Neg test results all symptoms seem to be RA

Hello,  I am a 45 yr old female 2007 I have recurring symptoms swollen with burning at times in knees,fingers, toes, elbows  sometimes neck and shoulders  I have been taking Prednisone off and on since 2007. Now I take it consistently. My primary has ordered blood test for RA, lupus, ms,gout and other things. All the test came back several times negative for these things.I have recently been seeing a Rheumatologist since 2010 and she also has done a barrage of blood work and xrays that have come back inconclusive. Yet I have had to have fluid drained from my knees  that looked like softballs and  been given cortisone injections. The blood work only showed that  my white blood count was low and that my body was deficient of vitamin D. The Rhuematologist upon first seeing me was certain that I had  RA. I was given a regime of Methotrexate 2.5mgs 4 tabs once a week to continue my prednisone 5mgs and increase to 4xaday, Vita D 50,000 units 1 tab once a week,and folic Acid. The x rays only showed that my left big toe showing signs of deformity and thats it, but the third fingers  on each hand are swollen and deformed at the knuckles. I am only 45 and this is very frustrating there are days when I can hardly get out of bed I am so tired and when I do I can hardly walk especially when it rains and is cold out doors I only feel comfortable when it is really warm. I am losing hair in patches this is crazy. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated and helpful.

[Abhijeet Ghosh]

Der Friend,
30% of the population have investigation reports as negative, for the diagnosis
Regards

[Butterfly1414]

Hello I'm 21 yrs old and I was diagnosed with RA when I was 18 2 months before I graduated High school. I know excatly how your feeling I was going through the same things I would literally miss like every other day when I was employeed at Walmart. It hurt to get out of bed and to do any kind of physical activity.I was losing hair like crazy and I had thin hair before I was placed on the meds so that made it worse. I was breaking out with acne every day I hated being around people because of it. I was it constant pain during the winter and could feel it big time when the weather was going to get bad and i would always wish it could just be Sunny and hot all the time. Now I havent had any flars I've been off the all the medications my Rhuematologist has put me on except for the Humira injections I give myself. I feel better being off my meds then when I was on them. I started seeing a massage therapist who also did foot detoxes and raki. Ive been able to go out in cold weather without hurting I've been able to go out and do physical activites. I'm no doctor but I would recommed to you that you find a massage therapist who does foot detoxes, and who pratices Raki, eating lots of berries and also figuring out what kinds of food set off ur flars because once u find that out and staying away for awhile will help and make a difference I found it odd when i was told that too :) but it does help and also there is a book that is called Eat Right for Your type its a book that you how to eat according to your blood type I've read it and have seen major changes. For me I'm switching to go natually with my RA because of all the side affect that the medications have and because I wasnt happy with all those meds and for me being told that I couldnt get pregnant being on the methotrexate bugged me alot not saying I wanted to be a mom at 18 but I didnt want that to be a permanet thing for me later in my life. I hope my advice will help u..hope things gett better for you =)

[sparrow65]

Thank you for your response to my question.....I just wish the test werent inconclusive.The docs are saying it is but the test all say negative and the symptoms are there. I will go and purchase this book and start a diary of my meals to see if any or what foods causes my flare ups.

[Abhijeet Ghosh]

Dear Friend,
I am happy that you got a good friend via this post.
The main problem with these auto-immune diseases is that they slowly creep into your organs and produce inflammation.
The inflammation cause erosion/destruction of the joints and bones and hence we see various types of deformities in the joints.
The treatment is simple ie take medicines which can control the spread of the disease as there is no other way, through which we can stop the progression.
However the sad part is that the medicines which are prescribed for these diseases are known for various types of side-effects and hence play with our immune system.
A good rheumatologist can be of good help, who can do good dose titration.
Regards,,

[sparrow65]

Thank you for answering my question.I would like to know if it is still possible that it is in fact RA even with the test saying negative?