Hi i'm new!! is 120 Rheumatoid Factor high?

suepollard

Hi everyone, im totally new to this forum and arthritis itself so please bare with me. ok then, im 47years of age, suffered from 'backache' for a year, recently it got worse so one took oneself off to the docs, did some blood tests and the Rheumatoid factor came back at 120 instead of below 40, my gp refered me to the consultant and diagnosed me with OA, he asked if I had gritty eyes, I said that I did and I asked if this was associated with OA, he said NOOOOOOO, partronising little twerp! I asked about RA and he said that my blood test was normal, MMM so when I got back home I went to the gp again, he wasnt happy and now im seeing another consultant to shed more light on the blood test, I dont doubt that I have OA, but myself and gp think ive got RA aswell, what I would like to know is does anyone suffer from like tingling in thighs, and feels like a swelling behind the knee cap, I litterally cant walk far at all now because of the pain in my legs, im coping with my back, but my legs, terrible. also can anyone tell me is 120 relatively high when tested for Rheumatoid Factor, looking forward to hearing from you
sue :roll:

jaspercat

Hi Sue, well I am not sure how high the rheumatoid factor needs to be but if you have it in your blood then you have RA, gritty eyes are another diagonostic guide to RA, I should know about the eyes as I have gritty eyes, I was asked about this during my first consultation with my Rheumy, I would suggest that you see another consultant asap, one who knows what they are talking about, I am sure there will be other people along to help you too love Jaspercatxxx

lindalegs

Hi Sue and welcome to the forum,

I had a flare-up recently and my RA factor rose to 111 so I think your 140 is high - mine's generally around 38 mark but that's with the help of drugs to control it. I must admit I get a bit confused with blood tests and don't know the difference between alot of them. Some people on this site are nurses or have a medical background so they'll probably be more informative.

I can't say that I get tingling thighs but I do get pressure pains around my knees - almost like they're full of cotton wool.

Luv Legs

suepollard

Hi Jaspercat, thank you for your response, ive managed to get to see another consultant this coming Saturday, its a private consultation but would need follow up on the NHS, Its taken me 9 months to get to see a consultant in total, so I just cant wait another 9! thanks for your words of encouragement, suexx

suepollard

hi linda, thanks for your response, its all a minefield to me all this, im bogged down with it, I will know more at the weekend when I see another consultant, do you mind me asking what drugs you are on to get your rheumatiod factor back down, my gp has given me diclafenac and is seems to be ok, i can get out of bed easier now,
thanks
sue :roll:

lindalegs

I'm on 10mg Methotrexate tablets once a week, Lodine (Etodolac) is my daily anti-inflammatory (asprin based), Paracetmols for bad days and Codeine Phosphate for really bad days when I can't bear it.

The fastest form of treatment for me are steroid injections, either deep muscular or straight into the joint which my consultant administers if we feel it's necessary. One of the GPs at my health centre will also give me steroid injections if I can't wait to see my rheumy - but I've only had to resort to this once - it's been set up to give me a safety net in case I need it.

Hope this helps

Luv Legs

gettinby

scottishlass wrote:

Hiya Sue,i found this on Wikipedia:

"Indications
RF is often determined in patients suspected in any form of arthritis. It has relatively little use there, as positive results can be due to other causes, and negative results do not rule out disease. But, in combination with signs and symptoms,"

I dont know what my level was simply that it was RF+,but my rheumatologist confirmed my diagnosis of RA based more on Symptoms(morning pain/stiffness,symmetrical joints/hands/feet and visible inflammation and swelling)another useful blood test is inflammatory markers ESR and CRP,again these can be raised in the presence of any form of inflammation and infection too,not just with arthritis...good luck for Saturday,i hope your appointment goes well.

I think that's about it.
I asked this question a few months ago as my RF count was over 200. It seems that this count is not conclusive to anything,on it's own and only is the start of further tests.
All the best.

suepollard

Hi, thank you so much for your response. it was really helpful and I think this forum is great. I have been relatively fit until this year, im now 47 years, and when something hits you like this its just unbelievable. Today I saw an othapeadic chap who said that my knees were fine, which they are most of the time, had some xrays done which proved normal, only my knees keep coming out of joint, and he told me I had RA, however he is orthapeadic and until Saturday Im still kind of left in the balance until I see a rheumatologist. just need it 100% confirming. I know this may seem strange but I have like a feeling of running water in my lower body, like theres been a tap turned on from my waist and I can feel it running down my leg! no I haven't gone to the loo too early!! but its kind of strange, is that inflammation would you happen to know, until I get myself all sorted out I am left with a million questions, thank you so much for your response
sue

magenta

Hello Sue,
I've just read your recent post and I get the exact same feeling of water running down my leg :shock: I've never mentioned it to anyone cos I didn't think anyone would understand what I meant. It's a really odd sensation isn't it? I've been to an orthopaedic surgeon for probs with knees, got an MRI scan done and came back with softening of cartilage. They referred me to a new rhuemy. Cut a long, long story short-I now have terrible lower back pain and hip-pain. I think my probs with knees might be referred pain from back/hips.
Hope things work out for you, let us know how you get on. Interested to hear what docs say about 'running water' :?
Magenta x

suepollard

Hi Magenta, thank you for your response. I visited the doctor yesterday, nice chap, finally got to see someone who took on board all what I had to say. as it was the first consultation, he noted all my symptoms, I mentioned the running water feeling and he was writing it all down, but didnt tell me what it was, so if anyone out there knows what this running water feeling down the buttocks and legs I would be most interested to know what that is. He did an examination, and some symptoms points to RA, and some dont, but he did say it could be the early stages of developing RA, he wants me to have an MRI scan and more blood tests, and said that he needs to keep an eye on me, hes nice to chat to, and puts you at ease and hes a Proffessor in Rheumatology, so although I didnt get a definate answer yesterday i do feel that im in safe hands. Its definately a hard thing to come to terms with when youve been relatively fit and healthy all your life dont you think? anyway I decided to go for a night out last night with family, and went to a few bars in the town followed by a night club! age 47, still live yet!! I did ok actually and did a small amount of dancing to Abba!!
take care all
sue

magenta

Hi Sue,
I am glad to hear about your appt. It's great when a dr actually listens to you and is willing to help. Sounds like he's going to look after you and try and figure out what's wrong with you
I liked the sound of your night out-I always manage a wee dance to Abba. Let us know how you get on with everything,
Magenta x

eilean1

suepollard wrote:

hi linda, thanks for your response, its all a minefield to me all this, im bogged down with it, I will know more at the weekend when I see another consultant, do you mind me asking what drugs you are on to get your rheumatiod factor back down, my gp has given me diclafenac and is seems to be ok, i can get out of bed easier now,
thanks
sue :roll:

<from eilean>
hello sue, i am newer than everybody! I think! but my terrible nightmare starts off first thing, trying to get out of bed without so much pain. it took me half an hour this morning and i will ask my gp tomorrow about diclafenac. there is so much info to take in, and of course i don't know about it being suitable. neither does my gp which is is not reassuring at all. i wish i knew the most suitable 'club' of specialists to diagnose properly.
i was reading that all this can be triggered off, just like that, with trauma sometimes. in my case, on eve of departure to america, first big excursion after a big cancer op in 05. i wasn't aware of being worried, in fact was excited. but i wonder if deep down i was worried about a recurrence in the states, and if my massive insurance would cover it..
you know thse scenarios when hospital bills rocket, away frm the e.u. cocoon. now the thing is trying to get a refund from virgin atlantic for my travelling friend and myself, causing more joint problems i am quite sure.
watch this space. sorry no caps but left hand very sore.

eilan

slummymummy

Yes, 120 Rheumatoid Factor is high, but like someone else said, it can be caused by other things, aswell as Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was lucky enough to have the new blood test called ant-CCP. If this is raised, you DEFINATELY have RA. Unfortunately mine was 140, instead of under 12 (though my RF was only 40).

Ask for the anti-CCP test if you can.

Slummy

suepollard

[hi , thank you so much for that, I will ask for the anti-ccp blood test, gee I cant believe this is happening, all these tests, im glad they are doing them though, but one feels like a pin cushion!
I dont know if I have done the right thing or not, but my blood test is this thursday, so I have come off the anti-inflammatory tablets so that the blood test may show more of an accurate reading, when my blood was taken before the consultant said that my inflammatory bit was only a bit raised, so I thought if I come off the tablets until Friday, the consultant may see more of an accurate reading, have I done right do you think? I have decided to join an excercise class called 'Extend' based at our local sports centre, its for the people with certain types of disabilities, my husband has been going for years whilst I was in the gym, now a few months later im joining him, still cant get my head round it, thank you so much for the advice on the blood test, many thanks, sue

lindalegs

Hi Sue,

Personally, I would not have stopped the anti-inflammatories, you may not have done yourself any favours - but it's up to you. There can be inflammation even when taking the medication but I don't know enough about it to advise properly :? hopefully others can.

Luv Legs

colinone

suepollard wrote:

Hi everyone, im totally new to this forum and arthritis itself so please bare with me. ok then, im 47years of age, suffered from 'backache' for a year, recently it got worse so one took oneself off to the docs, did some blood tests and the Rheumatoid factor came back at 120 instead of below 40, my gp refered me to the consultant and diagnosed me with OA, he asked if I had gritty eyes, I said that I did and I asked if this was associated with OA, he said NOOOOOOO, partronising little twerp! I asked about RA and he said that my blood test was normal, MMM so when I got back home I went to the gp again, he wasnt happy and now im seeing another consultant to shed more light on the blood test, I dont doubt that I have OA, but myself and gp think ive got RA aswell, what I would like to know is does anyone suffer from like tingling in thighs, and feels like a swelling behind the knee cap, I litterally cant walk far at all now because of the pain in my legs, im coping with my back, but my legs, terrible. also can anyone tell me is 120 relatively high when tested for Rheumatoid Factor, looking forward to hearing from you
sue :roll:

Hi Sue I too am new to this site as a member but been reading the posts for a long time. I dont want to scare you but you should have the knee checked out. People with arthritis can get whats callsd a baker cyst at the back of the knee its not dangerouse but can be the cause of real bad leg pain. Normally when you get it it causes the leg to swell from the knee down and it becomes hard to walk with the pain. The swelling bellow the knee is quite bad and it swells alot. Hope its something or nothing and it easy treated if diagnosed with anti biotics.

magenta

Hi Sue,
Is the swelling in your knee behind your kneecap or at the back of knee? I don't think it sounds like baker's cysts but best to get it checked (baker's cysts can be treated-don't worry )
I've had terrible problems with my knees and cos of this I was eventually referred to an orthopaedic surgeon for xrays and an mri. I have swellings (like golf balls behind knee :shock: ) and sometimes the swelling and pain is so bad I can hardly walk. Physio and surgeon thought I had baker's cysts but did think it was unusual for them to be in both knees. Xray showed nothing and mri only showed softening of cartilage. I now have very bad back and hip pain-read that this can cause referred pain in knee(s). If it's behind your kneecap, I can't help you there, sorry. Maybe ask your dr about the referred pain thing? I also get a crampy pain down shin, which again can be referred pain from hips/back. Hope this helps,
Magenta x
PS I don't think baker's cysts are treated aith antibiotics? I thought it was more a surgical procedure i.e.arthroscopy? I could be wrong but antibiotics were never mentioned to me.

suepollard

[Hi Magenta, just to let you know that I visited my GP who said the running water feeling down my leg is nerves related to my back, he said that not only do some people feel this sensation, but some feel pain, and others feel pins and needles, so out of them all I guess im quite lucky if you can call it that. In actual fact I feel quite ok at the moment considering everything thats going on, wish they would fully diagnose though, im a bit impatient! had some blood tests done on Friday, the nurse said the doc was testing for everything, and to have so many tests done is quite rare, so I feel lucky that they are trying to sort things out. hope everyones ok today, its blooming cold, need mi damarts on!!! well maybe not,
:roll:

magenta

suepollard wrote:

[Hi Magenta, just to let you know that I visited my GP who said the running water feeling down my leg is nerves related to my back, he said that not only do some people feel this sensation, but some feel pain, and others feel pins and needles, so out of them all I guess im quite lucky if you can call it that. In actual fact I feel quite ok at the moment considering everything thats going on, wish they would fully diagnose though, im a bit impatient! had some blood tests done on Friday, the nurse said the doc was testing for everything, and to have so many tests done is quite rare, so I feel lucky that they are trying to sort things out. hope everyones ok today, its blooming cold, need mi damarts on!!! well maybe not,
:roll:

Hi Sue, thanks for letting me know about the running water feeling. I'm glad that you're feeling ok just now I too get very impatient with results, I want to know the next day! I'm pleased your dr is doing 'the works' re bloods,
Take care,
Magenta x

suepollard

HI there, thanks for your response to my posting,to be honest I dont really get pain in my knees, well only just a little bit, but nothing to take pain killers or anything, but if im sat a certain way, or laid a certain way, my knee comes right out of joint, its so painful I can honestly say its worse than childbirth! I just have to put my leg out straight and it goes back into place, ive had an xray, but of course my leg was fine then, and the chap said he couldnt see anything serious at all, he said it looked normal and no abnormalities. But now that im seeing this really nice dr in Leeds hes going to suss everything out for me, infact his secretary rung me today to make an appointment with him, as he wants to see me before xmas, how good is that. The nurse where I had the blood test done at my gp said it was her old rheumy, and he went to live in Ireland for a while and now has come back, she said im in safe hands. phew! hope that you are ok, and feeling well, thanks once again, sue :roll:

magenta

Hiya,
That's great news about dr!
I'm struggling on, my knees are giving me probs again (and lower back) I had xrays done 2wks ago but won't find out results for another 6wks. I want to know now! My ring-finger on right hand is swollen too Apart from that I'm fine thanks
Magenta x