Joint pains but negative Arthritis tests?

[Alagirl]

Doctor’s visit.
Prime reason was exhaustion (pinned to an otherwise asymptomatic virus - or I dragged the dang thing around for so long…)

Another reason was itchy achy joint discomfort, rather than outright pain…in upper, lower back, elbows, knees…

The blood test came back negative for arthritis…I do have mild degenerative changes though…I will be off to the orthopedic specialist shortly (not this week tho - vacation)

Any ideas what else that could be?

The virus? (Mono…hesitant to say it out loud…DH’s first reaction was ‘who did you kiss?!’ :rolleyes:)

[Laurierace]

Lyme

[Wayside]

Fibromyalgia started out in a similiar fashion for me. Felt like I was coming down with something, just exhausted, my whole body ached, but then I just never got better. They also tested me for Lyme, Lupus, and several other things as well.

Unfortunately, there are a whole slew of things it could be. My only advice is keep after your doctor if you don’t start to feel better soon. Sadly it seems like a lot of doctors in these situations check the first couple things that come to mind, and then decide you’re fine and it’s all in your head :no:

Hopefully this is something short-term and/or easily treatable! Jingles for you.

[Alagirl]

Thanks.

I guess I am on the beginning of the road to recovery.

I had what I was afraid to be a strep throat around Christmas. That test was negative, but the other tests did not go through that day (Saturday) So I just never went back, I was just concerned I had caught strep from my kid.

And I have pretty much been sickly and off ever since. :no:

Gonna keep at it now though.

(A good reason to remind everybody to not drink out of bottles…use a glass and don’t share.)

[Bluey]

Long shot, looking for alternative diagnosis, maybe gout?

[Equibrit]

Did you get your thyroid checked ?

[Doberpei]

Many of the autoimmune diseases mimic each other in the beginning, so it could be lupus, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis - or even lyme. I like the gout suggestion too.

Did you go to a GP or a rheumatologist? Did you get a sed rate test? That’s different than the arthritis test.
RA doesn’t always test positive either.

So - odd question, how’s your skin? If you have psoriasis, you can have psoriatic arthritis (between 30% - 70% of the people with psoriasis will get PA). PA is merely psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis - but - PA rarely tests positive in the rh test, which is why it’s often missed. Doctors started seeing all these RA patients who didn’t test positive, and had all the RA symptoms, plus psoriasis.

Good luck.

[ponygirl]

My sister had similar symptoms but also a slight rash. She was tested for a myriad of things and it ended up being Fifths disease.

[sadlmakr]

There are so many differnt viruses going around that do not have symptoms of the flu. I got hit with what I thought was the flu and it took months to recover from it. It turned out a virus had attacked my heart and damaged the left side muscle of the heart. I did not know what had happened to me and I had an irregular heartbeat. Every third beat it skipped. I went to a cadiologist and they did lots of tests and an angiogram.
Not fun but that was how the heart damage was found. The kind Dr. told me I had “dodged the bullet” so to speak in that most people who get that virus have heart valve damage. Mine has improved but there are other viruses that will attack your joints. Since I had this happen to me I am very careful to read up on everything I can about such things. There are many things that
can do this to you. Make this Dr. earn his $$ and insist on a thorough exam and bloodwork. I will tell you I have never been the same since this hit me.
Some of the above listed things from the other ladies can be just as bad. I hope you can find out what it is and do something to help.
It is not in your mind. It is real and it is a catch phrase with Dr.s when they can’t figure out the problem. I know I was told to take anit-depressants for my joint pain. I did take them and it did nothing for the pain or the stiffness in my muscles and joints. The anit-depressants made me worse.
But this is JMHO. So do not give up and keep after the Dr.
Make him do his job.
Kind regards, sadlmakr

[_Teddy]

10% of ra patients will test negative for ra factors. I am one, cuz being normal is overatted

[Alagirl]

LOL, yeah, nobody can ever accuse me of being normal.

Thyroid was normal, too.
I am going back Friday, then on to the orthopedic doc.

I will see how things are turning out.

[apcohrs]

could be lupus, despite what House says.

[Lisa_Cook]

When testing for arthritis, was an anti-CCP test used? When I had joint pain a few years ago, my primary care doctor tested me for a lot of things, including the normal sed rate test for Rheumatoid Arthritis - all negative.

I was passed along to a rheumatologist who tested me using the anti-CCP test…bingo. Rheumatoid arthritis.

[Paddys_Mom]

Same symptoms, rheumatologist found I have a severe Vitamin D deficiency!

I am taking a prescription-strength Vitamin D (50,000 units) once a week for 12 weeks and then getting rechecked. The all over aching has subsided and the fatigue is getting better.

[Alagirl]

Oh, right, I do have the Vit D deficiancy, too.

(need more sunlight?)

[Paddys_Mom]

[QUOTE=Alagirl;5891875]
Oh, right, I do have the Vit D deficiancy, too.

(need more sunlight?)[/QUOTE]

My list of causes:
Wearing sunscreen
Not drinking milk
Not eating eggs
Not eating fish
Crohn’s Disease

[sadlmakr]

Also get checked for West Nile Virus. It can act like lots of other stuff like Lyme disease. There is lots of it where it never has been before.
Or come out to California and lay on the beach in San Diego and bake out the viruses and soak up the D rays.
I have family up in the North who come down in January to soak up the UV rays and shed the moss off their backs.
By all means get these things checked out and see if you can do anything to help yourself.
A hair test can also tell if you have been exposed to any toxins. But that is also expensive.
Wish you the best in your search for a cure.
regards, sadlmakr

[Graymaresrule]

@sadlmakr;5890808

There are so many differnt viruses going around that do not have symptoms of the flu. I got hit with what I thought was the flu and it took months to recover from it. It turned out a virus had attacked my heart and damaged the left side muscle of the heart. I did not know what had happened to me and I had an irregular heartbeat. Every third beat it skipped. I went to a cadiologist and they did lots of tests and an angiogram.
Not fun but that was how the heart damage was found. The kind Dr. told me I had “dodged the bullet” so to speak in that most people who get that virus have heart valve damage. Mine has improved but there are other viruses that will attack your joints. Since I had this happen to me I am very careful to read up on everything I can about such things. There are many things that
can do this to you. Make this Dr. earn his $$ and insist on a thorough exam and bloodwork. I will tell you I have never been the same since this hit me.
Some of the above listed things from the other ladies can be just as bad. I hope you can find out what it is and do something to help.
It is not in your mind. It is real and it is a catch phrase with Dr.s when they can’t figure out the problem. I know I was told to take anit-depressants for my joint pain. I did take them and it did nothing for the pain or the stiffness in my muscles and joints. The anit-depressants made me worse.
But this is JMHO. So do not give up and keep after the Dr.
Make him do his job.
Kind regards, sadlmakr

Viruses can indeed do strange things. This past spring Mr P started having numbness in his right arm, cheek
and side of his tongue. Thirty seconds at a time, 5 or 6 times a day.

Scared us witless.

After an extensive round of tests it was determined to be the after effects of a COLD!!!

[Zu_Zu]

JINGLES FOR YOU TO FEEL BETTER SOON

JINGLES FOR YOU TO FEEL BETTER SOON ``

[Alagirl]

@Zu Zu;5892985

JINGLES FOR YOU TO FEEL BETTER SOON ``

Thank you!