Just been diagnosed

ColinJ

Don't know if I am in the correct section,but I have just been diagnosed with RA the GP told me I had a RF56 does that mean my RA is high, any help would be appreciated.

Colin

daffy2

Hi Colin, welcome and yes you're in the right section. I have OA so can't help with your query but there are plenty on here who know what's what. As it's the weekend things can be a bit slow so it may take a while before there's a response.

ColinJ

daffy2 wrote:

Hi Colin, welcome and yes you're in the right section. I have OA so can't help with your query but there are plenty on here who know what's what. As it's the weekend things can be a bit slow so it may take a while before there's a response.

Thank You

ironic

Hello Collin,
Sorry to hear you have started on the RA journey. Scary and confusing I know. Please do not worry too much about the Rheumatoid Factor reading. Mine is fantastically high but I am still standing after many years.
The only thing I would say is to try the medications you are offered. I fought against taking tablets as I was never one to even take aspirin so unfortunately I have ended up with a lot of damage to my hands.
Everyone is different when it comes to medication, it can take a few weeks to up to twelve weeks or more for them to get into your system.
If you have any questions just ask and you could use the search button at the top of the screen. The publication section is also very good. If like me you could not resist the dreaded internet for goodness sake keep to the official websites. I didn’t and scared the living daylights out of myself. The helpline number is also available for you to use.
Be kind to yourself it is a lot to take in and it’s natural to feel the “why me” and be frightened of what the future holds.
Best of luck,
I x

ColinJ

ironic wrote:

Hello Collin,
Sorry to hear you have started on the RA journey. Scary and confusing I know. Please do not worry too much about the Rheumatoid Factor reading. Mine is fantastically high but I am still standing after many years.
The only thing I would say is to try the medications you are offered. I fought against taking tablets as I was never one to even take aspirin so unfortunately I have ended up with a lot of damage to my hands.
Everyone is different when it comes to medication, it can take a few weeks to up to twelve weeks or more for them to get into your system.
If you have any questions just ask and you could use the search button at the top of the screen. The publication section is also very good. If like me you could not resist the dreaded internet for goodness sake keep to the official websites. I didn’t and scared the living daylights out of myself. The helpline number is also available for you to use.
Be kind to yourself it is a lot to take in and it’s natural to feel the “why me” and be frightened of what the future holds.
Best of luck,
I x

Many thanks for your reply,the GP told the rf was high in numbers but not in reality so that did not help a lot, I have had gout for 46 years and that is the King of pain, but you can get rid of that with 3/4 tablets,my grandmother had RA and my youngest daughter (40) has had it for 10ish years,so I knew the cards were stacked against me,my little worry is I had gout recently on/off and I told the GP my hands were puffy and painful so he increased the strength of the tablets and insisted it was gout,I didn't think it was as it was not painful enough,so I asked to see another Dr in the practise,he did the blood test and that was it,so my little worry is, I don't really know how long I have had RA,and they say the earlier you treat RA the better your chances are better for less damage joints, I forgot to say in my family history, my eldest brother as Lupus,any advise or help would be much appreciated.

Regards Colin

stickywicket

Hi Colin and welcome from me too. I've had RA for over 50 years and have never known what my Rheumatoid Factor was. As I see it, my rheumatologist sorts that out with the medication. I just take it and try to keep on top of pain. Clearly there's a lot of autoimmune diseases in your family so, as you say, not too surprising that you've got RA. Well done on dodging it so far

It's true that the earlier it's treated the better the outcome but you can only start from where you're at. Try not to worry about the 'might have beens' because stress only makes it worse. As ironic has wisely said – take the meds offered and hope for the best. It's all any of us can do.

Ironic – lovely to see you around

ColinJ

stickywicket wrote:

Hi Colin and welcome from me too. I've had RA for over 50 years and have never known what my Rheumatoid Factor was. As I see it, my rheumatologist sorts that out with the medication. I just take it and try to keep on top of pain. Clearly there's a lot of autoimmune diseases in your family so, as you say, not too surprising that you've got RA. Well done on dodging it so far

It's true that the earlier it's treated the better the outcome but you can only start from where you're at. Try not to worry about the 'might have beens' because stress only makes it worse. As ironic has wisely said – take the meds offered and hope for the best. It's all any of us can do.

Hi Stickywicket thanks for your positive reply, one question just how do you keep on top of it.

Colin

stickywicket

Keep on top of it? Do you mean which meds do I take? If so, methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine but I'm not sure how helpful it is to know which meds work for others. We all seem different and others will find different meds work better for them. The main thing is to get on some, persevere, if possible, with any initial side-effects and hope for the best.

If, on the other hand, you mean emotionally – I guess I've just learned to adapt my life and prioritise what really matters to me. Some things have to go but we can ensure, to some extent at least, that they're not the really important things.

How does you daughter manage? Can you learn from her?

theresak

Hi Colin and welcome. I think we all find the path which suits us best in order to live with RA. There's no getting away from the fact that it's a complex and demanding bedfellow. I've no idea what my RF is, though I know my inflammatory levels are high at present.

There are lots of meds now available to help prevent joint damage, but you do need to sort out some good pain control. I have painkillers of varying strengths, depending on how bad things are.

Take care.

barbara12

Hello Colin and a warm welcome to the forum
Sorry I cant help with RA numbers but I see the other have been some help, has for the meds you will be offered ..just ask away..

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you but I am sorry you have had to find us. I have a sero-negative form of auto-immune arthritis (i.e. I do not have rheumatoid factor present in my bloods) but I know about the meds etc. because I take them and have done since 2002. My husband is prone to bouts of gout (it's on the same spectrum as arthritis) and we were speculating only last week how long before his turns into RA (or summat similar). His father began his RA when he was 60, my husband has just turned 58 so I think it was on his mind.

I take a fair few meds but my troubles have progressed regardless. I missed five years of treatment because my then GP did not recognise my very swollen left knee as a symptom of auto-immune arthritis, I used to wonder how things would be now if I had started the meds in 1997 rather than 2002 but soon concluded that was an utter waste of my time. There's obviously a familial link with you as there was in my family, my parents dodged the genetic bullets but I was not so lucky!

You are entering an uncertain world but we know our way around it, feel free to ask any questions no matter how 'silly' you may think they are because they won't be. None of us knows the future but we on here have much experience of Living with Arthritis and know our stuff. I wish you well. DD

ColinJ

stickywicket wrote:

Keep on top of it? Do you mean which meds do I take? If so, methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine but I'm not sure how helpful it is to know which meds work for others. We all seem different and others will find different meds work better for them. The main thing is to get on some, persevere, if possible, with any initial side-effects and hope for the best.

If, on the other hand, you mean emotionally – I guess I've just learned to adapt my life and prioritise what really matters to me. Some things have to go but we can ensure, to some extent at least, that they're not the really important things.

How does you daughter manage? Can you learn from her?

My daughter does fairly well,she's on huminira I think that's what it's called,she injects herself every two weeks with it, as a 6 year old boy and as a full time job,she enjoys a nice glass of white wine now and again,and she's booked to go on a two weeks holiday to Lanzarote in June.

stickywicket

I'm glad your daughter's doing so well on humira injections. You will probably be offered one of the DMARDS – methotrexate and sulphasalazine are the usual starting meds – in tablet form. I hope whatever you are given works as well for you.

[Deleted User]

Hi ColinJ
Sorry to hear you have just been diagnosed with RA, there is always a lot to get your head around with a new diagnosis. I can see our forum member have been giving you loads of support and it certainly is a good idea to take it slowly, and work with where you are now. You might like to dip into our booklet about RA as it covers lots of the basics for you. https://goo.gl/X91QiE
Of course it is likely to bring up lots of questions too, so ask away that is what we and the community are here for.
Best Wishes
Moderator Sharon

Melanie17

Hello Colin.I too have been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis recently and have found forum members of great help and support.Like you,I am not sure how long I have had it because I had a knee arthroscopy and it was assumed that my problems were due to the operation having failed.Luckily,I didn't see my usual GP on one occasion and the new GP was more observant and ran blood tests.I found the diagnosis tough at first-I have always hated taking tablets,even paracetamol.Anyway,with the help of the good souls on this forum,I 'got my head ' around the fact that I would be on medication forever and was prescribed methotrexate.I have taken this for around 12 weeks now with no side effects.I am due to see the rheumy nurse next week and I actually feel that I have already made some progress.Remember-the treatment of this disease isn't what it used to be.Fortunately,there are a range of meds out there for us to try.Good luck Melanie

merri

Hi Colin, I'm sorry that you've had to find your way here, but the people on here are utterly lovely and incredibly helpful.

Basically, your consultant will go through the choice of medication with you, and should give you a pamphlet about the drug so you can have a read through and think about any questions. For a lot of people, RA can be controlled at this first level of drugs. Please don't let the side effects in the booklet put you off, as not everyone suffers from side effects and if they do, they often fade after a while.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given was that you will go through the grief cycle many times, sometimes every hour, every half an hour, every day and that's ok. It's important to treat yourself with care and kindness, and also to ask as many questions of healthcare professionals as you need, and also of us on the forum.

As for the Rheumatoid Factor, I've never even heard what mine is, so I wouldn't worry about that tbh.

Popsmith1874

Hi Colin and welcome,here is a great place to meet people who understand what we are all going through, I have RA and oa and am sero negative but as I've found out sero negative doesn't mean anything when you've got RA it's all the same really.ive had it since 2014 and I'm still not stabilised I've been on metx,sulfazalasine and hydroxocoloquine and I'm currently waiting to go onto a biologic.everybodies journeys different and you will get people who don't understand how you look well but aren't if you know what I mean,but if you need advice there are plenty of people out there too help once you come to terms with your illness,so once again welcome and take care