Rheumatoid or lupus?

I have all the signs and symptoms of these 2 conditions. all symptoms started 3 months ago primarily with fatigue, and achy joints. since then i have had many test. CBC shows anemia and low white blood cells, ANA tests are negative, and RH factor negative, SED rate is 15. I am 37, and female. symptoms I have are bilateral achy joints in wrists, elbows, and knees, alopecia, fatigue, nausea, tingling and burning in palms of hands and slightly in feet. all the symptoms are persistant and subside slightly with celebrex (ibu 800 four times daily helped too, but too high of dose). I read that if you are too early in your disease state that the ANA test and RH factor will be negative, is that true? Any idea how far in your disease you need to be to get accurate trust-worthy results? I did have a lymph node removed due to size, but all I was told was that the node was just "reactive", any idea where i should go from here?


This discussion is related to Burning and tingling pain in feet combined with achy joints.

[txsilver]

While it is true that early disease stages will sometimes test negative, some people will have negative lab results no matter how far the disease has progressed.  I test low positive but that does not match my disease activity.  My suggestion is not to wait.  If you are not seeing a rheummy, get to one and if you are seeing one, get to another and keep going until you get to a doctor who will take your symptoms seriously regardless of your lab tests.  Have you had xrays or MRIs?  Did they show any disease activity?  A great test for screening early disease activity is a bone and joint scan.  When I finally got one, I lit up like a Christmas tree.  Practically every joint in my body was affected, but on an x-ray nothing much showed.
Good luck in your quest for a diagnosis and don't give up!  We will be here to support you along the way...

[Bett47]

what is a bone and joint scan?  I suffer with numb achy coldtoes, cold hands, pain in my hip and knee, especially in the back of knee,  It is difficult to walk, yet this is the only exeercise I can do to keep my wght down.
Betty

[Lori707]

Listen to txsilver. She's very knowledgable. I tested postive for RA Factor and took the scans that txsilver talked about. ALL my joints lit up!! BUT..it wasn't until 3yrs later that they discovered I had Lymes disease. I was so sick with malaise and lost 50lbs without trying. I still have whole body parathesia(pins&needles) which I take Neurotin(Gabapentin) for to ease the pain. I have carpul tunnel syndrome in both wrists. Either the Lymes disease gave me Lymes arthritis or it triggered autoimmune diseases. They don't know yet. I just got off of a PICC line and got daily IV therapy. I still have neurological problems.

Lymes is a "Great imitator" of all kinds of ailments that have names for them. Please either find a LLMD doctor (Lymes specialist) and see him/her. A person can still have Lymes with a negative lyme test. Mine came out positive.  Also follow txsilver's advise regarding seeing another Rheumatologist. I'm at my 4th. I like this one. Be your own advocate!!!!! I was miss diagnosed several times!!!!  I would have been on the wrong meds.

Keep us up to date. Hope all goes well!
What part of the country do you come from? Which state? I'm asking you this because Lymes in more prevalent in some states than others.