Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 Hi Folks, I went to my first appointment with my new rheumatologist yesterday. My firt doc, who I really liked a lot, recently left her practice, and moved back to her native Turkey. She referred me to the new person. I don't like the commute to the new place. The old one was just in the next town. Tt took me about 15 minutes to get there, and it was easy to park and get in and out of the building. The new doc is a one of the big Boston hospitals (Brigham & Women's). It took me 1 1/2 hours to get there, and then I had to park in a huge garage and walk a distance from there to the hospital. Even inside the hospital there was a lot of walking. He seems very nice, and he didn't want to do a lot different than my old doc. The one thing he did change (add?) was that he gaveme a prescription for an antibiotic called Avalox which he wanted me to fill and keep on hand. He said that with anyone on Humira, they should be treated like someone who has lost their spleen and can't fight infection as well for that reason. He said if I were to get a fever over 101, I should take the antibiotics immediately, then go to the nearest ER to be evaluated for a blood stream infection. I knew that there were greater risks of infection with Biologics (especially when you're also on Mtx and prednisone, as I am) but this was the first time I'd heard this. Anyone else have these precautions? The bad news is that after all that walking, I'm miserable tonight. (which is why I'm on the internet at 4 AM!) He reassured me again that RA is very treatable, and said we'd get it under control, but in the mean time, just going to see him might kill me!<g> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 Glad that you liked your new doc. Sorry it's so far away though. That is interesting about the Humira. I will have to ask my doc. when I go back in Dec. Joy Randall <krandall@...> wrote: Hi Folks, I went to my first appointment with my new rheumatologist yesterday. My firt doc, who I really liked a lot, recently left her practice, and moved back to her native Turkey. She referred me to the new person. I don't like the commute to the new place. The old one was just in the next town. Tt took me about 15 minutes to get there, and it was easy to park and get in and out of the building. The new doc is a one of the big Boston hospitals (Brigham & Women's). It took me 1 1/2 hours to get there, and then I had to park in a huge garage and walk a distance from there to the hospital. Even inside the hospital there was a lot of walking. He seems very nice, and he didn't want to do a lot different than my old doc. The one thing he did change (add?) was that he gaveme a prescription for an antibiotic called Avalox which he wanted me to fill and keep on hand. He said that with anyone on Humira, they should be treated like someone who has lost their spleen and can't fight infection as well for that reason. He said if I were to get a fever over 101, I should take the antibiotics immediately, then go to the nearest ER to be evaluated for a blood stream infection. I knew that there were greater risks of infection with Biologics (especially when you're also on Mtx and prednisone, as I am) but this was the first time I'd heard this. Anyone else have these precautions? The bad news is that after all that walking, I'm miserable tonight. (which is why I'm on the internet at 4 AM!) He reassured me again that RA is very treatable, and said we'd get it under control, but in the mean time, just going to see him might kill me!<g> Joy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit Joy's Homepage and Reading Room! http://jhoormann-ivil.tripod.com Come see My Dog Salsa! http://www.geocities.com/jhoorm01/Salsa.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 Hi , I'm sorry you had to walk so far yesterday and that you are/were in such pain today. B & W is a big hospital and I know that the parking garage is huge. I am interested in the Dr you saw at B & W. I am in the process of moving to the Cape from CT and will be looking for a Rhuemy in my new area or, up in Boston. I know that my Dr. at Yale will give me names and referals when I move but I would like to go armed with names if at all possible. I hope I'm not being forward but, care to share his name? Feel free to contact me off list if you would like...mcsooey@... Thanks, . I hope you are better this afternoon. In fact...I hope you have had a long and wonderful nap on this rainy, New England afternoon...at least it hasn't gotten cold yet. Tomorrow night we could be singing a different tune... Sooey --- In , " Randall " <krandall@...> wrote: > > Hi Folks, > > I went to my first appointment with my new rheumatologist > yesterday. My firt doc, who I really liked a lot, recently left her > practice, and moved back to her native Turkey. She referred me to > the new person. I don't like the commute to the new place. The old > one was just in the next town. Tt took me about 15 minutes to get > there, and it was easy to park and get in and out of the building. > > The new doc is a one of the big Boston hospitals (Brigham & > Women's). It took me 1 1/2 hours to get there, and then I had to > park in a huge garage and walk a distance from there to the > hospital. Even inside the hospital there was a lot of walking. He > seems very nice, and he didn't want to do a lot different than my > old doc. > > The one thing he did change (add?) was that he gaveme a prescription > for an antibiotic called Avalox which he wanted me to fill and keep > on hand. He said that with anyone on Humira, they should be treated > like someone who has lost their spleen and can't fight infection as > well for that reason. He said if I were to get a fever over 101, I > should take the antibiotics immediately, then go to the nearest ER > to be evaluated for a blood stream infection. I knew that there > were greater risks of infection with Biologics (especially when > you're also on Mtx and prednisone, as I am) but this was the first > time I'd heard this. Anyone else have these precautions? > > The bad news is that after all that walking, I'm miserable tonight. > (which is why I'm on the internet at 4 AM!) He reassured me again > that RA is very treatable, and said we'd get it under control, but > in the mean time, just going to see him might kill me!<g> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 > I am interested in the Dr you saw at B & W. I am in the process of > moving to the Cape from CT and will be looking for a Rhuemy in my new > area or, up in Boston. I know that my Dr. at Yale will give me names > and referals when I move but I would like to go armed with names if > at all possible. I hope I'm not being forward but, care to share his > name? Hi Sooey, The Dr. I'm seeing is Dr. Weinblatt. Obviously I don't now him well yet, but he came highly recommended by my doc who just left. (and I liked her a lot) and he certainly seemed very nice on this first visit. The office is very different from the quiet, private practice office I've been going to, but when I finally got into his office area, I didn't have to wait too long. We'll have to see if he can spend as much time with me as my other doc did, but I think I got a little spoiled with her.<g> I've never had a doc spend the time with me that she did. > Thanks, . I hope you are better this afternoon. In fact...I > hope you have had a long and wonderful nap on this rainy, New England > afternoon...at least it hasn't gotten cold yet. Tomorrow night we > could be singing a different tune... Well, in spite of being exhausted and in pain, I had a pretty busy day. I did lie down for half an hour after the kids got home, but then it was off to the dentist with one of them. I just cooked dinner, and NOW I'm off to bed. I just hope I can stay asleep tonight. I hardly ever take pain meds during the day, but I've been taking them all day today, by the clock. I hope if I stay ahead of it, I can get through the night. The new doc wants me to start back with tapering my prednisone (just by 1 mg for now) but I think I'll wait till this flare has settled down a little. I think that lowering the does would just make things worse right now. Of course, I didn't start having trouble until late yesterday, AFTER I'd already seen him! :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2006 Report Share Posted December 2, 2006 Hi , Thank you . I hope your today is better than your yesterday. I have Dr. Weinblatt's name written down and placed in my file of medical stuff. Man...I hate having a 'flile of medical stuff'... Sooey > > > I am interested in the Dr you saw at B & W. I am in the process of > > moving to the Cape from CT and will be looking for a Rhuemy in my > new > > area or, up in Boston. I know that my Dr. at Yale will give me > names > > and referals when I move but I would like to go armed with names > if > > at all possible. I hope I'm not being forward but, care to share > his > > name? > > Hi Sooey, > > The Dr. I'm seeing is Dr. Weinblatt. Obviously I don't now > him well yet, but he came highly recommended by my doc who just > left. (and I liked her a lot) and he certainly seemed very nice on > this first visit. The office is very different from the quiet, > private practice office I've been going to, but when I finally got > into his office area, I didn't have to wait too long. We'll have to > see if he can spend as much time with me as my other doc did, but I > think I got a little spoiled with her.<g> I've never had a doc > spend the time with me that she did. > > > Thanks, . I hope you are better this afternoon. In fact...I > > hope you have had a long and wonderful nap on this rainy, New > England > > afternoon...at least it hasn't gotten cold yet. Tomorrow night we > > could be singing a different tune... > > Well, in spite of being exhausted and in pain, I had a pretty busy > day. I did lie down for half an hour after the kids got home, but > then it was off to the dentist with one of them. I just cooked > dinner, and NOW I'm off to bed. I just hope I can stay asleep > tonight. I hardly ever take pain meds during the day, but I've been > taking them all day today, by the clock. I hope if I stay ahead of > it, I can get through the night. > > The new doc wants me to start back with tapering my prednisone (just > by 1 mg for now) but I think I'll wait till this flare has settled > down a little. I think that lowering the does would just make > things worse right now. Of course, I didn't start having trouble > until late yesterday, AFTER I'd already seen him! :-/ > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2006 Report Share Posted December 2, 2006 I was a little better than yesterday... At least I was able to sleep. I had to get up a couple of times to take more meds, but I ended up sleeping 13 hours last night, and took another couple of hour nap this afternoon. Now I'm ready for bed again.<g> > > > > > I am interested in the Dr you saw at B & W. I am in the process of > > > moving to the Cape from CT and will be looking for a Rhuemy in my > > new > > > area or, up in Boston. I know that my Dr. at Yale will give me > > names > > > and referals when I move but I would like to go armed with names > > if > > > at all possible. I hope I'm not being forward but, care to share > > his > > > name? > > > > Hi Sooey, > > > > The Dr. I'm seeing is Dr. Weinblatt. Obviously I don't now > > him well yet, but he came highly recommended by my doc who just > > left. (and I liked her a lot) and he certainly seemed very nice on > > this first visit. The office is very different from the quiet, > > private practice office I've been going to, but when I finally got > > into his office area, I didn't have to wait too long. We'll have > to > > see if he can spend as much time with me as my other doc did, but I > > think I got a little spoiled with her.<g> I've never had a doc > > spend the time with me that she did. > > > > > Thanks, . I hope you are better this afternoon. In > fact...I > > > hope you have had a long and wonderful nap on this rainy, New > > England > > > afternoon...at least it hasn't gotten cold yet. Tomorrow night > we > > > could be singing a different tune... > > > > Well, in spite of being exhausted and in pain, I had a pretty busy > > day. I did lie down for half an hour after the kids got home, but > > then it was off to the dentist with one of them. I just cooked > > dinner, and NOW I'm off to bed. I just hope I can stay asleep > > tonight. I hardly ever take pain meds during the day, but I've > been > > taking them all day today, by the clock. I hope if I stay ahead of > > it, I can get through the night. > > > > The new doc wants me to start back with tapering my prednisone > (just > > by 1 mg for now) but I think I'll wait till this flare has settled > > down a little. I think that lowering the does would just make > > things worse right now. Of course, I didn't start having trouble > > until late yesterday, AFTER I'd already seen him! :-/ > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2006 Report Share Posted December 3, 2006 HI , Boy, I hear you. We all need sleep. Some days we need more than others. Sleep is our time for rejuvination and repair. Your body needed 13 hours of sleep and relaxation. We need to listen to our bodies. Naps are good for us. Sleep and rest...time well spent. I hope you are feeling more like your 'old self' today. Enjoy this sunshine...tomorrow will be very different... Sooey > > > > > > > I am interested in the Dr you saw at B & W. I am in the process > of > > > > moving to the Cape from CT and will be looking for a Rhuemy in > my > > > new > > > > area or, up in Boston. I know that my Dr. at Yale will give me > > > names > > > > and referals when I move but I would like to go armed with > names > > > if > > > > at all possible. I hope I'm not being forward but, care to > share > > > his > > > > name? > > > > > > Hi Sooey, > > > > > > The Dr. I'm seeing is Dr. Weinblatt. Obviously I don't > now > > > him well yet, but he came highly recommended by my doc who just > > > left. (and I liked her a lot) and he certainly seemed very nice > on > > > this first visit. The office is very different from the quiet, > > > private practice office I've been going to, but when I finally > got > > > into his office area, I didn't have to wait too long. We'll > have > > to > > > see if he can spend as much time with me as my other doc did, > but I > > > think I got a little spoiled with her.<g> I've never had a doc > > > spend the time with me that she did. > > > > > > > Thanks, . I hope you are better this afternoon. In > > fact...I > > > > hope you have had a long and wonderful nap on this rainy, New > > > England > > > > afternoon...at least it hasn't gotten cold yet. Tomorrow > night > > we > > > > could be singing a different tune... > > > > > > Well, in spite of being exhausted and in pain, I had a pretty > busy > > > day. I did lie down for half an hour after the kids got home, > but > > > then it was off to the dentist with one of them. I just cooked > > > dinner, and NOW I'm off to bed. I just hope I can stay asleep > > > tonight. I hardly ever take pain meds during the day, but I've > > been > > > taking them all day today, by the clock. I hope if I stay ahead > of > > > it, I can get through the night. > > > > > > The new doc wants me to start back with tapering my prednisone > > (just > > > by 1 mg for now) but I think I'll wait till this flare has > settled > > > down a little. I think that lowering the does would just make > > > things worse right now. Of course, I didn't start having > trouble > > > until late yesterday, AFTER I'd already seen him! :-/ > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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