Re: Newbie - DH tested positive for RA

[Guest guest]

I am just utterly amazed you got an appointment so soon! I ALWAYS had to

wait 2-3 months to get into a new doctor.

My advice is to have the hubby complain about EVERY ache and pain. While it

is a good step that he was tested for RA there are so many autoimmune

diseases that even what seems like a minor thing can diagnosis something

else. List all the joints that have swelled or have aches, get his family

history for any arthritis or auto immune illnesses and any OTC meds that have

helped.

More importantly be open with your doctor. I was guilty often of being

sneaky and not telling my doctor if I stopped meds and faked it along to have

him think I was ok when I was hurting...just so he wouldn't up my pred doses.

I made a pact that with my new doctor I would be honest since I was only

cheating myself and causing lots of damage to my joints in the process.

Shandi

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Lauri!

a sent you some excellent links about doctor appointments and how to

be prepared for them. I hope you have a chance to read them.

One important point to keep in mind is that, even though you husband has

a positive rheumatoid factor (RF), it doesn't necessarily mean that he

has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There are no specific tests for RA (RF

can be positive under many other circumstances), but some lab tests can,

together with your husband's clinical picture, help lead to an accurate

diagnosis.

Hope your appointment with the rheumatologist goes very well. Best of

luck to you and your husband!

[ ] Newbie - DH tested positive for RA

> Hello all,

>

> I've spent the day surfing the internet for information. My 36 yo DH

> tested positive for Rheumatoids. He'd been having *major* swelling

> for several months, nodules, and " discomfort " (though I think it

> would be major pain!) and the PCP tested for just about everything

> under the sun before my DH asked them to test for RA and it came back

> positive this morning. Sorry for that run-on sentence! My brain is

> pretty foggy.

>

> We are seeing a Rheumatologist here in Pgh. next Tuesday. I'm trying

> to bone up on info so we can be semi-informed before the appt and ask

> some intelligent questions.

>

> Can any of you (if you aren't tired of answering the same questions!)

> give me some pointers about the first appt with the Rheumatologist?

> What tests to ask for? What questions to ask, etc?

>

> All the info I've printed off seem to be " living with " RA and " what

> is " RA type of articles, I'm sure there is a lot more medical info

> out there, I'm having trouble wading through it.

>

> Anyone in the Pittsburgh area?

>

> Thanks for reading this far!!

>

> Blessings,

>

> Lauri in Pittsburgh