Re: Going to the rheumatologist tomorrow, excited and scared...

[Guest guest]

Hi Penny,

A good Rheumalogist is worth his/her weight in gold!! My doctor has been

really aggressive in my treatment and I feel very fortunate for that. My father

has it as did my grandmother so as soon as I felt the pain in my hands I found

an RA doc and got in rather quickly. He started me on one med and when I

started having more pain added another one which really helped alot. Hopefully

you will have the same luck I did.

Let us know how it goes!!

I will say alittle prayer you get a great RA doctor.

Marsha

pennygruetz <PennyGruetz@...> wrote:

Hi!

I have an appointment with a rheumalogist tomorrow and I have not

been to one since my diagnosis in 2000. I have just been going to a

general practioner for the past 6 years and since my symptoms have

worsened, I asked for a referral and tomorrow I am going. I am

scared and I do not know why. I suspect that I have more than

fibromyalgia going on and I would welcome a diagnosis, but I am also

afraid of it.

My mom has and her dad had rheumatoid arthritis, and she thinks she

can see changes in my hands. I have noticed more pain in my feet,

ankles, hips, elbows, wrists and hands and I am angry and afraid

because of the pain. I guess part of me always thought that I would

get better, or at least stay the same, and I think it is unfair,

after working so hard all these years, that I have this now. I feel

alone in my painful body and even though I know that I am more

mobile than many on this site, my pain levels are starting to

concern me.

I am having to limit my activities more and more and I do not like

to do that. I try to be a good sport most days, but today is not

one of those days. Thanks for reading my vent and making me not feel

so all alone. Penny

[Guest guest]

--- In , " pennygruetz " <PennyGruetz@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi!

> I have an appointment with a rheumalogist tomorrow and I have not

> been to one since my diagnosis in 2000. I have just been going to a

> general practioner for the past 6 years and since my symptoms have

> worsened, I asked for a referral and tomorrow I am going. I am

> scared and I do not know why. I suspect that I have more than

> fibromyalgia going on and I would welcome a diagnosis, but I am also

> afraid of it.

>

> My mom has and her dad had rheumatoid arthritis, and she thinks she

> can see changes in my hands. I have noticed more pain in my feet,

> ankles, hips, elbows, wrists and hands and I am angry and afraid

> because of the pain. I guess part of me always thought that I would

> get better, or at least stay the same, and I think it is unfair,

> after working so hard all these years, that I have this now. I feel

> alone in my painful body and even though I know that I am more

> mobile than many on this site, my pain levels are starting to

> concern me.

>

> I am having to limit my activities more and more and I do not like

> to do that. I try to be a good sport most days, but today is not

> one of those days. Thanks for reading my vent and making me not feel

> so all alone. Penny

>

Hi Penny

Good luck tomorrow, I too was diagnosed awhile ago but figuered it

would go away until the pain started bothering me and now I go on

Thursday, I'm beginning to wonder if I have Lupus or Fibromyalgia on

top of the RA.

Try and look at it like you'll finally get some questions answered or

at least be sent for more tests to confirm if you have anything else.

I just hope mine starts me on the meds cause I'm getting fed up of

this.

I often think the unknown is worse, so I go in expecting to hear the

worse news possible and that way you can almost handle it!

Hope everything goes well, good luck!

a

[Guest guest]

Hi Penny. I know how you feel but try to be optimistic. I went

through the same thing with my new doc and things are going great so

far. I made a list of ALL symptoms I had, whether they were related

to FMS RA or not and gave it to him. He said it was a big help.

Make a list of questions you have and don't be ashamed to ask them.

You are paying good money for his help and be sure you get all you

need. Good Luck!

--- In , " pennygruetz " <PennyGruetz@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi!

> I have an appointment with a rheumalogist tomorrow and I have not

> been to one since my diagnosis in 2000. I have just been going to a

> general practioner for the past 6 years and since my symptoms have

> worsened, I asked for a referral and tomorrow I am going. I am

> scared and I do not know why. I suspect that I have more than

> fibromyalgia going on and I would welcome a diagnosis, but I am also

> afraid of it.

>

> My mom has and her dad had rheumatoid arthritis, and she thinks she

> can see changes in my hands. I have noticed more pain in my feet,

> ankles, hips, elbows, wrists and hands and I am angry and afraid

> because of the pain. I guess part of me always thought that I would

> get better, or at least stay the same, and I think it is unfair,

> after working so hard all these years, that I have this now. I feel

> alone in my painful body and even though I know that I am more

> mobile than many on this site, my pain levels are starting to

> concern me.

>

> I am having to limit my activities more and more and I do not like

> to do that. I try to be a good sport most days, but today is not

> one of those days. Thanks for reading my vent and making me not feel

> so all alone. Penny

>

[Guest guest]

> >

> > Hi!

> > I have an appointment with a rheumalogist tomorrow and I have not

> > been to one since my diagnosis in 2000. I have just been going

to a

> > general practioner for the past 6 years and since my symptoms have

> > worsened, I asked for a referral and tomorrow I am going. I am

> > scared and I do not know why. I suspect that I have more than

> > fibromyalgia going on and I would welcome a diagnosis, but I am

also

> > afraid of it.

> >

> > My mom has and her dad had rheumatoid arthritis, and she thinks

she

> > can see changes in my hands. I have noticed more pain in my feet,

> > ankles, hips, elbows, wrists and hands and I am angry and afraid

> > because of the pain. I guess part of me always thought that I

would

> > get better, or at least stay the same, and I think it is unfair,

> > after working so hard all these years, that I have this now. I

feel

> > alone in my painful body and even though I know that I am more

> > mobile than many on this site, my pain levels are starting to

> > concern me.

> >

> > I am having to limit my activities more and more and I do not like

> > to do that. I try to be a good sport most days, but today is not

> > one of those days. Thanks for reading my vent and making me not

feel

> > so all alone. Penny

> >

> Hi Penny

>

> Good luck tomorrow, I too was diagnosed awhile ago but figuered it

> would go away until the pain started bothering me and now I go on

> Thursday, I'm beginning to wonder if I have Lupus or Fibromyalgia

on

> top of the RA.

>

> Try and look at it like you'll finally get some questions answered

or

> at least be sent for more tests to confirm if you have anything

else.

>

> I just hope mine starts me on the meds cause I'm getting fed up of

> this.

>

> I often think the unknown is worse, so I go in expecting to hear

the

> worse news possible and that way you can almost handle it!

>

> Hope everything goes well, good luck!

> a

>Hi Penny

How did your appt go?

I had mine today and the rheumy said he is still not convinced that I

have RA because I don't have the redness and the severe swelling. I

have to call him back if I have another bad flare up. But he had

tested me for lupus and fibromyalgia and I do not have those either.

a

[Guest guest]

HI a,

You say that your rheumy isn't sure if you have RA because you don't

have noticeable redness and severe swelling. Do you have a high ESR

or CRP (bloodwork)? I've never had a lot of redness or swelling,

either, but I did have a high ESR and CRP (signs of inflammation) and

also a positive ANA (but not a positive RF). My rheumy never wanted

to diagnose RA, either, since I didn't have obvious signs of RA;

however, now -- 10 years later -- I have a lot of deformed joints due

to RA (seronegative), which might've been lessened if I'd been

treated for RA in the first place. Not everyone with RA has severe

swelling or lots of redness -- (just thought I'd put in my 2 cents'

worth.)

Take care,

> I had mine today and the rheumy said he is still not convinced that

I

> have RA because I don't have the redness and the severe swelling. I

> have to call him back if I have another bad flare up. But he had

> tested me for lupus and fibromyalgia and I do not have those either.

> a