What to expect at first visit to Rheum?

[Guest guest]

Glad I found this board. Have been browsing and reading all I can

lately. I do not have an offical diagnosis yet but after reading

this board was hoping you folks could provide some insite. I will

try to summarize why I am going.

I'm going because on a routine visit to my dr. I (41 yrs) expressed

swelling, stiffness in hands, knees, bottoms of feet and ankles and

had a rash on chest and upper back. He tried me on celebrex

immediately to ease the inflamation but I endend up with horrible

hives and a sunburn like rash so put me on Orudis. After the

incidence with celebrex he was concerned because in just those 4 days

the swelling stiffness was noticably worse. He ran several test to

rule out lymes disease, sed rate and Rheum factor. He set me up with

this rheum because the R factor was (according to him) extremely

elevated, but the sed rate was low. He didn't give me a figure so I

don't know what it was. I pick up the blood work and referral

Monday. Since then the last 4 weeks have been a guessing game as to

what hurts the worse each morning. I definitely am more tired than

normal, have more stiffness and swelling in the morning, but evening

can be just as tough, probably from overuse on days I feel better,

the fronts and back of my knees are stiff, tender and stairs are

horrible. Had to have my wedding ring cut off today before that

finger blew up like the right hand. I'm not sure what to expect on

the first visit. I know there is more to than just a visit to make a

diganosis or offer relief, but what is protocal?