At long last..

7worlds

Was last at the hospital in November when my rhummy took me off Meth and put me on Lef. Because of this, they wanted to see me in March. March came and went, so i rang appointments to be told i wasnt on the list. After ringing various numbers as often as i could,(work full time and not allowed phone on shopfloor) and leaving messages, i just wasnt getting anywhere. Well, finally got through to someone today who said they would probably get into trouble but would give me an appointment for the 15th Aug. My doctor has been ok but he dosent want to mess with what the rhummy has prescribed, yet i am having problems. Big weight loss(weigh 6st 4lb now) and needing steroid injections a bit too much. So much so that my doctor wont give me anymore until i see the rhummy again.Will ask for some pocket duties closer to the time.So relieved!

7worlds

frogmorton

Of course 7worlds

you can count on us.

Glad you will get some help soon...fair way from March though isn't it? :roll:

Love and hugs (and some calories )

toni xxx

barbara12

Hi 7worlds
Of course I will be in your pocket, Im so glad you rang and got that appointment, these hospital have a lot to answers for.
You take care xx

dreamdaisy

That appointment is a month away and indeed I'll be there for support, but, to be honest, your weight concerns me. Is your GP aware of how thin you have become? As for the 'getting into trouble' - ye gods. If one can get into trouble for helping a patient what hope is there? :roll: DD

7worlds

Thanks Toni, Barbara and DD. Hey D.D. I did menton the weight loss to the doc, but he didnt really say much. Not sure if its the drugs,arthur or both. i do know somethings not right which was why i was so glad to finally get an appointment before i dissapear completely

7worlds

dreamdaisy

I've never lost weight due to the arthritis or the meds (apart from when I weaned myself off the oral steroids) but we are all so different in how we react to stuff. How tall are you? If you're my height (5' 7") you will indeed disappear if you turn sideways but if you're under 5' it may not seem so bad. It still bothers me though, that is a very low weight for an adult. DD

earthspirit

your weight loss is severe, even if you might have been overweight at some point. i have lost around 2stones and very often feel too sick and ill to eat so i have ensure plus drinks (on prescription) to at least maintain what weight i have.

this is what i have been told: your RA is very severe and the disease is eating at your lean tissue (muscle) as well as how it acts on the joints. i did not suffer any weight loss until i took kenalog steroid intramuscular jab and then after another jab 6 months later i lost another chunk of weight.

i have asked doctors, i have googled till i am sick to the back teeth of looking and i have also asked on here - nobody will say if steroid jabs can cause this weight loss on top of any damage done by RA. i did find a couple of references to weight loss associated with steroid jabs but they were extracts and would have cost me about £50 to sign up to the medical sites i found them on.

i dont know the answers but have spoken to a couple of other skinny people who have lost the weight due to RA. it seems its part and parcel of the disease as it progresses and is not serious unless you are way beneath your bmi (in my case i am by about half stone to stone). ive never been overweight and was always quite lean and had good muscle tone. my arms are scrawny and the thigh just above my knees is wasted - turnips on sticks when i look in mirror.

nobody on the medical side seems too concerned but allthough overweight people are told to get the weight off to help joints, nobody seems to care about the stress it causes when you get thin.

if this weight loss of yours has made you thin, rather than just help you get rid of an excess, please do try to get some answers and post them on here!!!

stickywicket

I’m glad you have the appointment, 7worlds, but it’s still a whole month away and I don’t like the sound of that weight loss. What did you weigh before the lef? Weight loss is one of the main listed side effects of lef and I think it’s one that is listed as needing dealing with quickly. I agree with DD that, unless you are very petite to start off with, you should make an appointment with your GP specifically about the weight loss. I’m sure he could pull a few strings for you and get you an earlier appointment with the consultant.

7worlds

Hey D.D. Sticky and Earthspirit. I am nearly 5ft and before the weight loss ( and the disease, diagnosed 1 year ago) i was 7st 7lbs so i was a normal healthy weight. Thats a loss of 1st3lb. think im probably heading below the proper range now. The doc and my blood nurse just told me to mention it to the rhummy. its other people who seem concerned when they see me. Asked if there was no way to see someone earlier, but she told me Aug was the earliest. Hols etc... I could probably fit into my 11yr old daughters clothes! lol.

7worlds

Folara

Oh 7worlds that's not sounding good. You should put in an official complaint about the appointment. As Sticky said that's a month away and the way you are losing weight sounds serious. What has your doc said about the weight loss?

I really hope it gets sorted out soon for you.

Fols x

7worlds

Hey Fols. Thanks for the reply. The doc said he was unsure what the cause was. My bloods are fairly normal so he was reluctant to take me off the drugs. Sure, hopefully i,ll find out soon enough. x


7worlds

7worlds

Hey Fols. Thanks for the reply. The doc said he was unsure what the cause was. My bloods are fairly normal so he was reluctant to take me off the drugs. Sure, hopefully i,ll find out soon enough. x


7worlds