Rheumatology.. All systems go! MOT

So just saw rheumatologist for the first time.

Suddenly I'm sent to have 6 vials of blood taken and am currently waiting for numerous X-rays... 5 different areas of my body...

Is this the usual routine?

[Hidden]

Oh wow,

I wouldn't complain, I wish I could get that to get some answers about my joint pain!

Good luck ❤️

[EquineArcher77]

I got sent for a tonne of blood tests in one go, and had xrays of my knees and chest, I think it's routine to rule out a lot of other things.

Fibro is diagnosed through excluding everything else.

Good luck xx

[lou1065]

I am fortunate to have fantastic care, it seems you too are receiving good standard of care, long may it continue xx

[jillylin]

Pretty normal when they are really doing the job properly.

Hugs

Jillyxx

[KrissyB]

I wasn't sure what to expect either when I went to my first Rheumatology appointment. I described to my friends and family it was like having an MOT! Height and weight measured, examination, urine sample, chest X-ray and blood test. Can't complain, it was my local hospital and fortunately they were efficient. I would say painless but the examination wasn't!

[Hidden]

Hey thanks everyone for the reassurance

It's good to know that this is routine for an efficient consultant. He also said I'll get an appointment to have an MRI so really is the full works.

I was just a bit anxious yesterday and only expected a consultation and maybe physical examination so it was a suprise (shock) to suddenly have an MOT.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences with me. It's a comfort x

[Hidden]

Mine referred me to various places - ENT, sleep clinic, podiatrist, pain management, and took blood for testing. No xrays or MRI, but a lot of asking me to bend and manipulate myself into different positions. Diagnosis of Hypermobility syndrome, because apparently I'm super flexible. Checked one tender point and made diagnosis of fibro from that. I'm hoping that at the next one I'll get a spinal MRI and possibly a referral to the hypermobility clinic. Can only hope, eh?

Sounds like yours is checking you thoroughly, that's really reassuring. Hopefully you'll gett an accurate diagnosis from it all.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi ya,

Thank you.

I have hypermobility too.. Was diagnosed at ten so I've always put my issues down to that, turned 30 this year so thought maybe I'd just hit an (early) age where my body couldn't cope with it anymore.

I feel lucky that I seem to be getting good care.. I've got an appointment with the sleep clinic coming up soon..

I think my problem is that I'm depressed so I can never work out what pain is real and what is imagined/exaggerated due to the depression. I'm an over thinker, always have been.. And unfortunately, it seems if you think too much, enjoying all the positives is that much harder because there is always something else to think about..

I'm sorry you are going through this too.. It's so tricky to balance life and wellbeing x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

It sure can be! Have you had an HMS or EDS diagnosis? I'm hoping my rheumy will be willing to "upgrade" my diagnosis to EDS (ht) which would than allow me to get better treatment. Going to have to go in to my next appointment armed with info though, I think! I only just found out I was hypermobile in December. Looking back it seems ludicrous that I didn't know, but I was surrounded by other "bendies" so I always thought it was normal.

[Hidden]

What is EDS? I've been diagnosed with hypermobility but not as a syndrome.. Is there a distinct difference? It was 20 years ago and wasn't anything official.. Just that my knees dislocated a number of times within a certain time frame and the A&E Doctor at the time said "you have hypermobility". That was that. I dislocated my knees many more times and my left hip twice and again the A&E doctors said the same thing each time. When I was pregnant my pelvis played up (fairly standard), whilst having physio for that, the therapist said it's also in my ankles and feet. I've taken all that together as a diagnosis.

What will the 'upgrade' mean in terms of better care?

I find it all so confusing x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That sounds awful.

It does sound to me like you'd have grounds for an EDS diagnosis.

As for whether or not it would get you better care, that depends on your doctor, and how much they know about the condition. It's still a relatively unknown condition and many people find themselves having to educate their doctors on the condition, rather than the other way around.

Here's a link that will give you all the info you need.

ehlers-danlos.org/about-eds...