Is it an anti-malarial drug, or penicillin, or something else? Also, is the mechanism of action known for that drug?

I got tested and had a high ANA level,however a normal rheumatoid factor. My doctor doubts that it is lupus although im waiting on more results,thanks

10 PTS BEST ANSWER. Does this mean that I have rheumatoid Arthritis (I was told by one doctor I do and another I don’t). It is really frustrating. Please help! Thank you!

My father has RA, and so does my dad’s sister. My sister has osteoarthritis.

I am 23 years old. For the last few years, I have been having what I thought was “normal” pain. I hurt so bad after work (I groomed dogs… can no longer do this physical work due to pain), that I would have to just lay in bed for the rest of the day with hot towels wrapped around my wrists and legs. I would have “flare ups” every month or so, and I would feel very “feverish” and “growing-pain-like” aches in my wrists, ankles, and calves.

This has increased a TON over the last year. I had my daughter in October 2009 (3 months ago), and it has just completely increased in frequency. I have pain ALL DAY EVERY DAY, ranging from dull to extreme. I feel every single bone in my hand is aching, my wrists crack constantly, my ankles pop, and I just want my feet constantly squeezed. My knees have been feeling like my knee caps are going to just explode off. My elbows having been starting to hurt.

I finally went in to the doc, had xrays and blood work done.
I just got a call back today, and was just a little confused. I hate when they give you info over the phone because I don’t know what the heck they are talking about and they use these outrageous terms. Xrays came back NORMAL. The blood results that show white blood cell count and inflammation in the body came back NORMAL. But she said the test that determines RA was at a 21 for me… she said the cut-off is a 20 for whether they refer you to a Rheumatologist or not. Then, she also said some other mumbo-jumbo was high and I had no idea what she was talking about, but that it was in relation to RA. Then, my thyroid is low which probably has nothing to do with RA at all…

can someone explain what these blood results really mean? Do my symptoms make any sense? i was surprised the xrays came back normal.

like this http://blstb.msn.com/i/5E/EFC7CAAC22B3C5167F14C8CB6B8C8.jpg
im really scared because the doctors say i probably have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.. im only 15 and i don’t want hands like this!

My doctor suspects I have RA, even though the standard lab test is negative. He thinks it’s a false negative based on my symptoms. He prescribed 15 mg of Prednisone per day for 7 days as a way to diagonose. He says if the Prednisone makes me “feel better”, then he can conclude that I have RA. Does it seem reasonable to diagnose Prednisone as a diagnostic tool?

By the way, my brother has taken Prednisone for lupus for 30 years, and it has caused hime to have severe long-term side effects. As a result, I’m not fan of Prednisone, so I’d prefer not to take it at all. But would 7 days of 15 mg per day cause side effects in a 250 pound, 47 y.o. male?
I should mention that the doctor I’m talking about is a rheumatologist who specializes in RA.

ever since5th grade i get random joint pains that were in my feet then they got to my knees and a couple years after to my hip and now in my wrists and fingers and they last for a couple hours I know that its not growing pains because i get them everyday and sometimes they swtich like from my knee to my foot or fingers to my wrist and recently they’ve been getting alot worse (pain wise) also ive been getting a pain on the side of my head but not a headache and my pains don’t happen on both sides of my body like only my left foot/ankle and hip get it and hurt then only my right wrist fingers and head get it and hurt any ideas? thanks so much

my poor father was just diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and from what he’s telling me, it’s just awful. Christmas is coming up and I don’t want to buy him some useless gadget that he’ll never use, if I can, I would really like to buy him something that might help him with his rheumatoid arthritis. Maybe some special therapy session or some kind of special massager or something.. money really isn’t an issue but I would prefer to keep my gift under $500, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

does any one else have it? im 13 and was diagnosed when i was 10. right now i have serious pain in my right wrist. (im currently typing with only my left hand.) i tried heat and that doesn’t seem to work anybody with the same problem have any ideas on what i could do?
thanks