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HI all.. New here ad to seronegitive RA

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Posted 1/18/2015 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ! I am hoping to conect wth some folks that can help easy my mind ad me thinking im senile! I have been told by my RD that im seroneg RA. She says with this she cannot clinically dx me for any thing. but what she sees when she sees me is im pos RA?! She has me on plaquinal and wats to put me on methotrexate. I feel that unless im positive i shouldnt go on such a strong drug.. i also have some other questions about this disease ad how its affecting me in conparission to others?!
HAve a good day!
Posted 1/18/2015 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
From the Dept of Rheumatology NYU Med Center website: "Seronegative arthritisis often incorrectly referred to as seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. This is incorrect because the demographics and clinical presentations of the diseases within this group differ markedly from rheumatoid arthritis." -
Seronegative arthritis is also called:
spondyloarthropathy
seronegative spondyloarthropathy
seronegative arthritis
BASE syndrome (B27,arthritis, spondylitis, enthesopathy) See more at: http://medicine.med.nyu.edu/rheumatology/conditions-we-treat/seronegative-arthritis#sthash.PVjbtRpn.dpuf
Posted 1/18/2015 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
I have a form of spondyloarthropathy called ankylosing spondylitis. It is no walk in the park and I have a taken a variety of meds to keep the inflammation at bay and prevent further damage. Prior to diagnosis I had become so debilitated by the inflammation I needed a walker or cane to get around.
Posted 1/22/2015 6:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi SD,
I am curious as to what you are experiencing for symptoms. As I have posted many times, the blood tests for me were always neg for RH factor, but my rheumy from San Fran used a different blood test to finally get an RA dx and I have been on tang blocker w great results for ten yrs. I did not want to be on methotrexate either, but my Dr finally convinced me that it was preferable to upping the prednisone for flares and it has worked well. Ongoing blood tests are a drag (have bruise current from bad stick today shakehead)
Burnbaum is my Rheumatologist. I'm going to try to find out what test he used cause there are a lot of seroneg folks posting here.
Best wishes in your pursuit for relief.
Beth
Posted 1/24/2015 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, My own input is that methotrexate, even at a low doses is a "chemo drug" please be aware of this... My RA MD started me out on Plaquenil which takes many months to build up in the system. When the Plaquenil didn't work after 4 months she suggested methotrexate... like a lamb I took it and had many side effects. Be careful, I don't care what the RA MD says... "all medications have side effects" huh they aren't the ones that have to live with them.. I'm now getting ready to start Humira, a biologic. I have been dragging my feet for a couple of months wondering if I should take it and now, crazily am anticipating it...

Kim
Posted 1/24/2015 5:50 AM (GMT 0)
Doesn't sound crazy to me after the relief I got from it. Are you using the pen that self injects or the regular syringe?
Beth
Posted 1/24/2015 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry, did not clarify that last post was question to Kim.
SD, I would agree with Kim. Get the other RA test and a dx prior to methotrexate. I was super reluctant to take it also, and am now on a low dose so as to try to get the prednisone intake lower with our flares. I am only on 8 mg prednisone daily,but my doc wants even less, as I've been on it for so many years.
Best wishes to you both!
Beth
Posted 1/24/2015 6:51 AM (GMT 0)
I can't take MTX I had major gastric reaction to it. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea within thirty minutes of taking it.
My rheumatologist wants to start something stronger in March after I get my medicare. He wants to avoid perdisone because I have early cataracts from my asthma med over the years.
Posted 2/3/2015 3:22 AM (GMT 0)

Ides said...
From the Dept of Rheumatology NYU Med Center website: "Seronegative arthritisis often incorrectly referred to as seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. This is incorrect because the demographics and clinical presentations of the diseases within this group differ markedly from rheumatoid arthritis." -
Seronegative arthritis is also called:
spondyloarthropathy
seronegative spondyloarthropathy
seronegative arthritis
BASE syndrome (B27,arthritis, spondylitis, enthesopathy) See more at: http://medicine.med.nyu.edu/rheumatology/conditions-we-treat/seronegative-arthritis#sthash.PVjbtRpn.dpuf

Wow I did not know this. I've been told I have seronegative RA, all tests negative but symptoms of RA. Plaquenil worked wonders for me. I'll have to read up on this before my appt with my new rheumy, thanks. Although the presentation listed doesn't really correspond, I just get severe pain in hands with only a little swelling.

In response to OP though, I haven't tried methotrexate cause plaquenil worked for me. Rheum did say that if it didn't work though, that'd be the next step. It makes me hesitate too not having positive tests but getting such a strong drug. Don't want to ruin the joints though. I hope plaquenil works out for you.
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