Well confused, can anyone explain??

cutieclaire
cutieclaire Member Posts: 134
edited 23. Feb 2010, 14:24 in Living with Arthritis archive
I am well confused.

Had a fantastic day today with no swelling in hands or wrists and I havent felt this good in the last 4 months. Went for my ultrasound this eve and apparently due to not having pain or anything today they cant see any arthritis. How come it doesn't show up?? I feel like such a fraud. My hands and wrists havent even been able to move some days and now theres nothing there!!

What is that all about?

So so confused. I did explain my elbows been really bad today and shoulders. My rhematoid factor in bloods really high apparently its there they just cant see it in where it normally hurts. Weird :o :shock:

Comments

  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sods law bet next week they will swell and then they would have seen it lol not had one do not know what they look for but feel for you if you have pain and stiffness you have arther even if can not be seen and your bloods show it there so no getting away from it it not in your head
    val
  • cutieclaire
    cutieclaire Member Posts: 134
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you val val. I just got well pharanoid about it all. I couldnt explain to hubby either and he now doesnt understand. He didnt get it anyway and questioned it but now that adds to the fire a bit lol.

    I know I am not imagining the pain and swelling and he can see it too so lets hope something gets sorted very soon with the rummy as I am not on any meds other than anti inflatories and paracetamol.

    Thanks though as this forum always knows how to calm me down!!! xxxxxxx :P
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't know for sure but maybe they just mean there is no swelling in your hands today? When my shoulder was bad the ultrasound showed the fluid which was causing the pain, ditto my knee - there was nothing else that showed as arthritis, just fluid in the joints which shows they are inflamed. If the swelling is down then nothing will show up under ultrasound, that is how I understand it anyway.

    They know that peeps have flares when swelling is bad and times when it is better. This doesn't mean you are a fraud, it means everything has calmed down for a bit. It doesn't mean you don't still have arthritis though, if you are lucky, it might not come back.

    Correct me if I am wrong anyone.
    Sally x
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Claire,

    I don't know if I am right here but if its inflamation of the fluid in the joints it would produce pain but wouldn't show up in tests as its not a solid mass...... I have this recollection thats right but couldn't swear to it. I hope they will soon get some idea of whats going on and help you there. Take care Cris
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    From my understanding a lot of the time when they scan you they look for changes in the bony structures too. INflammation can cause damage to the bones and cartlidge so they be checking for changes in that. I am due for an mri scan in a couple of weeks and I know they will be looking for osteophytes which are tiny pieces of bone which grown on the vertebrae which is causes by inflammation in the joint which recovers by growing extra little pieces of bone on the actual bones. - something like that anyways! lol I cant remeber everything that goes on a lot of it goes straight over my head.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have been to Rheummy appointment and felt fine and they were asking me how bad I felt cos my results showed a very high inflammation reading. I was surprised to say the least.Other times I have felt dreadful and my results were stable!
    It is indeed very confusing.

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • livinglegend
    livinglegend Member Posts: 1,425
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The problem is that arthritis fluctuates all over the place and you can be having a bad week and then perhaps a good day and it doesn't make sense at all. A good Rheumy should make allowances for that to happen.

    Blood tests are taken at one moment in time and the results come back about a week later, so they are always how things were in the past, not the present.
    It's like looking at the weather a week ago s050.gif and saying that it is exactly the same today. s065.gif

    Joseph 8)
    Josephm0310.gif