Subject: Can't get a diagnosis.....
Hi there, I have been a follower for a while and this is my first post - so thanks for having me! I have returned from my Rheumatology referral today rather despondent as the Rheumy has said that he does not believe I have arthritis and has diagnosed me with depression - in a way I should be delighted with this diagnosis but really believe I have RA..... My story; I woke 3 yrs ago in a sodden mess as though I had wet myself and generally stiff and a pain across the very bottom of my spine - could not sit up and had to roll out of my bed......this was my routine every morning for the next few months until severe pain in my hip took over as the overarching pain. Several trips to the GP led me to a referral to a tropical disease expert (had a trip to Kenya the previous year) which showed nothing other than I should be a veritable paragon of health from all the tests - and he suspected I had ankylosing spondylitis or RA, and kindly gave me an MRI scan and a referral to rheumatology...... After a 5min consultation with the first Rheumy they said the MRI was normal with a bit of calcification and that they were discharging me back to the GP who would refer me back if there was no improvement in my health..... So another year passes where the GP tries every concoction of pain killers (diclofenac, naproxen, tramadol, morphine, amitriptyline and lastly gabapentin) and with no improvement and pain in my right wist and index finger joints - she decides that as my eldest brother is diagnosed with seronegative RA, fibromyalgia and scoliosis that it is very likely that I have RA based on my symptoms (morning stiffness which lasts for several hours, joint pain in lower back/pelvic girdle, severe pain in right hip, wrist and index finger) so got referred back to rheumatology. 6 months later I finally get my appointment today with the hope that I can get on with a diagnosis - only to have a 5 minute consultation with the Rheumy, who refers only to blood tests and the MRI carried out almost a year before and tells me that in his opinion that I have depression and all my pain is a manifestation of the depression "sort of like your brothers fibromyalgia" and that I am being discharged with some antidepressants..... So I should be glad right? Afterall I don't have the debilitating disease and I should be fine in a few months! I however do not believe I have depression - yes I am low some days when I get a flare up in pain and want to cut my right hand off at the wrist - but that's only because the pain is so much it is bound to get you down??!! So I have to ask you all if it was a struggle to get a RA diagnosis for yourselves or am I just thinking I have RA (albeit seronegative like my brother) when I have depression - I.e seeing something is not there? Should I just be happy that the quack "does not think" I have RA and get on with life? My only issues now are that I am still in a world of pain ( and I have cut off a finger in the past or dislocated a shoulder and thumb which did not hurt as much!) and am generally a happy go get them person! And a second opinion appears to be out of the question as I saw the top rheumatologist in South Wales...... Anyway I have got it off my chest and I only hope you are all battling on! All the best, Levi
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