Re: Upset with my rheumatologist

[Guest guest]

Hi, Rita - Sounds like a new Rheumatologist is in order. Have you

considered a Gastroenterologist, too? I only say that because you seem

to get sick to your stomach easily and there may be something else

going on there. I can't believe the Rheumatologist didn't recommend

that. An MRI is a good way to go to see what all is going on with your

bones.

Plaquenil without a prescription? Be careful - you may not be getting

a quality drug. Best of luck to you........Doreen

[Guest guest]

Rita, please find a new rheumatologist.

Self-medicating with drugs bought online without a prescription is not

a good idea.

Not an MD

On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 10:13 PM, Rita <ritaaina@...> wrote:

> My name is Rita. I live in Bakersfield California. I have had

> fibromyalgia for 37 years since I was a teenager. I just got

> diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in January. I started to have

> hand pain in November and I went to see my primary doctor who took a

> hand x-ray and said that my x-rays were normal. I was still having

> hand pain and my hands were swollen. I then to a rheumatologist who

> replaced the one who had left and started his own practice. I told

> her what was going on and she said I have rheumatoid arthritis. She

> ordered labs and hand and coccyx x-rays. The hand x-rays showed that

> I have RA and that my coccyx x-rays showed sacroiliitis. She put me

> on Mobic and Methotrexate. I was sick two hours after I took the

> Methotrexate. I developed a cold or flu from it. I have a weak

> immune system from having FM for so long. She took me off of

> Methotrexate. I have stayed on the Mobic all this time without any

> problems. Next she put me on Arava. I took it for about two weeks

> before I started getting sick from it. I went in to see her

> colleague because she was on vacation for several weeks. He looked

> at the x-rays and did not think that the coccyx x-rays showed

> sacroiliitis. He checked my hands and wrists but did not say

> anything about them. He did not prescribe me anything like I hoped.

> When I saw my rheumatologist after she came back from vacation she

> told me she wanted me to get an MRI of the pelvis to check my sacrum

> and coccyx more clearly and got the MRI done. She said to take

> prednisone for about a week after I had done. I took predisone for

> about a week and then I started to get sick again. I talked to her

> yesterday and she said that the MRI was normal. She wanted to give

> me Lyrica for pain. I do not need anything for pain. I take plenty

> of medication for pain due to FM. I asked her is she was going to

> treat my RA. She stated something about waiting for me to get

> swelling. I told her that my knuckles were still red from

> inflammation from the RA. It did not make sense to me what she said

> at the moment. She said that everything she gave me was not helping

> me. She did not give anything like Plaquenil which I have taken 10

> years ago when a rheumatologist I went to in LA when I lived there

> told me I had RA. I do not know how he was able to diagnose RA back

> then but he put me on Plaquenil and I never had any bad reaction to

> it. I was so upset yesterday that I felt that I need to find another

> rheumatologist to give me a second opinion. I do not like the fact

> that I have RA and I am not getting anything to prevent further joint

> damage. I thought that it is time for me to get another

> rheumatologist. I called two today so I am hoping I will get in to

> see one or the other. I have an appointment with the doctor that did

> not want to prescribe anything for my RA next month. I asked her if I

> should keep that appointment and she said it was up to me. I could

> not believe I am not getting anything for my RA. I was so upset that

> I feel that she is just capable or does not want to treat me anymore.

> One of the patients at my clinic who comes to get methadone for her

> RA and FM has the same rheumatologist. She said that she has not

> helped her either. I think I have to agree with her. Today I went

> online to get Plaquenil without a prescription. I need to get some

> form of treatment until I get in to see a rheumatologist who will

> treat me.

>

> Does anyone out there been through what I have been through before? I

> would appreciate any input from anyone out there about anything that

> I have through. Thanks for taking the time to read this and help me

> with this situation I am going through right now.

[Guest guest]

Rita, I feel for what you are going through. Dealing with doctors is a

pain! Over the years I've been to more than 1/2 dozen Rheumys (for

various reasons) and in general I find them discompassionate and

unhelpful. Changing docs is difficult because you feel each time like

you are starting all over again but if you have the stamina keep

searching until you find the help you need. No one looks out for us

better than ourselves!

Suz

-- In , " Rita " <ritaaina@...> wrote:

>

> My name is Rita. I live in Bakersfield California. I have had

> fibromyalgia for 37 years since I was a teenager. I just got

> diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in January. I started to have

> hand pain in November and I went to see my primary doctor who took a

> hand x-ray and said that my x-rays were normal. I was still having

> hand pain and my hands were swollen. I then to a rheumatologist who

> replaced the one who had left and started his own practice. I told

> her what was going on and she said I have rheumatoid arthritis. She

> ordered labs and hand and coccyx x-rays. The hand x-rays showed that

> I have RA and that my coccyx x-rays showed sacroiliitis. She put me

> on Mobic and Methotrexate. I was sick two hours after I took the

> Methotrexate. I developed a cold or flu from it. I have a weak

> immune system from having FM for so long. She took me off of

> Methotrexate. I have stayed on the Mobic all this time without any

> problems. Next she put me on Arava. I took it for about two weeks

> before I started getting sick from it. I went in to see her

> colleague because she was on vacation for several weeks. He looked

> at the x-rays and did not think that the coccyx x-rays showed

> sacroiliitis. He checked my hands and wrists but did not say

> anything about them. He did not prescribe me anything like I hoped.

> When I saw my rheumatologist after she came back from vacation she

> told me she wanted me to get an MRI of the pelvis to check my sacrum

> and coccyx more clearly and got the MRI done. She said to take

> prednisone for about a week after I had done. I took predisone for

> about a week and then I started to get sick again. I talked to her

> yesterday and she said that the MRI was normal. She wanted to give

> me Lyrica for pain. I do not need anything for pain. I take plenty

> of medication for pain due to FM. I asked her is she was going to

> treat my RA. She stated something about waiting for me to get

> swelling. I told her that my knuckles were still red from

> inflammation from the RA. It did not make sense to me what she said

> at the moment. She said that everything she gave me was not helping

> me. She did not give anything like Plaquenil which I have taken 10

> years ago when a rheumatologist I went to in LA when I lived there

> told me I had RA. I do not know how he was able to diagnose RA back

> then but he put me on Plaquenil and I never had any bad reaction to

> it. I was so upset yesterday that I felt that I need to find another

> rheumatologist to give me a second opinion. I do not like the fact

> that I have RA and I am not getting anything to prevent further joint

> damage. I thought that it is time for me to get another

> rheumatologist. I called two today so I am hoping I will get in to

> see one or the other. I have an appointment with the doctor that did

> not want to prescribe anything for my RA next month. I asked her if I

> should keep that appointment and she said it was up to me. I could

> not believe I am not getting anything for my RA. I was so upset that

> I feel that she is just capable or does not want to treat me anymore.

> One of the patients at my clinic who comes to get methadone for her

> RA and FM has the same rheumatologist. She said that she has not

> helped her either. I think I have to agree with her. Today I went

> online to get Plaquenil without a prescription. I need to get some

> form of treatment until I get in to see a rheumatologist who will

> treat me.

>

> Does anyone out there been through what I have been through before? I

> would appreciate any input from anyone out there about anything that

> I have through. Thanks for taking the time to read this and help me

> with this situation I am going through right now.

>

[Guest guest]

Rita,

I agree with on this one. It is not a good idea to self-

medicate. I would try to find another rheumy, even if you have to

get out of Bakersfield to do it. I used to live in Pasadena and I

liked my rheumy there. He was the one who first diagnosed me with RA

and them fibro a few years later. He was great about trying

different medications to find the right combination that would work

best for me. If I felt that the medication was no longer

working...he would help me. He was OK w/ giving me pain meds when I

needed it. The rheumy I saw was Dr. O'Conner. If you can't go

to another city to find a new rheumy...I would call O'Conner's office

and ask if they can recommend a good rheumatologist in the

Bakersfield area.

It sounds like you are real sensitive to medications...I wouldn't

trust the internet for medicaitons without a doctors guidance.

It's hard finding a good rheumy. When I moved from LA to Denver...I

had a hard time finding a good rheumy. I saw a few before I ended up

with a rheumy that I liked who would treat both the RA and fibro

without thinking that I was head case. Best of luck to you.

>

> My name is Rita. I live in Bakersfield California. I have had

> fibromyalgia for 37 years since I was a teenager. I just got

> diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in January. I started to have

> hand pain in November and I went to see my primary doctor who took

a

> hand x-ray and said that my x-rays were normal. I was still having

> hand pain and my hands were swollen. I then to a rheumatologist

who

> replaced the one who had left and started his own practice. I told

> her what was going on and she said I have rheumatoid arthritis.

She

> ordered labs and hand and coccyx x-rays. The hand x-rays showed

that

> I have RA and that my coccyx x-rays showed sacroiliitis. She put

me

> on Mobic and Methotrexate. I was sick two hours after I took the

> Methotrexate. I developed a cold or flu from it. I have a weak

> immune system from having FM for so long. She took me off of

> Methotrexate. I have stayed on the Mobic all this time without any

> problems. Next she put me on Arava. I took it for about two weeks

> before I started getting sick from it. I went in to see her

> colleague because she was on vacation for several weeks. He looked

> at the x-rays and did not think that the coccyx x-rays showed

> sacroiliitis. He checked my hands and wrists but did not say

> anything about them. He did not prescribe me anything like I

hoped.

> When I saw my rheumatologist after she came back from vacation she

> told me she wanted me to get an MRI of the pelvis to check my

sacrum

> and coccyx more clearly and got the MRI done. She said to take

> prednisone for about a week after I had done. I took predisone for

> about a week and then I started to get sick again. I talked to

her

> yesterday and she said that the MRI was normal. She wanted to give

> me Lyrica for pain. I do not need anything for pain. I take plenty

> of medication for pain due to FM. I asked her is she was going to

> treat my RA. She stated something about waiting for me to get

> swelling. I told her that my knuckles were still red from

> inflammation from the RA. It did not make sense to me what she

said

> at the moment. She said that everything she gave me was not helping

> me. She did not give anything like Plaquenil which I have taken 10

> years ago when a rheumatologist I went to in LA when I lived there

> told me I had RA. I do not know how he was able to diagnose RA

back

> then but he put me on Plaquenil and I never had any bad reaction to

> it. I was so upset yesterday that I felt that I need to find

another

> rheumatologist to give me a second opinion. I do not like the fact

> that I have RA and I am not getting anything to prevent further

joint

> damage. I thought that it is time for me to get another

> rheumatologist. I called two today so I am hoping I will get in to

> see one or the other. I have an appointment with the doctor that

did

> not want to prescribe anything for my RA next month. I asked her if

I

> should keep that appointment and she said it was up to me. I could

> not believe I am not getting anything for my RA. I was so upset

that

> I feel that she is just capable or does not want to treat me

anymore.

> One of the patients at my clinic who comes to get methadone for her

> RA and FM has the same rheumatologist. She said that she has not

> helped her either. I think I have to agree with her. Today I went

> online to get Plaquenil without a prescription. I need to get some

> form of treatment until I get in to see a rheumatologist who will

> treat me.

>

> Does anyone out there been through what I have been through before?

I

> would appreciate any input from anyone out there about anything

that

> I have through. Thanks for taking the time to read this and help

me

> with this situation I am going through right now.

>

[Guest guest]

I think a new rheumatologist is in order too for another opinion. My

rheumatologist always prescribes Prevacid or over the counter Prilosec to take

with meds to avoid stomach upset. With some medications, like Methotrexate many

suffer from nausea anyway. Plaquenil you have to be careful with. My doctor

made me see an opthamologist for a retinal exam to get a base reading, and I

must go every 6 months for an examination to make sure it is not causing retinal

toxicity. Good luck! I hope you get some relief soon! I have FMS as well. I

take Ultram for that pain but for the RA I'm not really given anything. NSAIDS

and a DMARD are the most important thing to have at this time (or biologic)

however order they prescribe them in.

Mimi <mimi212@...> wrote: Hi, Rita -

Sounds like a new Rheumatologist is in order. Have you

considered a Gastroenterologist, too? I only say that because you seem

to get sick to your stomach easily and there may be something else

going on there. I can't believe the Rheumatologist didn't recommend

that. An MRI is a good way to go to see what all is going on with your

bones.

Plaquenil without a prescription? Be careful - you may not be getting

a quality drug. Best of luck to you........Doreen