Feeling lost
Hi, my GP has told me that she is pretty certain I have RA and has requested an urgent appointment to see a specialist. I was pleased at first as it explains how I've been feeling with extreme fatigue and joint discomfort. However having googled I'm now terrified at what the future holds for me. I suffer with terrible anxiety and this has really exasperated it. Waiting for this appointment is hard, I feel lost and alone. I feel the GP has told.me this news and then just 'left' me.
Hi
. It is certainly understandable that if you spend some time on the internet reading about RA it would raise your anxiety. It is terrible that you feel your GP has abandoned you and not given you adequate information, but they did do you one huge favor in expediting an appointment to see a rheumatologist. A real disservice is when a GP tries to handle potential RA cases themselves, without involving a rheumatologist, who has several additional years of training in musculoskeletal and autoimmune conditions. This is not to say they shouldn't prepare you and prepare to work with the new rheumatologist to coordinate overall care.
Concerning what you read on the internet, it is important to remember that people are much more likely to share on the internet when they are having issues controlling a disease than when everything is going well. Treatments have come a long way in recent years and a full and happy life is absolutely possible. I want to share with you this article on the diagnostic procedure, so you have a frame of reference for you appointment: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diagnosis. Also, here is an article from Tamara on what to expect from a first rheumatologist appointment: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/what-to-expect-at-your-first-rheumatologist-appointment. Early diagnosis and treatment has been found to make a significant difference in avoiding joint damage (see here for example: https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/1/Suppl_1/e000057).
I don't want to paint with rose colored glasses. If it turns out you have RA, there may be some difficult times. Finding the right treatment can take time and each case is different. That said, you can absolutely do this. Please feel free to keep us posted on how you are doing and to ask questions. Plenty of people here have been where you are and this community is here for you. Best, Richard (Team Member), thank you so much for replying. You have given me some comfort. It's just so scary for what the future may hold and overwhelming of all the other things I may end up suffering with. Things like a greater likelihood of getting cancer, it just all seems so depressing. I'm glad I've found this community. Hi
. I'm so glad you found the information helpful and are feeling a little better. It is all a little scary (or more than a little) and it is important to acknowledge the emotional component of any chronic condition like RA. Our editorial team wrote here about the emotional challenges and stress: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living-with-ra/managing-emotional-problems-and-stress. As you move towards your rheumatologist appointment, I also want to share with you this article from our contributor Kelly (full disclosure - I'm her husband) on questions for the doctor: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/questions-for-the-doctor. Mind if I ask when your appointment is? I ask because we know that sometimes getting in to see a rheumatologist can take some time and add to all the stresses. Wishing you the best. Richard (Team Member)
I don't know yet, the GP said she'd put through an urgent request and I've not yet heard anything. I think that's what so difficult is the wait. I have an xray next week on my wrists though. I was told to take ibuprofen to try to lessen any damage whilst I wait. I'm hoping this will help.
Its the crippling fatigue at the moment I'm struggling, I'm not sure if the GP can do anything about that?
Hi,
! I know you've been chatting with Richard, but I wanted to chime in here. I do hope that request goes through quickly and you can get an appointment very soon. Please let us know how that xray goes, if you feel comfortable doing so.
Secondly, the fatigue is one of the most pernicious symptoms of RA and it can be really hard to get a handle on it. Some folks do experience less fatigue once they are on treatments for their RA, but that's not always the case. We have so.many. articles and comments on the topic of RA fatigue, so you are in good company! One of our health leaders shared a bit about how he manages his fatigue here -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/routine-manage-fatigue. And one of our leaders just wrote about how fatigue plain stinks here (check out the dozens of comments from other members following the article!) -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/morning-fatigue. And, last but not least, our health leader Wren gets into the nitty gritty definition of fatigue and how to cope with it -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/fatigue-management-tips. Again, there are so many stories and comments on this topic, so hopefully, you can find some good tips around here!
I do hope that appointment gets scheduled very soon, too!
Best, Erin, Team Member.
Thank you so much for this.
