Appt. with New Rheum.

[Guest guest]

Well, I guess it went okay. I guess I am never going to get what happened to me

5 years

ago...diagnosed on sight and given aggressive drugs to help me. They just don't

make

them like that any more.

The Rheum. examined me (not enough I thought) and went over all my BW and X ray

and

MRI reports. She believes I have some type of Arthritis, possibly related to my

UC. I said,

" So, you don't think I have RA? " , and she said, " Well, how can I say that, I

have only seen

you once? "

She wants X-rays done of my hips and sacroiliac joints and MORE BW and then said

she

would see me in 6 weeks, sooner if something was extremely off. She said that if

I needed

a biologic that I would need a full Blood Work-up anyway.

My nightmare continues. I had a diagnosis of RA in 2003!!! If Humira helped me

for 4

years, who really cares what it is? No one cares (docs) that I can't work and

that this has

been dragging on. Like, I tell them I can't work, my unemployment is running

out, I am

the only breadwinner in our family, and they don't care, there is no sense of

urgency with

them!

She thought it couldn't hurt to see the hand specialist the next day (Thurs.)

but thought a

biopsy of my nodules might be unusual.

So, I went and felt the consultation was pretty much a complete waste of time. I

went

through all the trouble to get him all my MRI's, X-rays, and reports as

requested and it

was obvious he never looked at them. Nor did he read my chart.

He comes in and says, " So you're a healthy woman, what are you here for? " I

said, " I am

not a healthy woman " , and then he starts to read my chart!

Basically he said that he felt he would only biopsy if no doctor had clue what

was wrong

with me and that I should get a second opinion. When I told him I had one

yesterday he

said he knew who she was and that she was good. He said that the likelihood of

cancer

was very small and he agreed my hands definitely looked deformed. My other

doctors

don't seem to think that is a big deal!

This was really weird, I don't know if he was testing me or what but when I told

him that I

was here to have my nodules examined and possibly biopsied he said, " What are

nodules? "

I started to explain, haltingly, b/c I was in shock and then he said, " Wait, let

me save you

the trouble, I'll read your MRI report. "

I kid you not about this visit! I guess I am going to wind up going to the

Rheumatologist I

saw yesterday as I obviously have to pick one, take her BW and X-rays and wait

for 6 weeks

to see her again.

After this appt. today, I got in bed, ate half a pint of Ben and Jerry's and

took a nap.

Meanwhile, my hands go untreated...

Thanks for reading,

[Guest guest]

Hi : Sorry to hear your appts. didn't go well for you. If you were

diag. with RA a few years ago, and put on aggresive drugs for it, and it was

working, why did they take it away? I know each doctor has their own way of

treating patients, and it is very hard when you are suffering, to have to wait,

wait, wait, for new tests, etc., then wait six weeks to see the dr. again.

Meanwhile, you feel awful, you're worried about your finances, and you are

stressed to the max. This unfortunately, is the real world, which some drs.

don't have a clue about. Sad, but true. I hope you can get the ans. you need, so

you can start to get the proper treatment. You are carrying a heavy load as the

only breadwinner in your family, and I know that it must be so hard, especially

feeling not well yourself. I do know what you are going through, and feel your

pain and frustration. I pray things will get better for you, and we all care

about you. God Bless you. Hugs,

Barbara

From: <catdelouise@...>

Subject: [ ] Appt. with New Rheum.

Date: Sunday, June 15, 2008, 1:58 AM

Well, I guess it went okay. I guess I am never going to get what happened to me

5 years

ago...diagnosed on sight and given aggressive drugs to help me. They just don't

make

them like that any more.

The Rheum. examined me (not enough I thought) and went over all my BW and X ray

and

MRI reports. She believes I have some type of Arthritis, possibly related to my

UC. I said,

" So, you don't think I have RA? " , and she said, " Well, how can I say that, I

have only seen

you once? "

She wants X-rays done of my hips and sacroiliac joints and MORE BW and then said

she

would see me in 6 weeks, sooner if something was extremely off. She said that if

I needed

a biologic that I would need a full Blood Work-up anyway.

My nightmare continues. I had a diagnosis of RA in 2003!!! If Humira helped me

for 4

years, who really cares what it is? No one cares (docs) that I can't work and

that this has

been dragging on. Like, I tell them I can't work, my unemployment is running

out, I am

the only breadwinner in our family, and they don't care, there is no sense of

urgency with

them!

She thought it couldn't hurt to see the hand specialist the next day (Thurs..)

but thought a

biopsy of my nodules might be unusual.

So, I went and felt the consultation was pretty much a complete waste of time. I

went

through all the trouble to get him all my MRI's, X-rays, and reports as

requested and it

was obvious he never looked at them. Nor did he read my chart.

He comes in and says, " So you're a healthy woman, what are you here for? " I

said, " I am

not a healthy woman " , and then he starts to read my chart!

Basically he said that he felt he would only biopsy if no doctor had clue what

was wrong

with me and that I should get a second opinion. When I told him I had one

yesterday he

said he knew who she was and that she was good. He said that the likelihood of

cancer

was very small and he agreed my hands definitely looked deformed. My other

doctors

don't seem to think that is a big deal!

This was really weird, I don't know if he was testing me or what but when I told

him that I

was here to have my nodules examined and possibly biopsied he said, " What are

nodules? "

I started to explain, haltingly, b/c I was in shock and then he said, " Wait, let

me save you

the trouble, I'll read your MRI report. "

I kid you not about this visit! I guess I am going to wind up going to the

Rheumatologist I

saw yesterday as I obviously have to pick one, take her BW and X-rays and wait

for 6 weeks

to see her again.

After this appt. today, I got in bed, ate half a pint of Ben and Jerry's and

took a nap.

Meanwhile, my hands go untreated...

Thanks for reading,

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Barbara.

I had a very brilliant, very well known New York doctor who diagnosed me. The

RA was in

my feet, they were horribly swollen and I was icing them 5-6 times a day.

My hands do not look as swollen but I do have the nodules and am in horrible

pain. I

guess it just is not as obvious as it was back then. When I came to my next

doctor,

Humira was controlling it very well, for two and a half years before the signs

of RA first

began again, back in October.

>

> From: <catdelouise@...>

> Subject: [ ] Appt. with New Rheum.

>

> Date: Sunday, June 15, 2008, 1:58 AM

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Well, I guess it went okay. I guess I am never going to get what happened to

me 5 years

> ago...diagnosed on sight and given aggressive drugs to help me. They just

don't make

> them like that any more.

>

> The Rheum. examined me (not enough I thought) and went over all my BW and X

ray and

> MRI reports. She believes I have some type of Arthritis, possibly related to

my UC. I said,

> " So, you don't think I have RA? " , and she said, " Well, how can I say that, I

have only seen

> you once? "

>

> She wants X-rays done of my hips and sacroiliac joints and MORE BW and then

said she

> would see me in 6 weeks, sooner if something was extremely off. She said that

if I

needed

> a biologic that I would need a full Blood Work-up anyway.

>

> My nightmare continues. I had a diagnosis of RA in 2003!!! If Humira helped me

for 4

> years, who really cares what it is? No one cares (docs) that I can't work and

that this has

> been dragging on. Like, I tell them I can't work, my unemployment is running

out, I am

> the only breadwinner in our family, and they don't care, there is no sense of

urgency

with

> them!

>

> She thought it couldn't hurt to see the hand specialist the next day (Thurs..)

but thought

a

> biopsy of my nodules might be unusual.

>

> So, I went and felt the consultation was pretty much a complete waste of time.

I went

> through all the trouble to get him all my MRI's, X-rays, and reports as

requested and it

> was obvious he never looked at them. Nor did he read my chart.

>

> He comes in and says, " So you're a healthy woman, what are you here for? " I

said, " I am

> not a healthy woman " , and then he starts to read my chart!

>

> Basically he said that he felt he would only biopsy if no doctor had clue what

was wrong

> with me and that I should get a second opinion. When I told him I had one

yesterday he

> said he knew who she was and that she was good. He said that the likelihood of

cancer

> was very small and he agreed my hands definitely looked deformed. My other

doctors

> don't seem to think that is a big deal!

>

> This was really weird, I don't know if he was testing me or what but when I

told him that

I

> was here to have my nodules examined and possibly biopsied he said, " What are

nodules? "

> I started to explain, haltingly, b/c I was in shock and then he said, " Wait,

let me save

you

> the trouble, I'll read your MRI report. "

>

> I kid you not about this visit! I guess I am going to wind up going to the

Rheumatologist

I

> saw yesterday as I obviously have to pick one, take her BW and X-rays and wait

for 6

weeks

> to see her again.

>

> After this appt. today, I got in bed, ate half a pint of Ben and Jerry's and

took a nap.

>

> Meanwhile, my hands go untreated...

>

> Thanks for reading,

>

>

>