HELP! 1st Rheumo Appt - What to do?

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MEgersheim

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Joined
Jan 18, 2014
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Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
01/2014
Country
US
State
Massachusetts
:razz:Hi Everyone -

I have my first Rheumatologist's apt on Friday, and he is actually one of the doctors that I later found connected to this website, Dr. Guttell.


First of all, I am wondering, what can a Rheumatologist can do for me besides confirm diagnosis?

Secondly, what should I bring with me?
Such as:
A list of what parts of my body hurt, when each part started hurting and what kind of tests have been done on that part of the body, if any, plus the results
A list of what medications have been tried, which worked, for how long & which didn't work, with adverse reactions

Other ideas.

I truly appreciate your input.
 
How did your appointment go? For me it was just to have the diagnosis confirmed. I just had to let the guy ask questions and tell him which spots of my body hurt. I hope it went well for you.
 
The first thing my rheumatologist did was run a LOT of blood tests. I told her what hurt, and how often. I also told her all of the treatments that I had previously undergone and prescriptions I was taking.
 
The doctor asked a few questions, hardly let me tell him about my history. He pushed on a few tender points but didn't even do the ones in the front, I think he was going more for the ones for Myofacial pain. He told me to get some exercise, take less medication and schedule a follow up. He was reluctant to make a diagnosis. "Fibromyalgia, Myofacial pain, chronic pain, whatever, you just need to get some exercise" he said. When I asked him about Substance P he had no idea what it was which to me was pretty silly. I have a follow up tomorrow...only because I forgot to cancel it and find a new rheumatologist. It is so very hard to find an MD who actually cares and doesn't judge.
 
That's frustrating! One of the things that drove me to the rheum was that I used to do triathlons, ran daily...swam a lot, did yoga several times a week, and now I can't excercise *at all* - even a short walk - without a ridiculous amount of pain after. For a long time I thought I just had to work through it, maybe take a day off, but get right back the next day harder, and all I did was cripple myself for a lot longer than was necessary. I would have been REALLY annoyed to be told just to get more exercise. I hope you find a better dr soon!
 
The rheumatologist I saw looked over all the labs I had done at the hospital prior to seeing him, did the tender point test, checked my breathing and my heart, and asked me tons of questions about my health history. He wanted to see X-Rays that I had done of my wrists because of reports of arthritis and possible fractures. He also ordered an MRI for me. In the end, he wasn't inclined to prescribe me anything because of my horrible reaction to Cymbalta. Since I was also going to a naturopath, he told me to try what the naturopath wanted me to do. He didn't really do much of anything for me, and offered no real treatments or advice. He confirmed my fibromyalgia diagnosis. Thankfully, what my naturopath is having me do is working wonders for me! If he wasn't helping, I don't know what I would do to be honest.
 
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