Buy you a new rheumatologist. Seriously. This one has no clue.

I was seriously thinking that. It seems like when she asks how I'm feeling and I tell her, I'm always met with an attitude like I'm making things up

Fatigue is a huge part of it. But, maybe my experience is wrong, along with WebMD and Mayo.com. I didn't look anywhere else since that is one of the dumbest statements I have ever heard from a Rheumatologist. I wonder what her agenda is?

Here's some more:

"For some people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic fatigue can be as debilitating as joint pain. A person might sleep for 8 hours and wake up feeling like he or she never slept."

https://www.arthritis-health.com/living-arthritis/coping-fatigue/coping-chronic-fatigue-rheumatoid-arthritis

"Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating condition that causes a wide range of symptoms. One of the most prevalent symptoms experienced in suffering from rheumatoid arthritis is chronic fatigue. Fighting fatigue for rheumatoid arthritis patients seems like an ongoing uphill battle.

"For those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis feelings of fatigue and constant tiredness can make it difficult to get through each day."

https://www.rheumatoidarthritis.org/living-with-ra/fighting-fatigue/

Once you get a doc, I'd drop this one a not with these references.

Thanks Kim! I'm not sure but, after seeing her for almost a year I decided to check her rating and I see she has a few complaints, very similar to mine, she kinda blows off what you're telling her like its no big deal then mixes up the conversation to the point where it doesnt make sense, and leaves you feeling like what just happened here

Thank you WarriorGal, I tried to tell her how I felt and I felt like I was getting nowhere fast. It seems like she might have a chip on her shoulder, why I dont know, but I think its time for me to change Rheumies

bluegal62.. I fight fatigue everyday... I went to bed last night at 730 and since I don't sleep well I have to go to bed early in order to get a very broken 8 hrs sleep... after I get home from work I am just so tired I barely can get anything done in my house and have to try and catch up on the weekends.... just saw my ra dr wed and he says good news ... you are not anemic this month... so I say why am I sooooo tired and he says that is the RA effects... best of luck to you :)

SoTired84, omg! Thank you for validating this for me! You guys have really helped me understand what I'm going through. I appreciate all you guys so much!

hang in there .. and get a second opinion..

I will, and I have been as best I can. You guys helped me make my decision and I decided I'm getting a new Rheumie. I researched quite a few and I found one that I'm making an appointment to see asap, and hopefully things will work out with this one, and I can ditch the old one

i love my long term rheum and I don't get a whole lot of input back on the fatigue factor. I don't mind because she treats to target my ra period. and you can see that my joints are huge when I go in and hot and tender so I don't even bother to crab that I am tired.

But I have in the past and she just shrugs. i think the reason is that fatigue can be attributable to a whole lot of shit. getting older? another co-morbidity? the ra is flaring? the current pharma regime you are on is stale? you just finished a pred taper? you are fighting with your spouse? the kids college loans are too over the top? the dog was whining all night? your blood pressure sucks? you are borderline sugar? did she really say absolutely no connection her words? fatigue is part of inflammation - does your rheum consider your inflammation markers to be stable? (blood work you know esr crp rf yadda yadda) - and are your joints looking red and hot and inflammed or pretty good?

I also go with function. When I can't do the activities of daily life then my fatigue sucks and my joints are huge. What about you? are you keeping up?

depotblue

fatigue is far worse than the pain... always. I can push thru pain, but i can't fatigue. and it is not that i am TIRED. I hear ppl say "I'm so tired"... well... were u able to walk to your car today? go get the mail today? fix a meal today?... then u don't understand cfs.
Cfs is inability.... it means I can't shower, i can't sweep a kitchen floor. I can't put on clothes. I can't drive myself. I am doing good to go to the bathroom.
Don't tell me you are tired.... RA and fatigue are best friends. They come to the party together.

@gingergirl1961 THANK YOU! That is EXACTLY how I feel! Its not about stress, or kids, or work or any other normal daily routine. Its about the symptoms. If you can't explain your symptoms and how you feel to your own doctor who is treating you, then why bother going, especially if you're on meds that have side effects, or have a disease with multiple symptoms? If we could cure ourselves, I'm sure all of us would. But a doctor who is treating you for a life long disease should at the very least listen to you and your symptoms and be knowledgeable enough to know the effects of the disease in order to respond accordingly to you. My rheumie doesnt even discuss the results of my blood work, she ask how I feel, I tell her, she shrugs, types in a few things on the PC and says ok I'll see you in 2 months. I'm changing Rheumies no question and without hestitation. Makes no sense to stay with a doctor who wont even address my concerns much less help me do anything about it

makes sense bluegal. i have had three rheumies in my life - so change can be good if you do not feel like the two of you doc and patient are partners in care.

i use an online patient portal to look at my blood work before my appointment so i know what the results are before I get in there - and I question when I have a flag about the blood work. when blood work is normal, my rheumie does not bring it up at all.

I have always been interested in my fatigue because I was diagnosed as a single mom and had to work full time and raise the kids with the disease. I think I have learned co-adaptive behaviors from those years. sleeping in a car while sitting up is one of them. laughing. My doc does touch on fatigue as partner in inflammation - and that leads around to treat to target again as in med shake up.

I hope you find your new doctor soon!

I agree with depotblue... know your blood work before you go to dr..once you see this new dr get on line with who does your blood work so that you see what is going on...don't freak out when your numbers are different... could be explained because of the flare up you are in or because of a certain med .. but be aware. my dr doesn't say too much either most of the time .. but he knows when I am hurting and tends to help give me the fight I need to get thru the flare up.. my numbers of course this time were off but that is due to starting this new med it was expected... I am on my second dr .. and a good dr is truly the key to adjust to the life long disease. keep in touch