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...
finally got normal insurance again (read: not high deductible crap) and called the rheumy's office my cousin recommended. the main doctor has a two month waiting list, and i'm not up for waiting any longer, so i made an appointment with one of the other doctors in the practice. i read his bio and it seems he has had a lot of training both in US and in europe, so i'm intrigued. i got an appointment for next monday. the receptionist asked me to bring any recent bloodwork. ha, i haven't seen a rheumy since summer 2014. no bloodwork.
my body hurts. aside from the cat wounds i'm still nursing (healing well but slowly), my hips and hands and heels have been a mess. getting up from sitting is very hard, especially if i've been sitting more than 20 minutes. sitting down is hard. getting into bed is hard. getting in my car is not that hard which is why i bought a crossover SUV that's higher up. my eyes have been bothering me. my breathing is still off. and all i want to do is sleep for a year.
i don't even know where to start with the new rheumy. i'm going to put together a list so i don't forget anything. i think i'm also going to bring some old bloodwork so he can see what my numbers were like in the past. hopefully i like this rheumy and we can start doing something that helps, at least a little bit.
my body hurts. aside from the cat wounds i'm still nursing (healing well but slowly), my hips and hands and heels have been a mess. getting up from sitting is very hard, especially if i've been sitting more than 20 minutes. sitting down is hard. getting into bed is hard. getting in my car is not that hard which is why i bought a crossover SUV that's higher up. my eyes have been bothering me. my breathing is still off. and all i want to do is sleep for a year.
i don't even know where to start with the new rheumy. i'm going to put together a list so i don't forget anything. i think i'm also going to bring some old bloodwork so he can see what my numbers were like in the past. hopefully i like this rheumy and we can start doing something that helps, at least a little bit.
One thing you should ask if the clinic has a 'portal', so that any visit notes, and test results are posted, so that you can see those. I always print those out. They dermatologist PA put in her notes that I was well nourished. I still am not sure how to take that one! LOL
As far as your Drs being trained out side of the US, my Rheum was trained in Pakistan, my Hemotologist/oncologist was trained in Syria, and my eye Dr has left the clinic, and referred me to the new Dr coming in. It does not say where she has her training, but judging from video that is online, her accent, it is not here. But, she comes across as very nice, and her particular interest is glaucoma. I really, really like all of my Drs. My ONLY concern would be - how thick is their accent, can you understand what they are saying.
I keep a piece of paper with me and write everything down. I am tired of going in and feeling good but I'm actually not. Grrr.
I have a German doctor with a very thick accent.
of course, i got a call from the office today stating that my new insurance requires a referral. i've already put a call in to my PCP's office so i can get that ball rolling.
Be well
Bluedogs2
Get any records you can find, write down all questions, problems, symptoms, reactions to previous treatments, family history, every shred of info that might be germane.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
BTW, glad you're back around!
called my PCP again today to get the damn referral and the guy i spoke to promised to have it to them by tomorrow morning. so i'll call the new rheumy tomorrow afternoon and see what's up.
on a side note, i think i've developed hives as a reaction to the augmentin i have to take because of my cat attack. going to take my LAST augmentin thank gods and take a benadryl and pass out for the night.