Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with GoogleGet your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
By proceeding further you accept the Terms and Conditions
Mother Having Rheumatoid Arthritis. Taking Methotrexate Lyrica Humeria Prednisone,loratabs. Test Normal. Having Severe Pain. How To Help?
Yes i have several questions about my mothers health i also work n the health care field as a medical tech. My mother was diagnosed with RA last year. She has been taking several medicines methotrexate lyrica humeria prednisone and loratabs she sees a RA doctor. But the past two weeks she has been flared up and the pain is so bad you can not touch her. I took it up on my self to do some lab test on her. I did a Sed Rate Uric Acid CMP CBC RA Factor ANA CRP CCP TSH and everything came back normal. An im stuck on where to go from here bc the blood test shows no sign of inflammation or RA. Could her medicines make everything come back normal
Mon, 1 Apr 2013
Hello!
Thanks for being with us.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks joints. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility if not adequately treated.
Various treatments are available:
Non-pharmacological treatment includes physical therapy, occupational therapy and nutritional therapy but these do not stop the progression of joint destruction.
Analgesia (NSAIDs) and anti-inflammatory drugs, including steroids, are used to suppress the symptoms, while disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are required to inhibit or halt the underlying immune process and prevent long-term damage.
In recent times the newer group of biologicals has increased treatment options.
Biologicals like infliximab,rituximab, etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab,golimumab,interleukin 1 blockers such as anakinra can tried if 3 DMARDs in combination fail to respond.
Aceclofenac or indomethacin can be given for pain relief.
If her disease was in remission for last year and she was compliant with the medicines,there could be another acute insult like viral fever that could be the reason for normal RF,CRP,ESR,Anti-CCP.Still diagnosis should be reconsidered as these does not correlate with the diagnosis of RA.
Osteoarthritis,fibromyalgia can present with severe pain and normal inflammatory markers.
Consult with a Rheumatologist for clinical correlation and better management.
Hope this could help you.
Thanks for being with us.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks joints. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility if not adequately treated.
Various treatments are available:
Non-pharmacological treatment includes physical therapy, occupational therapy and nutritional therapy but these do not stop the progression of joint destruction.
Analgesia (NSAIDs) and anti-inflammatory drugs, including steroids, are used to suppress the symptoms, while disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are required to inhibit or halt the underlying immune process and prevent long-term damage.
In recent times the newer group of biologicals has increased treatment options.
Biologicals like infliximab,rituximab, etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab,golimumab,interleukin 1 blockers such as anakinra can tried if 3 DMARDs in combination fail to respond.
Aceclofenac or indomethacin can be given for pain relief.
If her disease was in remission for last year and she was compliant with the medicines,there could be another acute insult like viral fever that could be the reason for normal RF,CRP,ESR,Anti-CCP.Still diagnosis should be reconsidered as these does not correlate with the diagnosis of RA.
Osteoarthritis,fibromyalgia can present with severe pain and normal inflammatory markers.
Consult with a Rheumatologist for clinical correlation and better management.
Hope this could help you.
I find this answer helpful
1 Doctor agrees with this answer
sometimes apart from arthritis, patients may suffer from fibromyalgia where all tests come negative, so she needs to be seen for that and treated accordingly.
I find this answer helpful
1 Doctor agrees with this answer
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer.
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service
[Sample answer]
Related questions you may be interested in
Recent questions on Viral fever
Loading Online Doctors....