Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Hi All,
Last week I had my second visit with my Rheumatologist. When I saw her last fall, she said that she wasn't diagnosing me yet until I had some joint effusion. Well since that visit, I've had every joint involved, some more then others but have had pain in all at one time or another since then. My RF had elevated from 46 to 48. My CCP stayed equivical. An negative ANA but previously positive as a child. But i continued to remain a normal CRP and ESR (or sedimentation rate)....so no tissue inflammation, even though I did have left wrist swelling off and on and some right shoulder swelling previously. Some of my worst areas were x-rayed and looked normal which I was happy to hear, no bone erosion. So I continued to report to her the changes since I last seen her. She asked about stiffness in the morning, I told her yes but minimal except for 4 weeks straight between the months of mid March to mid April where it was worse. She examined each joint of my body and I told her which areas were most painful. This was what she concluded. She said my right shoulder was sore due to rotator cuff injury, and my feet were sore due to my arches are dropping. She said the rest of my joints were sore due to decrease in Vitamin D. Which my vit D was low but it was considered an inefficient level not deficient level, not a level to be considered worry for Rickets or osteomylasia. And besides I had already been taking 2000mg daily for 4 weeks straight and dropped back to 1000mg daily for the weeks before my visit to her. I asked her about my blood work results and correlation between the symptoms and RF test, she just went on to explain how they can be used as a guide but not an definite diagnosis. I must say I felt like I was on trial while I was there, a feeling as if I was "pretending my symptoms".......like I was looking to actually have the diagnosis.......
My family doctor was the one who gave me the definite diagnosis and I still think he is correct............my father has RA and my sister has Lupus and my aunt on my mom's side has RA. Feeling confused............
Last week I had my second visit with my Rheumatologist. When I saw her last fall, she said that she wasn't diagnosing me yet until I had some joint effusion. Well since that visit, I've had every joint involved, some more then others but have had pain in all at one time or another since then. My RF had elevated from 46 to 48. My CCP stayed equivical. An negative ANA but previously positive as a child. But i continued to remain a normal CRP and ESR (or sedimentation rate)....so no tissue inflammation, even though I did have left wrist swelling off and on and some right shoulder swelling previously. Some of my worst areas were x-rayed and looked normal which I was happy to hear, no bone erosion. So I continued to report to her the changes since I last seen her. She asked about stiffness in the morning, I told her yes but minimal except for 4 weeks straight between the months of mid March to mid April where it was worse. She examined each joint of my body and I told her which areas were most painful. This was what she concluded. She said my right shoulder was sore due to rotator cuff injury, and my feet were sore due to my arches are dropping. She said the rest of my joints were sore due to decrease in Vitamin D. Which my vit D was low but it was considered an inefficient level not deficient level, not a level to be considered worry for Rickets or osteomylasia. And besides I had already been taking 2000mg daily for 4 weeks straight and dropped back to 1000mg daily for the weeks before my visit to her. I asked her about my blood work results and correlation between the symptoms and RF test, she just went on to explain how they can be used as a guide but not an definite diagnosis. I must say I felt like I was on trial while I was there, a feeling as if I was "pretending my symptoms".......like I was looking to actually have the diagnosis.......
My family doctor was the one who gave me the definite diagnosis and I still think he is correct............my father has RA and my sister has Lupus and my aunt on my mom's side has RA. Feeling confused............
Most here sympathize with you, including me. Last year I went through three rheumys in three months with a similar problem, although I am seronegative. You, however, are seropositive with symptoms. You're not confused, really. You and your family doctor know exactly what's going on. It seems to me your rheumy is an idiot. Can you go to another? Not sure how it works in Canada.
Yes i can get a second opinion and think you are right this does involve someone else I think!!
I realize that you can get some joint soreness from low vit D but mine is sore to touch or press and I had a bone mineral density test done in 2012, it was lower for my age but not even in the osteopenia range yet, and it was due to being on depo-provera too long.
Ok I will ask for an MRI or U/S my family doctor is awesome, he will listen and willing to order tests as per my request within good reason of course. I am going to copy and paste some of your suggestions so I will be prepared when I see him this week. Thanks so much feel better knowing I have this support here......feel like crying.......xoxox
Take care of yourself and don't be afraid to be your own health care advocate. Doctors are people....not Gods. Some see their work as a vocation...others see it as just a job. Know the difference.
Hugs to ya!!
How long ago was this considered a woman's disease? One that we created in our minds, suppressed anger turned into joint pain? Only a few decades ago - not the dark ages.
for some reason, with doctors, we don't feel the same empowerment. is it because we feel inferior to them? afraid to voice our opinion and say, i don't like that? what would you do if you went to get your hair done and you got home and, after a day or two, decided you really didn't like it? she didn't listen to you about the length of the bangs, or how you wanted it layered. at the very least you'd go to someone else next time you needed a cut.
i am lucky, lucky, lucky with my gp. it's a family practice that used to work from cradle to grave - the doctor who started the practice saw my mom while she was pregnant with both me and my brother - i believe he delivered me. we went there for our first checkups and, when he retired, we saw other doctors in the practice. my grandparents saw doctors there until they died. they brought on another doctor when i was in my late teens and i fell in doctor love. the five years i lived in florida, i used to schedule checkups with him when we were up in new york visiting. and when i told him i had RA, he sat down and asked me a ton of questions about who i was seeing, what my symptoms were, etc. he's very supportive of anything i do and truly knows me, not just my chart.
THAT is a doctor who has chosen his career, his vocation, his second calling in life (his first is as a dad - he's an excellent father). it is NOT just a job for him. that is what we all need to find, what we all deserve. unfortunately, not all doctors are like that, so we have to do the best we can. my next goal is to find a rheumy who supports integrative medicine and doesn't just dismiss anything that could support/supplement western medicine.
The can cause so much added stress.
I do not get doctors.
What are they waiting for? Permanent damage?
Steph is so right about doctors. Although finding those who truly have a passion for what they do & compassion for the patient can be so hard.
Yes indeed another opinion is in order.
If there's swelling take pictures. That always shuts my RA dr up when my numbers look decent but my body is a mess.
So hard & so very sad when all you want is the right care & help.
Wishing you luck,
Sammy
I'm ok that she was to equivacate about words, as long as I get my meds!
Find the right doc.