Hi Jackie,

Good luck for your consultation today. Get everything off your chest and get the answers you deserve.

Go girl!

Lxx

Hello everyone

Feeling much better after my one hour 20 minute appointment with my Consultant!!!! Paying for the privilege was well worth it. I have company medical insurance but I still have to pay out the first £100 and then I am covered for the rest. I can ill afford to pay out for a private consultation but it was worth its weight in gold.

I saw the Consultant who originally diagnosed me in January 2008. We sat and talked through what had happened, how many medications I had failed on and the reasons for this. He gave me a good examination and said my knees in particular are very swollen. I was whisked around the corner for x-rays on my knees. I have never had my knees xrayed on the NHS. He came back out to collect me and low and behold there were pictures of my knees already on his computer. Oh the wonderful age of computers. My right knee is not good but the left is even worse. There is no gap between the joints and he said no wonder I was in pain and finding it difficult to walk. All in all my problems are more mechanical and not so much inflammatory. I was quite astounded as I presumed that I needed better medication to reduce inflammation and then I would be o.k. He said it has gone beyond that and I am being referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. I think I must have looked quite shocked as he said if he was 47 he would jump at the chance of surgery!! He does not know if I will need a knee replacement yet or whether they will have a poke around and see if they can do anything to keep me going.

He said that moving me onto Methotrexate injections will hopefully sort out the inflammation in my other joints and I will start to feel better. He said give this a go and then they will look at other options if this does not help.

If only the NHS had the time to spend looking into our problems it would be wonderful. I would highly recommend anyone having problems on the NHS to go private for just a consultation if they can afford it.

I will keep you posted how I get on with the orthopods.

Jackie
xx

hi Jackie,

so pleased you had such a good consultation and found out exactly what's what.

be interesting to see how you get on with the injections ... i'm still wondering if that will be the next step for me if my Methotrexate doesn't do as it should.

can sympathise with the knee's as i have Osteo in mine and i know mine are down to the bone, i had X Rays in June when i had my diagnosis of RA.

i can't complain with my Hospital they have been brilliant it's just i know this is a slow process of getting the drugs right.

promising to hear from a Consultant you trust about his thoughts on the Methotrexate injections too.

good luck with Orthopedics.

Suzanne x

Hello Jackie,


So pleased that your appointment today has been worthwhile. What a shock to hear that you may
need operations on your knees. Hope your ortho appointment goes well.

I was originally diagnosed RA by my Specialist privately but she said she could not continue
to see me privately and had to go down the NHS route (I also have private medical insurance
at work)

keep well

Rose

Hi Jackie,been down the same route..going for a private consultation! This was 10 years ago for a hip replacement, cost me £100. Opp was done on the NHS, waiting time was 6 months.
Now the other hip needs doing, rheumy doc has refered me on to Autho doc ,cause my RA effects my feet badly. Appt is next week so hope he agrees to do it and fingers crossed the wait won't be as long.
I'm on Mtx injections, Folic, Sulf and pain killers. They seem to think we need to be older for these replacement opps, I was 50 and they wanted me to wait till 60. I'd have been in a wheelchair if had to wait 10 more years. So it would be done about now just at the time my other hip needs doing.
Doesn't bear thinking about does it. Good luck, hope you'll soon feel better. Kathleen

Hi all

Just had a phone call to say finally the PCT have approved the funding for my methotrexate injections. Now for the next hurdle. I am fine injecting using a pen but have never done it using a syringe and needle and I am bricking it. It is silly as I have had many operations and needles over the years but I am building myself up into a wobbly over this. They are going to send out a nurse to show me how to do it. A few weeks ago my Husband was testing his blood sugar with a home testing kit. He had to prick his finger to get some blood. After he had finished he told me to do the same and I couldn't do it. I had the needle poised over my finger but could not pluck up the courage. In the end he went behind me and tapped my hand when I was not looking. I am not squeemish about anything medical but this really does bother me. Any suggestions?

Jackie
xx

Hi Jackie,
I inject mtx and its not too bad honest.... I always get a cuppa ready (like a reward) just get on and do the injection before I do anything else! The worst thing to do is to dwell on it... I had a bit of a wobble a few weeks ago but I think I was focusing on it too much. Good luck you will be fine ,compared to what we live with daily its a doddle! x