Monday, March 5, 2007
Today I had an appointment with my wonderful Rheumatologist. He is such a sweet older gentleman. (so sad to think that one day he'll have to retire) I haven't seen him since last year January. I was supposed to see him again in April 06, but cancelled it b/c I was feeling so ill and just not up to driving an hour in traffic to see him in Richmond. (pregnancy really wipes me out, my body doens't seem to like it) So I of course, had to get my GP to get me a freaking referral to see my own rheumy again. (rolleyes) This was just basically for a checkup, seeing how things were, what he thought, how I was doing since having Bryn, stuff like that.
He asked me how I was feeling and I told him that my meds aren't helping. I take 500mg Naproxin 2x/day. The first one is usally taken by 7:30am and I'm not feeling any less stiff until noon, which leaves me unimpressed. I'm not in terrible pain, I'm just sore and stiff, that's all. Niggling. He ends up asking me all these strange questions that leave me wondering "is he serious? are these really connected or is he just making conversation?" LOL He looked at my throat and eyes (which made me worried: I'd just scarfed down a McChicken in the car on the way to the apt, lol. Oh please don't let their be leftovers hanging out in my teeth or on the back of my tongue!!!) then he wanted to know if my eyes were itchy or if my throat was sore. Hmm… I said that they were a bit sore last week, but I likened it to a cold, so he asked if I coughed. Then he wanted to know my other meds (synthroid, and birth control) and he asked if I was breastfeeding. (sortof) Wanted to know if I got dizzy or had headaches. (yes, mostly at night–I figure it's from lack of sleep)
He asked about my back pain and where it is located (across my waist and up to my mid-back, always in the morning, usually all day actually!) I have higher back pain, but for some reason didn't tell him that. I guess I figure that's caused by other stuff unrelated to this. He asks if I get pain higher across my shoulders and neck. Yes. In the morning? No. Oh, then it's probably just a "mom thing"! He got me to stretch out my arms, which he squeezed at the elbows and the wrist and finger joints, asking if it hurt. Nope. Not until he stopped, that is! He did the same to my legs! And my back! This is where my sweet gentlemanly doctor gets all evil: (beware, it's not nice!!!) He gets me to lie down on his funky bed (it's at stool height, then with you sitting on it, he pumps this lever with his foot that raises it higher, up to his waist level, how fun!!! sortof like a dentist chair!!!) and then tests my reflexes with a hammer (Kai wasn't too sure he liked that part, lol) and tickled the bottoms of my feet with a firm stick-like instrument and then freaked me out by pressing a vibrating prong on my toes to check my senses! He gets me to bend over and (attempt) to touch my toes and he presses on my shoulders. He wants me to raise my arms above my head and bend over on each side, while pressing on me. He asks me if I have chest pain or trouble breathing. Oh, ALL the time, but I didn't mention it b/c I guess I also think that is from something else. (I'm so silly, I NOW have a great example of the chest pain I get) He presses upon my upper chest, between the breasts (hey, he's a nice and decent man, so nothing creepy happened!!!) OWIE!!! That hurt a lot! He thinks the chest pain is related. :( Damn!!!! All of this sounds harmless…unless you've had this done before and suffer from pain!!! OWIE! My body is in SO much pain right now!!!! *pouts* Parts that didn't hurt before until he manipulated them ache! Enough to make you wonder if these are pressure points that eventually WILL hurt one day or is he just strong and I need to work out my muscles more? LOL
At conclusion, he still thinks I have Spondylitis. Which is nice to hear. Well, I don't want it, no, but it's better than after thinking it's it then changing your mind later, you know? He gave me an Unofficial Diagnosis in 2005 with Anklyosing Spondylitis, but when I had my CT Scan in Jan 06, it showed nothing. Every test I take doesn't show anything. I don't have the HLA-B27 tissue type. It's this one cell count that is too high or something that tells him something is happening to me. All the symptoms suggest it, but we have no evidence on tests. But he is still convinced. After all, it is harder to detect in women. Anyways, he says that this one medical company that does testing and such has come up with an offer for them. I thought he was going to suggest me to do some sort of drug testing, but instead, this group is offering to do FREE MRIs!!!! So he's signing me up for one! woohoo! This is a good thing, right? I'm not too sure if it will do anything, and the idea of having an MRI terrifies me, but we'll take it one step at a time! So he had to ask me these questions to fill out the forms: on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst, how has my fatigue been this week. 10. "really? it hasn't been worse?" no. Hmm. (although, now I'm remembering that it HAS. So maybe I'm only at a 8 or 9 this week.) How would I scale my severity. 6. How much pain on the scale? 7 or 8. ***the funny thing (maybe not FUNNY, per se) is that I'm not constantly doubled over in pain, but I AM in pain. I am in constant discomfort and wish I could just stretch it out. It IS higher than a 5, which would be considered 'medium' or 'moderate', right? So I can justify 6, even though it does sound high.*** Soooo…. he will fax off the info and the receptionist will call me with an appointment. Then I'm to book a follow up with him 2-3w after it's done. I'm not too sure how long it'll take to get one done. I've heard you can wait for a year for an MRI… Jenn (SIL) has been. Meanwhile, my Hunny got in within a week after he dislocated his knee (wonderful Worker's Comp!) and this is a private organization as well, so I'm sure I'll get this done fast! Neat! He told me it's an MRI of my sacoriliac joints….just for you medical people out there! (MOM! JULIE! lol)
When I think of what this disease WILL do to me and my body, it scares me. I try to talk about it with my husband, try to make sure he understands, but he wants to be the Man, the Protector, he wants me to not think about it, to remain positive, maybe I won't have it "that bad". Poor silly man! I love him. There was an article in the local newspaper a few weeks ago of a 63-yr old woman with AS (rx at 14) who is trying to advocate the government (amung other arthritis sufferers) to get them to include this one drug in their coverage. Remicade. I've heard of it, but don't know why. Likely an American magazine ad, they like to advertise in mags and such, unlike Canada… or at least to the same degree. This woman's back is fused and when sitting up against a wall, her back is 4 fingers away from it b/c of that, and it is working it's way up her neck. (which makes me worried of that happening to me…already I feel concerned about my chest–not just because of today though!) She's had surgery to help, but it's deteriorated again. Sad. :( Scary.
I'm supposed to sit up straight more, but I admit it is hard. When my back is in pain (which is every day) I just want to slouch over. It actually feels better when I do! When I am in a LOT of pain, I imagine myself bent over a huge rubber ball, relieving pressure from my back. In a postion I shouldn't be in!
I'm not trying to be depressive or anything. I certainly don't feel that way. I'm just talking. This is something that my future holds, most likely. I can handle that… sort of! My chest is in pain as I type, and breathing is hard. It's not asthma. It's from something else, something I can't prove or explain. But it feels like my chest is tight and can't expand, but sometimes I don't feel like I care. I'm so tired and exhausted that it's as if my body doesn't WANT to put the effort into taking a deeper breath. This has been happening a LOT for a year now. I thought it was to do with being pregnant, but it hasn't gone away yet. Hmm…
Ok, I'm done now. I'm starting to scare myself!!! I just wanted to let you know how the apt went today. I *may* be getting a free MRI! Woohoo, why not? *wink* LOL I have some blood work to do (hematology profile, s. creatinine, ALT, Alk.phos, C-reactive protein, ECR….for those medically interested. I haven't a clue what they mean, lol) I'll do them when I FINALLY go in for my thyroid testing!!!
**oh! and that reminds me: my rheumy told me that my doctor is moving away next month!!! Eek! I'm so pleased that she informed me!!!! What was going to happen… I call up for an apt and they tell me that she no longer lives in BC??? She's moving to Nova Scotia. I'm happy for her, but I"m going to miss her. Ah well, she never got to deliver any of my babies anyways! (she tried, and I tried, but it wasn't my fault she went down to check her mail when I was 10cm and Kai was born!!!! sheesh!)
He asked me how I was feeling and I told him that my meds aren't helping. I take 500mg Naproxin 2x/day. The first one is usally taken by 7:30am and I'm not feeling any less stiff until noon, which leaves me unimpressed. I'm not in terrible pain, I'm just sore and stiff, that's all. Niggling. He ends up asking me all these strange questions that leave me wondering "is he serious? are these really connected or is he just making conversation?" LOL He looked at my throat and eyes (which made me worried: I'd just scarfed down a McChicken in the car on the way to the apt, lol. Oh please don't let their be leftovers hanging out in my teeth or on the back of my tongue!!!) then he wanted to know if my eyes were itchy or if my throat was sore. Hmm… I said that they were a bit sore last week, but I likened it to a cold, so he asked if I coughed. Then he wanted to know my other meds (synthroid, and birth control) and he asked if I was breastfeeding. (sortof) Wanted to know if I got dizzy or had headaches. (yes, mostly at night–I figure it's from lack of sleep)
He asked about my back pain and where it is located (across my waist and up to my mid-back, always in the morning, usually all day actually!) I have higher back pain, but for some reason didn't tell him that. I guess I figure that's caused by other stuff unrelated to this. He asks if I get pain higher across my shoulders and neck. Yes. In the morning? No. Oh, then it's probably just a "mom thing"! He got me to stretch out my arms, which he squeezed at the elbows and the wrist and finger joints, asking if it hurt. Nope. Not until he stopped, that is! He did the same to my legs! And my back! This is where my sweet gentlemanly doctor gets all evil: (beware, it's not nice!!!) He gets me to lie down on his funky bed (it's at stool height, then with you sitting on it, he pumps this lever with his foot that raises it higher, up to his waist level, how fun!!! sortof like a dentist chair!!!) and then tests my reflexes with a hammer (Kai wasn't too sure he liked that part, lol) and tickled the bottoms of my feet with a firm stick-like instrument and then freaked me out by pressing a vibrating prong on my toes to check my senses! He gets me to bend over and (attempt) to touch my toes and he presses on my shoulders. He wants me to raise my arms above my head and bend over on each side, while pressing on me. He asks me if I have chest pain or trouble breathing. Oh, ALL the time, but I didn't mention it b/c I guess I also think that is from something else. (I'm so silly, I NOW have a great example of the chest pain I get) He presses upon my upper chest, between the breasts (hey, he's a nice and decent man, so nothing creepy happened!!!) OWIE!!! That hurt a lot! He thinks the chest pain is related. :( Damn!!!! All of this sounds harmless…unless you've had this done before and suffer from pain!!! OWIE! My body is in SO much pain right now!!!! *pouts* Parts that didn't hurt before until he manipulated them ache! Enough to make you wonder if these are pressure points that eventually WILL hurt one day or is he just strong and I need to work out my muscles more? LOL
At conclusion, he still thinks I have Spondylitis. Which is nice to hear. Well, I don't want it, no, but it's better than after thinking it's it then changing your mind later, you know? He gave me an Unofficial Diagnosis in 2005 with Anklyosing Spondylitis, but when I had my CT Scan in Jan 06, it showed nothing. Every test I take doesn't show anything. I don't have the HLA-B27 tissue type. It's this one cell count that is too high or something that tells him something is happening to me. All the symptoms suggest it, but we have no evidence on tests. But he is still convinced. After all, it is harder to detect in women. Anyways, he says that this one medical company that does testing and such has come up with an offer for them. I thought he was going to suggest me to do some sort of drug testing, but instead, this group is offering to do FREE MRIs!!!! So he's signing me up for one! woohoo! This is a good thing, right? I'm not too sure if it will do anything, and the idea of having an MRI terrifies me, but we'll take it one step at a time! So he had to ask me these questions to fill out the forms: on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the worst, how has my fatigue been this week. 10. "really? it hasn't been worse?" no. Hmm. (although, now I'm remembering that it HAS. So maybe I'm only at a 8 or 9 this week.) How would I scale my severity. 6. How much pain on the scale? 7 or 8. ***the funny thing (maybe not FUNNY, per se) is that I'm not constantly doubled over in pain, but I AM in pain. I am in constant discomfort and wish I could just stretch it out. It IS higher than a 5, which would be considered 'medium' or 'moderate', right? So I can justify 6, even though it does sound high.*** Soooo…. he will fax off the info and the receptionist will call me with an appointment. Then I'm to book a follow up with him 2-3w after it's done. I'm not too sure how long it'll take to get one done. I've heard you can wait for a year for an MRI… Jenn (SIL) has been. Meanwhile, my Hunny got in within a week after he dislocated his knee (wonderful Worker's Comp!) and this is a private organization as well, so I'm sure I'll get this done fast! Neat! He told me it's an MRI of my sacoriliac joints….just for you medical people out there! (MOM! JULIE! lol)
When I think of what this disease WILL do to me and my body, it scares me. I try to talk about it with my husband, try to make sure he understands, but he wants to be the Man, the Protector, he wants me to not think about it, to remain positive, maybe I won't have it "that bad". Poor silly man! I love him. There was an article in the local newspaper a few weeks ago of a 63-yr old woman with AS (rx at 14) who is trying to advocate the government (amung other arthritis sufferers) to get them to include this one drug in their coverage. Remicade. I've heard of it, but don't know why. Likely an American magazine ad, they like to advertise in mags and such, unlike Canada… or at least to the same degree. This woman's back is fused and when sitting up against a wall, her back is 4 fingers away from it b/c of that, and it is working it's way up her neck. (which makes me worried of that happening to me…already I feel concerned about my chest–not just because of today though!) She's had surgery to help, but it's deteriorated again. Sad. :( Scary.
I'm supposed to sit up straight more, but I admit it is hard. When my back is in pain (which is every day) I just want to slouch over. It actually feels better when I do! When I am in a LOT of pain, I imagine myself bent over a huge rubber ball, relieving pressure from my back. In a postion I shouldn't be in!
I'm not trying to be depressive or anything. I certainly don't feel that way. I'm just talking. This is something that my future holds, most likely. I can handle that… sort of! My chest is in pain as I type, and breathing is hard. It's not asthma. It's from something else, something I can't prove or explain. But it feels like my chest is tight and can't expand, but sometimes I don't feel like I care. I'm so tired and exhausted that it's as if my body doesn't WANT to put the effort into taking a deeper breath. This has been happening a LOT for a year now. I thought it was to do with being pregnant, but it hasn't gone away yet. Hmm…
Ok, I'm done now. I'm starting to scare myself!!! I just wanted to let you know how the apt went today. I *may* be getting a free MRI! Woohoo, why not? *wink* LOL I have some blood work to do (hematology profile, s. creatinine, ALT, Alk.phos, C-reactive protein, ECR….for those medically interested. I haven't a clue what they mean, lol) I'll do them when I FINALLY go in for my thyroid testing!!!
**oh! and that reminds me: my rheumy told me that my doctor is moving away next month!!! Eek! I'm so pleased that she informed me!!!! What was going to happen… I call up for an apt and they tell me that she no longer lives in BC??? She's moving to Nova Scotia. I'm happy for her, but I"m going to miss her. Ah well, she never got to deliver any of my babies anyways! (she tried, and I tried, but it wasn't my fault she went down to check her mail when I was 10cm and Kai was born!!!! sheesh!)
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