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HELP!!! to prepare for new RH appt
Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Sep 2, 2024 | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
@shelleyw
Have you ever seen a rheumatologist before? Write down a list of main symptoms troubling you now, current medications/treatments, previous diagnoses, previous labs/tests/imaging already done (would send ahead, if possible), family history, and most important questions you need to ask/get answered. Bring someone with you, if possible, to take notes and help you keep on track.
For your hand/fingers, did you injure yourself recently? Have you seen a neurologist and had a MRI of your cervical spine and EMG/nerve conduction testing of arm/hand nerves yet? This sounds like spinal cord/nerve compression/injury to me since it is only affecting your 2 fingers (unless there is an underlying disease affecting your peripheral nerves in hand). Were you ever diagnosed with carpal tunnel?
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dlydailyhope,
Loved your advice. I can't tell if your questions are for me to ask myself or to answer to you? I am going out on a limb, and answer the questions to you. If you are willing, my answers might prompt you to ask me more questions, so I can get more effective help with the RH.
I am 65, my pSS, biopsy positive is how I got to RH. I was a Kaiser Permanente patient my entire adult life, just left because I turned 65. I was assigned an RH, but never met her.
My history of non RH is very long, do I bring it all up?
My husband will be there.
Hands/fingers: The pSS seems to have ignited my normal osteoarthritis, whole body. But this started after a very minor fall,on carpet, straight arm. The dropping fingers, all fingers, thumbs, wrists, elbows are all on a roller coaster like flares. All were X-ray and no fractures or breaks. Yes I have had MRI s of head down to bottom spine. Neurologist was a jerk about anything, he only did Botox for migraines. My cervical spine showed bone spurs and bulging discs back in 2007, these may have some relation to my 2 recreational accidents in 2005, but not all of the problems. My recent MRIs of entire spine, got these before I left Kaiser. Cervical is bad, loss of lordosis, etc, , problems down spine. No nerve tests. I have peripheral neuropathy everywhere for years and getting worse. No carpal tunnel, but feels kinda like it. Some portion of my elbows to fingers and knees are in compression wraps almost all the time. Why would the RH care about these? THANX, THANX, I really do appreciate your time and help. ShelleyW