So...I have had no health insurance for 3 months saving myself 5880.00
dollars (california is one of those states where HIPAA portability is
expanded to 6 months).  I have managed to find health insurance that
is an HMO through an acupuncture association.  I had to change PCP's
as my RA and pulmonary specialist are with one medical group while my
PCP was with another.  I just got back from seeing this new doc.  I
had blood work done last week.

I am very very unhappy-well actually make that PO'd to the extreme.
As always my cholesterol is great.  Good HDL and very low LDL, low
triglycerides, etc.  Everything else was good as well.

This very weird Doc (who I will not be returning to), informed me that
I probably didn't have RA as my RA factor is negative.  He said, "you
are overweight and that is probably what's wrong with your
knees"  (and hands?)    I tried to expalin to him that when I was
diagnosed with RA, I weighed 140 lbs and for my 5"10 runner's frame
that made me look anorexic (size 2-4).  He told me that I had to have
a bad relationship with food and needed to be in therapy to resolve my
"issues".  I asked him what he knew about corticosteroids and weight
gain.  He said that pred causing weight gain was a myth.

I am stunned.  I eat better than anyone.  I gain weight everytime I do
extended pred.  I don't lose it.  I gain no weight ever when I am not
on pred.  I have low blood pressure.  I come from a family of very
tall skinny people.  I was one for years.  Funny thing is that I
really would love to snap my fingers and weigh 140 again but that is
not going to happen.  so I keep active-I don't surf but i do lift
weights; I don't run but I live on that treamill; I do tai chi and
yoga every day.

I don't have self esteem issues and weight has never made one bit of
difference in my life socially

However, you don't get to tell me that I don't have RA but rather have
knee problems because I am too fat.  That is bad medicine; that is
misdiagnosing.  (That is also recorded.  i love my little phone that
can just record conversations all over the place.)  I am going to
switch docs and then heads are going to roll.

You know he could have gone many places with this including asking if
i was interested in any info about weight loss.  he could have asked
how physical I was.  He could have told me that my knees would be
happier if I could  lose weight.  What he doesn't get to do is tell me
I don't have RA just plain old osteo because I now weigh 220.

I tried to tell him that the biologics would not work nor would pred
if I didn't have inflammatory arthritis.  I tried to tell him that my
CRP and SED rate were much much higher before enbrel.  Finally I
stopped trying to tell him anything and just left.

I have to say I am stunned that a doctor is so misinformed.  I had one
of those cool whole body scans two years ago and my arteries are
excellent.  My blood glucose is perfect.  my blood pressure is still a
little too low.  I have the best cholesterol of any one I know.  Well,
I think none of that counts to this guy. I guess I'll get myself into
therapy and find out why I have issues with food <g>

m