RA factor and positive ANA - Arthritis Message Board

Jennifer · 10-28-2009, 10:35 AM

I've had a lot of surgery in the past fews years, hands, feet, back, shoulder. I finally had blood test run and they show a positive RA factor and ANA. Going to a Rheumatologist next week. Do you think I have RA? If so, what can I expect? If not, what else could cause the elevated blood levels? Thanks for any help.

jennybyc · 10-28-2009, 06:46 PM

Are the surgeries you've mentioned for arthritis in those joints? Have they said what kind? Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid do different things to the joints so any surgeon should have been able to tell the difference. So I'm assuming they thought it was OA or they'd be testing you sooner than this.

It is very possible to have both OA and RA. I've battled OA since my early 20's and have had some 22 surgeries as a result. Five years ago I got RA on top of it but that is well under control with one of the biologic drugs. But the OA just keeps on going. BTW, RA affects different joints from OA but there is some overlap.

I hope when you see the rheumy they get you started on some good drugs to halt the RA and have some suggestions on how to control the OA. The big difference between OA and RA is that OA will only affect the joints and RA can affect any organ as well as the joints. Important to get treated and under control.

Let us know what the doc says.

gentle hugs...............Jenny

Jennifer · 10-29-2009, 05:12 AM

Thanks Jenny (That's my name too!). I had to be pro-active just to get the RA blood test run, so I'm not sure that my Primary care doctor ever paid attention. He'd just refer me to one doctor or the next. I just hope it hasn't been RA all along, and could have been prevented. I'll post back next week about the results of the visit with the Rheumy

Jennifer · 11-06-2009, 05:02 AM

Went to the Rhumatologist yesterday. He's not sure that I have RA right now since my fingers look OK. He is running 6 other more definative blood tests. I still don't understand why my RA factor and ANA test are both positive. Do any of you test positive yet don't have anything?(well, anything other than osteoarthritis!)