Does anyone else feel like this?

annieuk75
annieuk75 Member Posts: 9
edited 21. Nov 2009, 07:43 in Chat to our Helpline Team archive
I am so confused, I keep being told different things by different doctors.
Let me start from the beginning. In February I started having pain in the soles of me feet when i walked, which my doctor told me was due to flat feet and I went to see a podiatrist. The pain then developed in my ankles and knees, which i was then referred for physio as they thought it was due to the flat feet. I then developed pain and stiffness in my hands and wrists and was sent to a rheumatologist. He couldn't decide if it was RA or Lupus and is still unsure. All my blood tests are coming back with a low white blood cell count and low lymphocyte count but the rheumatoid factor is ok. Because of this my doctor doesn't believe that it is RA. I am in pain everyday, somedays are worse tha others. I have the pain in my feet, ankles, knees, shouldrrs, wrists and hands. Sometimes the pain in my shoulder goes down my arm. I also get really tired and emotional since all this started.
I just want to know what it is. My doctor has sent me back to the haemotologist because the lymphocyte and white blood cell counts are still down and now I'm really worried. If it is arthritis, I don't mind - I just want a diagnosis.

Comments

  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    hope I am not butting in, but read your post... not all forms of arthritis have a positive rheumatoid factor...there are others collectively termed ' seronegative arthropathies' that don't- eg. ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis.

    It took a year for rheumatology to diagnose my PA as I had negative rheumatoid factor, and as I did not have psoriasis it made the diagnosis a bit more complicated.

    Reason for telling you is twofold.1. it's not unusual to have -ve rheumatoid factor. 2. sometimes we just have to be patient and wait while they go through all the tests.

    Important thing is to have proper and effective pain killers while you wait.

    I can only speak from my experience so the arther may be different for you. There is a good article in the 'arthritis care' literature section on this website that explains the different forms of arther better than I can!...and the helpline, and others on the forum, will provide you with much more info and advice.

    hope you get some answers soon. take care. Iris x
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,482
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Annie,

    Sorry to hear that things are tough right now. Dorcas has really said it spot on about the way that it can be a slow business getting a diagnosis at rheumatology.

    However sometimes getting good support with your appointments (an assertive pal with you helping take notes, helping you ask questions can help).

    You can sometimes push for additional tests to be done - CCP is a new one that sometimes gets mentioned, other times genetic markers HLA B27 can be looked at.

    If you are really feeling rough and nothing like a disease modifying drug has been prescribed you can sometimes push for one to be prescribed - in some cases the diagnosis is only made when people respond to the treatment - a drug sometimes used is anti malarial (hydroxychloroquinne).

    Good luck
    Guy
  • annieuk75
    annieuk75 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you for your replies. I am only on co-codamol at the moment as my husband and I are trying for another baby.
    What is worrying me at the moment, is not the arthritis (or whatever it may be), but the blood test results. My doctor has scred me saying that my lymphocyte (sp?) count should have come up by now. This has been going on since March, and my white blood cell count has always been low as have my neutrophils/lymphocytes. My doctor thinks it was a virus, but 8 months on he is now worrying me by saying it should have got better.
    Then to top it all off, I keep getting a blurry effect in my left eye, which they now think could be iritis.
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,482
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    annieuk75 wrote:
    Thank you for your replies. I am only on co-codamol at the moment as my husband and I are trying for another baby.
    What is worrying me at the moment, is not the arthritis (or whatever it may be), but the blood test results. My doctor has scred me saying that my lymphocyte (sp?) count should have come up by now. This has been going on since March, and my white blood cell count has always been low as have my neutrophils/lymphocytes. My doctor thinks it was a virus, but 8 months on he is now worrying me by saying it should have got better.
    Then to top it all off, I keep getting a blurry effect in my left eye, which they now think could be iritis.

    Dear Annie

    Thank you for your posting. You are sounding very worried at the moment and due to the nature of your posting I am sending you a private message.

    Best Wishes
    Dawn
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