Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: CC on 18/05/2006 04:17:02
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Does anyone have a clue about what could be causing attacks of episodic and extreme pain near joints. (During an attack, pain is localized to soft tissue in a single location: near a knee, an ankle, or a wrist, for example.) There is no obvious trigger. Pain builds to nearly unbearable levels and nothing touches it but prednisone, which is hardly a fast-acting solution. An internist, two rheumatologist, an immunologist and an infectious disease specialist have been called in. Numerous tests have been ordered and repeated and nothing has ever been found to be amiss. Allergies have been investigated, as have lupus,rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, and various immune system responses. This problem has been going on for 20 years, with two to fifteen attacks per year. Vioxx (50mg) was successful at preventing major attacks but since it was withdrawn from the market, the symptoms have worsened. The attacks, which were once self-limiting (twelve hours or less) have progressed to three or four day episodes. Internet searches have been conducted to no avail. Any suggestions from the Naked Scientistswould be appreciated!
Claudi
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quote:
Originally posted by CC
Does anyone have a clue about what could be causing attacks of episodic and extreme pain near joints... An internist, two rheumatologist, an immunologist and an infectious disease specialist have been called in. Numerous tests have been ordered and repeated and nothing has ever been found to be amiss.
Claudi
It is possible to have an autoimmune disease without autoantibodies being detectable in blood because antibody levels vary according to disease activity, ("intermittent"), and can drop below the threshold of detectability.
" Does ANA-negative lupus exist?
What other labs are helpful when thinking of this diagnosis,
and what if all of them are negative? "
http://www.hss.edu/Professionals/Conditions/Lupus/Ana-Negative-Lupus-Exist
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Arthritis cases have been found where no positinve tests for the antibodies exists. I am one of those people. Arthritis has been a companion since 1965, damage has occured but never a positive test.
Rhumatology is a field where there is more unknown than there is known about the disease processes. Even today there is no known cause for most diseases treated.
I wish it were different.
The mind is like a parachute. It works best when open. -- A. Einstein