 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / December 2004More formal introduction
Hello, everyone! I've been lurking for some time, with I think one post previously. I'm 29 and have been in excruciating pain for 10 years now. My prior brushes on my frustrations and history with doctors. I'm looking to move out of the area completely by spring just to be closer to medical professionals who aren't so quick to brush off problems. Seriously, I've got bone damage in many joints from whatever has been causing the inflammations, my right big toe is locked sort of - If I bend it, I feel a small click, accomanied by vast amounts of pain. A similar problem has started in the third digit of my right finger. I'm not so much complaining about the pain at this point, so much as the fact the most time a doctor has spent with me is about 20 minutes. I'm told to take ibuprofen without a second thought. I recently checked with a doctor in another area about that reccommendation. He said the amount I was told to take was ridiculous and that I'm lucky to not have permanent kidney damage. (1200mg every 4 hours for 6 weeks). Anyhoo, I'm finally seeing a rheumatologist (2 hours away is the closest!) Let's assume I have RA - from what I can gather, it matches my symptoms closest - what can I expect from the RD? > Hello, everyone! I've been lurking for some time, with I think one post > previously. I'm 29 and have been in excruciating pain for 10 years now. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Let's assume I have RA - from what I can gather, it matches my symptoms > closest - what can I expect from the RD? i think i may have missed welcoming you the first time you posted, ben. soooo, WELCOME to the sandbox. YIKES! 1200mg every 4 hours?! with no followup???? glad you will be seeing an rd. expect a longer first appointment, if this rd is worth his salt. go to www.arthritisinsight.com there should be an area on there that helps you prepare for your first rd visit and knowing what to expect. kate Hello Ben and welcome. You need a better protocol quick! I am just on my way out the door but there is a great website DR. Doc onlin e that will tell you just what to expect from your first trip to the RD. I can google for the link when I get home but I imagine someone in this group will have it boomarked and will post it for you sooner. Melinda >Hello Ben and welcome. You need a better protocol quick! Hi, Ben, welcome from me too. Want me to safeguard your chocolate for you? I come highly recommended. <innocent smile> --- Joan > Want me to safeguard your chocolate for you? > I come highly recommended. <innocent smile> Joan, you misspelled "smirk". <g> >> Want me to safeguard your chocolate for you? >> I come highly recommended. <innocent smile> And Firechief cheekily said. > Joan, you misspelled "smirk". <g> <snicker> Cute one. --- Joan Hey that is two newbies in one day she is trying to shake down. Joan -- were you successful? Duckie who knows who to sit next to in the sandbox > Hi, Ben, welcome from me too. Want me to safeguard your chocolate for you? I > come highly recommended. <innocent smile> > --- > Joan  Signature_('> (_<_) _ _('< -quack (_<_) _ __('< *QUACK!* <_{__) _('< "|,,|_" (_<_) _('< "AFLAC!" (_<_) >Hello Ben and welcome. You need a better protocol quick! > >I am just on my way out the door but there is a great website DR. Doc onlin e >that will tell you just what to expect from your first trip to the RD. It is www.arthritis.co.za Rose @}>->-- Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB Please remove "Ima" to reply. Hi Ben, Glad you found us and that your going to a RD. I hope you can find some answers. Ask them to check for gout also. I just saw on a program the other day about a young man that had this and it was affecting his joints and it took years for them to find out what the cause was. Just a thought. Keep us posted. debbie m. http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/angels1/ > Hello, everyone! I've been lurking for some time, with I think one post > previously. I'm 29 and have been in excruciating pain for 10 years now. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Let's assume I have RA - from what I can gather, it matches my symptoms > closest - what can I expect from the RD? Gout and RA are the only things I've been tested for. The RD thinks I may have Lyme disease of all things! I live in Maine, and I think the disease has only been around this area for 6 years, when I've had whatever-it-is-that-I-have for at least 10. I've been put on Indomethicin to start(75mg), and I go back in a few weeks for a follow up. I'm glad I don't have to take ibuprofen anymore! I've been told to take 1600mg (once, I was told 2000!) every four hours for weeks at a time, even though it hasn't really touched the pain. I feel better in that the RD agreed with me that it was absurd. I didn't feel so good when he poked at my ankles and elbows and said "Hmmm...That's not right." then got another doctor and said "Take a look at this.". Awesome. Awesome to the max. Ben, Please keep us posted. debbie m. http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/angels1/ > Gout and RA are the only things I've been tested for. The RD thinks I > may have Lyme disease of all things! I live in Maine, and I think the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > right." then got another doctor and said "Take a look at this.". > Awesome. Awesome to the max. whoever gave you those ibuprofen directions was way out in left field. The maximum daily dosage is 3200 mg, or 800 mg 4x/day. I know, I spent a lot of time on varying doses of it. If your RD thinks you may have Lyme disease, I hope he's testing you for it. Even if it wasn't in Maine when your symptoms began, you might have picked it up if you traveled out of the state at all. Whatever it is, I hope they find out soon! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Lyme is throughout the United States and Europe. There are now over 300 strains of the disease. Also, many people with Lyme have other tick borne illnesses. Educate yourself about Lyme "tests". The standard tests were never meant to DIAGNOSE Lyme. Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. The tests were meant for statistical use for the CDC (who tracks a certain % of patients who make antibodies). A good site is http://www.lymenet.org Kara Tyson Lyme Disease Support Group of AL Well said and thank you. harv > Lyme is throughout the United States and Europe. There are now over 300 > strains of the disease. Also, many people with Lyme have other tick [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Kara Tyson > Lyme Disease Support Group of AL Lyme is throughout the United States and Europe. There are now over 300 strains of the disease. Also, many people with Lyme have other tick borne illnesses. Educate yourself about Lyme "tests". The standard tests were never meant to DIAGNOSE Lyme. Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. The tests were meant for statistical use for the CDC (who tracks a certain % of patients who make antibodies). A good site is http://www.lymenet.org Kara Tyson Lyme Disease Support Group of AL Ben, my daughter has "late stage" Lyme disease. Please follow up on Kara's post as she was tremendously helpful in guiding her. My daughter is on disability now. Of course I have no way of knowing if early treatment would have prevented the outcome. But the first few doctors she saw told her that Lyme's was not found this far south (Georgia), and did nothing for her. She is now a statistic...and a sick one at that. Fortunately, she found a physician who is more knowledgeable and is working with her. donnah > Gout and RA are the only things I've been tested for. The RD thinks > I [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > right." then got another doctor and said "Take a look at this.". > Awesome. Awesome to the max. > Gout and RA are the only things I've been tested for. The RD thinks I > may have Lyme disease of all things! I live in Maine, and I think the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > right." then got another doctor and said "Take a look at this.". > Awesome. Awesome to the max. Hi Ben, I live in Maine also, and I think it depends on what part of Maine you live in and whether you visited New Hampshire or anyplace South of the Kittery bridge. Lyme made its way slowly north over quite a few years before the authorities really had definitive evidence. It's always good to check for Lyme first. I hope you're working with the rheumatology group in Portland? Cynthia |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.