HLA-B27 positive and Seronegative RA Arthritis

LynnM

I just wondered if anyone else has this gene, and how it has affected their arthritis.

I have been diagnosed with Seronegative RA Arthritis, and I wonder if this could become ankylosing spondylitis. I also have osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, I fear for my future, consequently I feel stressed.

Is anyone else feeling the same?

Loggiemod

Hi @LynnM have you had a look at https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/more-about/hla-b27-gene-and-arthritis. Might be of interest. Keep strong and I hope others on here will share their support. I don't have what you have so can't comment directly but I am sure others on here can.

Keep strong

Peter

LynnM

Thank you Loggiemod, that's very kind of you.

MrDJ

Hi @LynnM

I thought i was special as not heard of HLAB27 mentioned for years.

I was diagnosed in 1985 with OA and was told by the doc to not plan ahead as i would be in a wheelchair within 6 months. hearing that at the age of 21 was like hitting a brick wall at 100 mph. she wasnt far wrong as within 9 months i couldnt walk without crutches and callipers on both ankles. Long story short they put me on 60mg prednisolone for a year until i lost the site in one eye as while the tabs were helping the pain my arthritis started attacking my retinal nerve. they pannicked trying to save the eye by doing a lensectomy but it was too late and the sight was gone in the left eye.

Not long after that they done the HLAB27 which came back possitive and they said no question you have anky spon. Luckily for some reason my SI joints fused up within 3 months but then it burnt itself out and to this day my spine hasnt fused so there is hope.

Up until 2001 i was strugling but was then put on 20mg methotrexate and infliximab anti TNF. i walked in on crutches and 3 hours later walked out unaided for the first time in years. yes the damage had already been done with hip replacement which is now 26 years old and tripple fusin arthrodesis in ankle but im still walking, working and driving.

The more tests they do there is better chance them finding a regime of drugs to help you out as treatments have gone on leaps and bounds from my days so dont give up hope.

LynnM

Thank you for responding, it really helps to get read something positive. I do hope you continue to walk, drive and work. I can't drive at the moment, but hopefully, with the new anti TNF regime, I will be back at the wheel soon.

Magiciansgirl89

Hi, I have also been diagnosed as HLAB27 positive with Peripheral Spondyloarthritis. I am fairly new to this world and struggling to navigate my way through.

Pithy_username

Hi - I also have the HLA-B27 gene variant, which was discovered when I ended up in a Long Covid clinic in 2020. I was originally diagnosed with sero-negative inflammatory arthritis back in 1989 after I got glandular fever. I was put on hydroxychloroquine for that and after a couple of years the symptoms remitted enough that I could more or less get on with life, albeit with progressive OA and autoimmune thyroid disease. Fast forward to 2020, when I caught Covid and all my inflammatory arthritis symptoms surged back, leaving me utterly fatigued, foggy and in significant pain. The updated diagnosis is reactive arthritis, which is a form of inflammatory arthritis which flares in response to certain viruses and then eventually subsides. One triggering virus is Epstein Barr (which causes glandular fever) and it turns out another is Covid. But this is ‘t AS and although the reactive arthritis is horrible, after 6 months to 2 years it does eventually improve. Best wishes x