My gp suspects arthritis so I'm waiting for my initial rheumy visit.

With NSAI's taken regularly I can manage to walk, work and function with less pain and inflammation. I have been taking them since November or December.

If I miss a dose or doses I walk with difficulty and the simplest task become very painful. The meds for the most part, keep the inflammation at bay with the occassional flares (seemingly coinciding with menstrual cycle?).

I'm wondering if I should stop taking my NSAI's for a bit before my appt. so the rheumy can see the full impact of the inflammation, swelling, etc. or what I should do.

I don't wanna get blown off and am scared of this initial visit...any insight would be awesome.

FYI.

I learned on another site that rheumatologists can feel and are able to identify inflammation when I do not "feel" inflammed as I sometimes do...

For myself, at least, I would rather see the rheumy at my worst. I was in a moderate flare and by the time I saw a rheumy for the first time, it was waning a bit. So I don't think by what we spoke about that he really knew the extent of how bad my flares sometimes got. Plus I never saw any other docs regularly so had no previous records from other docs, nothing to go on except for what I told him about my past. He probably thought I wasn't that bad & had me try a few prescription anti-inflammatories, most of which I became allergic to. Then all of a sudden I went downhill fast where I could hardly walk anymore from all the pain & swelling in all my joints. Then I made an emergency appt and I don't think he thought I ever really got that bad, until he saw me that way. Right away he started me on prednisone & plaquenil and had me coming in every 2 weeks for several months.

I've just had (as I'm sure many others have) some bad experiences with docs who don't seem to believe what you tell them, especially if they can't see it right then. So it is my opinion, that it may be better to hold off the nsaid's until you see the rheumy. (Of course I'm not a doctor, just offering my opinion)

Bay...thanks for your feedback. I was scared this is the route I should be taking. I'm not going to be able to walk by the time I get there if I stop taking my nsai's but if it will ensure i get taken seriously, i'm up for that i guess.

thanks again!

It's a sad thing to have to stop something that helps so much, but your rheum has to see how bad it is. Once you have an established relationship with you, he/she will believe you when you report how bad things have been.

It is also normal to flare a bit right before you start. Lots of women are affected that way.