howdy from dallas!

[Guest guest]

Welcome and Congratulations on your recent marriage! Hope your Rheumy

helps you with some of your issues but if not you can always do like the rest

of us and keep looking until you find one that will! I think you are lucky to

have a medical background (in your Dad) as there are so many questions when

diagnosed. Good Luck! (Va.)

[Guest guest]

> OK, I am one of lurkers. I was lurking until I was " officially "

diagnosed, which was last week. I am in Dallas, too--hi Rita. After

reading a lot about y'all, I feel lucky! I don't have full blown P,

just vile toenails and scaly scalp--spondylitis runs on my paternal

side of the family in men, and so I have " just " PA) and am pretty

confused. I have pain in three finger knuckles so far and am

scheduled for an MRI on my knee after the new year. At this point,

the rhuemy (Dr Cheatum--he is on the " not recommended " list for this

group, but he was voted one of the best rhuemies in Dallas by D

magazine) says I don't need any of the stronger meds (MTX, Enbrel)

since my case is so mild. But I am starting to be worried about

disfigurement (although I think one of my fingers is already a goner)

and progression. My knee problems really only started in the past 2

months.

>

> I am getting tired of the pain and I am now scared that I will not

be able to run or bike again (I haven't for a few months--taking a

breather from just getting married, but I was planning on starting

again after Christmas). All you Dallas/Metroplex people: Who do you

see for a rhuemy? What have you heard about Cheatum? I find him

steeped in medical terminology (not much of a problem for me since my

dad was a dr and can still help me figure stuff out), not super

communicative, and close-minded to anything

homeopathic/natural/alternative. So far I can take ibuprofen and that

helps the pain, but I have high blood pressure (I'm only 33--another

great genetic trait from my father's side) and should really avoid

it. Vioxx seems to help too, but I'm worried about the liver effects

of that.

>

> I would love to hear a few opinions from y'all about what I should

do and if there are others that have recently been diagnosed.

> --julie in dallas

>

>

Hi, ,

I'm in North Dallas. I've had PA for almost 35 years (HLAB27

positive; I have the psoriatic spondylitis component), and I've gone

through probably 12 rheumatologists, an equal number of internists,

throw in a handful of dermatologists, and, since I've been in the

Dallas area, 2 pain specialists. Currently, Dr. Don Cheatum is my

rheumatologist of record (my primary doc is an internist), although I

doubt I'll go back. I saw him first about 7 months ago; I hadn't been

to a rheumatologist in a number of years, and wanted to see if there

was anything new.

For what it's worth, Dr. Cheatum seems to me to be pretty much

as you stated. Actually, he seems to be kinda like New York City:

Everyone should see him once (and then go home, or in this case, to a

more communicative doc). As a diagnostic clinician, I give him high

marks; as a partner in managing one's disease, I give him extremely

low marks. In the long run, I think you would be happier and better

informed, and have greater input into your treatment, with a

different doc--but starting out with Dr. Cheatum will have allowed

you to be evaluated initially by one of the best diagnostic

rheumatologists to be found. To reduce this to a metaphor, Cheatum

makes a great " travel agent " (letting you know where you need to go),

but find a better " airplane pilot " to actually get you there.

D.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/22/2003 1:20:48 PM Eastern Standard Time,

huculka@... writes:

> I would love to hear a few opinions from y'all about what I should do and if

there are others that have recently been

> diagnosed.

> --julie in dallas

Hi ,

I was diagnosed 18 months ago at 32, so I can relate, and I also have a pretty

mild case, similar to what you describe with a few bad finger joints and some

minor damage in my knees. Also get pain on the bottoms of my feet and in my

lower back. I tend to err on the alternative side of treatment, and I'll tell

you what I am doing: I take Bextra, 20 mg once a day, and if I am going through

a rough period, I take 2 a day (they say not to do this, but my rheumy says it

is no worse for your liver than methotrexate). I went through a lot of physical

therapy with " self management " as the goal...they taught me how to move my

fingers, increase movement to the joints, do the same with my feet, and special

exercises for my back. I also went to aquatic physical therapy. Now that I am

strong again, I do pilates and water exercises regularly. I take folic acid,

which helps a lot with my energy level. I tried to keep my job (55 hours a

week) but have finally determined that I can't get the rest I need and maintain

a reasonable social life while working that much, so I am going on long term

disability and will be able to work only 30 hours a week which will help. Going

through all of that PT took a lot of time, and I took 8 weeks of FMLA leave to

do it. I was lucky that it was paid leave, its worth checking into your

benefits package at your job, a lot of time, people have benefits they aren't

aware of. Anyway, part of why I have done all of this is that I can't do mtx

and work (my job is in the wine and liquor industry) and can't do enbrel for

other reasons. So I am determined to be better without those meds, at least as

long as I can:-) Until I start to have visible damage, I will avoid those meds.

I also have done a lot of research on diet, and try to avoid wheat and processed

foods.

All of this is made easier by the fact that I have a very holistic rheumy who

supports my " lifestyle needs " . So if I were you, I would be looking for a

different doctor.

I know there are many people on this board who do very well wtih Enbrel and MTX,

so you shouldn't rule out either of those things, but I thought you would also

like to hear an alternative approach. Also, you might want to look up old posts

from Elfstrom...he has done way more research into diet and exercise and

has managed his illness almost completely medication free.

Hope this helps!