ortheopedist appt..what to ask?

September 19, 2003

I've had some tests, and the ortheopedist phoned me today and said

that the reason i cant move my left arm is arthritis in my neck,

shoulder and back. She mentioned that because of my age, she suspects

rheumatoid arthritis (i'm 36). She made me an appt so that she could

" discuss " it with me.

What do i need to ask? I havent got a clue. How could she tell by my

age what type it is? Does she need to do something else to confirm it?

September 24, 2003

That sounds like a strange basis for a diagnosis to me, especially when the extremities don't seem to have symmetrical pain. Some type of arthritis is certainly a possibility so I think an appointment with a rheumatologist may be in order. (RA most commonly affects women between 30 and 50 years of age, but is by no means limited to that group.) If you keep the appointment, you might ask:

Why do you think it is RA?

What else might it be?

What treatment do you recommend?

What is the expected result of the treatment and how soon?

What other treatments might be considered?

What is the expected result of the other treatments and how soon?

Should I see a specialist and if so what kind?

There are seven criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology for diagnosing RA and you must have any four of them to support a firm diagnosis of RA. http://www.arthritisinsight.com/medical/disease/ra/ra.html Blood work or x-rays can neither confirm nor deny RA. It requires physical examination and can be supported by lab work.

Good luck and God bless.