How do I really know I have RA and not something else?
I went to a Rheumatologist a few months ago and seemed inclusive whether I had RA. Had pain and inflammation constant with RA bloodwork, showed one RA marker, nothing conclusive.
I’ve had back and neck problems since I was young was told it was degenerative disc disease. Now my hands hurt, my feet hurt especially in the morning. But how do you know for sure? Afraid to take medication if there is any doubt. Anyone else experience doubt? Did you see more than one Dr.?
That's a good question, asidpi35! Testing should be able to give you a firm diagnosis of RA. There are a few conditions that mimic RA, like PsA (psoriatic arthritis). But, again, testing may be your best bet for getting an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.
Thanks for your response.
I've had the same questions. One doc said I have RA markers and wrote me up as seropositive. Next doc said no, that was a bogus test, and wrote me up as seronegative. Lol. I have symmetrical inflammation and pain in many many joints, and I think that's why they agreed on RA, despite not agreeing on the tests. Sometimes I wonder if I do, in fact, have RA - but whatever I have, it's immune-related, and most of the treatments seem to be used for all the other immune conditions as well, so at this point I'm not sure if it even matters for me. I just really want a name to call it, I guess, but otherwise I'm not bothered.
Ask your Dr what else it could possibly be, is my advice. In my case, initially, my dr suggested it *might* be lupus based on test results, and the meds he gave me could be good for either RA or lupus.
And - be aware that RA can cause a ton of damage pretty darn quick, so they like to catch it early & start trying to damp down the activity. Talk with your dr until you're feeling OK about taking the meds, and report side effects if you get 'em. Hope you feel better soon!!!
Hi asidpi35. Sorry you are having these symptoms. Getting a proper diagnosis related to RA can be problematic for some and the process fairly comprehensive. This article from our editorial team gives an overview of the potential steps your doctor can take: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diagnosis/.
Your concerns about starting treatment without a definitive diagnosis is understandable. As previously mentioned, if it is believed that your condition is autoimmune, there are treatments that cross over and can be suitable. Other treatments, focused on inflammation are not autoimmune specific. Your doctor should be able to provide guidance on this front. This article looks at medications used to treat RA and quite a few are not RA specific (you may even recognize some as such): https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment/drugs-and-prescription-medications-for-ra/.
In addition, I noted that you mentioned that you had been told you had degenerative disk disease when you where young. If you look at this article on the condition from the Columbia Spine Hospital you will see that it is not really a disease in the often understood sense, but rather pain that some get for various reasons due to normal wear and tear on the disks over time: https://www.columbiaspine.org/condition/degenerative-disc-disease/. For this reason, it is pretty rare in the very young. Of course, only a doctor can provide appropriate diagnostics.
Hope you get some answers and relief soon. Know that this community is here for you. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)
