I am one of those that have been negative for 20+ year and was lucky enough to have had a wonderful rheumy that treated me from the beginning until he retired. Just last year I have become RA positive. The only good thing about becoming positive is that it is so much easily to get treatment... being negative some dr will treat you and other will not... For me being negative my RA symptoms were just a bit on the milder side compared to me being positive... I am not saying that the pain, inflammation and swelling were mild because that seems the same. It was more like I had more days that I felt better... not as many flares plus the meds seem to help me at a lower dose.. But since I have tested positive I am having a heck of time in fact I have been in a flare since last May and so far the meds are not helping. But I am sure my rheumy will get it figured out sometime soon. Once my first rheumy retired I had a heck of a time finding someone that would treat me for RA but after about 8 months of being in a bad flare and 3 drs later I finally tested positive and also found a rheumy that will me no matter if I am positive or negative. So I do understand you wanting to be positive. But the good thing is it sounds as if you found a dr that will treat you no matter if you are negative or positive which is the best. Hope you get to feeling better soon.

Thx guys. Yeah she did. I'm being treated aggressively in my opinion, but was hoping for the validation I suppose. My mom has asked more than once if I may just have an infection that's set up in my joints instead of Ra. Validation would make me feel better I suppose. Thx!

It depends upon what numbers you are talking about. I asked my doctor if he would retest the RF and anti-ccp. He said no, those numbers don't really change.

What does change are your CRP and SED rates -- numbers that indicate whether you have inflammation. I am one of those odd ducks whose RF and anti-ccp came back off the charts, and even while my hands were visibly inflamed, my inflammation markers came back negative/normal.

Go figure. The only way they will be able to tell if my meds are doing any good will be purely symptom-based.

The blood tests seem very hit and miss.

I tested positive with a raised rheumatoid factor, but don't have RA (I have hypermobility syndrome which causes extensive joint pain, fatigue and multi-organ problems, but without the inflammation or stiff joints of RA).

My mum tested for a "very high" rheumatoid factor 10 years ago, but has no RA then or now.

A work colleague of mine was hospitalised for a month before they decided she had RA with no positive blood results, 7 years on she definitely has it.

So it goes both ways, false positive, false negative, its only one tool in the diagnosis box, its down to the experience of the rheumatologist to decide. Be glad you maybe don't have one aspect of the disease!

I too have had negative tests (RF, anti -CCP, ESR) since the beginning of my aches, pains, swelling. The highes my ESR has ever been in the midst of a flare even has been 6. However physically I have all the symptoms. My initial dx was fibromylagia and "generalized osteaoarthritis". Then the symptoms became symmetrical and my wrist MRI showed synovitis. It was 2 years before I was dx'd as RA. This is a pretty common occurence it seems, having one or more dx before being told it is RA. Honestly, having watched my Grandmother live with pain and limitations of RA, I would do just about anything not to end up in her shoes. I wish you well.