Dr. appointment

[Guest guest]

Good luck with your appointment and My prayers are with you I am so sorry you

dont have any one to help you. thinking of you

love Joyce

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Barb <roboma@...> wrote:

This afternoon I see an orthopedic doc to have him evaluate my right

hand because my wrist has shifted and my thumb is out of joint. My

left wrist is totally fused 4 yrs. ago and I am still trying to get use

to it. To make it worse I am wheelchair bond and I have no one to help

me for most of the day. I'm scared. Can you please pray for me. Thank

You so much.

[Guest guest]

Dear Barb,

I'm writing you on my prayer dry erase board now. Grace and peace to you!

laura

Barb <roboma@...> wrote: This afternoon I see an orthopedic doc

to have him evaluate my right

hand because my wrist has shifted and my thumb is out of joint. My

left wrist is totally fused 4 yrs. ago and I am still trying to get use

to it. To make it worse I am wheelchair bond and I have no one to help

me for most of the day. I'm scared. Can you please pray for me. Thank

You so much.

[Guest guest]

Well, I had a somewhat anticlimactic appointment yesterday. The lab lost the bloodwork for the tests for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease, so he wasn't able to tell me about that. Here is what we did discuss - I was wondering if anyone had any comments. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the test results yet - I said I'd wait until he has everything.

Celiac Disease - I have the gene (DQ2). One of the tests came back slightly elevated and the rest were in normal range. He can't diagnose me with it, but he can't rule it out either. In any case, I am gluten intolerant and at least a carrier of celiac. He said we probably need to have Olivia tested for celiac.

Hiatal Hernia / Acid Reflux / GERD - There hasn't been much damage done and I don't really feel heartburn too often, so it's not a huge issue. I noticed I got much more heartburn eating gluten, so I'm going to see if it goes away completely after going gluten-free again. If not, he gave me samples of Nexium to try. Also, if the gluten avoidance doesn't work I'm supposed to avoid all my favorites - spicy food, caffeine, chocolate, carbonation, peppermint, alcohol and fatty foods. Tobacco too, but thankfully I've already eliminated that one!

Crohn's Disease - He really suspects that this is what I have, so he's anxiously awaiting the test results. This disease can manifest similarly to celiac. Each individual has different triggers for the symptoms, and wheat can be one of them. We should have these results back by Monday at the latest.

Bacterial Overgrowth - If I don't have Crohn's he is considering doing a test for bacterial overgrowth of the intestines. He said it's somewhat new and not accepted by all doctors, but he has a test to run available. You swallow some stuff that stimulates the bacteria somehow and then breathe into a tube to test it. Sounds pretty weird to me! (You can see a blurb at www.maringastro.com.)

So that's the scoop. A lot of tests to tell me what I already know - stay away from gluten! I was actually impressed with his currency on the celiac front though. He told me about the WSJ article and also explained the oat conundrum. Maybe my expectations were too low, but I was pleased that he seems to keep up with things.

Thanks for reading.

Trudy in CA

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue:

I was so sorry to read that you are having terrible back pain. No fun

to suffer like that, day in and day out. I am glad you found a new dr.,

and you will see him in a few weeks. I hope he will be able to help you

get out of all that pain.

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and I pray you will be out of

pain soon.

Hugs,

Barbara

>

> I am so tired of the lower back pain that I have had for several years

> now. At first it was very infrequent, but now it just seems to hurt

> most of the time. At my last visit my rheumy sent me for ex-rays,

which

> indicated spondylolisthesis, or a slipped vertebra. My next visit to

> him is not until March, and he has never seemed very concerned about

> it, anyway.

>

> So I googled and found an orthopedic surgeon at a Spine and Scoliosis

> Center in a nearby city. I called and got an appointment for January

> 14. I thought that I'd probably have to wait longer, but they

> apparently save some slots for new patients.

>

> I certainly don't want to have surgery, and the website sounded as

> though they use that as a last resort. I hope that I will get some

> relief soon. I knew what kind of doctor to look for, as my

> brother-in-law recently went to an orthopedic surgeon for his back

> pain, and he got some epidural shots, which have alleviated at least

> some of his pain.

>

> Sue

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Barbara. I also hope that he can do something to alleviate the

pain.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, too, and a Happy New Year!

Sue

On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, at 07:56 PM, Barbara wrote:

>

> Hi Sue:

>

> I was so sorry to read that you are having terrible back pain. No fun

> to suffer like that, day in and day out. I am glad you found a new

> dr.,

> and you will see him in a few weeks. I hope he will be able to help

> you

> get out of all that pain.

>

> I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and I pray you will be out

> of

> pain soon.

[Guest guest]

My next dr's appt is janurary 20th and she is stopping my enbrel and putting me

on humira i hope this one works the enbrel did nothing for me and half the

time the shots didn't work

Re: [ ] Re: Dr. appointment

Thanks, Barbara. I also hope that he can do something to alleviate the

pain.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, too, and a Happy New Year!

Sue

On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, at 07:56 PM, Barbara wrote:

>

> Hi Sue:

>

> I was so sorry to read that you are having terrible back pain. No fun

> to suffer like that, day in and day out. I am glad you found a new

> dr.,

> and you will see him in a few weeks. I hope he will be able to help

> you

> get out of all that pain.

>

> I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and I pray you will be out

> of

> pain soon.

[Guest guest]

I don't like that your rheumatologist has not been concerned about

your back pain, Sue.

I hope that your appointment goes well and that you soon get some

relief. Let us know what happens, please.

Not an MD

On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 4:03 PM, Sue <marysue@...> wrote:

> I am so tired of the lower back pain that I have had for several years

> now. At first it was very infrequent, but now it just seems to hurt

> most of the time. At my last visit my rheumy sent me for ex-rays, which

> indicated spondylolisthesis, or a slipped vertebra. My next visit to

> him is not until March, and he has never seemed very concerned about

> it, anyway.

>

> So I googled and found an orthopedic surgeon at a Spine and Scoliosis

> Center in a nearby city. I called and got an appointment for January

> 14. I thought that I'd probably have to wait longer, but they

> apparently save some slots for new patients.

>

> I certainly don't want to have surgery, and the website sounded as

> though they use that as a last resort. I hope that I will get some

> relief soon. I knew what kind of doctor to look for, as my

> brother-in-law recently went to an orthopedic surgeon for his back

> pain, and he got some epidural shots, which have alleviated at least

> some of his pain.

>

> Sue

[Guest guest]

and group;

good to hear from you too. I am pretty much over my tummy bug

and so glad to get back to the group. Like I said in my last post

the best meal of the year and I get a tummy bug haaaaaaaa.

I told my hubby my body is going to make me lose weight by it self at

this rate I will lose a lot of weight. I am not hungry at all. If I

can eat a little I am happy. I hope everyone had a good holidays. I

was in bed sick. But thats how it goes. I am glad to be back on

line talking to everyone.

I been skimming through our post over the past few weeks to sick to

post very much. I also had a very bad cold or the flu but it all

feels good now. I just got my humira injection for the first time in

a month or so. Woo hoo.

Now I can get down and make a lot of long post to bore every one with

and enjoy my self doing it haaaaaaaa. Love you all, God bless and

take care.

gentle hugs

Clora

**********************************************************>

> I don't like that your rheumatologist has not been concerned about

> your back pain, Sue.

>

> I hope that your appointment goes well and that you soon get some

> relief. Let us know what happens, please.

>

>

>

> Not an MD

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, he finally did send me for the ex-ray, but I complained to him

about this back pain the first time I ever saw him. Maybe I just don't

complain strongly enough. And maybe he is concerned, and doesn't show

it. I'll keep you and the group informed.

Sue

On Friday, December 26, 2008, at 10:28 AM, wrote:

> I don't like that your rheumatologist has not been concerned about

> your back pain, Sue.

>

> I hope that your appointment goes well and that you soon get some

> relief. Let us know what happens, please.

>

[Guest guest]

Doreen,

There are actually better medications for RA than there are for back

pain, that is, if you find the right one that works for you. I don't

have a bit of trouble with RA with Enbrel, but it's very hard to find

anything to ease this back pain. I'll be interested to find out what

the orthopedic surgeon has to say about it. I'm so sorry that you can't

afford to go to an orthopedic doctor; being without insurance is awful!

Sue

On Saturday, December 27, 2008, at 08:15 PM, Mimi wrote:

>

> Sue - I wish you the best of luck with your January appointment. I

> know how you are feeling. There are times I almost feel the back pain

> is worse than the RA/FMS.

[Guest guest]

Clora,

I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time getting well again. When

I had my tummy bug, I had just diarrhea and no throwing up. Thank

goodness! I've had the other kind, and you just have to go to bed.

It's too bad that we gain back the weight that we lose while we're sick.

I hope that you're well soon.

Sue

On Friday, December 26, 2008, at 08:01 PM, CLORA wrote:

>

> good to hear from you too. I am pretty much over my tummy bug

> and so glad to get back to the group. Like I said in my last post

> the best meal of the year and I get a tummy bug haaaaaaaa.

>

> I told my hubby my body is going to make me lose weight by it self at

> this rate I will lose a lot of weight. I am not hungry at all. If I

> can eat a little I am happy. I hope everyone had a good holidays. I

> was in bed sick. But thats how it goes. I am glad to be back on

> line talking to everyone.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Sue. Best of luck to you. I will be interested to hear how

things turn out for you.......Doreen

>

> Doreen,

>

> There are actually better medications for RA than there are for

> back pain, that is, if you find the right one that works for you. I

> don't have a bit of trouble with RA with Enbrel, but it's very hard

> to find anything to ease this back pain. I'll be interested to find

> out what the orthopedic surgeon has to say about it. I'm so sorry

> that you can't afford to go to an orthopedic doctor; being without

> insurance is awful!

>

> Sue

[Guest guest]

Sorry that you are suffering so, Doreen. I hope you'll be able to

afford to get help soon.

Not an MD

On Sat, Dec 27, 2008 at 7:15 PM, Mimi <mimi212@...> wrote:

> - my Rheumy wasn't concerned with my back pain either (for his

> treatments). He told me that I need to see an orthopaedic because it

> is mechanical. But, because I don't have insurance, I can't afford an

> orthopaedic, so I am stuck with excruciating back pain that is getting

> worse by the day and neither the Rheumy or my PC are willing to hear

> what I am trying to tell them.

>

> For that I am glad Christmas is over with. Now my goal is to try to

> get the credit card paid down enough so I can go to an orthopaedic.

>

> Sue - I wish you the best of luck with your January appointment. I

> know how you are feeling. There are times I almost feel the back pain

> is worse than the RA/FMS.

>

> Doreen

[Guest guest]

Sue,

I want him to show his concern and do something like send you to

someone he thinks can help you.

Not an MD

On Sat, Dec 27, 2008 at 9:04 PM, Sue <marysue@...> wrote:

> Well, he finally did send me for the ex-ray, but I complained to him

> about this back pain the first time I ever saw him. Maybe I just don't

> complain strongly enough. And maybe he is concerned, and doesn't show

> it. I'll keep you and the group informed.

>

> Sue

[Guest guest]

Yes, that would have been nice, but he's missed his chance now. I hope

that I googled a good doctor.

Sue

On Sunday, December 28, 2008, at 12:35 PM, wrote:

> Sue,

>

> I want him to show his concern and do something like send you to

> someone he thinks can help you.

[Guest guest]

Sue and group;

Thanks so much Sue. I had the diarrhea too haaaaaaaa. I didnt tell

it all to many times people tell me TMI. To much information lol. My

big hunger is back. It didn't last long. I am just getting over

being sick with the flu for about a month.

So I was really messed up like a lot of us has been. I had all the

goodies with it, sinus infection respitory infection. Being off my

humira injections was worse of all I think.

I would give anything to do things like I use too. I have a lot of

other disease like everyone. I can't do much of anything. I even

miss doing dishes and cleaning house. I miss most is taking a walk

down the street.

I have congestive heart failure, Enlarged heart, pulmonary arterial

hypertention, diabetes, high blood pressure..... with irrtable bowel

I pretty much have diarrhea most of the time, there is even more but

I think you get the picture. Since this is a RA group I tend not to

talk about the other diseases.

I hope you are feeling much better. I usually eat a lot of cheese

when I get diarrhea. I try to eat lots of fruits and veggies for the

constipation. Thanks for the caring post I love talking to people

here. I love reading all the post too. God bless and take care.

gentle hugs

CLora

*********************************************************

> Clora,

>

> I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time getting well again.

When

> I had my tummy bug, I had just diarrhea and no throwing up. Thank

> goodness! I've had the other kind, and you just have to go to bed.

>

> It's too bad that we gain back the weight that we lose while we're

sick.

>

> I hope that you're well soon.

>

> Sue

>