Re: To Kathy F.- Advice for my visit to new rheumy

[Guest guest]

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for your great advice too! I received the name of this rheumy from

my GP when I told him I wouldn't go back to the other doctor he suggested

because he was making light of the pain I was in and was not aggressive enough.

So hopefully, this doctor will be.

I am becoming much more educated thanks to this group and because I am

studying PA for a report I'm doing in my Phlebotomy class.

Thank you so much!

Pugnfriend@... wrote:

,

I'd also ask your rheumy what treatment regimens he/she tends to prefer and

how aggressive he is in treating PA symptoms and the pain associated with them.

For example, there is no point in staying with this new doctor if he believes in

taking

things very slowly if, in fact, you are seeking more aggressive treatment.

There is also no point in staying with this doctor if he prefers strong

allopathic medications while you prefer a more holistic approach. Therefore, I

would also discuss with the new doctor his/her treatment philosophy as well as

the next steps that you have in mind. If the doctor doesn't agree with your

next steps, is he willing to discuss with you the reasons why not? For me,

one of the most important things about my rheumy is the amount of time he is

willing to spend answering my questions re choosing one thing vs. another.

He loves the fact that I have become a highly educated patient and he welcomes

the discussions we have regarding medications, the results of my last liver

panels, etc. I think that this open dialogue is a very important attribute

in a doctor/patient relationship.

Kathy F.