First Rheummy Visit

[Guest guest]

My head is spinning and have a headache. Only got 2 hours sleep last

night but managed to get through my first visit to the Rheummy.

This Rheummy seems to be very cautious and thorough which is probably

good. While my GP had no issue declaring this RA, she wants to cover

all the bases first. She doesn't want to make the jump to the

diagnosis of RA without the full compliment of tests. She ordered up

Xrays including hands and wrists as well as chest xray. A ton of blood

tests included CCP and CRP and liver function and CBC and more that I

don't have a clue about but I'm sure she has her reasons. A ton of

tests.

She confirmed that I have a lot of inflammation and pain going on and

was real good at finding all the places that hurt. She also mentioned

that there was something going on with my knuckles that she gave a name

for which was arthritis related. Something that I guess crept up on me.

As for other possibilities she listed of Polymyalgia Rheumatica with

possible Giant Cell Arteritis, Myositis, Sarcodosis and of course RA.

She wrote me a Rx for 25 MG of Prednisone (not just 5 days) but said I

couldn't start taking that until I had the blood tests. I'm getting

the chest xray and other xrays tomorrow and will try to get the blood

tests on Monday. I can have that done at my office. Noce that we have

a full medical group there. Said also to continue to take the Celebrex

for the inflammation. I see her again on the 22nd (10 days). That's

about it. Now to go take something for this headache. I'm sure I need

some sleep and probably not thinking straight.

Bottom line is that while I spent the last 3 weeks getting my mind

around a life with RA, she's now throwing into the mix the possiblity

it's not. Of course, if it's not, what the hell is it? Is it

something worse? SOmething treatable or better yet, cureable? This is

giving me a major migraine.