I have no idea if a CT scan would show the gallstones ... I guess you can put it on your list to ask the doctor.
I've never heard of the C reactive protein test, but can it be normal even if you do have lots of inflammation? I know there are lots of lab tests out there that can be normal/negative even if you really do have the condition. Is your sed rate elevated? Mine wasn't, so I think that's why at first the rheumy blew me off and didn't think my positive ANA meant anything -- he said that if there were anything wrong I'd have an elevated sed rate and a positive RA factor. I notice once he got the extended bloodwork back and I had a positive ANA again plus the positive Sjogren's antibodies that he said nothing about the sed rate/RA.
If you do decide to go to Mayo, let me know and I can give you some tips! If you normally get a decent tax refund each year maybe you can use that to defray the trip expenses??
Oh, one other thing ... you mention problems with sleeping. Have you ever had a sleep study? Maybe they'd see something that would give them more clues. (I just had one done, but I think for me it was overkill -- the rheumy probably knew that the sleep study doctor needed more patients to finance his Christmas vacation in Tahiti.)
I'm so sorry your hands hurt so much -- if they're just as bad tomorrow, then take care of them, and don't respond to this post.
-------------------- jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
Posts
Re: capsule endoscopy
