New Rhumy Visit..Positive Result

[Guest guest]

Ok, now THAT was what I expected a first visit to be about. This

doctor checked every single movable joint in my body, tested blood

pressure, eyes, etc. She asked me alot of questions, and then I got

to ask her all mine. All total I was there for about an hour and a

1/4. The Results are currently as follows:

the rhumy wants me to start taking injectable MTX, as the 20mg dosage

doesn't seem to be having any affect on anything but my psoriasis.

None of my joints have changed, and in fact, more have become

involved. So I guess starting in the new year I'm going to have to

learn how to give myself injections...BRR!!! I will need your help on

this folks...i'm so scared of needles, just typing this out is making

my eyes well up with tears....

She also wants to start me on Plaquenil, as apparently MTX and

plaquenil together work pretty darn well, Imagine, an anti-malarial

drug working together with MTX works better. Funny thing that.

She also wants to take me off the Naproxen and put me on Flurbiprofen

instead. Anybody know anything about this stuff? It sounds like

ibruprofen....?

She also has signed me up for a marijuana for pain control study, and

is willing to give me a perscription for it, so that's cool.

She sat and patiently answered every single question I had in my

book. We covered different drugs, why and when they should be used,

physiotherapy(which she suggested I look into for my back, which she

says is definatly involved) MRI/Xrays, what I expect in a care giver,

man..every single question I could come up with.

That was a MOST positive visit. She also told me that although the

rhumy I went to see before was an excellent rhumatologist, that an

initial visit should take more than 10 mins, which is about what I

had with him. She said she's heard about his manners before, and was

shocked when I told her that people I'd met here on the boards have

had experiences with him as well, and that we networked the way we

did. She asked me about the PA boards, and asked if that's

where I learned all the questions I should ask. I told her yes, that

it was alot of help and excellent support. She said I was very

educated for such a recently diagnosed patient. This woman I can work

with.

Thank goodness. I feel comfortable in her hands.

I'm still not happy about having to start needles. I know...I

know..inject it slowly, make sure it's room temperature before

injecting, and freeze the area to be injected with frozen veggies

first, right? See..I learn

Love and Light

Crystal