Achy muscles

[Toddalin]

Have high  sed rate at 45 (top end of reference range is 30), with achy muscles, and RF factor at 17, (top of range on this test is 14), and WBC is near top end of range also....   my Intern did not identify it as an infection...

However, my naturalpath says its an infection, and I have started taking Orgegacillin and it seems to be helping.  I had immunoloigical testing done two months ago, and that doctor said my sed rate was high and I had an infection.

Do RF factor numbers go up with infections for people with autoimmune issues?   I keep testing out my ANA and it's usually borderline.  This last time it was negative, even though the RF factor was up.

Any comments?  

[Toddalin]

  thanks for the feedback.

My naturalpath is autoimmune (hashimotos) but has learned how to control it.  My blood work has never actually shown hashimoto (TPO)?  but I was having TSH bouncing between 1 and 5 for a while.  Seems to be stable for the moment around 1.2- 1.4.   She suspects I also have hasimotos and maybe other autoimmune since it can affect the entire body, but like you say, they are hard to pin down.  

[carolanivey]

It isn't unusual to test positive for RA one time, negative the next. Blood tests never tell the whole story. A good rheumatologist will diagnose you based on a number of factors, not just the numbers on the blood test results. He or she will take x-rays, take note of your visible and invisible symptoms, and most important, lay hands and eyes on your sore joints.

Sed rate can be elevated due to any kind of inflammation in the body, including things like lyme disease, muscle injuries and gum disease, but again, blood tests don't tell all. I myself have been in a full-body rheumatoid flare-up and have a normal sed rate.

Any kind of auto-immune disorder is a slippery littler bugger that's hard to pin down with a definite diagnosis. Often all a specialist can do is start throwing a protocol of treatments at it and see what sticks. It's different for everyone. The fact that you're getting conflicting messages must be exasperating! Ask for a referral to a rheumatologist, who specializes in diagnosing auto-immune disorders.

A good rheumie will respect your wishes in regards to treatment, and will work with your naturopath to make sure whatever treatments you're trying aren't conflicting with each other.

[Toddalin]

Have high  sed rate at 45 (top end of reference range is 30), with achy muscles, and RF factor at 17, (top of range on this test is 14), and WBC is near top end of range also....   my Intern did not identify it as an infection...

However, my naturalpath says its an infection, and I have started taking Orgegacillin and it seems to be helping.  I had immunoloigical testing done two months ago, and that doctor said my sed rate was high and I had an infection.

Do RF factor numbers go up with infections for people with autoimmune issues?   I keep testing out my ANA and it's usually borderline.  This last time it was negative, even though the RF factor was up.

Any comments?