RF Factor levels?

[BoodyButt :-)]

I have had issues with my back and finally had a Dr do some tests on me.

I have a RF of 93 and the second test was 80.

I have read the higher the number the more severe the desease. BUT, how high is high. I know 93 is higher than normal, but is it VERY high or is that just a little high? What exactly is high?

More information.......

I also have high C- Reactive Protein and I know that means there is inflamation somewhere in my body... DUH! I could have told that that!

It is 1.29


The Bun / Creatinine sample was a little high, but that means I was a little dehydrated, so that is ok I guess. It was 23. That is barely higher than the norm of 22.

My main question goes back to the RF factor, but any information I can get is welcome.

Here is the "back" story........

I am a 40 yr old female. I am overweight, but not terribly. I used to run and play. I could run 2 miles in 20 minutes (not an olympic time, but it kept me in shape), I could do 100 situps in 3 minutes, and 40 pushups in 3 minutes. Now I can't do any of that without pain.

I woke up with huge pain in my upper back and neck on January 21, 2008. Just out of the blue I could hardly get up.
I in so much pain, there is no way I would fake this.

OK here we go, here are the symptoms:
On my upper back, right in the middle, I have a swollen hump that is red and hurts at the touch. I look like I am turning into a hunch back, but right in the middle at the top of my upper back.

If I don't take my Neurontin, MY upper backs burns REALLY bad around the swollen area and extended out from that area. IT is really sensitive to the touch when I am not on my neurontin. IT feels like I have a really bad sun burn in that area. (you know that feeling after you have been at the pool all day and you go inside to watch TV and your back BURNS ALOT that evening, but it has not turned all the way red yet... that is what my upper back feels like. You know the next day when someone pats you one the back, and you kind of let out a little scream - that is what my upper back feels like sometimes)

I have alot of upper back pain. It feels like throbbing all in my upper back and neck.
My neck is stiff and sometimes is stiffer at times than at others. Today it is very stiff and throbs alot.

My upper back sometimes feels like my spine is becoming a pole instead of a spine. It is really stiff sometimes, like right now.

My right hand and arm are weaker and are getting weaker a little at a time.

Sometimes, but not always, I have shooting pain, and sometimes "electrical" burning in my arm. BUT, not always. And sometimes it "feels" numb, but I can still use it. And then sometimes my fingers on my right hand feel "slow" or just a little asleep.

I have this strange feeling sometimes. If I move just in a certain way, I feel like I could float. I know that sounds crazy as heck, but it is true. I actually feel like I could float or sleep sometimes, just by moving in a certain spot.

And the freaking headaches. I have this type of headache that starts at the bottom of the right side of the back of my neck and goes perfectly in a straight line over the top of my head and ends about one each above my right eye. I could actually draw a line where the headache will be when it starts.

After reading all of this, I can see why the Drs are confused. I am!

OK tests done so far -

MRI - the very young resident, who never even looked at my back, but only the MRI, said I have NO pinched nerve or herniated disc and will be sending me to physical therapy for my arm and hand. I do have bulging disc. BUT for my age (40), the Drs said that is normal.

X-Ray - Nothing broken. BUT, when I was doing the X-rays, I had to hold to 10 pd bags in each hand to get a good photo - that pulling down of my arms really hurt my upper back. IT was the type of pain that is like early labor - Pressure with a little pain.

Right this very second, my upper back is throbbing with pain, my upper back and neck are so stiff, I feel like my spine is turning into a pole, and my right hand is slow.

I am open to answers and opinions. Thank you for any information you can share with me.

[BoodyButt :-)]

I did find some relief for the extreme tiredness I have. My Dr suggested B12 shots, but my insurance will not cover them, so I finally found a place on the internet that is well known and reasonable in price... OK don't blast me that I am spamming, because this may be great for others.

www.mydietsolutions.com sells all kinds of B12 shots for very low price and they have a REAL Dr on hand! The B 12 pills I have been taken are working ok, so the B12 shots should be better. I just wish I could make all my pain go away.

[chadry]

I have bulging discs that cause me pain. I know that they say that is normal for people our age but everyone is different. Do a search of images of the nerve path of the bulging disc and see if it is anywhere near the pain you get. A bulging disc means that it is bulging and not in its normal position which can cause pain by coming in contact with a nerve. That is about all I have to offer. Maybe you might consider another DR. Sometimes it takes awhile to find one that will really try to help out and find the problem. I hate when they say everything is normal. Of course it isn't but they have nothing else to offer. Do a search and find pictures that show the paths from the different spots. Just type in someting like nerve path for such and such disc. I do not think you mentioned which disc is bulging. You may surprised at what you might find out.
Good luck and hope all goes well finding an answer.
Chadry

[BoodyButt :-)]

I wish we could edit our comments. I wanted to edit out "DUH" sorry - meant no disrespect. :-) I had written that to a friend earlier about the issues I was having with one Dr in my town.

Amanda