Reactive arthritis

Jason James3 said:So, here's the deal: my blood work results finally came back...

Hemoglobin - normal
Pittsburgh 36 - elevated
CRP - 0.3 (normal range 0.0-5)
Rheumatoid factor - 0.10 (normal range 0.0 - 14)
White blood cell count - normal
fibrinogen - normal
sedimentation 2 (normal range 4-24)

I'm still waiting on the Waller rose, latex, and AST-0 results

I should probably mention that I've been heavily into fitness for the last two years, lifting some pretty heavy weight—around 200 to 220 lbs on the squat, over 300 lbs total on deadlifts, and significant weight on my arms too. I suddenly stopped all that training, maybe a week or two before these pains started showing up. I'm still not experiencing any stiffness, swelling, or acute pain; it’s more of this persistent, nagging ache. It doesn't hurt when I squeeze my fist or when I'm squatting... I can actually still finish a workout.
Is it possible that despite all these numbers looking decent, something is still off? Or am I just being a hypochondriac again?😵

If you're feeling pain, you're definitely not making it up...🙂 but in any case, you should go see a rheumatologist. Who was it that referred you for all these tests?
You really need to get tested for HLA B27; if that comes back positive, there's no question about bacterial arthritis, though if it's negative, it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have it. There isn't one single definitive test to catch everything, so it really just comes down to the symptoms... and that's that.

Charles Gomez2 said:If you're feeling pain, you're definitely not making it up...🙂 but in any case, you should go see a rheumatologist. Who was it that referred you for all these tests?
You really need to get tested for HLA B27; if that comes back positive, there's no question about bacterial arthritis, though if it's negative, it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have it. There isn't one single definitive test to catch everything, so it really just comes down to the symptoms... and that's that.

My primary care physician referred me after I walked her through my symptoms, though she maintains that there are zero signs of inflammation in my labs—not even anything remotely close. She claims that even if I insist on seeing a specialist, there's no real reason to bother with a rheumatologist if these three specific tests come back negative (AST, Waller Rose, and Latex).
... Her theory is that this discomfort stems from the sudden halt in my training regimen; apparently, my bones and tendons became so accustomed to lifting heavy loads every single day that this sudden inactivity has caught them off guard. Again, I must reiterate: the pain is negligible. It doesn't even interfere with my heavy lifting sessions; it is merely an annoyance. Nevertheless, I intend to schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist to pursue more exhaustive testing. My only real fear is that this might be RA; I suppose I could manage with almost anything else, but that would be a difficult pill to swallow. I am specifically suspicious of this Escherichia coli finding, as I have never heard of that particular bacterium being a catalyst for developing arthritis.🤦🙏

Jason James3 said:My primary care physician referred me after I walked her through my symptoms, though she maintains that there are zero signs of inflammation in my labs—not even anything remotely close. She claims that even if I insist on seeing a specialist, there's no real reason to bother with a rheumatologist if these three specific tests come back negative (AST, Waller Rose, and Latex).
... Her theory is that this discomfort stems from the sudden halt in my training regimen; apparently, my bones and tendons became so accustomed to lifting heavy loads every single day that this sudden inactivity has caught them off guard. Again, I must reiterate: the pain is negligible. It doesn't even interfere with my heavy lifting sessions; it is merely an annoyance. Nevertheless, I intend to schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist to pursue more exhaustive testing. My only real fear is that this might be RA; I suppose I could manage with almost anything else, but that would be a difficult pill to swallow. I am specifically suspicious of this Escherichia coli finding, as I have never heard of that particular bacterium being a catalyst for developing arthritis.🤦🙏

RA? No way, you would definitely know if you had that. All my results have been fine too, and honestly, you're lucky the pain is only just starting now, whereas I've been dealing with this for two or three years and didn't even realize what it was, thinking it was just sports injuries... It wasn't until recently, when something different started aching every single day, that I realized something was actually wrong, and I actually had Escherichia and enterococcus before, though I have no idea how I picked those up since I haven't had unprotected sex in two years...

Charles Gomez2 said:RA? No way, you would definitely know if you had that. All my results have been fine too, and honestly, you're lucky the pain is only just starting now, whereas I've been dealing with this for two or three years and didn't even realize what it was, thinking it was just sports injuries... It wasn't until recently, when something different started aching every single day, that I realized something was actually wrong, and I actually had Escherichia and enterococcus before, though I have no idea how I picked those up since I haven't had unprotected sex in two years...

Escherichia can't be transmitted sexually unless we're talking about anal contact, which I highly doubt, haha... (at least a woman can't pass Escherichia to a man; it's really only the other way around). Usually, it migrates from the gut to the urinary tract due to a dip in immunity or perhaps poor hygiene—though that's a mystery to me because I am practically obsessed with cleanliness! But who knows how these little beasts manage to ambush us. I managed to clear mine using some herbal drops and teas prescribed by Dr. Hasanagic; they're plant-based and target bacteria (all of them, not just the good ones) by essentially preventing them from multiplying, which means the bacteria can't build up a resistance to the drops or the tea. I also used Bactr. Now, my joints are just giving me grief. To be honest, I'm not even entirely sure what the sensation is; it’s more of an annoying, uncomfortable middle ground between sharp, stinging pains shooting through my body and a dull ache. This all kicked off about three or four weeks ago, maybe a week after I discovered I had a massive Escherichia infection. First, my back started hurting intensely—one time I bent over and it just completely seized up on me, haha—but that passed after a couple of days. Then came the hips; first it was tingling, then it turned into that stinging sensation. Within two days, my elbows, feet, heels, and knees joined the fray. They don't hurt specifically when I move them, but the sensation is constant, whether it's morning or night; it doesn't fluctuate. Thankfully, I don't have any other symptoms—no fever, no malaise, no loss of appetite (on the contrary!), no rashes, no lumps, no swelling, or sensitivity. Again, I'll say, it's just incredibly nagging. When I start reading these posts and descriptions of symptoms online—basically reading up on becoming an invalid via the internet—I just spiral into panic, and it feels like the pain doubles. I am anxiously awaiting my test results and seeing a rheumatologist so they can explain everything to me as clearly as possible. I'm 21 years old, if I haven't mentioned that already. Did you experience the same thing at the beginning? That stinging sensation or actual pain? Or that stiffness and inability to move a joint? Forgive me if I've bombarded you with questions; I think you understand where I'm coming from.🤔🤦😵

And there is one more thing to mention. I am constantly plagued by this nagging sensation that certain areas are swollen and painful, yet when I actually look at them, everything appears perfectly normal. There isn't a hint of redness, nor is there any tenderness, loss of function, or even localized heat. It’s incredibly frustrating.

I actually had E. coli show up in my tests too, and right around that same time, my knee started swelling up. The doctors mentioned it might be reactive arthritis triggered by the bacteria. My knee gets all swollen, red, and really warm to the touch—it usually settles down after I take some meds and wait an hour or two, I guess. Even with all the treatment, it’s still hanging on, and now my ankles and feet are starting to ache as well..
Based on those results you shared, things look okay. There isn't any sign of inflammation since the CRP and sedimentation 2 levels are normal, which matters quite a bit. You can probably take a breather until your next round of labs, though if the pain keeps acting up, you should definitely go see a specialist anyway.🙂

Bradley Martinez3 said:I actually had E. coli show up in my tests too, and right around that same time, my knee started swelling up. The doctors mentioned it might be reactive arthritis triggered by the bacteria. My knee gets all swollen, red, and really warm to the touch—it usually settles down after I take some meds and wait an hour or two, I guess. Even with all the treatment, it’s still hanging on, and now my ankles and feet are starting to ache as well..
Based on those results you shared, things look okay. There isn't any sign of inflammation since the CRP and sedimentation 2 levels are normal, which matters quite a bit. You can probably take a breather until your next round of labs, though if the pain keeps acting up, you should definitely go see a specialist anyway.🙂

. I'm already scheduling an appointment with a rheumatologist for this coming Monday; I have absolutely no desire to drag this out. This persistent ache is just exhausting. And as I mentioned before, I'm really into fitness and want to stay on track—God willing, I even want to compete in the future. I refuse to let this break me, either mentally or physically. I am simply wondering if it is possible for reactive arthritis to hit the elbows, knees, and ankles all at once (this nagging, slow-burning, incredibly annoying pain... -.-). Also, are you finding it difficult to handle daily activities right now? Have you noticed any deformities or anything similar? Is this something that can be fully cured? And did you manage to clear the Escherichia from your system?

Jason James3 said:. I'm already scheduling an appointment with a rheumatologist for this coming Monday; I have absolutely no desire to drag this out. This persistent ache is just exhausting. And as I mentioned before, I'm really into fitness and want to stay on track—God willing, I even want to compete in the future. I refuse to let this break me, either mentally or physically. I am simply wondering if it is possible for reactive arthritis to hit the elbows, knees, and ankles all at once (this nagging, slow-burning, incredibly annoying pain... -.-). Also, are you finding it difficult to handle daily activities right now? Have you noticed any deformities or anything similar? Is this something that can be fully cured? And did you manage to clear the Escherichia from your system?

Could you explain what kind of symptoms you're experiencing?
If I had to describe mine, it's like one day my knee will start aching for maybe a day or three, and then suddenly my thumb starts hurting for a few days, and then it moves to my shoulder, and it just keeps cycling through like that, sometimes even hitting two joints at once. I'm on medication now so the pain has subsided, but I spent two months living like this thinking it would just clear up with vitamins and a really clean diet, but nothing changed—I even went as far as doing a food tolerance test.
As for training, my advice would be to take it moderate, you know, don't push yourself to the breaking point if you feel something, because pain is just a signal that there's inflammation present, and pushing through that at max intensity isn't a good idea...
Just make sure to listen closely to whatever your rheumatologist advises, because I ended up seeing two different specialists; my first doctor told me to just come back once things actually swelled up and turned red... but once I realized the pain wasn't going away on its own, I sought a second opinion. One woman suggested I start medication because her husband had reactive arthritis and was in such a bad state that his jaw, spine, and hips were all swollen, but after finishing a six-month treatment course, he's been fine for a year and doesn't even remember ever being sick... hopefully, we can find that same path to recovery too...😁

Bradley Martinez3 said:I actually had E. coli show up in my tests too, and right around that same time, my knee started swelling up. The doctors mentioned it might be reactive arthritis triggered by the bacteria. My knee gets all swollen, red, and really warm to the touch—it usually settles down after I take some meds and wait an hour or two, I guess. Even with all the treatment, it’s still hanging on, and now my ankles and feet are starting to ache as well..
Based on those results you shared, things look okay. There isn't any sign of inflammation since the CRP and sedimentation 2 levels are normal, which matters quite a bit. You can probably take a breather until your next round of labs, though if the pain keeps acting up, you should definitely go see a specialist anyway.🙂

What kind of medication are you currently taking, how long has this been going on for you, and is it just your knee acting up or are you feeling it in other joints as well?

Charles Gomez2 said:Could you explain what kind of symptoms you're experiencing?
If I had to describe mine, it's like one day my knee will start aching for maybe a day or three, and then suddenly my thumb starts hurting for a few days, and then it moves to my shoulder, and it just keeps cycling through like that, sometimes even hitting two joints at once. I'm on medication now so the pain has subsided, but I spent two months living like this thinking it would just clear up with vitamins and a really clean diet, but nothing changed—I even went as far as doing a food tolerance test.
As for training, my advice would be to take it moderate, you know, don't push yourself to the breaking point if you feel something, because pain is just a signal that there's inflammation present, and pushing through that at max intensity isn't a good idea...
Just make sure to listen closely to whatever your rheumatologist advises, because I ended up seeing two different specialists; my first doctor told me to just come back once things actually swelled up and turned red... but once I realized the pain wasn't going away on its own, I sought a second opinion. One woman suggested I start medication because her husband had reactive arthritis and was in such a bad state that his jaw, spine, and hips were all swollen, but after finishing a six-month treatment course, he's been fine for a year and doesn't even remember ever being sick... hopefully, we can find that same path to recovery too...😁

So, here’s the situation: it all started about four weeks ago when I was diagnosed with E. coli. In reality, I probably had it much longer since I spent half a month dragging myself to the clinic just to get a urine culture done. To be clear, there were two distinct spikes and a massive amount of bacteria present. I immediately started a regimen of Bactr for about four or five days, along with E-cap and some herbal tea for ten days or so. Around that same timeframe, I felt this pain in my lower back (it hit me right when I leaned over to collar my dog). That ache lasted a few days and then vanished, followed by this strange tingling sensation in my right forearm that also disappeared. But then, the stinging pains started migrating through my limbs. Mostly in my wrists and elbows... within two days, it spread to my knees, feet, heels, muscles, and so on. It’s this nagging, stinging pain that just wanders around the body. Some days it’s my elbows, other days my knees; currently, my arms feel almost fine, though I still get occasional stabs of pain here and there. It doesn't hurt when I move the joints or squat, and I don't feel stiff—my range of motion is perfectly fine. Even tonight, after standing in the city all evening, I can feel the dull ache; it doesn't stop me from doing things, but it is incredibly frustrating. Is it possible that this is reactive arthritis triggered by the Escherichia? I’m honestly a bit scared because I've heard that RA tests can come back normal for up to six months before the markers actually rise, but it seems absurd in my case because my sedimentation 2 is only 2, which is actually low (normal is 4-24). My Rheumatoid Factor is 0.10 and my CRP is 0.3. My hemoglobin and iron levels are perfect, as are my fibrinogen and white blood cell counts. You’d think at least one of those would hint at inflammation if it were truly there. Can this reactive condition actually be cured? And are your pains similar to mine—that stinging sensation—or is it the kind of intense pain where you literally can't stand up or move?

Jason James3 said:So, here’s the situation: it all started about four weeks ago when I was diagnosed with E. coli. In reality, I probably had it much longer since I spent half a month dragging myself to the clinic just to get a urine culture done. To be clear, there were two distinct spikes and a massive amount of bacteria present. I immediately started a regimen of Bactr for about four or five days, along with E-cap and some herbal tea for ten days or so. Around that same timeframe, I felt this pain in my lower back (it hit me right when I leaned over to collar my dog). That ache lasted a few days and then vanished, followed by this strange tingling sensation in my right forearm that also disappeared. But then, the stinging pains started migrating through my limbs. Mostly in my wrists and elbows... within two days, it spread to my knees, feet, heels, muscles, and so on. It’s this nagging, stinging pain that just wanders around the body. Some days it’s my elbows, other days my knees; currently, my arms feel almost fine, though I still get occasional stabs of pain here and there. It doesn't hurt when I move the joints or squat, and I don't feel stiff—my range of motion is perfectly fine. Even tonight, after standing in the city all evening, I can feel the dull ache; it doesn't stop me from doing things, but it is incredibly frustrating. Is it possible that this is reactive arthritis triggered by the Escherichia? I’m honestly a bit scared because I've heard that RA tests can come back normal for up to six months before the markers actually rise, but it seems absurd in my case because my sedimentation 2 is only 2, which is actually low (normal is 4-24). My Rheumatoid Factor is 0.10 and my CRP is 0.3. My hemoglobin and iron levels are perfect, as are my fibrinogen and white blood cell counts. You’d think at least one of those would hint at inflammation if it were truly there. Can this reactive condition actually be cured? And are your pains similar to mine—that stinging sensation—or is it the kind of intense pain where you literally can't stand up or move?

When I asked my rheumatologist if the treatment would be sufficient and if I'd eventually be free of these symptoms, she mentioned that reactive arthritis might be something that can actually be fully cured, though the therapy usually lasts at least six months... She also noted there's always a chance it could return if another bacterial infection occurs, but you can't really control that because almost any bacteria in the system can trigger a reaction, so I wouldn't dwell on it too much... Other than making sure to avoid questionable food, since even food poisoning can cause joint issues... From what I understand about RA, the pain is usually symmetrical in the joints and stiffness is a requirement, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you...

I managed to kick the E. coli pretty quickly, no real drama there. Just an antibiotic paired with some herbal teas, kept a close eye on my diet, and boom—done.
The joint issues, though... that’s been hanging over me for five months now. Usually, they say you can clear ReA in about six months, but it might just keep coming back. There's also that possibility where it turns into a chronic thing, I guess.

As for meds, I'm on Salazopyrin (2x2), Indometacin (2x15mg), and Decortin (20mg). My knee is the biggest headache; it's swollen, though maybe not as bad as five months ago when they had to drain 60 ml of fluid from it. Still, the swelling is there. My ankles and lower legs act up too, but it fluctuates—some days are better than others, I suppose.

Charles Gomez2 said:When I asked my rheumatologist if the treatment would be sufficient and if I'd eventually be free of these symptoms, she mentioned that reactive arthritis might be something that can actually be fully cured, though the therapy usually lasts at least six months... She also noted there's always a chance it could return if another bacterial infection occurs, but you can't really control that because almost any bacteria in the system can trigger a reaction, so I wouldn't dwell on it too much... Other than making sure to avoid questionable food, since even food poisoning can cause joint issues... From what I understand about RA, the pain is usually symmetrical in the joints and stiffness is a requirement, so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you...

The thing is, I don't experience any stiffness at all, nor anything else besides these pains. And regarding the symmetry aspect, it’s not localized for me—every single joint seems to act up. Sometimes it's my right foot, sometimes my hands, sometimes my right elbow or knee, or even both at once, though most often it feels like everything is hitting me simultaneously. It isn't exactly an agonizing pain, but rather a sensation, as if they are all just bruised or sprained. It’s nothing significant enough to warrant popping pills or anything like that; it just gets under my skin. It's been consistent regardless of whether it's morning, day, or night, though mornings actually feel the best. There is absolutely no stiffness, and my bones don't ache when I touch them or move them. I'm truly at a loss. My symptoms don't align perfectly with either diagnosis. If it were RA, I imagine the pain would be far more debilitating, whereas Reactive Arthritis seems more logical given how quickly this flared up immediately following the infection.

Bradley Martinez3 said:I managed to kick the E. coli pretty quickly, no real drama there. Just an antibiotic paired with some herbal teas, kept a close eye on my diet, and boom—done.
The joint issues, though... that’s been hanging over me for five months now. Usually, they say you can clear ReA in about six months, but it might just keep coming back. There's also that possibility where it turns into a chronic thing, I guess.

As for meds, I'm on Salazopyrin (2x2), Indometacin (2x15mg), and Decortin (20mg). My knee is the biggest headache; it's swollen, though maybe not as bad as five months ago when they had to drain 60 ml of fluid from it. Still, the swelling is there. My ankles and lower legs act up too, but it fluctuates—some days are better than others, I suppose.

I am truly hoping to rid myself of this beast and its accompanying pain as soon as possible. To be honest, it is becoming incredibly grating to my nerves.

Bradley Martinez3 said:I managed to kick the E. coli pretty quickly, no real drama there. Just an antibiotic paired with some herbal teas, kept a close eye on my diet, and boom—done.
The joint issues, though... that’s been hanging over me for five months now. Usually, they say you can clear ReA in about six months, but it might just keep coming back. There's also that possibility where it turns into a chronic thing, I guess.

As for meds, I'm on Salazopyrin (2x2), Indometacin (2x15mg), and Decortin (20mg). My knee is the biggest headache; it's swollen, though maybe not as bad as five months ago when they had to drain 60 ml of fluid from it. Still, the swelling is there. My ankles and lower legs act up too, but it fluctuates—some days are better than others, I suppose.

I'm also taking Salazopyrin twice a day, specifically 2x2... 😢
Could you tell me how long you've been on this treatment and if you've noticed any actual progress? I'd love to know what your doctor thinks, or if you happen to know anyone else who has gone through this same thing... The only person I know is a woman whose husband deals with the exact same issues; his knee was incredibly swollen, and then his shoulder started acting up too, but the Salazopyrin eventually cleared everything for him, even though he did mention having some stomach troubles while taking it. Luckily, I haven't had those issues since I make sure to take them right after eating...

Charles Gomez2 said:I'm also taking Salazopyrin twice a day, specifically 2x2... 😢
Could you tell me how long you've been on this treatment and if you've noticed any actual progress? I'd love to know what your doctor thinks, or if you happen to know anyone else who has gone through this same thing... The only person I know is a woman whose husband deals with the exact same issues; his knee was incredibly swollen, and then his shoulder started acting up too, but the Salazopyrin eventually cleared everything for him, even though he did mention having some stomach troubles while taking it. Luckily, I haven't had those issues since I make sure to take them right after eating...

I've been on Decortin for about 8 months, and Salazopyrin for maybe two. They put me on Indomethacin two months ago since nothing else seemed to be working.
Things feel a bit easier now (considering they first gave me a 60 ml infusion, and then twice at 15 ml each), but that knee is still slightly swollen. It gets warm, too, and feels tight when I walk. Right now, they're trying to taper me off the Decortin, so I'm slowly lowering the dose. We'll see how that goes, I guess. The last two times I dropped down to 10 mg, my knee swelled up pretty badly, so they bumped me back up to 20. At this point, nothing really surprises me anymore.
I don't really know anyone else who's gone through this... :/

I am wondering if a standard urine culture is actually sufficient to identify every single type of bacteria present, specifically including mycoplasma? Is that how they managed to pinpoint my E. coli?

wiredotter12 said:Before my urethral swab came back positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis, my internist gave me this diagnosis:

• Arthritis reactive in remission &
• Polyarthralgiae

I'm not sure if that's still the official status, 🤷but I finished my 10-day course of Ciprofloxacin 500mg and I'm currently just taking one 500mg tablet of Salazopyrin daily.

The swelling in my knees and joints is down about 30-40%. It hasn't vanished, though. I'll need another swab to confirm if the Ciprofloxacin actually killed off the bacteria.

So far, my blood work, urine tests, CRP, and stool samples have all come back normal.
Do you have any suggestions for further testing? Maybe seeing an immunologist or an infectious disease specialist?

wiredotter12 said:Blood work, urine tests, CRP, and sedimentation levels all come back normal... yet my fingers, hands, and feet ache throughout the day, especially my knees, which feel incredibly swollen, along with my elbows, shoulders, upper arm muscles, and ankles...

A urethral swab came back positive for Klebsiella and Enterococcus faecalis...
For the next 10 days, I’m on Ciprofloxacin 2 x 500 mg, followed by one 500 mg tablet of Salazopyrin daily for the next 3-4 months.

Has anyone dealt with similar issues or heard any firsthand accounts?
Feel free to DM me. Thanks.

If you're dealing with reactive arthritis, it's actually a pretty good scenario because it can resolve completely!
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/a...arthritis.aspx
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/a...arthritis.aspx

Moving forward, to rule out RA (or something similar like other rheumatic diseases), you really need to check for antibodies. Usually, doctors run a whole panel of antibodies to rule out other autoimmune conditions like lupus or polymyositis.
CRP and sedimentation levels typically spike during acute phases of the illness—in the case of RA—so they might return to normal once those phases pass.
Regarding HLA B27, there are various forms—like seronegative arthritis where you don't test positive for rheumatoid factor... but there are also cross-reactions, so you might not have B27, but instead something like HLA B7, which is how it worked for me.
Rheumatological and autoimmune cases usually involve a series of antibody tests. If these pains persist for a long time, it might be worth scheduling an appointment with a rheumatologist.
(Like at Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins
http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/rheumatology/overview/mc/, I would personally see someone like Dr. Mitrovic or Dr. Chuck...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/rheumatology/, perhaps Dr. Mayer)
If things don't improve quickly, I'd suspect it isn't just reactive... and the longer you wait, the worse it could get. It might settle down temporarily, but it will likely just wait for another flare-up.
Salazopyrin is used for RA, but it isn't particularly effective for it; while it might help some, I haven't heard of anyone finding significant relief from it for that specific condition.
)

wiredotter12 said:Update:
A urethral swab from October 14, 2014, showed Enterococcus faecalis is still present, though the Klebsiella pneumonia was cleared by two boxes of Ciprofloxacin 500mg. Apparently, Enterococcus faecalis is linked to septic arthritis (http://www.thearthritiscenter.com/co...se-information).

My internist/pharmacist wants me to take Ninur (nitrofurantoin) 50mg capsules for the next 7 days (4 x 2 capsules)—that is two full boxes of 30. It feels like an aggressive "all or nothing" dose. I have to take the Ninur with food or milk to help prevent nausea. I am also taking Linex 2 x daily.

I forgot to mention to the doctor that I have these small pockets or swellings on my knees, ankles, left elbow, and potentially my hand joints. I can't tell if it's fluid buildup or synovial fluid. How do you detect what that actually is, and how do you get rid of it?

My mother deals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and used to have extremely swollen knees. Now, since I have lupus (SLE), I'm experiencing swelling in one knee, but her rheumatologist noted that an ultrasound showed nothing significant other than some fatty tissue deposits (like little 😉 pads)... you really need to get a joint ultrasound to see what's going on underneath the surface.

Regarding RY, there are different diagnostic criteria compared to reactive arthritis, but just because you don't meet every single requirement right this second doesn't mean nothing is happening. For instance, morning stiffness is a key indicator for RA, but it isn't always present immediately; sometimes it only shows up after a few years.
If I recall correctly, you mentioned feeling muscle weakness earlier. Since joint pain, muscle aches, and weakness are common threads across most autoimmune rheumatic diseases—and yours has been persisting for quite a while—it’s definitely time to see a specialist. You'll need a more comprehensive workup than what a local clinic lab typically provides. It might be worth re-checking your ESR and CRP, testing for rheumatoid factor, Waller-Rose, CK, and LDH, and perhaps looking into antibodies like ANA, ENA-profile, or anti-ds-DNA. You won't necessarily need every single test, but a good rheumatologist will likely suggest them.
Good luck, and please let me know what you find out...

( And sorry if I sounded a bit intense! )

Charles Gomez2 said:I'm also taking Salazopyrin twice a day, specifically 2x2... 😢
Could you tell me how long you've been on this treatment and if you've noticed any actual progress? I'd love to know what your doctor thinks, or if you happen to know anyone else who has gone through this same thing... The only person I know is a woman whose husband deals with the exact same issues; his knee was incredibly swollen, and then his shoulder started acting up too, but the Salazopyrin eventually cleared everything for him, even though he did mention having some stomach troubles while taking it. Luckily, I haven't had those issues since I make sure to take them right after eating...

Philip, one more question for you. Before you actually started the medication, when your joints—like your knee, for instance—were aching, were you able to squat or straighten the joint properly? Did it interfere with your daily activities or movement? And does that apply to your other joints as well? Specifically, did they experience any visible swelling?

Nicholas Davis4 said:If you're dealing with reactive arthritis, it's actually a pretty good scenario because it can resolve completely!
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/a...arthritis.aspx
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/a...arthritis.aspx

Moving forward, to rule out RA (or something similar like other rheumatic diseases), you really need to check for antibodies. Usually, doctors run a whole panel of antibodies to rule out other autoimmune conditions like lupus or polymyositis.
CRP and sedimentation levels typically spike during acute phases of the illness—in the case of RA—so they might return to normal once those phases pass.
Regarding HLA B27, there are various forms—like seronegative arthritis where you don't test positive for rheumatoid factor... but there are also cross-reactions, so you might not have B27, but instead something like HLA B7, which is how it worked for me.
Rheumatological and autoimmune cases usually involve a series of antibody tests. If these pains persist for a long time, it might be worth scheduling an appointment with a rheumatologist.
(Like at Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins
http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/rheumatology/overview/mc/, I would personally see someone like Dr. Mitrovic or Dr. Chuck...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/rheumatology/, perhaps Dr. Mayer)
If things don't improve quickly, I'd suspect it isn't just reactive... and the longer you wait, the worse it could get. It might settle down temporarily, but it will likely just wait for another flare-up.
Salazopyrin is used for RA, but it isn't particularly effective for it; while it might help some, I haven't heard of anyone finding significant relief from it for that specific condition.
)

My mother deals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and used to have extremely swollen knees. Now, since I have lupus (SLE), I'm experiencing swelling in one knee, but her rheumatologist noted that an ultrasound showed nothing significant other than some fatty tissue deposits (like little 😉 pads)... you really need to get a joint ultrasound to see what's going on underneath the surface.

Regarding RY, there are different diagnostic criteria compared to reactive arthritis, but just because you don't meet every single requirement right this second doesn't mean nothing is happening. For instance, morning stiffness is a key indicator for RA, but it isn't always present immediately; sometimes it only shows up after a few years.
If I recall correctly, you mentioned feeling muscle weakness earlier. Since joint pain, muscle aches, and weakness are common threads across most autoimmune rheumatic diseases—and yours has been persisting for quite a while—it’s definitely time to see a specialist. You'll need a more comprehensive workup than what a local clinic lab typically provides. It might be worth re-checking your ESR and CRP, testing for rheumatoid factor, Waller-Rose, CK, and LDH, and perhaps looking into antibodies like ANA, ENA-profile, or anti-ds-DNA. You won't necessarily need every single test, but a good rheumatologist will likely suggest them.
Good luck, and please let me know what you find out...

( And sorry if I sounded a bit intense! )

Do you guys know anyone who actually went through it and just moved on—like, it disappeared and never came back?