What lab tests did she do? There may be more testing that can be done. Keep a daily journal of your pain. If you have stiffness or "fullness" in your joints note that as well. Are you having any swelling? If so, make note of it.

None of this information may sway your primary but it is good to keep track of them. The longer the symptoms persist the more likely you may get a diagnosis even with negative labs. Time is the factor there. Lori

She did crp, esr, ccp, or cpp, rf quantative, folate, ferritin. i dont seem to swell but even on this meloxicam i am having aching hips, lower back. and feel like crap. I will keep a diary, thank you for your response. M

I am not a expert but I had the same thing where I woke up one day and had every joint I think was hurting. I was taking four Advil a day and just felt like crying. My husband made appointment with our general doctor she ran a bunch of blood test. But she really did not even do a exam or even take notice that I also had these knots on some joints. I waited which seem to take forever to here back from her and when I did she made it a point to put in caps in her report to me other then the CRP test everything else was negative so you DO NOT HAVE RA . I just broke down crying then I called the nurse and she said keep taking the four Advil and just realize arthritis is going to hurt. The Advil just took the edge off the pain a little but no way I could live like this. My hudband then call them back and demand a referral to a rheumatologist. Once I got in there that doctor just shook her head at the fact how doctors can so easily dismiss the fact that 30% of people with RA can have negative results and still have RA .

So the moral to my long story is if you think you might have RA don't wait get a referral to a rheumatologist

An appointment with a rheumatologist is the best suggestion.

You might also see if your primary will try you on prednisone. A swift and positive reaction is a good diagnostic tool, besides making you feel better.

Thank you Cindy for your advice. i will call my dr tomorrow and see if i can get a referral. I am at work and the pain is constant, even with the meloxicam and tylenol. Hate missing work, but hard to work like this. I did ask my primary for prednisone, and she said, no. it is a nasty drug and she didnt feel i needed it. i appreciate the support on here, it is the only place i get any. i have people say, maybe its just old age. ??? i am 49. this started acutely not over a year or two. Something is wrong. well, at least i have a plan now. thanks again!

I am right there with Cindy and Altoclef. If you don't need a referral just get your own Rheumatologist. It sounds like RA even if the lab work came back negative. Also look into your human resources dept. and find out about FMLA because until you find the right medication comb, you may be missing more days of work than you are now and FMLA will protect you to be able to be out without repercussion from work.

advil didn't do crap for me. nor did tylenol. aleeve is the best over the counter i've found...directions say you can take two with first dose but not to take more than three in a 24 hr period(?).

keep in mind the anti-inflammatory meds do nothing to address the cause of the inflammation/RA. Yes, the inhibitors do help but are not effective long term as you can read in these pages, they must eventually be replaced by something else. you can help yourself tremendously, eliminate night shades from your diet. cut way, way back on saturated fats and virtually eliminate processed sugars.

if your system can stand them, pineapple and walnuts are excellent natural anti-inflams. if fresh pineapple isn't available, get the canned stuff.

I come from a family of doctors. My grandmother always said that they suffered from the "junior God syndrome". Personally, the only egos that I've found even bigger than some MD's belong to disc jockeys.

Got a referral to rheumy dec. 31st. Primary dr still says i cant have ra becauae no swelling and labs normal. She gave me a note for work to be out one wk. What are niteshades in dier? M

Deanma,

I'm glad to hear you got such a quick appointment to see a Rheumatologist. In the heat of the moment, it can be difficult to remember to have all of your questions answered with so much information being discussed.

It's a goog idea to write your symptoms down to pass along to the new Rheumy. And, most importantly, write your questions down in advance. This way you will not leave the appointment feeling like all of your concerns weren't addressed.

Lastly, please remember that a full 30% of individuals with RA are seronegative. This means that the usual labs drawn to help diagnose RA do not deviate from the norm for this class of people.

Best of luck,
TheWino

Push for the referral to a rheumatologist. Primary care doctors don't have enough knowledge to diagnose, or dismiss, this nasty beast of a disease. If you wait until you have joint injury, you've done yourself a disservice. Please, please, push and push again. It's no issue for your primary care to take the time to refer. But, for you, it means more pain and suffering the longer you wait.

in response to post #8, what are night shades.....

http://www.livestrong.com/article/367949-list-of-nightshade-vegetables-fruits/

theory, just a theory, they cause the calcium in the bone to be pulled/leeched out into the soft tissue of the joint.

Niteshades are tomatoes, eggplant, etc.

Try getting off all dairy, wheat, chocolate and eggs for 1-2 weeks (AKA the paleo autoimmune diet) you might find that one or two of those food groups are the cause of most of your symptoms. But it takes at least a week to get all of their proteins out of your system and another week for immune system to calm down. (Think of it as a weird type of allergy - but inside you)

Thank you so much for the replies. It feels like people without this jist dont understand....i am very thankful to you all. I ache all over and it almost feels flu ish. But i am not sick. I feel in my gut it is ra... time will tell. I am glad i got into rheumy doc. M

My blood test came by negative also. Then my hands deformed and now I can barely walk. My new rheumatologist said I have sero negative Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Start making a list now of all of your aches and pains. Writing them down will help the doctor to see what is going on with you.

My PCP diagnosed RA without any other test simply by reading my list of what was hurting and when it started. He did refer me to a rheumy and it was confirmed, but I am thankful that my PCP got it immediately. He said the symmetrical pain is a clear indicator of RA.

Prior to my diagnosis, I had seen an ankle dr for a sprained ankle, knee doctor to repair a torn ACL, hand dr to repair trigger finger, another hand dr because of wrist pain and every single one of those doctors told me I did not have arthritis.

When my PCP told me he thought I had arthritis, I told him what the other doctors had said. He said "They are talking about OA, you have RA." I was so lucky that he got it right away - of course my tears in his office probably helped. I could not stand up without help. It was awful.

After trying various meds I am now only on Humira and it works pretty good.

Hope you find a good rheumy. Stay in charge of your own health. No one knows your body better than you!
Good luck!
Debbie