So now I am more confused than I was. Saw the rheum. today for all my joint pain and to make sure it was not an autoimmune thing related to my Raynauds.
The first thing I thought was weird was I didn't have to get into a gown. He looked only at my hands, which don't even hurt that bad. He didn't examine my knees, elbows, toes, or hips. (although he did ultrasound one hip later).
He said interrupted sleep can make pain seem worse (even though I told him I got WAAAAY worse sleep before my bladder sling when I was waking 6 times a night to pee. And then I didn't have this joint pain. And I am tired even with 8 hours sleep.
He said I prob. had hip bursitis and tennis elbow. That part I agree with.
He said he didn't think there was an autoimmune component, but will check blood work anyway. Waiting for that, although don't expect any surprises, I guess.
I asked why all these things at once would get so bad, he basically said these things sometimes happen. Ummm...
He then prescribed me Meloxicam (NSAID), and 500 mg strength Acetaminophin, and Gabapentin...which I'm not even sure what that does. Sleep he said.
So for not knowing what is wrong with me, he gave me a lot of drugs. lol.
Then he did an ultrasound on my hip, confirmed bursitis and a knot on my tendon, and gave me a cortisone injection in the bursa, and down the tendon of my outer thigh.
So......not even sure what to think. He did refer to this as a "flare" , thus the drugs.....but if it's not autoimmune, then what does this? He didn't think it was fibro, either.
It seemed like it came down to......"You don't get enough sleep from the hip bursitis (not even true), so you're in pain other places, and here are your prescriptions.
I guess I will wait on the blood work, and see if the medications help, but I still don't have answers. And I'm not sure if maybe I shouldn't try a different rheumatologist. I don't know.
Does this seem like it normally goes at a first consult?