ESR normal-can you have inflammatory arthritis even though?

purplesparkle

Hello everyone-me again!

I keep getting told I have all the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis but haven't because my bloods keep coming back as normal?

Can you still have some kind of rhuematiod/inflammatory kind of arthritis?

PS how long should the steriod injection last? As my pain seems to be coming back after being pain free for 5 weeks x

flossy47

My ESR is always normal and my rheummy says I have inflammatory arthritis. So yes it is possible. All my blood tests come back normal.
I can't help with the steroid injections as I can't have them ( injections make me go dizzy).

tillytop

Hello Purplesparkle

This topic comes up regularly on the forum because very often blood tests don't seem to be an accurate reflection of what's actually going on.

In my case, I had a high rheumatoid factor when my RA was diagnosed but apparently, even though I was seized literally from top to toe 24 hours a day, my CRP/ESR were virtually normal. And I don't think my CRP has ever been more than about 60, even when my arthritis has been very active. I can remember desparately trying to get across to the docs how bad things were, even though the inflammatory markers were low. Conversely, I remember the doc phoning up with great concern because the inflammatory markers were up and me trying to convince him I was actually doing ok! And only recently, my DAS showed high disease activity when I didn't think I was actually doing too badly. And I know from previous threads that others have had similar experiences.

Re the steroid injection - I think your question is one which has no definite answer because everyone is different in how they respond. Some find they don't work at all, others find they last only a short time. I think 5 weeks pain free is pretty good going. In the past I have found they helped but only for a matter of days but my most recent one, from late December, is still helping now so I reckon I'm on borrowed time there. When I had the last one, the consultant told me it was equivalent to 5mg oral steroids, for a month - so I'm guessing that she thought that any benefit might potentially last up to a month.

Thinking of you and hoping that you can get a definite diagnosis before too long.

Love Tillyxxx

tillytop

Sorry - addition to my above post. Meant to say "equivalent to 5mg oral steroids per day for a month".

Tillyxxx

pixie01

Hi purplesparkle,
My ra was diagnosed from an mri of my hand with contrast, this showed the immflamation. My bloods have always been relatively normal, I had a low rf factor. And so my bloods never show how bad I feel :?
Thinking of you Jo x

traluvie

Hi..

My inflammatory arthritis was diagnosed via bonescan as my bloods were relatively normal, so yes it is possible..x

frogmorton

Me too..No RF factor bloods always pretty well 'normal' :roll:

Just like Tilly l have been virtually seized up and they were STILL normal

love

Toni xx

barbara12

Yip another one here...my counts are normal..apart from the early days when one was slightly raised....but my joins are saying something else...if only there was a simple test.
I do wish you well, and hope that steroid injection doesn't wear off completely

LesleyAnn

traluvie wrote:

Hi..

My inflammatory arthritis was diagnosed via bonescan as my bloods were relatively normal, so yes it is possible..x

Me too. My GP diagnosed RA and after a couple of years, including 6 months of hospital tests a bone scan of my entire body where they inject you with dye and scan you top to toe. Probably the same as traluvie had?

My specialist then said I had a rare form of RA which is basically 'inside' the bones and needs a bone scan to find. The doctor at the hospital showed me some of the scans and you could see thick lines/lumps which were visible to me even and she said there it was!

So after 2 years of being knocked around from this med to this med and back again to try and get some relief for me I was given the positive RA diagnosis and began taking a disease modifier on top of all the other meds I have. I should rattle when I walk, really! :roll:

Just a long way of saying, Yes it can happen!

purplesparkle

Thanks everyone-I think the steriods ae wearing off as I have had some pain the last few days????

Rallymad

Hi
My arthritis is inflammatory but not diagnosed through my bloods, took me a hell of a long time to get diagnosis, went through carpal tunnel and tendonitis. Mine is sero negative RA, have heard others on here mentioning sero positive (dont know the diff). Worth mentioning to whoever you see, am on sulfasalazine, nearly at max dose, just seen rheumy and said that my xrays were not showing any change which is good. Asked about the pain I am experiencing, has given me gabapentin but having probs with that.
Hang in there, you will get something eventually, although it is damned annoying that we have to jump through hoops for it.
Arlene x
Ps have had two cortisone injections into my left shoulder, first one didn't work due to emotional stress (lost my uncle) second one has worked and not getting any pain......yet!

lynnmick

Hi there,

I have RA and my esr was 13 at my last blood test which was in July last year, not sure whether this is classed as normal, when i first was diagnosed it was quite high at 48 and i was put onto plaquenil.

Love
Lynn x

Moller841

Hey

it certainly is possible to have negative blood tests, all my blood work is completely normal even though my joints have got worse and its even moved to my elbows... when i first saw the Rheumy in Jan i thought i was in for a winner when he gave me a steroid injection however it had so effect so i then had a second injection which did didily squat! So now I'm on predisilone (15mg a day) and still have no effect...

But good luck and i have found using this forum and telling the docs what others have experienced is a good way to get a reaction

Thom