I need help

[VetTech951]

I am reaching out to anybody that can help me I am 30 years old and i have been suffering with severe joint pain since October of 2014. I have had all the blood work done to test for RA and it has come back negative it did show that I was deficient in vitamin B my sulfates and my protein was extremely low they did do xrays and saw arthritis in my hands. I am a very active mother I'm really big into the fitness industry and it has become very difficult for me to even get out of bed. I also feel that I am retaining some weight it almost feel like my body is swollen. Both of my hand hurts specifically the bones in my left hand I feel pain in my knees in my feet my back and my elbows. I am nauseous a lot of the times as well. The exhaustion is undescribable it also makes me feel depressed. The pain seems to get worse at night and in the morning or after I have endured a lot of stress. The pain feel so bad as if somebody is stabbing my joints with a sharp object. I am a veterinarian technician and doing a simple blood draw has become very difficult for me because I can't hold my syringe properly. It is interfering with my everyday life I have seen two rheumatologists and neither one of them are giving me any answers. Ra does run in my family and I have expressed this to them I feel like they don't believe me because I look so healthy. Can you please give me some direction and some advice on what to do

[Peaches1958]

I can tell you what helps me. I've been on an anti inflammatory diet since September 2014. Prior to that I couldn't even type a text without extreme difficultly.   Dr Wahls Protocol is a Support group on Facebook.   I can't tell you how much this has helped me.  Do a websearch search and you will find all kinds of information.  I don't have MS, who really knows what is wrong with me.  My Doctor's are constantly ruling conditions in and out. I do have Arthritis,  my blood work is positive for R.A., Lupus and other things. Anyway,  the Wahl's Protocol Diet has been awesome.  My last bloodwork actually tested negative for Lupus.  But that is only one negative test in 2 years.  Good luck to you!

[philnoir]

Hello and welcome to the arthritis forum.

The symptoms you describe are indeed troubling. You say that you test negative for the RA test?

Today's serological diagnostic testing for an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis is very sophisticated, and involve two widely used methods for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.

Let me share a few facts about RA -- it occurs mainly in a small population of women 50 years and older. Its prevalence is between 1/2% to 1%. RA causes systemic destruction and deformity of joints, and in severe cases can affect the skin, blood vessels, and other connective tissue.

Early detection and treatment of RA is essential to maintaining an acceptable quality of life.

Diagnosis of the disease requires an investigation of medical history, including genetic disposition, clinical findings and imaging techniques, and serological laboratory tests.

So, diagnosis of RA should not be based solely on determination of the rheumatoid factors, but requires a collection of findings that sum to an RA "score".

I hope that you understand the implication that simply having a negative RA test, what ever that means, rules out a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

However, if two rheumatologists cannot diagnose your condition, you may seek other opinions. The fact that both of these physicians seem to ignore your hereditary disposition to the disease is disturbing.

It is important, especially now when you "look so healthy" that you stay healthy. Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is essential to maintaining joint health.

Your symptoms also range beyond those typical of RA, and I would suggest that you consult a board certified pain specialist (not simply an interventional pain doctor), to rule out another autoimmune condition known as fibromyalgia.

Board certified pain specialists are allopathic or osteopathic physicians (MD or DO), that also have the credentials DABPM (diplomate American Board of Pain Management).

If pain management fails to make a proper diagnosis, another second good source of medical expertise may be found in the specialty of immunology.

Auto immune diseases are complex and difficult to diagnose. Your demonstration of courage, confidence, and perseverance are essential for finding the cause of your chronic pain condition. I encourage you to continue to seek specialists who have the skills to make a correct differential diagnosis of your condition.

Please visit us at the Pain forum, where you may find other people's stories that are similar to your own.

Best wishes.