lemongrass
Board Addict
Reged: 09/23/03
Posts: 361
Loc: IL
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Though it's been speculated that I have RA by many doctors in the past, I have never been to the Rheumatologist. Finally! I get to see one in the first week of March. I was told this exam will take an entire hour. Can anyone please tell me what to expect? I'm almost afraid that they'll hurt me in the process!
Yours truly,
lemongrass
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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Lemongrass-
They can diagnose RA with simple blood tests that could have been done at your doctor's office.
Your doctor should have run the following blood tests:
Antinuclear Antibody Test
C-Reactive Protein
Rheumatoid Factor
I've never been to a Rheumatologist as this has been treatable by my regular physician.
Good luck on your appointment!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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lemongrass
Board Addict
Reged: 09/23/03
Posts: 361
Loc: IL
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No kidding? They why have my docs throughout the years recommended I see a rheumatologist??? I'm so confused! Maybe I should talk to my GP and see if he can run the tests then. The co-pay is a lot more costly when you see a specialist, too. I wonder if this has to do with insurance purposes or something. I dunno. I feel left in the dark by my physicians. It really baffles me. My GP did say that he thought that I had Lupus, too! It sometimes goes hand-in-hand with the Hepatitis C.
Thanks for your help. What a gem to get back to me. 
lemongrass
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PlyrLacy
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/29/01
Posts: 242
Loc: Mid-Atlantic, USA
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OMG Lemon ... I sure hope that is not the case. Lupus is horrible to deal with. The pain, discomfort, etc. is nothing anyone should have to deal with. I'm really sorry to read this.
I originally was tested for arthritis when the problems began and that testing discovered a high anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) count. That was what actually lead to my Lupus diagnosis.
It is true that much of Lupus can be diagnosed using blood testing. I hope the process goes easy on you and Lupus can be eliminated.
Take care,
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"Lacy"
Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.
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midnight
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/09/01
Posts: 271
Loc: u s
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lemongrass, i see a rheumatologist and the first visit did take at least an hour. He examined hands , wrists, fingers, knees, feet, toes, hips, knees., geez i was gonna list all parts , but there are too many to list. checking range of movement for all and checking for pain in any joints. He also took some xrays & blood work.Of course he asked alot of questions, are my fingers etc. stiff? in the morning? how long before stiffness goes away in the am -- i take it this is a very important factor -- when i am at my best it takes about an hour in the morning to get loose. but somedays it takes several hours to get moving, and then after starting work , a few hours later i will get bad again! but thats when i am at my worst.If you do get diagnosed with ra, let me know , please pm me. i have a web site that is really good. i have really learned alot from it . they have live webcasts that you can replay & listen to. The last one was called fatigue and pain management with rhematoid arthritis.
good luck
midnight
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Firefairy
Member
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 147
Loc: Mississippi
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I have seen two different rheumatologists. The first visit with the first one took about an hour. I had already had the bloodwork done so they knew what to rule out and that I was ANA positive. That doctor never made a definate diagnosis of Lupus, he just said fibro. Then I almost died, and so I changed rheumatologists. The second doctor had about a three hour process. She repeated SOME of the bloodwork and ordered more specific tests: ie ANA level, not just that it was positive. Xrays, COMPLETE physical exam of every body part including some I did not know I had. Massive questions on medical history, current habits, eating habits, exercise routines, and every little bitty problem I had had in the previous 5 or so years, from rashes to crying sprees.
Even though most of the disorders treated by this specialty can be treated/diagnosed by a GP it is best to see a Rheumatologist if you think you may fall in to this catagory. Lupus, RA, Fibro, Chronic Fatique, Gulf Shore Syndrome, Lyme disease and about 10 others. Some are auto-immune, some are called "connective tissue disorders" and some fall into both catagories. These can closely mimic each other, share symptoms, and even the bloodwork can show false negatives for the related conditions.
In Lupus the diagnosis is generally based on eleven criteria of which you must exibit at least four. Only five of the criteria can be tested for in a lab. That is why the exam has to be so complex. There is no simple yes or no blood test to take. Unfortunately there are doctors out there that tell their patients they don't have Lupus because they are not ANA positive or because they don't have the butterfly rash. That is one of the reasons for unnecessary fatalities, anyone who exhibits some of the symptoms should always be evaluated properly by someone who is experienced in making this diagnosis.
I apologize if this is too much info, I feel very strongly about this.
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lemongrass
Board Addict
Reged: 09/23/03
Posts: 361
Loc: IL
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Thank you so much for the replies! Oh, the information is still processing.
Firefairy, what is a butterfly rash? Because my GP asked me if I just had a rash when I saw him the other day. Sometimes it appears I have rashes on my face or look flushed. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for now.
Don't worry about being too elaborate or prolific in your posts. The more information the better! LOL
Thanks again, I really appreciate the input!
lemongrass
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Firefairy
Member
Reged: 11/26/03
Posts: 147
Loc: Mississippi
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A butterfly rash (malar rash) is on the checks and nose. The sides or folds of the nose are usually not affected. It could be red, raised bumps that may or may not itch, on others it looks more like a red flush. It is sometimes hot to the touch and may worsen during periods of active disease (flares). It can even be worse at different times of the day. It can show up one day, last for a couple of days or weeks, and then spontaneously disapear. It does not scar.
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midnight
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/09/01
Posts: 271
Loc: u s
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LEMONGRASS & anyone else with RA. This is an excellent web site www.healthtalk.com on the left hand side of the page you will see rheumatoid arthritis listed with other diseases-- just click on that and you will get access to replay their live webcasts. I have learned alot from these talks.Actually you can check out all different kinds of health problems at the website. I learned more about my ra at this website than any where else.
Midnight
Edited by midnight (02/14/04 11:29 AM)
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