Hi

DianeB

Hi I'm glad I've found this forum it's full of help and support. I've been in pain for over a year maybe more as It's become the norm. I've seen a rheumatology consultant and the nurse plus a doctor. I've had xrays scan on hands and feet, the last doctor I saw said I've got all the symptoms but no evidence. Not heard anything else since. Thanks for reading

stickywicket

Hello DianeB and welcome to the forum. I'm sorry you seem a bit of a medical mystery Have you been given the 'umbrella diagnosis' of 'inflammatory arthritis'? If so, you'll get more or less the same medication as the rest of us. Mine's RA and I'm on methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine.

I'm not sure how quickly it shows up on scans but, if yours doesn't, I'd take it as a plus

Have they said when they want to see you again? These days, I don't get an appointment, they just send for me supposedly every six months but usually longer.

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you but I am sorry you have had to find us. There are around 200 forms of auto-immune inflammatory arthritis so it can take some time for it to be 'correctly' identified - I was generally classed as an inflammatory until my skin intervened: the proverbial penny dropped and I was officially diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) which has led to osteoarthritis (OA) in some very useful joints. The meds, however, remained the same. Who was the last doc you saw, because his specialist area may help us to answer better. I wish you well. DD

DianeB

Thank you for your replies, my gp referred me to Dr Sxxxx consultant in rheumatology at Cannock hospital, because my blood test indicated inflammatory arthritis, then I saw the specialist nurse who said the scans and xrays didn't show anything but not to worry you are now in the system. The next doctor Dr Bxxxx said there was no evidence but the symptoms were there, and he said when I see the nurse again she would prescribe hydroxychloroquine. What I didn't understand was why he didn't prescribe it.

Mod Edit
Names of health professionals removed for their privacy.

Mod B

stickywicket

I don't know why but I can think of several plausible reasons. It might simply be that the rheumatology nurses do all the writing of prescriptions in your hospital and, as they don't seem unduly worried about you, they don't feel any need to jump the gun. When were you told you'd be seeing the nurse?

It might be that they want to wait a bit for more blood tests to see what's happening.

You could make an appointment to see your GP. He will get, or will have already got, a report from the rheumatologist and he might have been given a bit more info. Some people ask to be copied in to consultants' reports so that they get a copy of every letter sent to their GP. I don't bother. My take on it is that I don't speak medic so I'm unlikely to understand it anyway. If I want any clarifications my GPs are good at talking things over with me.

DianeB

Thank you Stickywicket for your reply I should have an appointment with the nurse the first week in August but not heard anything yet, then back to the doctor 2 weeks after that. My gp did another blood count test which has come back greatly improved so maybe your right and they're waiting for the next flare. Although I feel like I've been hit by a bus today as it always is after 12 days working good job I get 2 days off.

Ps sorry for the names ModB in my other post

stickywicket

Enjoy your days off, even if 'enjoyment' consists of doing very little at all :roll: I've just had one of those days after yesterday's BBQ.

A week isn't long at all in the world of rheumatology and, if your diagnosis is confirmed, you'll soon learn that lovely blood results often seem to bear no relationship to how we actually feel :roll: Please let us know how you get on.

DianeB

I will thank you, it's a great help knowing I'm not on my own.