Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis I really question????

About a year and a half ago I woke up with strange symptoms.  My hands felt swollen and hurt something terribly.  I could not long walk up the stairs, or get up from a chair.  I had terrible left side flank pain along with pain where your spleen is located. I would also urinate so frequently I could not stand it.  I would get up 8 times or more during the night. For awhile my B12 was low but I do shots and it is fine now.  I also had to have surgery for trigger finger. I have had gas so bad I had to be put on antibiotic.  I get swollen glands but it is the same gland that swells up in my throat.  I went to the doctors.  I had numerous test done and they could not figure out what it was so they called it seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. Every test I had came back okay.  I was put on steroid and for awhile the symptoms subsided.  I was also put on plaquinal that   did nothing.  I was put on humara that did help, but at that time I started getting heart palpatations so I quite the humara.  I found an herbal medication called zyflamend and it really has helped manage my joint pain and the frequency of urination and most of the stomach pains.  Now I have new unexplained symptoms.  I get chest quivers when I lay down to go to sleep.  I also get the strange sensation of goosebumps that start at the top of my head and travel down my body and it keeps repeating itself even when I am not cold.  The chest quiver scare me so much I am afraid to go to sleep.  I wore a halter monitor but of course it did not happen that night.  I really question if this is seronegative ra because it there is no test it shows up on.  It just seems to be a catch all for everything that is going on with me.  I am 50 years old and most of these symptoms started at the same time I had a hysterectomy and  also had a variety of inoculations for work.  I can not help but wonder if this has something to do with either of those.  Has anyone else ever had these symptoms?  I also have sleep apnea and where a mask it does not help the chest quivers nor does it make them worse.   I can not help wondering if I am lacking something in my diet?    Please help me I just do not know where to turn.  These symptoms just come and go and late have been here more than gone. It is so scarey when I get these episodes.  

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a detailed clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include cardiac arrhythmias, hormonal/ endocrine/ metabolic issues etc. The latter could be related to the hysterectomy. Seronegative RA would not show up on laboratory tests and diagnosis is made on clinical examination and imaging studies. It would be best to discuss the situation and the management plan in detail with your treating doctor.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!