my doctor appt. | Arthritis Information

I saw my rhemotologist last week and she diagnosed me with RA, she said its a mild form. She is starting me on a drug called Plaquenil. The doctor put me on prednisone 5mg about a week and while it helped alot with the flare symptoms I had but started have some severe anxiety, which is totally not normal for me. The Rhemmy said it probably is not the steriod because its a low dose but it must be, it began the same time. And as I taper off, I am beginning to feel better. I am worried that my flare symptoms will come rushing back.

I will be finding a new doctor, I do not care for this rhemotologist at all. She ignores most of my questions and when she does answer them its all in doctor speak that I have no hope of understanding.

This rhemotologist had ordered MRI's of both wrists and hands. When she was looking at them she says "there's so many of them", and she was ticked because they took them all of my bone and not my joint. I don't know a thing about MRI's, I guess you can have one for joints and one for the bones, but why in heavens name didn't she specify!

Anyhow, I look forward to a second opinion, and some answers not just more and more questions.....

Lori

Hey, tinkster, sorry you ended up with a doctor who sounds like they have little empathy and a God complex. You deserve to have your questions answered, not just be shown what superior knowledge she has. I hope yur next one is better. I have a really great GP and a really great RD and I don't know how I would deal with this stuff if they weren't. It is worth shopping around!
I'm really sorry abut your diagnosis, to, but at least now you know what you are contending with.
Lori, run, don't walk to the next RD. A good team of doctors is essential. You need a doctor than you can communicate with. My RD, internist, cardiologist are a real team and like Gimpy I don't know how I would deal with all of this if I didn't have them. I haven't always had a good team and spent several years in denial which resulted in RA complications and joint damage. Take care and keep us posted. LindyI had but started have some severe anxiety

Don't know how many times I have heard the docs say it is not the drugs.
I'll bet both the leftie and the right that it is the drugs.

sorry you're DX'd w/ this.... and you do deserve someone who will be attentive to YOU and YOUR health.... nothing less is acceptable.

AS far as anxiety..... I doubt that any of us who have been lifted out of the bad experience of a flare doesn't fear the return of those feelings... I know I do...

I was actually more anxious until I began to feel better... Once I started to feel better each day my anxieties about everything were lessened tremendously..... I hope that you find that happening as well.....

good luck.. keep us posted.

tinkster, well at least you have a diagnosis. Get your records ASAP and start your own health record, no one else will do it. It goes either one way or the other from all the stories in here - you get a great first rheumy and it all works out, or you have to blow through a few to find someone with a brain and is human to you. Good luck. Be sure to get your field vision test baseline before starting the Plaquinel, but I bet she forgot to do that. I was able to take my last predlisone yesterday morning. Because I was only on it for six or seven days I was able to wean off fairly quickly. A good portion of my anxiety has already left, so the theory that 5 mg was not enough to cause the anxiety was bs. I hope I can find a good rhemotologist next week, wish me luck....

Lori

Lori,

I switched RD's early in the process and it was the best thing I ever did! In my opinion, good docs like and appreciate patients who ask questions. They also want patients to have a good understanding of their illness.

I hope your doctor search goes well. A kind and compassionate RD is a necessity!