With your family history, I would definitely keep looking for a rheumatologist who will listen to you. You know that something isn't right with your body, and you're not to young to learn to become your own best health advocate.
Blood work and xrays don't always tell the whole story, so look for a rheumie who will treat you based on the symptoms, not just throw up their hands if the xrays and bloodwork come back negative. What's "normal" for one person may not be normal for *you*.
Has anyone discussed with you the possibility of a related condition called fibromyalgia?
Hi to both of you.
While the medical system has diagnostic criteria for most conditions,
many of the suggested tests, unfortunately, produce either inconclusive
or wrong results (false negatives or false positives, less common) in most cases of arthritis!
Treatment again, based on symptoms alone, carries the risk of only treating the symptoms.
My suggestion is to take a holistic view of the situation, exploring ALL the aspects of your health, physical, mental emotional and spiritual.
It is far too simplistic to think that a simple dx-based on tests results and
clinical investigation in regards to patient history and symptomology-
along with some prescription medication, will fix things-or at least put one on the path of recovery with less suffering.
If it wasn't for our amazing immune system to constantly do all the checks and balances in our body, doctors, hospitals and pharmacies would be out of business and us in a constant state of disease and suffering until death!
There are NO drugs that can replace the immune system and to restore health without it.
So in diseased states, such as in your suspected juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, you need to verify the imbalances that caused this and get them corrected. The genetic factor while valid, is NOT the cause. It is a predisposition, affecting the system or organ with the genetic predisposition
as the imbalance(s) affect the integrity of the immune system and render it weaker to fight off pathogens, deal with infections and correct imbalances.
END of PART1
To be continued soon!
Cheers!
Niko