Monday, February 15, 2010

I don't know to laugh or cry

I went to the Rheumatologist today. But before I share I want to recap that Dr. Rutherford that I have been seeing told me I was out of his league and I had to find another doctor. Remember that part.

He had obiviously reviewed my files from 2007 before the appointment because he kept referring to how I was then compared to now and after x rays he noted changes from my last x rays.

So I started out telling him how bad I feel and how my bones, joints and muscles hurt. He asked what I was taking for the fibromyalgia and I told him nothing, but shared that I had tried Lyrica and told him about the swelling it caused. He wrote down two meds on a post it note and handed it to me. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I was thinking Target isn't going to take this. Then he said to tell my doctor that I need one of these meds. I told him my doctor said I was out of his league and I should find a new doctor.

Then I told him about my skin and everything I've tried and showed him what shape my skin is in. We talked about the prednisone. He didn't really seem to care that I have been on the prednisone for so long. I told him I wanted to get off of it, but he didn't comment.

He had me to get up on the table and he did a thorough exam and noted that I had some swollen joints, which is surprising since I've been on prednisone.. He also said it is hard to examine someone with firbromyalgia because of how tender they are. I can't help that, every touch hurts.

I told him my ana has came back positive 3 times now and he said it always will. I asked him what that meant and he said something I don't understand about antibodies and arthritis and lupus. So I asked him about lupus and he said Dr. Rutherford would know if I had lupus or not. I told him I believe Dr. Rutherford wanted me to see someone else for that.

Then he sent me to x rays and they x rayed every bone in my body.

Back to the room and he came in to look at x rays. He noted some arthritis, but not as much as he had feared. He said my spine doesn't curve correctly. My muscles in my neck and across my shoulders are stretched tight. The muscles are also like that in my lower back and rear. The tight stretched muscles are painful.

He said he was going to order blood work and send the results to Dr. Rutherford.
:huh: Dr. Rutherford has already done his own blood work and decided I needed to see someone else. :doh:
So I repeated that Dr. Rutherford said I was out of his league and to find a new doctor. This didn't faze him because he continued to say once he got the blood work back he would write up a report and send it to Rutherford, but he should have it in about two weeks.

Then he was standing handing me my file and told me I needed to reduce my stress as he shook my hand and left.

My next stop was the lab where they drew 8 tubes of blood.

I feel like I wasted a day, gas, wear and tear on my van driving over there and my $$$. And to top it off, Jody took off a day of work to take me over there. :fire:
He didn't tell me anything, nor did he give me any prescriptions and he is going to send the results to a doctor who said I was out of his league. I have no idea where this leaves me.

1 comment:

Mama Teaching 3 said...

Dear Sweet Friend, I am praying.