Have been feeling more sore than normal (moved house recently so that undoubtedly has something to do with it!) yet when I saw the nurse today she said all my indicators from my recent blood test were normal. ??? So how come I feel the way I do, sore, stiff, and everything is an effort? Have other people encountered this before? The nurse didn't make me feel like this but I sat there feeling like a fake!

Kim

I hate blood tests. My results never show high inflammation but I am always in a lot of pain and I have a lot of joint damage to prove that I have significant RA. My RA team take no notice of blood tests now but ask how I am feeling and treat me accordingly.

When I was in incredible pain with my knees, I went to see a knee surgeon and he looked at my recent blood test results and said he could see that because there was little inflammation that there would not be any damage. He sent me for an x-ray anyway just as a safe guard and was "gob smacked" at the damage in both knees. I am one replacement down and plucking up the courage to have the second.

I think RA can be a very silent disease to the outside world and you really have to stand your ground and tell them how much pain you are in and ask them not to take into consideration your blood test results.

Take care

Jackie
xx

I'm the same- can feel awful but as long as my bloods are okay nobody is bothered!

The amount of times I have been told ''Your blood test are fine, the disease is under control'' and I've been sitting there telling them I'm in pain. Wish they would listen to the patient and not look at numbers on a piece of paper.

I've read many post over the last few years similar to yours and after reading what Jackies put we the patient know far more than what blood test can ever tell, after all it's us that feel the pain.

Paula x

Like Jackie, I'd been getting terrible pain in my left knee. It took ages and a lot of pestering before I finally got an x ray which showed up the damage.

Hi Kim - definitely not a fake! Listen to your body because it can tell you things that the tests don't show up! Tiredness comes and goes and stress definitely has a big part to play. If you've moved house recently then you will have experienced stress even if it all went fine. I always think that when I'm busy and doing something that is totally absorbing and a bit more active than normal, that I run on increased "adrenelin". I don't mean that I engage in dangerous sports or anything like that, but simply rushing around and really getting on with things, seems to bring out an energy burst - BUT - there's always a crash afterwards. The greater the energy burst the bigger the crash! I find that my RA goes mad at those times and I get utterly exhausted - maybe for days on end! So I'm learning to pace myself and also to expect that I will have to rest after I've done something especially stressful. So be extra kind to yourself for the next few weeks and let yourself recover gently - moving house is definitely a big effort so you need a big rest now.

Love and hugs - Sylvia xx

Kim, I asked my rheumatologist about this the last time I saw her after she told me that my test results were 'normal' for me, yet I'd been in more pain. She said that some of her worst affected patients always have perfectly normal readings, so at least she's aware of that possibility. I guess not all health professionals are though