So many questions. Seeing Rheumatology and GI at Mayo JAX

I m going into see Dr. Wang. Have you heard of this one?

Sorry I haven’t. Best of everything to you.

When I told my Rheumatologist at my first appointment some of the symptoms I’ve had, she argued that those things weren’t happening. She said I wasn’t having neuropathy. The neck pain had nothing to do with RA. Several other things she scoffed at. This morning it occurred to me, why waste time telling doctors about symptoms? Doctors don’t actually figure out anything or do problem solving. Their only function is to gather the list of symptoms and from that make a diagnosis. Nothing they do involves original thoughts or problem solving. Their sole function is to match up symptoms to an ailment. If there’s a symptom in the list that you give them that doesn’t fit with their diagnosis, they throw out that symptom. There’s really not any original thought processes involved in medicine. It would be fairly simple to write a computer application that diagnoses symptoms and just have doctors to verify the results and assign treatment.

Hi, I just saw Dr Wang last week for my first appointment. I found him extremely knowledgeable on not only RA and autoimmune, but also on some things outside his wheelhouse. He was friendly, funny, really listened to my husband and myself in explaining my symptoms post covid vaccine shot reaction. He actually explained what was happening in my body more than any other Dr I have seen to date. He also explained the viscous cycle that I was heading towards and explained PM may help curb it. He agreed that there is no post covid or covid vaccine clinics set up yet. It is still a learning curve on how the body handles fighting it. Also explained that we are hearing and seeing more people with lasting symptoms and reactions because we had a max vaccine/epidemic, not like a flu breakout where you may get several patients, so it is relative to the numbers. Which I had already considered.

@caringwife - I understand your husband’s frustration.
I have had intestinal problems for 12+ years now. Some of that time I was seen at Mayo Jacksonville GI department. Diagnosis was a challenge because the type of inflammation they found was not consistent with any known illness. They were very thorough.
Finally, at one visit there was good news.
New research showed that someone like me, who had experienced severe intestinal reaction to chemo I had years ago for breast cancer, could show the pattern of inflammation they had found.
I was treated with immunosuppressive medication- at my request. It worked. However, it was very tough on my immune system. Had several severe infections.
Your husband could benefit from starting seeing Immunology/Rheumatology first.
Chemo can affect many organs in the body.

I appreciate this message so much. I have been struggling with Sjogren Syndrome. I guess I hav this. This past year I had Ulcerative Colitis and my body has changed so much. I went to Dr. Wang years ago. I was just wondering about the appt again. I need someone to just figure out what is going on inside my body. I do feel so much better since last year. The dryness in my face is so uncomfortable.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I was diagnosed with sero-negative RA two and a half years ago . I'm on my fourth doctor and more medications, injections and infusions than I can count. I've had so many MRI's that I'm on a first name basis with all the radiology technicians. Besides my RA do, I'm seeing a GI specialist, a hematologist, an ophthalmologist, a dermatologist and a pain management specialist - besides my regular GP. I am so full of drugs that can kill me, I just want to say stop and let the disease take its course. But somehow and for some reason, I keep getting up in the morning hoping for a better day... and some days things are better. I guess we fight the good fight until we can't fight any more

I’m so sorry you had that experience, you might take a recommendation from a friend who has had a good experience with a specialist, or ask Mayo Clinic for a referral.
I’ve had a great doctor for 7 years, he listens and examines me and includes me in his findings. Don’t give up there are many excellent specialists to help you.
Best wishes, jill

It is truly hard when doctors are in such a hurry to but a name to your systems. I too on so many meds.
I feel extremely overwhelmed.
I suffer with ra and fibromyalgia

@asarrett56, you may wish to join connect with other members living with rheumatoid arthritis in this discussion:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/rheumatoid-arthritis-ra-introduce-yourself-and-meet-others/