RE: Physical Therapy?/ and Shelly/long....sorry

[Guest guest]

First of all thank you so much for replying. Both of you are right. I agree

totally, but for getting a new doctor....it won't happen until a new one

comes in the area. I can't have a dr from somewhere else (probably the other

side of the state) over ride any of his decissions....he doesn't take kindly

to it....he gets down right ugly about it. Right now my PT is going to write

to him and suggest another course of action and trust me, he will be pissed.

That later.

I did find out from DH that the wife of one of his crew also goes to my

rheumy and they don't think much of him either. Again, traveling isn't an

option for her either. So she has been putting up with this so called " dr "

too. Two things I do have that she doesn't is a handicap permit and physical

therapy. So I guess you can call me " Lucky " !

Now for the PT appointment.

This was an evaluation and I start PT Tuesday. She only wants to do it 2

times a week instead of 3. She says that is too much and right now 2 times a

week may be too much but we will try it. This is the first change the rheumy

is going to be pissed about. Next is the fact that she wants the Rx changed

to be for the lower part of the neck and shoulders and arms to get the

muscles loose and for me to get my strength back. That is really going to

set him into a tail-spin!

She is VERY upset with the fact he has never ordered x-rays for me and blood

work is lacking. (keep in mind, she didn't say anything, but did make

negative facial expressions) We went over the high blood pressure and the

Bextra...She wasn't happy about that either. I don't think she was happy

about anything about this dr. She doesn't know who he is, which to me tells

how often he actually sends his patients for PT! He has been in the area for

nearly 30 years and I know this PT has been here for at least 8. (It was

eight years ago when I needed PT for my wrist when I broke it.) Not to

mention his office is about 2 miles away from the PT. My spine is a mess.

That I knew, but the rheumy ignored. She is going to show me ways to correct

it or at slow down some of the progression. She is also going to give me

exercises for the pool we are having put in the beginning of July. Bad news

about that is she said we really need to put in a heater for the pool

because the pool won't get warm enough for me. We got a solor cover for the

pool but she said that isn't going to make the pool warm enough for me. That

nearly set me to crying because we can't afford to add a heater to the pool.

The expense of the pool (above-ground) is more than we planned. We thought

it was going to be a certain amount and the town has regulations we have to

go by. Don't get me wrong. I agree with the regulations, just don't agree

with the prices that installer and electrician are charging. Not to mention

the ladder is the most expensive one because I need the one with the full

footing (arthritis in my feet) and not the " bars " they have on most of the

ladders. (We have been wanting a pool for years and thought this year we

could do it) I am about to start up a " Pool Heater Fund " for myself! I don't

know how we are going to pull this one off. Every time I turn around we need

to change/buy something for the * & %^ arthritis!!!

My PT did a really thorough evalutation. Went over every joint in my spine,

neck, shoulders, etc. Made sure I asked questions and answered them. We went

over the things I can and can not do around the house and that got me upset.

You just don't realize how bad things are when you stop doing things little

by little over years. When you sit down and mark off all the " can'ts " it is

truly a reality check!!

This gal is going to be a tough cookie on me. That is ok. If she can get me

to turn my neck, pick things up that weigh more than 5 lbs and have little

or no pain or be able to get a big bowl out of the cupboard, I will be

happy.

So that was my day....again sorry this was so long and thanks for listening.

in Ct.

[Guest guest]

, I'm not recommending traveling to see a good rheumatologist and

then letting your current one follow up with you locally. No! I'm

suggesting that you cut your current rheumatologist out of the loop

entirely. You can receive local care from a physician who is not a

rheumatologist.

If your PT has never heard of him, what physicians that she respects

have sent her RA patients? Ask her for help in finding a new doctor. You

may not have to travel. Many internists successfully treat and manage RA

patients.

Good luck!

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

RE: [ ] Physical Therapy?/ and

/long....sorry

> First of all thank you so much for replying. Both of you are right. I

agree

> totally, but for getting a new doctor....it won't happen until a new

one

> comes in the area. I can't have a dr from somewhere else (probably the

other

> side of the state) over ride any of his decissions....he doesn't take

kindly

> to it....he gets down right ugly about it. Right now my PT is going to

write

> to him and suggest another course of action and trust me, he will be

pissed.

> That later.

>

> I did find out from DH that the wife of one of his crew also goes to

my

> rheumy and they don't think much of him either. Again, traveling isn't

an

> option for her either. So she has been putting up with this so called

" dr "

> too. Two things I do have that she doesn't is a handicap permit and

physical

> therapy. So I guess you can call me " Lucky " !

>

> Now for the PT appointment.

>

> This was an evaluation and I start PT Tuesday. She only wants to do it

2

> times a week instead of 3. She says that is too much and right now 2

times a

> week may be too much but we will try it. This is the first change the

rheumy

> is going to be pissed about. Next is the fact that she wants the Rx

changed

> to be for the lower part of the neck and shoulders and arms to get the

> muscles loose and for me to get my strength back. That is really going

to

> set him into a tail-spin!

>

> She is VERY upset with the fact he has never ordered x-rays for me and

blood

> work is lacking. (keep in mind, she didn't say anything, but did make

> negative facial expressions) We went over the high blood pressure and

the

> Bextra...She wasn't happy about that either. I don't think she was

happy

> about anything about this dr. She doesn't know who he is, which to me

tells

> how often he actually sends his patients for PT! He has been in the

area for

> nearly 30 years and I know this PT has been here for at least 8. (It

was

> eight years ago when I needed PT for my wrist when I broke it.) Not to

> mention his office is about 2 miles away from the PT. My spine is a

mess.

> That I knew, but the rheumy ignored. She is going to show me ways to

correct

> it or at slow down some of the progression. She is also going to give

me

> exercises for the pool we are having put in the beginning of July. Bad

news

> about that is she said we really need to put in a heater for the pool

> because the pool won't get warm enough for me. We got a solor cover

for the

> pool but she said that isn't going to make the pool warm enough for

me. That

> nearly set me to crying because we can't afford to add a heater to the

pool.

> The expense of the pool (above-ground) is more than we planned. We

thought

> it was going to be a certain amount and the town has regulations we

have to

> go by. Don't get me wrong. I agree with the regulations, just don't

agree

> with the prices that installer and electrician are charging. Not to

mention

> the ladder is the most expensive one because I need the one with the

full

> footing (arthritis in my feet) and not the " bars " they have on most of

the

> ladders. (We have been wanting a pool for years and thought this year

we

> could do it) I am about to start up a " Pool Heater Fund " for myself! I

don't

> know how we are going to pull this one off. Every time I turn around

we need

> to change/buy something for the * & %^ arthritis!!!

>

> My PT did a really thorough evalutation. Went over every joint in my

spine,

> neck, shoulders, etc. Made sure I asked questions and answered them.

We went

> over the things I can and can not do around the house and that got me

upset.

> You just don't realize how bad things are when you stop doing things

little

> by little over years. When you sit down and mark off all the " can'ts "

it is

> truly a reality check!!

>

> This gal is going to be a tough cookie on me. That is ok. If she can

get me

> to turn my neck, pick things up that weigh more than 5 lbs and have

little

> or no pain or be able to get a big bowl out of the cupboard, I will be

> happy.

>

> So that was my day....again sorry this was so long and thanks for

listening.

>

> in Ct.