How can your blood tests be satisfactory yet your in a lot of pain

Lizhut

I recently suffered with the normal symptoms of RA. Swollen hands feet and knees and yet my gp said my blood tests came back satisfactory. I'm beginning to think it's all in my head and the pain is just my imagination. I just cant cope anymore.

dreamdaisy

Over my arthritic years I have come to the conclusion that what the bloods show is of little relevance to how I feel. I have had appalling bloods and felt perfectly well, at other times I have felt very rough but my bloods have been perfect.

The bloods merely measure how the body is coping with processing the meds, they do not measure how we are feeling emotionally or physically. They do not assess pain levels, stress levels, tiredness levels, whether we are using the right coping strategy at the right time: they are done merely to inform the medicos about how the meds are affecting us so that any potential trouble can be nipped in the bud.

How long have you been on the meds and what are you taking? If your GP does not have an auto-immune arthritis then as far as I am concerned he is in no position to comment: he is dealing merely with the blunt end of theory, you on the other hand are very much at the sharp end of reality. When I hit a rough patch I remind myself, frequently, that it will end. I do the same when I am in a good patch because they take it in turn. It is very hard. We get it because, unlike your GP, we've got it.

I hope you feel brighter soon. DD

Lizhut

Dreandaisy thank you. I've been on methotrexate 25mg once a week and I dont think it's working. It took a steroid injection to reduce the swelling which my gp seen. I couldn't move my fingers feet or knees with swelling yet my bloods are normal. I just think no one believes me how sore and tired I am. If my RA consultant sees these results hes not going to believe me either.

dreamdaisy

It depends what you mean by work. I learned early on that the meds are about controlling disease activity, not curing or relieving all the symptoms: meth has never relieved my pain. Neither did leflunomide, sulphasalazine, cyclosporine or any of the biologics. I have only been on one mdication for around four months, way back in 2002 when rheumatology grudgingly accepted me as being in their gang, ever since it has been two or more. It could be that you need something else with the meth to further reduce disease activity but I am not a doc, just an old hand at this malarkey.

Your GP might be a bit of a twerp but your rheumatologist won't. He will be fully aware that people can have good bloods but not be feeling great. DD

silverfoxxxx

This has happened to me for the past 3 years, just ensure you are feeding back to Rheumy the actual state of your joints, I find when I’m face to face and discuss bloods with my rheumatologist it is only then that they take notice of any discrepancies in the bloods. I have yet to find a working medication but hold out hope it’s round the corner. You just need to stay strong and ensure you are keeping flexible and mobile to help ease the pain as much as possible, unfortunately the more immobile I become the more painful my joints get when I do have to move, I now constantly fidget, but it works to a degree. Fingers crossed you can get some comfort with different meds / pain killers, it’s a long process unfortunately so the mental preparation is key also.