RD Visit | Arthritis Information

 

Don't you hate when after waiting 2 months you have one of those appts. where your doctor's hand is on the door knob? I like my doctor and he is usually not like that but tonight he was. I still kept him a half hour though. I had questions and darn it I wanted answers. I thought I was in agreement with him about needing to start a biologic. I thought he had been saying for a year that he thought I needed it. Now he says he can't make that decision- it's up to me what to put in my bod. Says the general consensus is that MTX and a biologic is the way to treat RA now. They don't want to make people just feel better- they want to put people in remission- hell the intention is to try and cure RA with the new drugs.
I said well if I had xrays that showed I have erosions I wouldn't hesitate to go on a biologic but right now I'm not sure not feeling well  warrants the risks since I still go to work and function. He told me it's about PREVENTING the erosions. Anyway he is sending me for xrays of hands, wrists and feet. I have to get this stupid tooth checked out to make sure I don't have an infection and then I think I'm on to Humira. He brought in 2 sureclicks (Enbrel & Humira) without needles to demonstrate the ease. They didn't click loudly like I told him I heard they do. Hmmm maybe they were worn out. They are a lot less scary without needles in them! I told him I heard they burn- oh pshaw he says. I said my thighs are not fatty and my stomach has stretch marks- see? Oh he said you are fine doing it in either place- I would do the thigh.... I bet he never gave himself a shot!
He tried to leave again when I said I hate to have another complaint but my eyes are awfully dry and my mouth. He took a look with a flash light and agreed. Said to go to my eye doctor for a tear test. Thinks I probably have Sojgren's. Said that would reinforce his belief that I really do have RA since because I am sero negative he really doesn't know. He said he does know I certainly presented with severe RA like symptoms. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....
Why do I feel so uneasy after this visit....

edited for spelling
wanttobeRAfree2009-04-30 18:39:42oh Wantto....  sounds like you had to pull info out of him.. but you got your $$$ worth!! good job!

Hi Want,  please don't be scared about giving yourself injections. I do it weekly. The usual routine is to each time, change location-in a circle; Rt thigh, Rt abd, Lft abd, Lft thigh. The first few months I marked it on a pocket calendar kept with my supplies.  The needle is tiny, doesn't hurt at all, especially if you push med in slowly. You can do this! I just gave myself my first enbrel injection tonight. It was really no big deal. I promise!

I'm sero negative too. I get why you are hesitant, I really do. In the end I just decided to take this step and see if I could feel good again. I want my life back, you know? If you go on biologics and they really help, maybe that would be the confirmation of your diagnosis that you are looking for. It's frustrating sometimes not to have "proof" of your disease. My doctor asked me to please get over that and get serious about treatment.

I know this is a big decision... But what if you could feel REALLY good on a biologic? Wouldn't that be amazing? That's what I'm hoping forYeah... it is not THAT bad once you get use to take the shots. I am a needle phobe. I am getting better though. When I was on humira I got better about needles and getting my shot, but if I ever went a month or so without getting a shot, I would revert back to be scared and begging hubby not to give me my shot. I never give my shot in the thigh.  STINGS!!!  I inject in the abdomen.  I hardly feel a thing there.I think I will go for the belly too.
I scheduled my xrays for Monday. I called my eye doctor. I had just had an exam and asked him for contacts with more moisture because my eyes had been red and feeling dry, tearing a lot. So he gave me Oasis lenses. It's been a little better but not great. So today he says- you don't need any test- your eyes are not that dry. You do not have Sjogren's. I don't know what to think- they were never bothersome like this before- my mouth is dry too and I have not been taking any new medication or anything.  I always really liked this doctor. Do I go somewhere else for a 2nd opinion or take his word for it? I don't think they really do anything for Sjogren's anyway do they?

Wanttobe - It's really not bad.  It's a short 15 sec sting.  You are doing well and continue to work, but maybe this will make life even better and stop progression so that you can continue to do well. 

WTB, I know how you feel about your RD's attitude during your visit.  I have had some make me feel that way.  Kind of like, well, they really don't have time for you but you're there, so they will see you if you don't take up too much time.  Makes you feel like they really don't care all that much, or maybe like its all no big deal.  Yet it is so important to you, it is your health after all.  IDK how exactly you should deal with that.  Maybe try talking to him again, if the attitude is the same, 2nd opinion time. 

I'm sure sorry, it sure does not make you feel any better to have such a visit, especially after waiting for 2 months to ask questions. As far as the shots go, I bring mine to room temp, then inject into the belly... no pain.  Just make sure you keep firm, downward pressure on the pen until that little flag appears.  I find injecting into the belly less stingy than the thighs.  I lay in bed, like I am reading, to do my injection.  I usually have been reading, waiting for the shot to warm up... then "click-done-off to sleep"!   Waddie- I actually like this doctor. He is my second. Usually he is very thorough and attentive but every so often he is like he was last night. Probably a personal reason for it I guess. He seemed pre-occupied.
Yeah between him saying he wasn't sure I have RA and that it was my body therefore bottom line  is it's my decision what I want to put into it...I guess it's true but it made me feel uneasy about making a decision. It could just be the way I am interpreting his words too. It just seemed like he was so for it all along and now that I was warming up to the idea I got a different reaction.
I asked him straight out about what his experience was with seeing side effects from Humira in his patients. he admitted that he has seen infections. I said yeah but not the fatal kinds they warn about right? He said well- mostly small ones that have been easily cleared up but he has had several patients that had to been hospitilized and it was a big deal.

It is a big decision. Not one that should be made lightly. The truth is we are all scared of the medicines. I wish you luck in what ever you decide.
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