NDR - Autoimmune disease, any Rheumatology visit advice?

[TimJ]

When things aren't going so well what better people to seek advice from but a bunch of duck hunters.
Well, my good health I was so proud of has been shot down a little lately. That little bit of arthritis in my shoulders that bothered me occasionally started to keep me from sleeping. As I thought about it other things had been hurting me. I figured it was from working out, losing 30 lbs last year and getting in good shape for a 55 year old. The Orthopedists thought differently and added everything up together. A few blood tests later he said he can't do anything for me and I have an appointment with a rheumatologist next week. I know blood tests aren't 100% for rheumatoid arthritis but it doesn't look like there are many other options it could be.

I've watched some helpful videos about taking notes in with me. I've written down several pages of pains and weird things that didn't mean anything to me a year ago but now seem obvious after seeing what early symptoms are. I might have my sister come in with me as this is a bit daunting to me and I might need someone to listen carefully. I'm not too proud to say this scares me some.

Any advice on what to talk to the doc about, meds, diet, exercise or whatever? I hadn't needed a doctor for decades, maybe I should have gone a year earlier, could have saved a lot of pain.
Listen to those aching joints, they aren't always just wear and tear.

Tim

 

[Brandon Yuchasz]

Tim, take your sister with you and if she is a good fit for it have her take notes. Have her ask the doc clarify anything she didn't get completely in the notes on the first go through. I recently did this for my father in a fairly scary doctors appointment. It was extremely helpful for him afterwords to ask about things and for me to have notes. Turns out he is in the clear but it was a lot for him at the time.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Tim

I don't have any advice seeing as how I know very little about it. But I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis and hope the rheumatologist will be able to help you get back to feeling like yourself again.

 

[greg setter]

Tim-like Eric, I don't have any relevant advice either, but I would do what Brandon has suggested, and have another set of eyes and ears with you and taking notes and perhaps even asking relevant questions during the visit and any future visits that you might not think of.

 

[TimJ]

Thank you, guys. There is still like a 5% chance it isn't anything too bad, except as the prednisone I got a few weeks ago wears off I can feel a lot of the aches and inflammation coming back. I didn't know how much it hurt until it didn't for a while. Sucks getting old. I remember laughing at Harker, Sutton and the other really "Old Farts" back 20 years ago. Didn't think I'd be one of them.