My fist rheumatology appointment is Monday and I'm already feeling nervous about it, I'm going to be a bundle of nerves monday if I keep it up. If anyone has any advice on making the most of the appointment I would appreciate it. I've been going through my family history with my parents over and over and trying to get my symptoms all down. I know these things can take time, I'm kind of trying to prep myself for the dissappointment of getting no answers. Its happened before with the regular doctors. Its just scary not knowing what excatly is going on and realizing that may not change. Sorry, like I said I'm already jittery
The next appt was the really informative one. Going over the blood tests, xrays. Diagnosis, treatments, etc.
Take lots of notes, ask lots of questions. Make sure the doc answers your questions. Once you get an idea from the doc about what's going on, read up on the treatments so you can participate in making treatment choices.
But for now, it sounds like you're well prepared for your first appt. So relax (ha!)!
Taking notes is a really good idea, especially with my less then sterling memory. I think I have a feel for what to expect now, thank you. :)Just relax! The most iportant thing about all this is that you haev an appt. Th epaperwork will undoubtedly keep you busy for the largest portion of the visit, and take your questions along on a piece of paper so you do not forget anything. IT will then be a series of tests like mentioned and you go from there.
You will be ok......someone is going to help you find answers, that is what it is all about.
Hi Sleepy. I was jittery before my first appointment too, and worked hard at getting ready for it.
If you've got your family history and the history of your symptoms down on paper, I think that's a big help. My primary doc told me to take that to the rheumatologist.
I also had my list of meds (for various things) and supplements typed up, and I had started keeping a daily pain journal, based on the recommendations in a couple of books. I took that too, and a list of questions. I don't know that the pain journal was useful for the first appointment, but I've kept it up and know it will be a good communication tool in the future. The list of meds helped. When he asked me what I take, I just handed him the paper and that saved us time that was better spent talking about the RA.
I don't know if I asked any of the questions I prepared, I sure didn't ask them all. I didn't even expect to, knowing that the right questions would evolve out of whatever happened at the appointment, and they did. I was glad I had the list of questions though, because making it had prepared me mentally to make the most of the appointment.
If you're taking anything for pain now--ibuprofen, celebrex, whatever--I suggest taking a dose before you go unless it's something that makes you very sleepy or loopy, timed so you have the best effect by the time of the appointment. I find that the examination hurts enough, makes me sorer and achier than I started, that it's a little harder to concentrate on the discussion part that follows the joint exam. Having a little pain relief already in the system helps a little bit.
I think a lot of my jitters were about whether my doc would be a good one or a bad one, empathetic or a jerk. We've all had experiences with jerks, and then we read stories about people who have suffered through RDs who are jerks, and we're sick with the thought we might have to go through that too, or go through the long, arduous process of getting in to see a different doctor if we don't like this one.
Mine has turned out to be fine so far. Chances are yours are too. Though the bad doc stories stand out, most people seem more satisfied with their docs than not. Though it's impossible to say until you get there, try to imagine him or her as a good guy and hope for the best. I think that helps the jitters a bit.
And then, in the waiting room, the old deep, slow breathing thing helps as much as anything. You'll be checking out the other patients--what do their hands look like? Are they walking well? Do they look good or bad? And maybe pretending to read a magazine. Yeah, right.
And then waiting in the room after you're sent back. You'd be wringing your hands if you could still wring your hands.
Then the doc comes in things are moving and you get through it and then you leave and get to the car and either there or at home it all comes in on you, whatever happened, positive, negative, encouraging, confusing, scary. And you process it.
My appointment went well, I liked the doc well enough, got a little more in the way of answers than I expected, but as I expected I didn't get them all and found out, as expected, that a whole lot of this would be a wait and see thing. I didn't get any real surprises. But I went home and declared it a Depressed Night. Having been there and heard the doc nod and say that unless we could find something different (we didn't), it just was RA, I was now entering the stage of Dealing With It. That called for some good old fashioned blues.
I went straight to bed and had pizza, wine, and chocolate and watched a movie with my husband and felt sorry for myself and moaned a little about this scary situation and knew that the next day Depression Night would be over and I would be Getting On With Things. Which I did, though I still declare a day or night of Depression when needed. I'm thinking that's a healthy thing, and might help stave off the real thing (depression).
And so the next day you're in a new place. You've seen the RD. It's over, and you're on the path. A whole phase of waiting is past and a long, long time of other kinds of waiting has begun! The jitters are over, and that's a good thing!
So, the jitters are ok, and you're going to be fine. That's not just a pat on the head, it's the way it is.
Good luck!
RK Gal - great description of that first visit!! I'd forgotten about sitting in the waiting room checking out all the other patients! So true. One time I was sitting in the waiting room listening to a younger woman talk to an older patient. Her list of ailments was the longest one I've ever heard from anyone. And yet, she said she felt lucky to be alive and functioning on some level. That blew me away - sitting there as I was pretending to be reading a magazine. What you can learn in the waiting room!
Wow, I have to say you nailed it on the head about a lot of the apprehension I have been feeling! I've had jerks for doctors previously and I really don't want to go through that again. Plus I was frightened to go and sit in the waiting room to wonder if I am staring at my future, I hope that doesn't sound too insenstive. It's frightening not knowing what is going on but finding out something is wrong would certainly take some adjustment too. All fear of the unknown i suppose. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. This seems so foreign in ways. It helps that I don't feel so alone in this also.:)My first appointment is Tuesday. I'm glad I found this site today and Sleepy's message. Good luck Sleepy. Thanks for the advice to the rest.Good luck to you also DebraKay:)
Hey, you guys found each other at the right time, Debrakay and Sleepy! Very cool. And I'm glad you found this board before you went. I think you're right Sleepy, it helps knowing you're not alone. While you're sitting there feeling jittery, and you too Debrakay, you can be thinking of what all you will have to tell the board when you get back.
'Cause we expect reports.
Thank you everyone who replied I will keep you updated:)
Rk gal, you are right. DebraKay, I will have you in mind Monday when I'm driving myself crazy and hopefully waiting to hear something, knowing we are in similar situations and only a day apart! Keep us posted:)Sleepy, I didn't see any feet out of place anywhere...?? So, no worries, whatever it was.
Bulletin board communities have a lot of positive features, but one of the aggravations is wondering if you came across so different than what you meant. The cool thing about this board is that almost always people are giving each other the benefit of the doubt. It seems very rare for any noses to get out of joint (ooh, bad analogy), and then it works out again pretty fast.
I was going to tell you both to go have a good weekend, but you're not going to think about anything else until your Monday and Tuesday are over. At least you get to have your doc appointments behind you for the holidays. That's a fantastic thing.
I just never know for sure with my feet, thought i'd give a heads up:) I'll be planning out Christmas gifts for my three children this weekend plus I have my nephew/godson's baptism. So I am fortunate to have some wonderful things to keep me busy if not tuckered out, but what a good way to spend the nervous moments:)
Don't worry, nothing in your posts were insensitive!
Good luck to both of you. How nice that you both joined in at the same time. Think of each other while you're in the waiting room! And let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the support. I'm thrilled to be going to the doctor. I work in a medical office, and we have patients with this. I'd be lying if I said I was "cool" with the diagnosis. Some of our patient's hands are quite disfigured and I couldn't imagine that for myself. I know, not nice. However, being young..ish and not being able to turn on a faucet, open a jar or can or much of anything else at this point I'm ready to deal with it and move on. It appears that there are a few different medicines out there to help with swelling and pain so things will be fine. (HHmmm, I'm feeling like a Hallmark card)
Anyway, thanks again. Although I would never wish this on anyone, I'm glad I'm not alone.
Debrakay, you sound EXACTLY like I felt before seeing the doctor, on all counts, every word (except I'm not in the medical field). And still feel pretty much what you said.
You know, I'd like to know how long it takes, if ever, for people to be honestly "cool" with the diagnosis. And I don't just mean reaching the state of psychological acceptance. Though yeah, I'd like to know that too. I mean "cool". Learning to act cool, that's one thing, and a fine way of coping and adapting. But being cool? I dunno.
Anyway, though I'm no where near under control yet (I really just started), it was a huge relief to get things improved enough that I could go back to turning on faucets, turning the steering wheel, and so forth. I'm hoping you'll get to that relief point pretty quickly too. Just being able to deal with the day kinda sorta normally helps so much. You start to feel like you're Making Progress, Managing, having Reason to Hope, and all that good Hallmark stuff!
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