Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Sunday, August 30th, 2009 at
11:04 pm
I have been seeing a doctor foe almost two years now for pain and fatigue. I am taking medicine for Rheumatoid Arthritis. If a Dr. treats me for Rheumatoid Arthritis, does that mean I am diagnosed with it?
Tagged with: arthritis • fatigue • foe • medicine • Rheumatoid Arthritis • taking medicine
Filed under: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Just because you have pain and fatigue doesnt necessarily mean you have RA. Though it is surely a symptom. Usually they way of diagnoses for RA is with a series of Xrays and blood test. Also if you do have RA you dont want to see a normal GP doctor, you need to see a rhuematologist who specializes in auto-immune disorders which is what RA is. Also usually with RA they take blood test every 3-6 months and check your ced rate, which is how they tell how active your RA may be depending on the results. Also, Fibromyalgia could be an option because IT IS another chronic auto-immune diesease and NOT an "IDK WTF." Though the difference in the two is RA you feel more joint pain and Fibromyalgia you feel more muscle or legament pain, which muscle pain can sometime be felt with RA. Next time you see your DR be sure to ask questions and find out whats going on. Good luck!
Have you been tested for fibromyalgia? They are similar.
fibromyalgia is a fancy name that doctors use for "IDK WTF" aka i dont know whats really wrong with you but you seem to have a problem. RA on the other hand can be diagnosed through blood tests as well as clinical observations. Doctors can check for elevated rheumatoid factor or RF with a relatively simple blood test. However along wtih this test must be clinical observation. some of the symptoms include bilateral stiffness of the joints or swelling around them (generally starts in the fingers and by bilateral i mean both sides…then it goes to ur wrist, knees etc..) also rheumatoid nodules may be present. These are basically knots near the joints, they kinda seem like really hard bug bites and sometimes they itch. What are you being treated with? Many doctors even if they arent positive but are fairly sure will start you off with an anti-inflammatory such as heavy duty motrin 800mg, or another prescription anti-inflammatory such as etodolac for example. When RA progresses beyond the aid of simple anti-inflammatorys docs make a clear diagnosis and send in the big dogs. drugs like Enbrel (an injectable) or methotrexate (also used in chemotherapy).
I know this firsthand, i have RA
They are considered a specialist sooo i would say yes but you have alot of misunderstanding it seems like, you need to talk too your doctor.