is anything I would have ever gone to a doctor about.  I
just figure it's me getting into my 30s.  I would have honestly not
even noticed them being a little stiff had she not asked.

I'm not sure if I need to be on any medication.  I feel a bit silly
being on medication without having any real symptoms.  Can someone tell
me if there are other tests which I should get done?  Or should I just
stop going to the rheumatologist?  :)

Thanks in advance for your help.