Morning!

Not been on for a while because of work, kids and RA!!! So tired! Sorry :-)

I had my appointment with a consultant last week ( the appt was brought forward because the mtx doesnt like me and I can only take 15mg and still very sore)
When I spoke to my nurse she suggested that we could try other drugs or possibly self inject mtx as it may not give me the awful side effects associated with digesting tablets and I might be able to tolerate it. I'm not a great fan of needles but if it helps me - I'll go for it!!

Anyway on the day of the appt I took my mum with me for support. We saw a consultant whom I have never seen before and he didnt seem to believe me when I said I cannot tolerate celebrex or any anti inflammatory. "Thats strange" he said. He never asked how my pain was or how I was coping. He told me my bloods were better than great and my inflammatory markers were superb!

I dont have Rfactor or elevated inflammatory markers, the RA diagnosis was made on ultra sound as they could see damage in my joints of my wrists, fingers and ankles and were in no doubt that it is RA. I now feel as if I am back to square one with a consultant thinking I'm making it all up!

I am also being referred for a colonoscopy and because of that he's not going to do anything for 4 months! 4 months of flare ups again! I dont think I can take much more pain!

Do I contact my nurse again and say I wasnt happy with the consultation or just wait and "put up with it" because my bloods are great!!!

Arghhhhh!!

Lxx

Thanks Gem,

Just seen my mentor and she said that the consultant is not popular as he has no bedside manner and very abrupt BUT he is the top dog!! Great. At least I'm not alone!
Hope you are ok today.

Lxx

Morning Louise,

So sorry you had a bad appointment with your Specialist. He certainly did not have the
bed side manner which he should have. Poor you. I would be contacting the Specialist
nurse and letting your heart out to her. There are lots of pain killers out there. I seem to
be in a lot more pain now so I have spoken to my GP this morning and he giving me
Tramadol presciption today. Diff from Co-cod and paracetamol and he said I can take
this is line with paracetamol as an extra.

See your GP Louise. Keep posting.

Rose x

Hi Lousie,

This is not satisfactory at all-do you have other consultamts on the rheummy team you could move to?

Your GP might be able to prescribe and give you a depo injection-some do---worth asking maybe?

Hi Louise,
Sorry to hear about your very poor excuse for a appt!!! I have had the same kind of treatment and you really need docs and nurses who understand pain and how it effects your daily life. I to have a little girl and have 2 hip replacements ( my last one still a problem) and flare ups are a issue when you are expected just to wait to see them and get on with it.
I had the same issue seeing a very rude,unsypathatic,self indulged excuse of a man when he actually said to me ' i am not sure you have rhematoid arthritis I think you have rhematic issues'.... you can imagine I was soooo mad I said well i have been diagnosed with rhemmy and I think I know the difference..... then he answered his mobile phone while I am still having my appt!!!!! well I did not see him again and have refused to see him and I said I choices and thats mine!!!!!!
Hope you can sort this out and if not speak to pals (not sure if they deal with this issue) but its worth a try especially when you are in pain.
Sorry about the ramble but I do get carried away!!!!!
Keep well
Dawn x

Hello! Don't be afraid of the needles - much better to by-pass the digestive system and get the MTX that way. The Metojekt (the brandname in Switzerland but the same ones are in use in the UK) pre-filled injections have a really fine needle. Procedure I follow is honestly practically painLESS: Decide which thigh has its turn, press the writing end of a ballpoint pen (obviously retracted!) on the chosen area and press - this actually hurts more than the needle!! - it will leave an imprint. Squeeze a lump of thigh around the imprint, between index and thumb and disinfect . Aim the needle at the spot - you may miss by a millimetre or so, but the area disinfected is bigger than the spot! - do it with "determination" not hesitantly, you honestly hardly feel anything. Inject slowly until the plunger is right down. Disinfect again afterwards.
Good luck.
Diane-C