My 1st Reumy Appointment

[Sooner_Rog]

You tell me fellow PA friends?

Here are my symptoms:
P for 12 years, skin is worse in the last 2 winters, this one being exceedingly bad. I have the scales on my scalp, forhead, behind and in my ears, eylids, in my nose, hands, Nails, forearms, elbows, groin, buttocks, thighs, & shins. Some areas are weeping or uzing, very uncomfortable. So I go to the the veterans hospital and the Physicians Assistant agrees I need help. She makes me rush appts with reumy and derm,This was Feb 3. Now to the subject, PA. I have had joint pain for 10 years, with it getting worse over the last couple years. Here are my symptoms:

Ankles, knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, wrists fingers and back all hurt almost constantantly, but mostly in the morning. Like others have posted I feel 80 when im only 36. I function by taking Motrin like candy, 800 mg x 3-4 times daily. I also have red eyes and weeping in my eyes, I have had two toes turn into sausage look alikes, and I contemplated cutting them off they hurt so bad. Fatigued constantly. So armed with all the symptoms and lots of research I concluded(although I am not a doctor) that I must have pa.

Now comes the bombshell.

I go to my reumy apt Friday Feb 20. I get an old crusty doctor at the VA that starts the exam by saying "he has not been to a doctor in 30 years." He asks whats wrong, so I tell him that I feel 80 and am tired all the time, Joints are killing me, so he replys "don't we all". He takes a peak at the results from the 50 xrays I had and says all normal, he looks at my nails and says oooh gross that must hurt, he says after looking at my skin that I definately have p and should see a derm, duh.... At that point I just shut up and decide I will get a second opinion. He wiggles my feet, knees, shoulders, looks at my back all with my clothes on. I'm ****** at this point so I really just shut up and hope its over soon, it is 15 minutes from start to finish. I mentioned that I think most of my symptoms mirror PA. He says "oh no I disagree" "we have xrays we are just in a wait and see pattern now" "Good luck at the derm."

Man I feel like Im back in the Army, same crap happened in there.

We'll see what happens, maybe I am only imagining all this crap, but I have always been pretty tuff, I was in the army another 5 years when all these symptoms started.

What do you think? Should I be discouraged, or just happy I don't have bone evidence?

Can't soft tissue hurt like hell? Tendons, muscles, ligaments, etc.
Just venting....


Any similar stories out there?

[jaysd]

this is off topic but i'd like to know how u were able to join the army when u had p? cause i always wanted to join the military particularly the air force but i thought my p would have disqualified me...one of the many reasons y i wanted to join the military is for the health benifits since my health insurance will go away when i turn 22 and the way u talk about the army and how they deal with p, it sounds like they could care less which is discouraging ... but i'd still like to know how'd u get in. did u not tell them about your p when u enlisted? wouldn't they have known when u first did a physical?

[Sooner_Rog]

Jaysd, I never had p symptoms until I was in the military for 2 years. I spilled some epoxy resin chemicals on myself had a pretty bad reaction and was never the same. P symptoms started after that and only got worse as I used the same chemicals another 3 years before I talked to an occupational doctor and he recommended that I stop working with chemicals. They diagnosed me with chemical hypersynsitivity, contact dermititis, right shoulder inpingment syndrome, early degenerative joint disease of the fingers toes and knees and sent me on my way with a medical discharge and a 0% disabled rating.
Hope this answers your question.


Rog

[MikeK]

Hi Roger,

Please forgive me for not responding sooner. I'm sorry to hear that you're appointment turned out the way it did. Quite frankly, I'm not surprised. My 84 year old dad (WWII vet) tried to get treatment, through the VA, when he developed cardiac problems, about 20 years ago, and again when he developed prostrate problems. Let's just say he was less then thrilled with his experiences with the VA. He's never been back. It sounds like you had a similar experience. :mad:

It also sounds like you need to get a second opinion. A.S.A.P. Use either the NPF's Physician's Directory (Click Here) (http://psoriasis.org/resources/directory/) or the American College of Rheumatology's (ACR) Physician Locator (Click Here) (http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp) to find another rheumy. (Here's a link to the ACR's listing for the rheumy's in Spokane (http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/city.asp?hCountry=USA&city=Spokane&cbxPediatric=&cbxPatientCare=Yes&state=WA).) Please call and make an appointment TODAY.

Hope this helps. Good luck. Please keep us posted.

Mike

[rosy3939]

Roger is there anyway you can see a new rhemy. This ones sounds like a quack. It really irks me when we wait so long to get an appoint and then he is insulting, rude, and crude. Is behavoir is unexceptable and you should report him the VA administration. You dersere better!

Good luck Roger.

[Sooner_Rog]

Thanks,

Mike & Mitch, That was the first thing I did Monday. I Checked the p.org directory and made myself an appointment with a derm that treats both p & pa. I feel confident that it will work out, I was kidding myself thinking the VA could help. I hope the rumor isn't true, "the Va gets all the rejects"...Doctors that is...


Thanks again guys and gals here on this forum that have helped me in a lot of different ways.

Sooner_Rog

[dsmgramma]

Hi Roger,
I had just about the same experience as you but not with VA. I've had P for a long time 20 + years. And I think the best thing that happened is #1. Computers, #2 forums like this one. Where people are sick of not getting relief from DR. and turn to other people who have same skin problems and work together to help each other. Better reselts it seems to me:D
I get to go back to my brilliant derm today and see if he has anything new to say other than yep, that's bad p. and scalp and nails are hard to work with.duh!!
So THANKS to everyone for sharing, and be there . Good Luck To You.

[FlakeyMatt]

First of all vent all you like because that is what these boards are for.

Glad you are getting a second opinion because the 1st doc sounded like a clown. NO DOCTOR on the planet and look at your X-Rays and say you have PA. The doctor needs to deduce it from a very careful review of your history, combined with the X-Rays and bloodwork. PA is disgnosed bascially by eliminating other possibilities.

Anyway, he did have one good thing to say. It is good that they found no damage to the joints. Because damage is irreversible.

If you can get the inflammation to reduce, your range of motion, energy and comfort level will be dramtically improved.


Good luck, keep fighting and NEVER give up!


Regards,

FlakeyMatt