I had been so worried that my symptoms would change or improve before my doctor got the chance to see them firsthand, but luckily that didn't happen. She could tell right away that things had gotten worse. While I lay down, she gently checked my range of motion. It hurt, a lot, but the good news is that my passive range - when she held my leg and moved it for me - is almost normal, which means there's no joint damage yet. It's just that my hip is sometimes too weak and sore to make those movements myself.
Remember when I made fun of these hip rolls for being boring? Turns out they're not so boring when you can't do them.
For now, I'm staying on the same combination of Enbrel and MTX that I'm already taking. I know, though, that a cortisone shot won't do anything to change my level of disease activity, or to stop any damage that might be starting to occur despite the other meds. I need to stay on top of things, make sure I find out my x-ray results and keep monitoring my pain and range of motion. My doc is seeing me in six months instead of the usual ten, so that's a good start.
I'm feeling relieved now that she has actually seen me mid-flare. As Wren put it so perfectly in her post on guilt last week, the speed with which symptoms change can be frustrating and embarrassing. Like her, I worry sometimes that people - even my rheumatologist - might think I'm making things up, or just being whiny. I'm glad I was able to show her that's not the case.
4 comments:
I'm sorry your hip is so bad right now, Helen, but glad that your rheumy got to observe it while it was flared. It IS nice when the doc gets to see it, as opposed to listening to a fading description.
Here's hoping that the flare will ease soon and give you a break. Hip pain is miserable and draining.
Hugs for you, Helen. :o)
I'm sorry to hear that your hip is still misbehaving, Helen. I hope the cortisone injection is very effective and that you don't experience that kind of pain any more.
Six months?! I'm astonished. Will you be called with a tweak in the treatment plan if the x-ray show that would be appropriate? Good luck!
Yep, six months. Unfortunately there are only two rheumatologists in the small city I live in - mine has literally several thousand patients.
She does stay in regular touch, though - I get all my test results and she'll see me at a moment's notice if I call and say I need an appointment. I'll get a call with the x-ray results regardless, and if they show we need to change my treatment, I'll be able to see her right away.
It sounds like you are in good hands Helen. Hopefully the cortisone helps relieve the pain quickly. Are you back to school yet?
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