Well here we go again.....

deedeeitsme

had my rhumy app for second opinion today and feel really deflated....when i was refered my gp said that my mri and xrays from the previous hospital would be sent to the new rhumy, well, they haven't. He asked the usual questions, wheres the pain, what makes it better (nothing), what makes it worse. He examined me, pulled me about abit, bent me alot . Anyway when I first went to see a rhumy my main problem was my sacroiliac and lower back but since then other things have been added to the mix the main ones being my feet and ankles, so after he deduced my back hip pain was mechanical wear and tear I asked what was causing the other problems he said what other problems :!: I said my feet, he looked at them again an said "I don't know" ok I said can you tell me why my toes don't bend then, again "I don't know"
well can I have them xrayed to try and find out "no"..ok..he said you haven't got and swelling, inflammation in any of the affected areas that I can see and we'll not do blood test again because you had them done in DECEMBER.....THIS IS WHERE i LOST THE WILL TO LIVE, BEEN HERE, DONE THIS AND GOT THE BLOOMIN T-SHIRT..............Then he wrote me a prescription for anti-inflammatories (for the inflammation I don't have according to him :? ) and a paper to go and get blood tests done (which he said he wasn't doing) and a paper to take to xray to get my feet done (another thing he said he wasn't doing) and a referral to see a podiatrist (re:-said feet). CONFUSED, REALLY!!!!!

barbara12

Oh deedee
They are very good at confusing us, I have had loads of this, I see 3 different consultants... back , hips, hands, the same trust and none of them talk to one another.
If I were you I would ring his secretary and ask some questions, write it all down then you dont forget...it will all be on her comp.
I have done this quite a few times now, and its much easier than talking to the consultants.
You take care x

deedeeitsme

Thank you for your reply Barbara and the good advice, I'll do that and try to make a bit more sence of it all.

Dee x

dreamdaisy

Oh boy, does this sound familiar territory. I think that OA diagnosis is more straightforward in some respects than the auto-immune versions. It took me five years to get to see a rheumatologist (the physios from the local footy team referred me, not my GP) and even then he said 'It'll sort itself out, it's not arthritis.' Ye gods. I then lost another year being bounced between orthopaedics and rheumatology - nobody wanted me in their gang! It was my schooldays all over again!

Keep plugging away at them, deedee, it's the only thing to do. YOU know there's summat up, they SUSPECT there's summat up so keep at 'em girl, we'll back you all the way. DD

deedeeitsme

Its a bloomin hard fight though isn't it DD.....and we're fighting enough just to function on a daily basis. I am glad he did the xrays cos my feet are a big problem right now but whether they show anything up is another story. I've not been discharged this time so thats a plus, I go back in 3 months unless they see something on this xray and the xray and mri from previous hospital, if they ever get them, and then it will be earlier. Going back to gp to review meds and change from codeine to something else as they are not as affective now. We did discuss this at my last appointment but decided not to mess with meds until I had seen the rhumy incase he put me on something else but the only thing he gave me was mobic anti inflammatories so will get pain meds sorted now. I am really trying not to get too obsessive about getting a "name" for all this c**p and just trying to get into a regime of dulling the pain as much as possible and getting on with whatever gets thrown my way, we have choices and I choose not to be beaten, this is my life now and I need to accept it, adjust to it and live the fullest life I can.

Gosh it does feel so much better to put things down in writing.

Thank you for your replies and support, as always x Dee x

dreamdaisy

I had the vague label of 'an inflammatory arthritis' for a number of years then my skin obliged with a lovely bout of psoriasis, various medical lightbulbs went off and the label changed. Nothing else did, however, the meds, the pain and the general yukkiness of stuff remained. I think having a specific label helps not only us but others too: we have a better understanding of the 'enemy' and they can say 'Oh yes, my granny had that but she got better because it went away/ she changed her diet/wore copper insoles/took glucosamine etc. :roll: Hang on in there deedee, things will get sorted in due course and we're always here to offer encouragement and support. DD