Question
Hi Karen,

I am 36 yrs. old and am in the process of trying to get a diagnosis. My symptoms started with a tremor/buzzing in one hand & arm, and chest pain that felt like inflammation. My doc. started me at the neurologist and an EMG of my arm was normal. My symptoms progressed over the next 2 months to include muscle pain in my legs and shoulders (some areas even hurt to be touched), stiff fingers all day, joint pain in one foot and occasionally in my fingers, and shoulder soreness & weakness. I am now waiting for my rheumatologist appt. (a long 1 month wait!).  Do you know if the tremor/buzzing feeling can be a symptom of RA?  Also, is muscle pain and weakness normal?  My primary doc. was baffled because my symptoms are so diffuse & don't fit any normal "pattern".  Since learning of scleroderma, I have also feared that diagnosis & am checking my skin constantly (my husband would say obsessively) :)
Tests showed I do have a rheumatoid factor of 14 and my ANA test was considered negative...but it was detectable at <1:40.

I'm sure I gave you way too much information...but I'd appreciate any answers/insight you may have.  Thank you so much for this service!!

Deb

Answer
Dear Deb, <1:40 is considered negative, however, ANA blood tests can flucuate and therefore, often another test should be done and probably the Rheumatologist will run this again and also other blood work....

Muscle pain and weakness can be associated with MANY different types of autoimmune disease with RA being one of them... SLE and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are other autoimmune disease that can cause these symptoms and MS can also cause tremors and other symptoms connected with the central nervous system...

I can't tell you what you have, but your doctor was smart to send you to a rheuatologist as long as this rheumatologist ALSO specializes in AUTOIMMUNE diseases....  Many rheumatologist will test for autoimmune disease but are not really trained to know wht the results mean...  So make sure you get one who has had the extra training in autoimmune diseases and know what they are doing....

thank you,   karen