My esr doesn't match my fatigue

Health & Wellness Autoimmune
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so i’ve been tracking my esr and crp for a while now, and i’ve noticed that they don’t always match up with how i’m feeling. like, my esr will be normal, but i’ll still be wrecked from fatigue. my doc says it’s just stress, but i’m not so sure.

i’ve been reading about how inflammatory markers can be misleading, and i’m starting to think that’s what’s going on here. has anyone else experienced this? i mentioned this before in my cardio risk with ra post, but i’m really curious to hear from others who might be going through the same thing.

fwiw, i’ve been on mtx since 2014, and i’ve had my fair share of flares, but this fatigue thing is something else. anyone have any insights?

anyway.

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fibromyalgia is a good example of how ‘normal’ labs don’t mean anything for how you actually feel. hearing your doc dismiss it as “just stress” when you’re “wrecked from fatigue” is the classic invisible

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that gap between how you feel and “my esr will be normal” is a real thing, and it’s not just stress. both esr and crp are pretty blunt instruments for systemic inflammation, so they often miss a 🧪

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