Hi All

Im not quite sure what happened but im sure i put a blog on here before but it seems to have gone! I dont know if people can remember but basically i was going through a really difficult time because my RA consultant had basically turned round after a year and told me that i no longer had RA i had never had it and that they had no idea what was wrong with me!

So with this i hit rock bottom and after alot of time spent talking things through with my GP i decided to go for another opinion! This time i decided to go out of the area and see someone who i had not had any contact with before!

I saw my new consultant 2 weeks ago who was amazing - he didnt read over any of my notes from my other consultant (mainly because my other consultant hadnt sent them to him like he had requested), he wanted to know from me what had happened and how it was affecting me. Following over 45 mins of talking things through with him answering alot of questions it came to the question i was hoping he would answer " So what have i actually got?" With this he took the cowards approach and decided to send me for some blood tests and xrays before telling me what he thought it was as wanted to have results to make a 100% sure he was right!

So today i went back to see him and finally after a year of a half of being told i had one thing then i didnt and being pushed to different departments i finally got an answer!

I have been diagonosed with Seronegative RA! - Im not sure if many people have heard of this but it means i dont have the Rheumatoid Factor but have all the antibodies and inflamation along with the joint pains stiff ness.

So after being off medication for over 6months i am now starting my second course of MXT. I am starting off on 10mg for 4 weeks and then to increase to 15mg after that until i go back and see my new consultant again in April!

Today was the first time in a long time that i felt a whole weight taken off my shoulders and I could actually look forward into dealing with my symptoms and coming to terms with changing my life for the better!

Part of me is really excited about getting back on the MXT and part of me is scared! Going back to injecting is a bit worrying but knowing that it will start to control my flare ups again!

Hello there Zoe,
Glad you finally have a diagnosis and hope the re-introduction to mxt works well for you.
I have seronegative RA like you and a few others on here have the same,
Well done for persevering and going ahead with getting the second opinion, sorry that you do know for definite you have it but at least now treatment can support and modify any flares which I hope will be few and far between.
I see Dr Coombs frm Cheltenham, she comes out to our local hospital although not seen her for a few months now but when I do get an appointment she is always supportive.
Glad you feel so posiitive, long may it continue
Take care,
lOVE AND Hugs ~ Liz xx

so glad you blogged,ive had the same situ and turns out also sero negative RA,good luck on mtx keep posting.
lv melly

Hi Zoe

I might be wrong, but as I understand it, once confirmed RA is either sero-positive or sero-negative. It's not a case of it developing into "full RA" at some future date, it already is "full RA"! I was diagnosed with sero-negative RA 22 years ago with all the symptoms of someone who might be sero-positive. The main difference is that with sero-negative the inflammatory markers do not show up in blood tests and the Rheumatoid Factor shows as negative. My ESR is generally about 16 but inflammation can be raging, or it might be 120 and no inflammation! Sero-negative can also be difficult to treat, because of the unreliable blood tests, but once a pattern of individual disease is established successful treatment can follow. It is unusual for sero-negative to change to sero-positive, it does happen occasionally, but generally doesn't affect the path of the disease.

Whichever type of RA, once diagnosed and successful treatment found, things should improve. Damage that has already occurred remains, but future problems can be avoided by correct treatment. The marginal erosions may cause you no problems in the future; everyone has some degree of wear on the joints!

Hope the methotrexate kicks in quickly for you and you are able to start living life to the full again. All the best Zoe,

Lyn x

Sorry understand same is Lyn (not jean) Sorry to Lyn as well


Rose

Sorry to hear it is RA Zoe but I understand that it helps just to know what you are tackling - I hope you find the right treatment soom. Let us know how you get on.

Julie x

Hello Zobo
aww Glad you got 2nd opnion i did also after very lentghy battle to be referred.
Afriad sero negative is full ra,same treatment as sero postive but tricker to treat for some from what im reading im also understanding it betetr thanks to your posting.
my esr is 29,most often crp 22.

hugs
melly