Saw Rheumy First Time-Long

August 30, 2004

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

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