Rheumy visit - Fibromyalgia Message Board

Emmabean · 07-07-2006, 02:40 AM

I've been seeing my rheumy for a while now and have an appointment coming up. I will be asking him about the thyroid testing Elmhar has been talking about. What else do you discuss with your doctors? I feel as though I am in and out of there and I never really get better. I also plan to take some of BlueLake's advice. I think it was her who said to share treats with the doctor and show appreciation and kindness to him. I really want him to hear how bad my pain is. He usually just replies that I should use topical creams. Ugh! No, it's much worse than that!! Maybe I want him to fix me and he can't, but if he can help me, I would really like to make the apointment worthwhile. Currently I take Tramadol and Tylenol, but I am breastfeeding my baby. That's all I think I can take.
So, please tell me about your doctor visits! You are all so wise and experienced!

bluelakelady · 07-07-2006, 09:17 AM

morning emma,
makes you crazy don't it? you hang in kay?
you are right, the doctor cannot fix you. no one can. this is your life, your body. and only you can find a balance that works for you.
it took me awhile to figure that out. now i realize i have to live with pain. all the time. today is a rough day. i am doing my dancing tho. it is the only way to less pain. exercise and a positive attitude.
i always write a list out of what i want to discuss. that way i don't get nervous or miss anything. yes i do take goodies. smooths the way, establishes a relationship. doctors can assist you in your healing. ultimatly, it is up to you to find your peace with you body. after going thru 17 doctors i finally got it. they can help me help myself. without me nothing gets better.
i have yet to find a pill that takes the pain away and leaves me sane.
ask for physical therapy. aquatic if it is available to you. it is an easy way to start exercising again. i was in p.t. for almost 3 years over the past 4 years. now i do it at home.
please let me know how the visit goes. you can do this. i have total faith in your ability to evolve and adapt to this new strange you. you are a woman. you can do anything you set your mind to. believe.
love,
bluelakelady

elmhar · 07-07-2006, 11:41 AM

One way to earn brownie points with a doc is to explore the treatments they recommend. What sort of topicals has your doc recommended?

Some of the topicals do not get into the bloodstream in an appreciable way, are simply utilized locally & dose can be very small, which tends to minimize impact on breastfeeding. (Nevertheless, always ck out drugs & dosages, even OTCs, with your baby's pediatrician, as I hope you have ckd for the Tramadol & Tylenol, if you are taking them while BF).

Has your doc recommended a topical prescription compound, like a lidocaine cream or patch, or a topical NSAID? Or just OTC mentholated arthritis rubs? (Nix on the latter.) Of course, if you've tried it all & it's not effective, that needs to be communicated.

You might ask your doc if, in his opinion, a Epsom-salts baths would be OK to try, and also about the EPA fish oil concentrate. He may shrug his shoulders & say 'likely wouldn't either hurt or help,' which would then give you then a green light to check with the ped. re: BF issues., if you are interested.

You may also find a pharmacist, or if a compounded prescription is given, a compounding pharmacist, to be very helpful on questions of how a drug, OTC, or topical, is metabolized, whether it is likely to get into breastmilk, and if it would be a problem for the baby.

A big YES to asking the doc to refer to PT; hopefullyone who is skilled in working with fibro. This is something that you can try while BF, and (unless you get into aquatic therapy with a heavily chlorinated pool & happen to be sensitive to chlorine) , it's not likely to be harmful.

You might ask the doc to ck your free estrogen & free testosterone levels in addition to the free thyroid hormones. Hormones generally aren't rheumies' area of expertise, but some who have specialized in fibro may recognize a connection.

I hope you will let us know how it goes! I'm hoping there's something doable that will provide a measure of relief.

Best wishes.

Glojer · 07-10-2006, 04:16 PM

Emma you have had great advice from blue and elmhar. I always take a list of questions, either I write the question down or make little notes to jog my brain fog. When the rhuemy recommends an OTC remedy I usually try it and I am sure to let him know how it helped or that I tried it and it wasn't so good.

I also make notes on the answers the doc gives me and I do a little research about them and I start a new list of questions for my next visit, sometimes just trying to ask the same question in a different way to see if I get the same answer or more info. If it is a totally different answer I would look for another doc.

I have a good rhuemy who gives me all the time in the world, and doesn't act like he has to rush off to the next patient. In reality he doesn't spend that much time with me but I never feel rushed and I get all my questions answered. We went through a rough patch where I was not happy with him and I shopped for another rhuemy but the one I tried was horrible. Made me appreciate the one I have, then hubby got sick and I haven't had the chance to look for another one that would be closer to my home.

If your rhuemy is listening to you he will address your pain issues in a legitimate way when you let him know that OTC meds are not doing the trick. Let him know what you do for your pain (like exercise etc.) on your own and tell him you need extra help with the pain.

Let us know how things turn out.