Re:Restless Legs and Arms

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I am not really new to this group, but have been reading all the posts for the

last couple of months.

I am a Physical Therapist who only occassionally works as a full time job is

too strenuous and stressful for my P and PA. I am 54 years old and have had P

for about 10 years and PA which was finally definitively diagnosed.

What I have learned the most from these conditions is that you have to seek

the best , most knowlegeable medical care you can. I was using our local

medical physicians and even though one of them was a rheumatoplogist, they were

of no use. Finally, picked myself up and went to Manhattan and saw a

dermatologist in a major medical center who started me on methotrexate and

humira. I had been on MTX a few years ago, but that rheumy was overdosing me,

by having me take 7 pills at one time. The new dermatologist started me on 2

pills one at nite and one in morning and every month gradually increased me till

I was up 8 and totally clear with the lesions. Then he began to slowly decrease

them. Of course liver panels were done every month. He also recommended a well

respected and extremely knowlegeble Rheumatologist who recommeded Remicade as

some of my joints were becoming eroded. I have had 3 treatments so far and feel

better. Less aches.

Sometimes, we tend to believe the doctors, because we do not have their

medical training, but I always have questioned them through the years and no one

could really give the right treatment and certainly would not explain the

medical rationale behind their prescriptions.

You have to question all the time and ask why they are prescribing this and

what are the goals of the treatment.

Even though NYC is 100 miles from me and I live in the Catskills, I manage to

take the bus in and see these physicians.

Hope that this helps.

Doris

[Editor's Note: You are 100% right, Doris! I now also live in the Catskills

(near Woodstock - overlooking the Ashokan - where are you?) but still travel

every other month to a rheumatologist I think is great in NYC. It's a 5 hour

round trip drive but I would travel twice as far to see a doctor I respected and

trusted. Kathy F.]

[Guest guest]

Amen to that! You said it all. I travel 2 hours to my Rheumalogist, at the

London Health Sciences Center. Worth it!

Ontario

[ ] Re:Restless Legs and Arms

> Hi Everyone,

>

> I am not really new to this group, but have been reading all the posts

> for the last couple of months.

> I am a Physical Therapist who only occassionally works as a full time job

> is too strenuous and stressful for my P and PA. I am 54 years old and

> have had P for about 10 years and PA which was finally definitively

> diagnosed.

> What I have learned the most from these conditions is that you have to

> seek the best , most knowlegeable medical care you can. I was using our

> local medical physicians and even though one of them was a

> rheumatoplogist, they were of no use. Finally, picked myself up and went

> to Manhattan and saw a dermatologist in a major medical center who started

> me on methotrexate and humira. I had been on MTX a few years ago, but

> that rheumy was overdosing me, by having me take 7 pills at one time. The

> new dermatologist started me on 2 pills one at nite and one in morning and

> every month gradually increased me till I was up 8 and totally clear with

> the lesions. Then he began to slowly decrease them. Of course liver

> panels were done every month. He also recommended a well respected and

> extremely knowlegeble Rheumatologist who recommeded Remicade as some of my

> joints were becoming eroded. I have had 3 treatments so far and feel

> better. Less aches.

> Sometimes, we tend to believe the doctors, because we do not have their

> medical training, but I always have questioned them through the years and

> no one could really give the right treatment and certainly would not

> explain the medical rationale behind their prescriptions.

> You have to question all the time and ask why they are prescribing this

> and what are the goals of the treatment.

> Even though NYC is 100 miles from me and I live in the Catskills, I

> manage to take the bus in and see these physicians.

>

> Hope that this helps.

> Doris

>

>

> [Editor's Note: You are 100% right, Doris! I now also live in the

> Catskills (near Woodstock - overlooking the Ashokan - where are you?) but

> still travel every other month to a rheumatologist I think is great in

> NYC. It's a 5 hour round trip drive but I would travel twice as far to

> see a doctor I respected and trusted. Kathy F.]

[Guest guest]

I agree 100%. I challenge my RD and even have actually had a

shouting match with him. But it took my stop seeing him for 7 months

to get across to him I was not being pushed off to the side

with " everything " being Fibro. I even stopped my meds. to show him

what I was talking about. After he saw for himself the lesions and x-

rays of my spine, he changed his tune. His nic name for me is Saucey

because I don't let him get by with anything. We hit horns every

time I see him. I am right there in his face if I feel like he is

ignoring me. We have to be proactive to be able to be treated

correctly by the Drs. we see. This is a MUST.

Hugs,

Corie

>

> Hi Everyone,

> You have to question all the time and ask why they are

prescribing this and what are the goals of the treatment.

> Even though NYC is 100 miles from me and I live in the

Catskills, I manage to take the bus in and see these physicians.

>

> Hope that this helps.

> Doris

>

>

> [Editor's Note: You are 100% right, Doris! I now also live in

the Catskills (near Woodstock - overlooking the Ashokan - where are

you?) but still travel every other month to a rheumatologist I think

is great in NYC. It's a 5 hour round trip drive but I would travel

twice as far to see a doctor I respected and trusted. Kathy F.]

>