grrrr rhummy | Arthritis Information

over 8 months and i finally get to see her and what happens? She sends in a new nurse practioner instead who has to go through all paperwork "again" to see what's up.

I HATE THAT!!!!

But, she didn't ignore my odd symptoms this time. She thinks it is something like gallbladder or liver failure etc. She wants an ultrasound before she does anything else.

I guess it's a start.

That stinks!

Yes, it's a start. Keep at 'em.

That is very frustrating, but may be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes it takes someone looking at it all over again to see what was missed, or to pay attention to the "odd symptoms" that might indicate a really important warning. I hope you find some answers.thanks for responses.

I was reading on a ton of diseases and didn't have the pain under the right side etc. But then i found autoimmune hepatitus which is inflammation of the liver. Basicly the way RA happens, the liver problem happens.

I have all the symptoms of it and hte pain under the right side doesn't happen in all people. It's scarry because of the quick of dying thing, but would explain why prednisone works so well when nothing else does and why drugs cause me problems etc.

It would explain a ton.

My gallbladder attacks always came with pain on the right side -- by and under the bottom of the ribcage. Not typical for gallbladder -- but had those attacks for years before they were properly diagnosed.

I was having severe attack pancreatitis attacks for 2 years before my amylase and lipase were pulled by one smart doctor. It was an infected, inflammed gall bladder with no stones, and since the ultrasound showed no stones, it was dismissed as a possibility. Don't give up. You might want to call and ask for these two blood tests to be done, unless she already ordered them up.

You know, I have actually had very good success with nurse practitioners - the ones I have seen were very willing to take time and listen to my concerns. They didn't ask me if I had any questions while putting their hand on the doorknob to leave, the way so many of the doctors have!

Hope they get it figured out soon bubba!

Yeah... that does suck. I like my GP's nurse practioner, she actually seems to be better than my GP. She listens and replies and explains, where as GP just does not do all of that.

I hope you get it figured out soon.

Much hugs to you

Thanks everyone.

They had a nurse practioner before, not sure if she still works there, haven't seen her around in a year's time.

But, she was just horrible. Nice lady, but any questions etc. she had to leave and go view the "book". She knew nothing and admitted she was new at this and barely paid attention, just tried drugs.

Then, the regular doctor didn't listen either for a couple years.

This new practitioner did listen and wants me to get the test when i can. She said if it isn't the liver or gallbladder (not sure of spellling), then we will start celiac and polymyositis tests.

All my docs talk me out of the celiac test and just said "stop eating it if you have a problem", but i need proof.

my stomach is sooooooooo messed up these days that a tiny thing will cause me to flair up. I take zantac and prilosec daily and it still doesn't work fully.

I just hope that if it is something very serious with liver, heart etc. that i find out before it kills me lol.

It just gets so frustrating.

[QUOTE=bubbagump]over 8 months and i finally get to see her and what happens? She sends in a new nurse practioner instead who has to go through all paperwork "again" to see what's up.

I HATE THAT!!!!

But, she didn't ignore my odd symptoms this time. She thinks it is something like gallbladder or liver failure etc. She wants an ultrasound before she does anything else.

I guess it's a start.

[/QUOTE]

Why in the world did it take 8 months to see a DR?

I agree that her wanting to investigate further may be a blessing in disguise. Here's my story: For over 5 years I suffered off and on with "stomach" problems. Doctor said to watch what I ate! Finally in the middle of the night on a Thanksgiving Day I drove myself to the ER and they did an ultrasound. Turned out to be a chronic gall bladder with a stone caught in a duct that was causing off and on pain and symptoms. Gall Bladder came out pain went away.

Two years later.....same pain. OMG, I thought, what could be wrong now. I went back to ER and was admitted for five days for what turned out to be auto-immune hepatitis. Lots of IV abx and no problems since.

So, keep at it. Go along with any test she might want to run and insist on any that you think you might need. I don't want you to go along like I did with nothing being resolved for years. Good luck.
Ann

we are going this week for the ultrasound.

My doctors office takes so long because i live in the middle of nowhere and it is over 2hr drive each way, that i can't do, to any other rhummy.

So i have to see her and so does everyone else around here. What bothers me though is that i wait up to 2hrs in the waiting room with one other person each time i visit. So i wonder if they really REALLY need to take that long.