I've heard that your RA factor isn't always accurate. Not sure how true it is. Not sure if she tested that yet. My mother in law has it but she is 50 I believe and alot more advanced than me. Not sure that's what I have but we do have alot of the same symptoms. With lupus I hear there is a butterfly rash. I do get burnt easily. Even without sun. It's very strange. It was overcast a few weeks ago and yet my eye lids ended up burnt or rashy like. Hard to explain. My joints are super stiff and always hurt. Some days are worse than others. I get a crawling feeling through out my body. Cold sensitivity. I don't handle it well.

If you have RA your rheumatoid factor will be high at least mine was that's how she found it through blood work.

I have RA and inflammation in my back. My rheumatologist had to do a different kind of blood test. I was diagnosed with a rare form of inflammatory arthritis.

I went to a top rheumatologist in the country for two years before they could diagnose me. I first tested positive for rheumatoid and started that treatment. I was not getting relief from that so they tested my blood again and said I tested positive for lupus. I started that treatment. Same story. Finally she diagnosed me with an undifferentiated connective tissue and fibro. I show signs of several autoimmune diseases at any one time. This was diagnosed with a physical exam and blood work.

I also had a very high sed rate showing inflammation. What I found helpful for that is fish oil. I take 2 pills of fish oil in the morning and two at night. My inflammation is much lower now.

I hope you get an accurate diagnosis soon.

I have had many autoimmune diseases. In fact Fibro is autoimmune and so is RA. There are over 100 autoimmune diseases and no cure for any of them! They span from the common cold to cancer. I almost lost my eye sight to Temple Arteritis.