Okay, hello friends! I had my first reumatologist appt friday feb 28th. I posted this the same day but it didnt post. At the appt., I told her that im having a lot more joint pain in my toes, feet, ankles, hips , shoulders and spine. I told her i have seen my neuro for a long time now and he said i have the fibro. First thing doctor asked me is what medication was I on. I told here perc and nuerontin and anti anxiety meds. She she put her hands up as if to stop me and said well just so you know we don’t prescribe those medications at this office.
I said “that’s okay. I’m here to find out if I have something along with the fibro”. I asked her if she was familiar with fibro and she gave me a look like she was annoyed that yet another person has it. She said everyone out there seems to have it… Like everyone is just making this up or just to say that they have something wrong with them!!
She told me I need to exercise and get on an anti depressant because that’s where my pain is comming from.
I told her that i was on medication and I’m not anymore. That sometimes I get depressed but it goes away. I said who wouldn’t get depressed if they were in pain all the time?
She said well its just the opposite. Your pain is from the depression and your pain will go away if your on antidepressants and and exercise. She said this three times during my visit.
She said that as for anything else being wrong she doesn’t think so and if I want to wait to get insuraunce then she would do some blood work.
I do want the blood work done and will wait for the insuraunce.
SO IS THIS NORMAL OR DO I NEED TO FIND A DIFFERENT REUMY?? PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AND LET ME KNOW… Thanks Fibroerr
I have been through the same thing you went through. It would be nice to get a diagnosis from a rheumatologist, but I’m thinking you should see another one when you get insurance. Call around and ask to speak to their nurse and ask them questions like - do they treat Fibro patients or just diagnose. It seems like your neurologist is on the right path with meds, as long as you are getting relief and are satisfied. If you should seek social security disability in the future, they will look to see if you have a rheumatologists diagnosis. At least that is what I’ve been told. You may want to look back at some older discussions - there may be more answers for you. Don’t settle for a doctor who treats you that way! You are right in Standing up for yourself! hugs~ Sandi
Thank you Sandi! The day I went to see her I couldn’t help but feel that I wasn’t liked as soon as Fibro came out of my mouth. I’m not going to give up. I will keep searching for the right reumy. Your advice will come in handy so thank you! I will ask to speak to the nurses during my search. : ) I am going to be 45 in twelve days and felt like I was a child in her office that was wanting drugs! I didn’t want any meds. I was there for a reason. Joint pain that has gotten pretty bad. After stewing on this the whole day, I decided she wasn’t going to win on this one!
I'm sure your fibro pain would also go away if you slammed your thumb with a ball peen hammer (because the ball peen hammer pain would temporarily mask it) but that does NOT mean you go out and hit yourself with one! Nor does it mean that you didn't have real fibro pain in the first place.
Honestly, where do some of these so-called doctors graduate from? And she's a rheumatologist??? Quack meet duck.
Get as far away from that doctor as you can .we have enough people who don’t understand what we go through. One person who you need to be by you is your doctor to be positive an understanding that doc has no bedside manners. That’s one thing I’am blessed with are my 2doctors they are my life ,my support without them I would be lost. My heart goes to you here you go to a specialist to get help an the doctor treats you like that hang in there an when you get your inc find yourself a new doctor best of luck melissa
Run away fast, Fibroerr. She sounds just like my rheumy, who also doesn't prescribe narcotics. I was in to see her this past tuesday, and before I left I came right out and asked her if she believed fibro was a real illness. She said, "it's not an illness in the normal sense of the word, it's just a pain thing, and has no physical symptoms." I'm hoping my internist will treat my fibro nd lupus. So i never have to see that quack again! Good luck,hugs Charlie.
Charlie, thank you! I’m hoping to find a dr that knows and cares. Im sorry that you have had a bogus dr too.
I live in chandler az and its a pretty big city with not one Rheumy ! Its hard to believe! The dr I just saw was in another city and was the closest . There are only a few more offices and they are really far away. : /
I don’t have a choice but to go to one of them but most important find one that believes. Needle in a haystack.
Are you looking for a new dr. too? Hope so. We all deserve proper care and absalutley need that!
Thank you Charlie , have a good one. Keep me updated on your own situation k?
Xxxxooo fibroerr
Hi fibroerr, I don't know about a new rheumy. She said she only sees me for the lupus, so I'm going to ask my internist if she will treat both. (she's terrifac). I told her last week, she's the first doctor I've ever had that actually listens to me. Such a relief :) She says, "my theory is, if you listen long enough, eventually the patient will tell you what is wrong with them". Amazing, right? I wish you luck finding a good one. Let me know, hugs, Charlie.
That is such a profound statement - why can’t all doctors be like that? I have two docs (one is my back pain management doc and the other my TMJ doc) who are like that and I only wish they could treat ALL of me. Haven’t found a doctor who knows how to treat us!!! Grrrrr. And I’m not willing to give up. I’ll find one if it takes me years!