Hey Guys,
I had my appointment with my Rheumy last week and I have not seen her since I started Enbrel. I told her about my weight gain and she said that she's heard nothing about it with Enbrel...indicating that i'm getting fat on my own! How can this be if all my life i've been no more than 110lbs?!?!?! Do I know my body or does she? As well I told her about my headaches and she acted as if she didn't believe me either. You know that real thick booklet that comes with Enbrel...well I took the time to read that damn thing one day and it does indicate a risk of weight gain and headaches.!!!!!
As you know I can't give myself Enbrel. I'm going to go on vacation and need to get it done at the clinic on my trip. So, I needed a note from her to give to the doctor I see. She rolled her eyes at me when I asked her and said, you know diabetics have to give themselves needles a whole lot more times than you. I know i should be giving themselves, but I'm just not ready yet, however, why would a doctor say that to their patient?!?!
Besides that frustrating eposides, I'm doing real well. My blood work is excellent and I feel great!
THanks for listening guys!
Girl; I'd switch doctors in a heart beat. I would never be able to stand a doctor with that sort of attitude.
Glad to hear you're doing fairly well. Hope it just gets better and better!!
Lovie
I'd have to agree with Lovie, Time for a new Doctor. Good to see your doing well.took me 4 docs before i found this one!!! just look to the next one... anyone that makes you feel like *&%* and gives you the run around is not for you!!! Ask around in the waiting room of other places, ask for a referral from your regular doc, call your insurance and see if they have a rating system... may help.
(you will give yourself shots.. im PARANOID of needles and i ve done all of my shots.. and im going to vacation in july!)
good luck
Jalebi,
I KNOW exactly how you feel. I have never been more than 107-110 lbs my whole adult life either and now all of a sudden I'm up to 130. And getting to and maintaining 110 was a struggle. I could lose weight just by thinking about it. Since I've been on enbrel I've gained 20+ pounds and gone up 2 sizes.
I had also been getting the headaches. Saw my primary care and she gave me migraine meds. They helped but I was taking them daily.
I saw my rheumy about 3 weeks ago and he put me on a beta blocker for the headaches and elevated blood pressure (also from the enbrel). And I have had just one headache since I've been on it. It makes me sleepy though which I'm hoping will taper off.
Unfortunately I haven't been able to lose this weight. I just started taking public transportation to work instead of driving as a means to get in some walking. Hopefully this bit of exercise will help.
Also for your rheumy - if she's not compassionate enough then she's not good enough for you. You deserve an understanding doctor.
Hang in there
You will know true liberation when you say the magic words "You're fired!" to that rheumy. Don't put up with that kind of treatment. Please do yourself a favor and find a new doc.
Janis
I would change docs too, if possible. My RD hadn't heard anyone else mention weight gain when I did. However, she just said "hmmmm... I don't know... no one else has mentioned it, but it could be." I didn't gain much (about 5 pounds), but I have found it impossible to take back off. Everybody's body is different! mY RHEUMY IS JUST LIKE YOURS AND I'M AT WITS END WITH HER. MY COUSIN IS A MEDICAL STUDENT AND IS TRYING TO FIND ME THE BEST RHEUMY IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, TX. I'M ON SULFAZINE AND PRED. AND I HAVE GAINED 40 LBS WITH THESE MEDS. FORTUNATELY I'M 5'10" AND THAT HELPS SOME BUT I'M UP TWO DRESS SIZES. AND NOW HAVE A TUMMY! ugg! I'VE NEVER BEEN ON A DIET IN MY WHOLE LIFE AND DR SAYS LOSING PRED. WEIGHT WAS HARD IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE.I have gained 15 lbs over the last two years from arthritis meds, mostly from off and on steroid use. I doubt that's uncommon. But, it's also possible to gain weight from not being able to move around a lot. My current doc mentioned this. Although I weigh more than I would like, and my doc said he wouldn't advise me to gain weight, he said my current weight wasn't posing a health problem. Weighing more puts more stress on your joints, but that mostly applies to those who are overweight, not if you're a little more than your ideal weight.
Let's see I am 35#'s over my ideal weight (118). Would that be considered over-weight?
I had a RD that was a really insensitive person, she called me "flubby & mushy" to my face! After she helped me to NOT get SSI, I stopped going to her. And just went to a regular doc. I might find me a new RD when I get insurance again. I would have to drive over an hour away for one again probably.
We do have one RD in town, but he is slower than a turtle, if he was a turtle trying to cross the road he would be hit by every car going down that road! Unless!! Someone was nice enough to try to swerve to miss him, then he would get clipped by the back tire.
He is in his 70-80's!!! I kinda hope he is trying to find someone to take over his practice, someone younger and someone who will stay in the room with you, instead of going out and coming back in like 5 times, and then you do not even know why he was leaving out of the room in the first place??!!
Egads!! I have to agree with the others about finding a new Rheumy. I'd probably have to advise the current one of her lousy bedside manner as well. Everyone is afraid of something. Wouldn't you just love to find out what her ONE fear is so you could roll your eyes back at her.
Peace & Love...Neasy I would change doctors and also write your current doctor a letter, advising her why you changed. You could make it very polite, but inform her that: I need a doctor who is undestanding and not judgemental. I need a doctor who is there to listen to me, not belittle me, etc. Good luck! Love, Juliah Hi Jalebi, Sounds more and more like these poooooor docs are just soooooo tired of having to listen to people complain about their poor health. "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUSE ME!!! "DR --------, you are the weekest link......goodbye"
Seriously, I agree with the others, time for a new DR. and definately let the insurance and the Dr's office know why. I liked the way Juliahh worded it. Anger aside and right to the point. Neasy; Too Funny!!
Good Luck,
Hey Guys, I had my appointment with my Rheumy last week and I have not seen her since I started Enbrel. I told her about my weight gain and she said that she's heard nothing about it with Enbrel...indicating that i'm getting fat on my own! How can this be if all my life i've been no more than 110lbs?!?!?! Do I know my body or does she? As well I told her about my headaches and she acted as if she didn't believe me either. You know that real thick booklet that comes with Enbrel...well I took the time to read that damn thing one day and it does indicate a risk of weight gain and headaches.!!!!! As you know I can't give myself Enbrel. I'm going to go on vacation and need to get it done at the clinic on my trip. So, I needed a note from her to give to the doctor I see. She rolled her eyes at me when I asked her and said, you know diabetics have to give themselves needles a whole lot more times than you. I know i should be giving themselves, but I'm just not ready yet, however, why would a doctor say that to their patient?!?! Besides that frustrating eposides, I'm doing real well. My blood work is excellent and I feel great! THanks for listening guys! I've been on Enbrel 2 years and gained 40 lbs. on it. I maintained my weight (was slim) for years prior to it. My rheumy smirked and said I'm eatting too much even though I've been eating the same for past many years. I went off Enbrel about 3 times during the past 2 years. Each time I went off the weight dropped, but inflammation came back so I would go back on it. Fed up with being a Fatsie, less than 10 days ago , to my doctor's disgust, I requested to go back on Methotrexate and off Enbrel to see what happens with my weight. And in this short time I have lost about 4 pounds. But, my knees are filling with fluid. If the Methotrexate doesn't kick in, I may have to get them drained. Enbrel kept my knees in better condition. Also on Enbrel my lipid panel went from normal to very high. Again my rheumy says its because i gained weight. My nutritionist says Enbrel is a lipid based med and caused the weight gain and high lipid panel. I called the Enbrel people and they have not done testing on Enbrel and weight gain, or Enbrel and the user's lipid panel. And she said she knows of no plans to test those areas. And she was very hostile about it when I asked why they won't do studies on that. I think they may know more about this than they are letting on because they are making tons of money on it. Some people will not want to take it if they fear gaining weight or getting higher cholestrerol or tryglicerides, etc. Others will accept those side- effects. My pharmacist said a lot of people gain weight on it. When I mentioned that to my doctor he blew up & wanted to know who this pharmacist was. But, in all fairness, the Enbrel gave me tremendous relief with my joint pain. That part was great. But aside from turning some people into fatsies, is it putting peoples heart health at risk? That is a serious issue. Did anyone else find that they gained weight or their lipid panel skyrocketed? i agree with everyone else, you should defintly change drs. She is there to help you not put you down...Hope you find one that actually helps you and listens to what you have to say...
hugs, wayney
oh yes, just like everyone has already said.. TIME to get a new rheumy
and before ur last appointment tell her why u changed! I cant stand
doctors that are like that.
Anyway I started enbrel about 2wks ago, and the day after I get a
horrible headache. I got my injection last nite and my head is POUNDING
right now :( Last week same thing, but it went away the day after. So
we shall see. good luck to you!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com