new to seronegative - nay help - pleeaassee!

tweedie

bailey27 wrote:

Very annoyed this morning...was told by doc that I would be referred to Rheumy and he would ask for me to get seen within 2-3 weeks.
Just phones ot check up and they hadnt even sent off my referral. (That was 2 weeks ago!!!) Even then I asked how long the appointment would take and they said it could take around 6 months!!!!!!!!!! :x

Hi Bailey,
Once your drs get around to sending your referral I think that you will find that it will be quicker as you have to be seen in so many weeks plus I think you are supposed to have a chioce who you see -- thats the good bit -- BUT-- because you have to be seen quickly at first it means it might be ages before your next appointment , but at least you will get to see one soon , then everything takes ages , tests , more tests , one thing you will learn having good old arthur is patience , but there is always someone on here to moan at , we are all in the same boat.
Carry on creaking
Joanna
(Tweedie)
xx

theresa4

HI Im new to this forum so hello to all

I have been reading alot of the posts on here and I have very similar questions. Luckily I have a great Consultant Rheumatologist who has taken me seriously from day one although I am not happy about all the different treatments I have been on.
My RF is negative and has been for 3 years since this started with just my finger and wrist joints in Jan 2006 I was 34yrs old. At first it was just aches and pains and feeling a bit stiff then it wore off then when it came back 6 weeks later my Gp decided to refer me as he felt RA was a possibiity regardless of the bloods. THis continued on and off for a year the flares becoming progressively worse by then in my feet and ankles too with the only relief coming from my depo steroid in my hip lasting 5-6 weeks. I have been on several DMARDS but no relief then tried Humira along with Methotrexate(MTX)but again that hasnt worked the pain has got so much worse this last year and I have not been working other than when I have a steroid which is why I can type this today. I am now waiting a decision on another biologic I am still on MTX but so far steroids are my only relief and I can only have them every 3 months at earliest my last one was 5 months before I had this one. I lose 6 months a year with pain where sometimes I cant dress myself. With 4 children albeit all teenagers and up it is very disappointing to live like this.
My question is I read on a website that patients with seronegative RA get less pain and problems than RF positive patients it made me feel like a fraud as my pain is so debilitating I cannot function some days even simply dressing myself or lifting a kettle to make a cup of tea, does anyone else with seronegative RA get pain like this???

lindalegs

Hi Theresa and welcome to the forum,

I've read your post and afraid I can't answer your question because I'm a rheumatoid.

I would like to suggest though that you open a new post with Seronegative in the title so that it'll draw the attention of the people who have it - this one might get missed because it's been up for a while.

Hope you get an answer soon.

Luv Legs