Guest guest Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Hi....I am a 46 yr old mom to a 17 yr old daughter who has a high level of RA in her blood work. we have a doctor visit tomorrow to go over her blood work. then we will see a specialist...if there is any information that you may think is helpful in these beginning stages i would more then appricate it. thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Sorry to hear about your daughter..so young! I suggest that you ask for copies of the blood work results. Start now and keep copies of every single test that is done. Mine are a mess and I should take my own advice...keep them in a 3-ring binder in chronological order so you've always got them available. It's so much easier to keep copies of everything than to have to get them together if you should ever need them in the future. It could also prevent you from having a test repeated unnecessarily. Also, make sure that both you and your daughter are comfortable with any specialist you see. If you're not, move on before going too far with him/her. It's so important that you have a good rapport with the doctors as you're placing your daughter's health and life in their hands. Make sure you research anything the doctor may say or prescribe. Ask the doctor questions if you don't understand completely. Ask specifically what the expected outcome is expected from any meds, how long it should take for results, and what side effects, if any, she may experience. Good luck tomorrow. Dorothy _____ From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of molly1762 Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 5:32 PM Subject: [ ] New Here..... Hi....I am a 46 yr old mom to a 17 yr old daughter who has a high level of RA in her blood work. we have a doctor visit tomorrow to go over her blood work. then we will see a specialist...if there is any information that you may think is helpful in these beginning stages i would more then appricate it. thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi, thanks for your reply...i am now where near panic mode, thank goodness, worried is more like it...i realize this can be dealt with and does not have to be as depilitating as i have seen in my aunt...my daughter is 17 and our worry is school and college she should attend when she graduates in 2009...she was hoping to be a dentist or a Vet...again we are taking this in stride, baby steps..i wish you the best with your treatment! Madalyn > > Hi... > Just went through this, my doctor painted a very bleak picture and I've been in a state of panic ever since until I saw the specialist, a Rheumatologist. My doctor, a GP and the Rheumatologist have completely opposite views, since it is about Rheumatoid Arthritis my Rhematologist's view point wins, that's why my GP referred me to him. Of course, you cannot help but be concerned but don't panic. Get all the facts and see the specialist, find out what treatment options are required and/or necessary and the outlook will be much better than you can image. I was ready to file for SSDI, bankruptcy, sell everything, and basically pick a burial plot when the Rheumatologist told me not to go through all that because I'll be 99% in 6 to 8 weeks. Now I don't know if I'll be 99% in 8 weeks but I do know I spent way too much energy worrying about things that are not going to happen. Hope this helps. > Stan > _,_._,___ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi... That's really the angst with Rheumatoid Arthitris isn't it? Everyone does something different with the medication, symptoms and treatment. Some have only seen a doctor a couple of time and improve and others have been pursuing a effective treatment for years. Personally, excluding the general pain and acute flares I have, I think what really sux about the whole thing is how random symptoms and treatment can become when you're trying to deal with it. It's like a " betcha can't fix me " thing from hell! I know what you're saying about the song and dance, and I was think about that even as the doctor was talking, but I can only hope, maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones. I could use some luck! And, if I get some I'll try to share it with you! Stan -------------- Original message -------------- From: aclavern33@... Stan, I heard the same song and dance from many a doc. This will only be a blimp and you will be back to 100% in a few weeks once we get you on meds. NOT!!! NEVER again. I wished someone had told me the worst case scenerio, instead of giving me the pep-talk like I just have a case of the flu and it will be gone shortly. I wish we had talked about ALL the options. I would have probably made some better choices. For me I have failed most of the drugs. Either they worked for a short period of time and then quit working or the side effects were out-weighed any small benefit I was getting from them if I got any benefit at all. Granted I have had long periods of remissions on my own. But I will never be 99% again. At least not for any long periods of time that I will be able to remember and enjoy. You do need to educate and learn all you cal about ALL methods of treatment. traditional and none traditional medicine. I am finding better relief in none traditional medicine than traditional....and at a plus NO SIDE effects. yeah! Toni **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Stan, You are correct. I have seen so many docs that I have lost count. I have seen one really good doc, one ok doc...and the rest of them I would not send my worst enemy too. I have been on most of the treatments available except for the IV drugs. Most have not worked for me in the long term. Or the side effects were worst that the benefits of the drug. I am so tired of going to docs with big bright eyes and big ideas. They give you the big, " we can fix you " speech....a few months later...their whole attitude changes and you get the " let me treat you like dirt so you will go away because I have already promised I can fix you and I can not! " We are so different as well as how our docs manage our disease. I went to one doc that told me it was all in my head nothing was wrong with me...stopped all my meds and booted me out the door. She was the head of the rheumatology department at a well known medical center. After spending over a thousand dollars for that visit to include lab and xray they receptionist was so nice to give me a letter stating the doctor was retiring...and that would be the last time I would see her. The sad part is that many of us are limited in the docs we can see or afford to see my insurance or lack of insurance. I had no insurance currently....so I sit and wait for vocational rehab to schedule me an appnt for healthcare. Its only been two months...and one heck of flare.... So I am left to my own devices. I am really pushing herbal treatment because that is all I have. So we shall continue to push forward. Hope and pray for a job with benefits. I am temp now and the company I work for has good benefits. Not sure if I take them if I can afford to use them on $10 hr salary...but I guess its better than what I have now which is nothing. Toni _Re: New Here..... _ ( /message/117201;_ylc=X3oDMTJyc25mNzZ1BF\ 9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEwMTQ3OARncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNjE0O TgEbXNnSWQDMTE3MjAxBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyMTkxODIyMzM-) Posted by: " stanpfister@... " _stanpfister@... _ (mailto:stanpfister@...?Subject= Re:%20New%20Here.....) _detour721 _ (detour721) Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:48 am (PDT) Hi... That's really the angst with Rheumatoid Arthitris isn't it? Everyone does something different with the medication, symptoms and treatment. Some have only seen a doctor a couple of time and improve and others have been pursuing a effective treatment for years. Personally, excluding the general pain and acute flares I have, I think what really sux about the whole thing is how random symptoms and treatment can become when you're trying to deal with it. It's like a " betcha can't fix me " thing from hell! I know what you're saying about the song and dance, and I was think about that even as the doctor was talking, but I can only hope, maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones. I could use some luck! And, if I get some I'll try to share it with you! Stan **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Sorry to hear the news about your daughter. I hope your office visit went well. I know you must be terribly worried about her future. The best thing is to get her to a rheumatologist as soon as possible. Shirley > > Hi....I am a 46 yr old mom to a 17 yr old daughter who has a high level > of RA in her blood work. we have a doctor visit tomorrow to go over her > blood work. then we will see a specialist...if there is any information > that you may think is helpful in these beginning stages i would more > then appricate it. thank you! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi, thank you for your reply...the office visit went well...we have to make her RA Doc appt soon...We are hoping for a bright future and that is what the Doc thinks she will have... Thanks again, Madalyn From: nana2livi <s.p5315@...> Subject: [ ] Re: New Here..... Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 5:12 PM Sorry to hear the news about your daughter. I hope your office visit went well. I know you must be terribly worried about her future. The best thing is to get her to a rheumatologist as soon as possible. Shirley > > Hi....I am a 46 yr old mom to a 17 yr old daughter who has a high level > of RA in her blood work. we have a doctor visit tomorrow to go over her > blood work. then we will see a specialist.. .if there is any information > that you may think is helpful in these beginning stages i would more > then appricate it. thank you! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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