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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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My First Appointment With The Rheumatologist
lemongrass
02/13/04 02:58 PM
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midnight
02/14/04 11:27 AM
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midnight
02/13/04 04:58 PM
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Firefairy
02/13/04 08:09 PM
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lemongrass
02/13/04 08:15 PM
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Firefairy
02/13/04 08:38 PM
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night_shade
02/13/04 04:14 PM
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lemongrass
02/13/04 04:19 PM
Re: My First Appointment With The Rheumatologist
PlyrLacy
02/13/04 04:41 PM
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