RE: My first visit with a rheumatologist since 1993

[Guest guest]

Ila- Who on earth did you see for a doctor. Was it a Rheumatologist? Was it at the practice on Sewall Street? If possible you should see Dr. Kerouak. He is my doctor and very good at what he does. Hugs, Deborah

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...> wrote:

I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other doctors

dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with

fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back

to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the

words RA.

Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or

osteoarthritis or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly

be living and functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are

having. It would be impossible for anyone to exist daily with the

pain you are describing. She refused to comment on the

nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver function????? and my

Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because she does feel I

just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have some sort of

arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my left arm.

Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so

discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have

disability for other reasons and am not relying on this for my

income. I just want treatment.

Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA.

Has she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for

goodness sakes and I know more than she does. She asked me what I

wanted her to do for me and I told her I wanted to be treated before

there was more damage done to me.

Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as

involved as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly*

normal. I have all the rest of the symptoms on the list that she

was checking off and on the list that has been posted her by Harold

except for the sed rate. Mine has been steadily rising but still

is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I asked the

lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and was

told no.

I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this

disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of

disrespect from the medical community.

Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about

fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my

being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste.

haha Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I

know tonight when I tell him what she said he is going to think she is

nuts because he has seen me on the days when I can barely move and my

hands are red and swollen and he has seen the nodules firsthand.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:

JEFLOVERS/MOD:

sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

[Guest guest]

I saw Dr. Muskat on Sewall Street. On 2/9/07, Deborah Bargad <dbargad@...> wrote:

Ila-

Who on earth did you see for a doctor. Was it a Rheumatologist?

Was it at the practice on Sewall Street? If possible you should

see Dr. Kerouak. He is my doctor and very good at what he

does. Hugs, Deborah

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...

> wrote:

I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other doctors

dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with

fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back

to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the

words RA.

Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or

osteoarthritis or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly

be living and functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are

having. It would be impossible for anyone to exist daily with the

pain you are describing. She refused to comment on the

nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver function????? and my

Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because she does feel I

just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have some sort of

arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my left arm.

Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so

discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have

disability for other reasons and am not relying on this for my

income. I just want treatment.

Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA.

Has she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for

goodness sakes and I know more than she does. She asked me what I

wanted her to do for me and I told her I wanted to be treated before

there was more damage done to me.

Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as

involved as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly*

normal. I have all the rest of the symptoms on the list that she

was checking off and on the list that has been posted her by Harold

except for the sed rate. Mine has been steadily rising but still

is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I asked the

lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and was

told no.

I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this

disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of

disrespect from the medical community.

Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about

fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my

being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste.

haha Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I

know tonight when I tell him what she said he is going to think she is

nuts because he has seen me on the days when I can barely move and my

hands are red and swollen and he has seen the nodules firsthand.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:

JEFLOVERS/MOD:

sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

-- Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:JEFLOVERS/

MOD:sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

[Guest guest]

Deb

Do you know if the Y will give me a membership with the prescription

she wrote me? I really need to get into doing something besides

walking.

Thanks.On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...> wrote:

I saw Dr. Muskat on Sewall Street. On 2/9/07, Deborah Bargad <

dbargad@...> wrote:

Ila-

Who on earth did you see for a doctor. Was it a Rheumatologist?

Was it at the practice on Sewall Street? If possible you should

see Dr. Kerouak. He is my doctor and very good at what he

does. Hugs, Deborah

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...

> wrote:

I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other doctors

dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with

fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back

to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the

words RA.

Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or

osteoarthritis or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly

be living and functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are

having. It would be impossible for anyone to exist daily with the

pain you are describing. She refused to comment on the

nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver function????? and my

Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because she does feel I

just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have some sort of

arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my left arm.

Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so

discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have

disability for other reasons and am not relying on this for my

income. I just want treatment.

Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA.

Has she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for

goodness sakes and I know more than she does. She asked me what I

wanted her to do for me and I told her I wanted to be treated before

there was more damage done to me.

Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as

involved as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly*

normal. I have all the rest of the symptoms on the list that she

was checking off and on the list that has been posted her by Harold

except for the sed rate. Mine has been steadily rising but still

is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I asked the

lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and was

told no.

I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this

disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of

disrespect from the medical community.

Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about

fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my

being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste.

haha Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I

know tonight when I tell him what she said he is going to think she is

nuts because he has seen me on the days when I can barely move and my

hands are red and swollen and he has seen the nodules firsthand.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:

JEFLOVERS/MOD:

sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

-- Ila in Maine mailto:

sewcraftyme@...Owner:http:///group/JEFLOVERS/

MOD:sewmurkot/

http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

-- Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:JEFLOVERS/

MOD:sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

[Guest guest]

I think I would find another dr if you can. I was diagnosed woth RA when I was 35. My knees were bothering me then. But the RA doc took xrays of my hands, knees and feet and said I had RA in all these joints. Now it has progressed and my hands and feet hurt, plus my wrists and elbows are getting involved. My disability claim was denied and I am on my first appeal. Don't know how long it will take to get a reply back. If I am denied again I will appeal and get an attorney.

Good luck,

Vicki

----- Original Message ----From: Ila <sewcraftyme@...>Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Friday, February 9, 2007 2:56:25 PMSubject: My first visit with a rheumatologist since 1993

I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other doctors dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the words RA. Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or osteoarthritis or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly be living and functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are having. It would be impossible for anyone to exist daily with the pain you are describing. She refused to comment on the nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver function???? ? and my Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because she does feel I just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have some sort of arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my left arm.Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again

WHY? I am so discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have disability for other reasons and am not relying on this for my income. I just want treatment.Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA. Has she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for goodness sakes and I know more than she does. She asked me what I wanted her to do for me and I told her I wanted to be treated before there was more damage done to me.Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as involved as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly* normal. I have all the rest of the symptoms on the list that she was checking off and on the list that has been posted her by Harold except for the sed rate. Mine has been steadily rising but still is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I asked the lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and

was told no. I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of disrespect from the medical community. Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste. haha Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I know tonight when I tell him what she said he is going to think she is nuts because he has seen me on the days when I can barely move and my hands are red and swollen and he has seen the nodules firsthand. Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@ gmail.comOwner:http://groups. / group/JEFLOVERS/MOD: http://groups. / group/sewmurkot/ http://www.Chippewa CabinDesigns. com "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Emerson

No need to miss a message. Get email on-the-go with for Mobile. Get started.

[Guest guest]

Okay- Well, the tests for ANA titre if positive will show you have RA. Raised sed rate also will help. If you havent been treated by a doctor for RA for that long, doctors assume that the pain was not severe nor the disease process severe enough to force you to treatment. We can assume that your disease basically ate you alive and so now you have the resulting OA. The disease by its very nature can change over time. You should explain that you were in denial and had to take care of other people before yourself. How you managed to live with the pain is unimaginable but now you have to treat your joints with a bone builder, control your inflammation and thus your pain. Sewall Street is the only group in this area. I have been treated for my disease from the start and have been very aggressive. A bone density should be done if it hasnt already and more xrays. If you are in a severe flare, call and ask to be triaged or make an emergency appointment. Then they will see a swollen boggy joint and reconsider their diagnosis. I am due to see my RD on Monday. I have to go in for blood tests. The Dr. will inspect my feet which are always swollen, my left hand knuckles and we will talk about possibly switching me from MTX to Cyclosporine. I also have to ask for another bone density. There is no need to take baseline tests for RA anymore because the Remicade is managing my symptoms well enough. The proof lies in the same swollen tender joints I have always had so the Dr. knows without speaking what is happening. Last time I saw him was a triage appointment. My jaw was so swollen it literally pushed my mouth askew. He wanted to shoot it with cortisone and handed me a script for a medrol pack. I refused both. I did ask for a anti biotic therapy but didnt get that. This appointment I will bring with me articles and information to show my Rd I know as much as he does about my disease and as well as options he may Not be aware of. Hugs, Deborah. On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...> wrote:

I saw Dr. Muskat on Sewall Street. On 2/9/07, Deborah Bargad <

dbargad@...> wrote:

Ila-

Who on earth did you see for a doctor. Was it a Rheumatologist?

Was it at the practice on Sewall Street? If possible you should

see Dr. Kerouak. He is my doctor and very good at what he

does. Hugs, Deborah

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftyme@...

> wrote:

I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other doctors

dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with

fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back

to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the

words RA.

Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or

osteoarthritis or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly

be living and functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are

having. It would be impossible for anyone to exist daily with the

pain you are describing. She refused to comment on the

nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver function????? and my

Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because she does feel I

just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have some sort of

arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my left arm.

Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so

discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have

disability for other reasons and am not relying on this for my

income. I just want treatment.

Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA.

Has she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for

goodness sakes and I know more than she does. She asked me what I

wanted her to do for me and I told her I wanted to be treated before

there was more damage done to me.

Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as

involved as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly*

normal. I have all the rest of the symptoms on the list that she

was checking off and on the list that has been posted her by Harold

except for the sed rate. Mine has been steadily rising but still

is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I asked the

lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and was

told no.

I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this

disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of

disrespect from the medical community.

Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about

fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my

being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste.

haha Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I

know tonight when I tell him what she said he is going to think she is

nuts because he has seen me on the days when I can barely move and my

hands are red and swollen and he has seen the nodules firsthand.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...Owner:

JEFLOVERS/MOD:

sewmurkot/ http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

-- Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...

Owner:JEFLOVERS/

MOD:sewmurkot/

http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com " Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

[Guest guest]

Ila,

My rheumy told me at my last appt. that I needed a hot tub!! I thought wow, that's easy for you to say coz you can afford it!! She told me that she could write a script for one and I could write it off on my taxes. Just thought that was interesting.

Don't give up on the docs. The first rheumy that I had told me that all my problems were due to stress!! I told him.......Hell yes I am stressed!!! Who wouldn't be after all this pain!!!! I finally told my pcp that I could not see him anymore, so he found me a new one and she was so very upset that I was in the shape that I was in after seeing a rheumy for over a year.

She done several tests and said that my ra factor wasn't there, but I had 46 swollen joints, and my sed rate and c-reactive proteins were triple what they should be. She also diagnosed sjogren's syndrome, degenerative spine disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes. So, tell me, how did my other rheumy miss all that?!! Anyway, don't give up because there are some good docs out there, it's just a matter of finding them. I was very fortunate in finding mine the second time.

Hang in there, and don't give up.

Hugs from Ok.,

Gloria> > > >> > > > I went today and carried with me three positive dx from other> > > > doctors dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in 1993 with> > > > fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went back to him because> > > > I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the words RA.> > > >> > > > Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or osteoarthritis> > > > or both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly be living and> > > > functioning with the kind of pain you tell me you are having. It would be> > > > impossible for anyone to exist daily with the pain you are describing. She> > > > refused to comment on the nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver> > > > function????? and my Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees because> > > > she does feel I just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT - have> > > > some sort of arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my> > > > left arm.> > > >> > > > Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so discouraged.> > > > Thank God, unlike some of you I already have disability for other reasons> > > > and am not relying on this for my income. I just want treatment.> > > >> > > > Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA. Has> > > > she never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for goodness sakes> > > > and I know more than she does. She asked me what I wanted her to do for me> > > > and I told her I wanted to be treated before there was more damage done to> > > > me.> > > >> > > > Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as involved> > > > as the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly* normal. I have all the> > > > rest of the symptoms on the list that she was checking off and on the list> > > > that has been posted her by Harold except for the sed rate. Mine has been> > > > steadily rising but still is not high enough to be considered abnormal. I> > > > asked the lab tech that drew the blood if she was checking my sed rate and> > > > was told no.> > > >> > > > I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let> > > > this disease continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of> > > > disrespect from the medical community.> > > >> > > > Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about> > > > fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my> > > > being dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste. haha> > > > Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I know tonight when I tell> > > > him what she said he is going to think she is nuts because he has seen me on> > > > the days when I can barely move and my hands are red and swollen and he has> > > > seen the nodules firsthand.> > > >> > > > Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...> > > > Owner: JEFLOVERS/> > > > MOD: sewmurkot/> > > > http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com> > > >> > > > "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path> > > > and leave a trail." Emerson> > > >> > >> > > > > >> >> >> >> > --> > Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...> > Owner:JEFLOVERS/> > MOD:sewmurkot/> > http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com> >> > "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and> > leave a trail." Emerson> >> > > > -- > Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyme@...> Owner:JEFLOVERS/> MOD:sewmurkot/> http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com> > "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and> leave a trail." Emerson>

[Guest guest]

I

agree. You need to see a rheumatologist on a regular basis in order for

documentation and to keep a relationship with a doctor who knows your ups and

downs.

-----Original Message-----

From:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On

Behalf Of Deborah Bargad

Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007

4:38 AM

To:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re:

My first visit with a rheumatologist since 1993

Okay- Well, the tests for

ANA titre if positive will show you have RA. Raised sed rate also will

help. If you havent been treated by a doctor for RA for that long,

doctors assume that the pain was not severe nor the disease process severe enough

to force you to treatment. We can assume that your disease basically ate

you alive and so now you have the resulting OA. The disease by its very

nature can change over time. You should explain that you were in denial

and had to take care of other people before yourself. How you managed to

live with the pain is unimaginable but now you have to treat your joints with a

bone builder, control your inflammation and thus your pain. Sewall Street

is the only group in this area. I have been treated for my disease from

the start and have been very aggressive. A bone density should be done if it

hasnt already and more xrays. If you are in a severe flare, call and ask

to be triaged or

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftymegmail> wrote:

I saw

Dr. Muskat on Sewall Street.

On 2/9/07, Deborah Bargad

< dbargadgmail>

wrote:

Ila- Who on earth did you see for a doctor. Was

it a Rheumatologist? Was it at the practice on Sewall Street? If possible

you should see Dr. Kerouak. He is my doctor and very good at what

he does. Hugs, Deborah

On 2/9/07, Ila <sewcraftymegmail >

wrote:

I went today and carried with me three positive dx

from other doctors dating back to 1993. I was originally dx by a RA in

1993 with fibro, RA and degenerative joint disease. I never went

back to him because I was not ready at age 35, with a new baby to hear the

words RA.

Basically I was told: you have either fibromyalgia or osteoarthritis or

both - no way do you have RA - you could not possibly be living and functioning

with the kind of pain you tell me you are having. It would be impossible

for anyone to exist daily with the pain you are describing. She refused

to comment on the nodules. Took a blood test to check my liver

function????? and my Vitamin D level again WHY????? xrayed my knees

because she does feel I just might, and this is highly speculative - MIGHT -

have some sort of arthritis in them, and gave me a brace for tennis elbow in my

left arm.

Follow up appointment in 3 months. Again WHY? I am so

discouraged. Thank God, unlike some of you I already have disability for

other reasons and am not relying on this for my income. I just want

treatment.

Oh and I am 48 and she told me I am too young to have a dx of RA. Has she

never heard of juvenile RA? She's a Harvard graduate for goodness sakes

and I know more than she does. She asked me what I wanted her to do for

me and I told her I wanted to be treated before there was more damage done to

me.

Her basis for saying I do not have RA: My ankles are not as involved as

the rest of my joints and my hands look *fairly* normal. I have all the

rest of the symptoms on the list that she was checking off and on the list that

has been posted her by Harold except for the sed rate. Mine has been

steadily rising but still is not high enough to be considered

abnormal. I asked the lab tech that drew the blood if she was

checking my sed rate and was told no.

I'm ready to crawl back into my cave of non treatment and just let this disease

continue its progress with me. I don't need this kind of disrespect from

the medical community.

Oh, but she did give me a pamphlet to give my boyfriend to read about

fibromyalgia and a prescription to the YMCA for water therapy due to my being

dx with osteoarthritis. So I guess it wasn't a total waste. haha

Maybe at least he won't think I am totally nuts. I know tonight when I

tell him what she said he is going to think she is nuts because he has seen me

on the days when I can barely move and my hands are red and swollen and he has

seen the nodules firsthand.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftymegmail

Owner:

JEFLOVERS/

MOD:

sewmurkot/

http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com

" Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and

leave a trail. " Emerson

--

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftymegmail

Owner:JEFLOVERS/

MOD:sewmurkot/

http://www.ChippewaCabinDesigns.com

" Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there

is no path and leave a trail. " Emerson

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[Guest guest]

Hang in there and don't crawl back into your cave. That is the worst thing you can do. The best thing would be find a doctor who treats you and not a textbook case of RA. I think that we have all seen a few quacks before finding someone who listens. I tend to go for the non traditional treatments. I do natural remedies and chiropractic (don't know how it works, but know that my pain is minimul compared to before). In 1997 I was diagnosed with fibro, four years later RA and lupus. Sometimes it takes a while but with perserverence you will find what works for you. Carolyn

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