Guest guest Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 A rough Sherlock Holmes, a? I suppose I can forgive him for manhandling you if his differential diagnosis is really brilliant. Did he say about what percentage of people with untreated, chronic Lyme disease progress to erosive arthritis? There's no doubt that even a tiny bit of psoriasis can help make the PA diagnosis; there is a subset of PA patients with no psoriasis at all. Do you have any nail changes? 's psoriasis is a compelling piece of the puzzle - the study of genetics and psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis has yielded some very interesting information. When was the last time you had any imaging studies done of your hands? What kind? I think your brain is fine, LOL! I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Went to my new Rheumy > At long last I got to see my new Rheumy. The worse part of moving to a new > state is starting over with doctors. I'm not sure what to think of this new > doc. I felt more like a piece of meat being examined, and his gentleness > could use some improvement. June I think I need to send you to him so you > can teach him how to examine patients LOL!!! > > The good thing about this visit is that this doctor seems to be interested > in looking for answers. He finds it strange that my hands are not affected > in spite of having RA for over 25 years. He asked if any previous doctors > had any other opinions about my diagnoses, and I told him about one doctor > that suspected psoriatic arthritis because my daughter has psoriasis. My > only skin involvement is a spot on both legs about the size of a pencil > eraser and a rash that I have on my face the clears up when I'm in the sun. > He did say that this small patch was enough to diagnose psoriatic arthritis. > > He ordered so many blood tests that I wondered if I'd pass out from blood > loss LOL! One test is the new anti-CCP which is helpful in diagnosing RA. > He also ordered a Lymes test. The last one I had done was in 1985 and that > test was very inaccurate. Although there is a new and more accurate lymes > test, previous rheumys wouldn't order it for me in spite of me asking for it > since I've been bitten by hundreds of ticks. They said that if I had lymes > for this many years it would have gone to my brain by now. Maybe they don't > know me very well and don't know what a scatterbrain I am > > I go back in 3 weeks and will probably start on Bextra. Hopefully it won't > elevate my BP the way Vioxx did. > a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 Hi a, It is not easy to go to a new doctor, sometimes it takes a few visits to get to know them. I think that is great that he is taking interest in his work. That is kind of interesting about the psoriatic arthritis, please let us know how the testing comes out, hugs Tawny PS I was told that sometimes cancer don't always show up in the mammogram, and they do the ultrasound, I forgot to post that earlier. Hopefully, by Monday I will get some answers. > At long last I got to see my new Rheumy. The worse part of moving to a new > state is starting over with doctors. I'm not sure what to think of this new > doc. I felt more like a piece of meat being examined, and his gentleness > could use some improvement. June I think I need to send you to him so you > can teach him how to examine patients LOL!!! > > The good thing about this visit is that this doctor seems to be interested > in looking for answers. He finds it strange that my hands are not affected > in spite of having RA for over 25 years. He asked if any previous doctors > had any other opinions about my diagnoses, and I told him about one doctor > that suspected psoriatic arthritis because my daughter has psoriasis. My > only skin involvement is a spot on both legs about the size of a pencil > eraser and a rash that I have on my face the clears up when I'm in the sun. > He did say that this small patch was enough to diagnose psoriatic arthritis. > > He ordered so many blood tests that I wondered if I'd pass out from blood > loss LOL! One test is the new anti-CCP which is helpful in diagnosing RA. > He also ordered a Lymes test. The last one I had done was in 1985 and that > test was very inaccurate. Although there is a new and more accurate lymes > test, previous rheumys wouldn't order it for me in spite of me asking for it > since I've been bitten by hundreds of ticks. They said that if I had lymes > for this many years it would have gone to my brain by now. Maybe they don't > know me very well and don't know what a scatterbrain I am > > I go back in 3 weeks and will probably start on Bextra. Hopefully it won't > elevate my BP the way Vioxx did. > a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 a, he sounds like a keeper in spite of his roughness when examining you. He seems to be truly interested in helping you. It is strange that your hands have not been affected; I didn't know that about you. It will be interesting to see what his diagnosis will be. Please keep us posted. Sue On Monday, June 14, 2004, at 05:32 PM, a wrote: > At long last I got to see my new Rheumy. The worse part of moving to > a new > state is starting over with doctors. I'm not sure what to think of > this new > doc. I felt more like a piece of meat being examined, and his > gentleness > could use some improvement. June I think I need to send you to him so > you > can teach him how to examine patients LOL!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 In a message dated 15/06/2004 19:43:34 Central Standard Time, paula54@... writes: > Their reasoning is that even if I have PA, it is treated > the same way as RA so why bother? My views are different. If I want to > participate in a clinical trial, I want a firm diagnoses. Doing a clinical > trial for a RA med when I really have PA could be a problem. > Boy, a-that is aggravating!!!!!! No wonder so many of these meds help a lot of these illnesses, but none of them cure them. Who knows who is being lumped into the clinical trials! It's hard enough to get a differential diagnosis in the first place, much less when the doc doesn't really care! ugh.........I'm afraid it's a doctor hating day for me today! I think of them as a necessary evil sometimes. With exceptions, of course. :>) Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 , I really didn¹t get to ask questions. He did all the asking and as soon as he ³heard enough² he went on to the next question even though I was still answering the last one. I hope the next visit goes better. I have read about people have PA with no skin involvement. My nails are fine and have always been. ¹s psoriasis is an important part of this puzzle that makes me more inclined to believe I have PA rather than RA. I had imaging of my hands and feet done right before I left NJ. They were normal. My wrists had been bothering me so I requested them thinking that the RA had spread. I was pleasantly surprised that they were fine. The jury is still out on the brain issue a > A rough Sherlock Holmes, a? I suppose I can forgive him for > manhandling you if his differential diagnosis is really brilliant. > > Did he say about what percentage of people with untreated, chronic Lyme > disease progress to erosive arthritis? > > There's no doubt that even a tiny bit of psoriasis can help make the PA > diagnosis; there is a subset of PA patients with no psoriasis at all. Do > you have any nail changes? 's psoriasis is a compelling piece of > the puzzle - the study of genetics and psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis > has yielded some very interesting information. > > When was the last time you had any imaging studies done of your hands? > What kind? > > I think your brain is fine, LOL! > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Tawny, You are so right. I¹ll give it time and hopefully it will work out. He is supposed to be the best in the area, so I plan on sticking with him. At least he is interested enough to do some digging, something my past RD¹s didn¹t want to do. Their reasoning is that even if I have PA, it is treated the same way as RA so why bother? My views are different. If I want to participate in a clinical trial, I want a firm diagnoses. Doing a clinical trial for a RA med when I really have PA could be a problem. My prayers are with you Tawny. I hope the answerers that you get are good one. a > Hi a, It is not easy to go to a new doctor, sometimes it takes a > few visits to get to know them. I think that is great that he is > taking interest in his work. That is kind of interesting about the > psoriatic arthritis, please let us know how the testing comes out, > hugs Tawny > > PS I was told that sometimes cancer don't always show up in the > mammogram, and they do the ultrasound, I forgot to post that > earlier. Hopefully, by Monday I will get some answers. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Sue, His interest will keep me going to him. Yes it is strange that my hands have never been affected. My feet are not affected either, but my ankles are a mess. For the first 20 years of this disease it has been confined to my knees and ankles. Now my elbow and shoulder are being eroded. Also have cervical spine problems, but I¹m not sure they are arthritis related. I will let you know any answers I get. a > a, he sounds like a keeper in spite of his roughness when examining > you. He seems to be truly interested in helping you. It is strange that > your hands have not been affected; I didn't know that about you. > > It will be interesting to see what his diagnosis will be. Please keep > us posted. > > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 In a message dated 15/06/2004 23:12:41 Central Standard Time, juner24@... writes: > Jugs > June > Well, well Miss June......that's a heck of an ending for an email! heehee Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2004 Report Share Posted June 16, 2004 LOL! There you go again, Cary! This is especially funny to me since I was discussing " JUG " (Justice Under God - what detentions were called when I was in high school) yesterday with my kids. I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org Re: [ ] Went to my new Rheumy > In a message dated 15/06/2004 23:12:41 Central Standard Time, > juner24@... writes: > > > > Jugs > > June > > > > Well, well Miss June......that's a heck of an ending for an email! heehee > Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 Just shows you what happens when you type in the dark but then again, maybe I was thinking jugs of wine LOL Hugs June Re: [ ] Went to my new Rheumy In a message dated 15/06/2004 23:12:41 Central Standard Time, juner24@... writes: > Jugs > June > Well, well Miss June......that's a heck of an ending for an email! heehee Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 I most definitely will stick with this doctor. I am very happy that he is investigating my case and hope that the next visit is better than the first. According to my old RD¹s, there are people that have no hand or wrist involvement, but in all my years here, I¹ve never met one. It will be interesting to see what he thinks. You can bet I¹ll keep you updated. You and many others here have listened to my diagnosis saga for so many years now. At least this doctor appreciated the fact that I was educated in RA. a > a dear, this rheumy may just be the onenyou need after so many years of > questionable diagnosis. It would appear since your hands and wrists show no > sign of RA it could very well be PA. I don[t recall anyone with RA not having > hand and wrist involvement. After a few visits I think you will develop a > better rapport. It will be interesting just from the fact he is interested > investigating other options. Keep us posted and somehow I think he will in a > short time realize you are a very educated and infirmed patient who can work > along with him to come up with proper diagnosis. > > Jugs > June > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2004 Report Share Posted June 17, 2004 In a message dated 17/06/2004 07:22:06 Central Standard Time, juner24@... writes: > maybe I was thinking jugs of wine LOL > Now I'm thinking of wine......I think and her wine loving is a bad influence on us! Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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