Re: Saw Rheumy First Time-Long

August 30, 2004

,

I'm glad your appt went well. He sounds like a good rheumy to have!

My advice to anyone on prednisone is to take extra calcium, as it is

possible to have some bone loss even on low doses (my personal

experience). You can take up to 1500 mgs a day (500 mg tablets three

times a day). Actually, it's a good idea even if you aren't on

prednisone.

Jennie

--- In , " " <gilpnh@y...>

wrote:

> Hey all, have been mostly lurking and scooping up knowledge, saw

new

> rheumy friday then on a float trip all weekend.

>

> Fist off, OMG, what a babe, hard to concentrate! :-) Tall dark and

> handsome with something of a scandanavian type accent. Anyhow,

very

> nice, asked a hundred questions.

> After looking me over, reviewing years worth of labs and xrays he

> said that I have probly had RA for years but it had been missed as

my

> presentation of the disease was not " typical " the pain had only

been

> in my feet until recently. He said that my 2 positive bone scans

> were not " stress fractures " (I wore a walking boot and bone growth

> stimulator for over 6 months for that) and that the inflammation

> shown on them was much more diffuse and he didnt know why it wasnt

> caught. He called my bone scans " impressive " . After taking

baseline

> xrays of my hands/feet in his office he said that I did have

> arthritic changes in my feet but not joint damage yet.

> Also said that my melasma(facial darkening), all the years of

> cyclic fatique/fevers and 8 miscarriages, etc, are all related to

RA,

> such a relief just to know, I had actually stopped going to my dr

for

> a few years as I was starting to get passed off as a " whiney female "

> He put me on loading dose of Prednise over the weekend, 20mg a

> day for 3 days, have to call him today and let me know how I am

> doing, better I think by about 50%, they pain is not nearly as

severe

> although it is still there, I could barely walk when I saw him

> Friday, however had been doing my grocery shopping at Walmart that

> morning also. I can also push in the parking brake (with pain) I

> couldnt do that friday either.

> Also put me on Arava, 20mg a day. About tossed my cookies when

I

> saw what the price would be without insurance. $400 for a 30 day

> supply, fortunately only a 25$ copay. Will also get some lab work

> in a few weeks.

> He said he would like to do an MRI, but like every dr who

wanted

> to before him they can't because of my pacemaker so just not an

> option.

> I felt that I was much better prepared and informed from being

a

> part of this board when I went and saw him. Thats all I can think

> of for now, its to early for me but 7yo son woke me up itching from

> bug bites and now I cant sleep (another huge problem this last

month)

> Thanx so much in MO

August 30, 2004

,

I'm glad your appt went well. He sounds like a good rheumy to have!

My advice to anyone on prednisone is to take extra calcium, as it is

possible to have some bone loss even on low doses (my personal

experience). You can take up to 1500 mgs a day (500 mg tablets three

times a day). Actually, it's a good idea even if you aren't on

prednisone.

Jennie

> Hey all, have been mostly lurking and scooping up knowledge, saw

new

> rheumy friday then on a float trip all weekend.

>

> Fist off, OMG, what a babe, hard to concentrate! :-) Tall dark and

> handsome with something of a scandanavian type accent. Anyhow,

very

> nice, asked a hundred questions.

> After looking me over, reviewing years worth of labs and xrays he

> said that I have probly had RA for years but it had been missed as

my

> presentation of the disease was not " typical " the pain had only

been

> in my feet until recently. He said that my 2 positive bone scans

> were not " stress fractures " (I wore a walking boot and bone growth

> stimulator for over 6 months for that) and that the inflammation

> shown on them was much more diffuse and he didnt know why it wasnt

> caught. He called my bone scans " impressive " . After taking

baseline

> xrays of my hands/feet in his office he said that I did have

> arthritic changes in my feet but not joint damage yet.

> Also said that my melasma(facial darkening), all the years of

> cyclic fatique/fevers and 8 miscarriages, etc, are all related to

RA,

> such a relief just to know, I had actually stopped going to my dr

for

> a few years as I was starting to get passed off as a " whiney female "

> He put me on loading dose of Prednise over the weekend, 20mg a

> day for 3 days, have to call him today and let me know how I am

> doing, better I think by about 50%, they pain is not nearly as

severe

> although it is still there, I could barely walk when I saw him

> Friday, however had been doing my grocery shopping at Walmart that

> morning also. I can also push in the parking brake (with pain) I

> couldnt do that friday either.

> Also put me on Arava, 20mg a day. About tossed my cookies when

I

> saw what the price would be without insurance. $400 for a 30 day

> supply, fortunately only a 25$ copay. Will also get some lab work

> in a few weeks.

> He said he would like to do an MRI, but like every dr who

wanted

> to before him they can't because of my pacemaker so just not an

> option.

> I felt that I was much better prepared and informed from being

a

> part of this board when I went and saw him. Thats all I can think

> of for now, its to early for me but 7yo son woke me up itching from

> bug bites and now I cant sleep (another huge problem this last

month)

> Thanx so much in MO

August 30, 2004

If I might add, be sure you have Vitamin D in that Calcium,

otherwise it won't absorb. That's why you see milk fortified with

Vitamin D. Without it, the calcium doesn't do you you any good.

You also get Vitamin D from sunlight. That's great that you have a

found a good doc who actually will listen to you and take you

seriously. I had that problem with the first rheumy I went to. To

make matters worse, that first doc was a woman!!! I think she just

hardened to the pain she constantly heard people talk about and she

just didn't take anyone too seriously. I love the rheumy I have

now, he listens and we work together. Oh, before I forget.

Depending on what you need an MRI on, have they considered and Open

MRI Unit. Tose don't have as many restrictions as the casket

model. I have been to an open MRI on several occasions and I have

even been allowed to wear my walking boot. Might be worth looking

into!! Take care and good luck with this new rheumy!! Marina in Oh.

August 30, 2004