Hospital appointment tomorrow.

[jonesy1]

Hi all. I have an hospital appointment tomorrow with a new rheumy and at a new hospital.

My last rheumy retired so I thought I would take the opportunity of moving to a closer hospital but now panicking that he will want to start from the beginning again instead of going on from where we had got to. I think if I had gone back to my other hospital I may have got a diagnosis this time as my ds DNA has come back poisitive as well now. I am taking copies of letters and blood tests with me but will he take notice of them or want to do his own first. I dont want to have Lupus but I do want to know if I have because at least I will have an answer for feeling as I do.

Stress is taking over, sleep is disappearing totally, smoking is going up not down as I am trying to give up and energy fading.

i just want some answers so I can move on knowing what i am fighting.

Sue x

[Binkey]

First and foremost I wish you good luck tomorrow.You never know,it may be a change for the better.Holland & Barrett sell herbal ciggy's,they cost about £2.98 a pack.Check them for tar percentage,some are 3 percent and some are 6 percent but,they do not contain nicotine.I stopped smoking in April after many year's of smoking.They do help if you are feeling stressed but,like everything else,you should'nt smoke them on a permanent basis.I don't sleep well either,even though I feel so tired all the time.I wish you well.

[Hidden]

Hi Sue

A new begining huh! Looking on the bright side (as i tend to) it could be to your advantage to start again with a new rheumatologist and it will hopefully make appointments easier now you are closer to home. He or she will want to go through your notes with you in order to better understand your history. It's good that you have prepared for the appointment, you have the list ready, including those blood results and of course you shouldn't be shy about discussing your need to understand your current medical status. It's many years since I was diagnosed and even now I find the language that rheumatologists use can cause me some confusion. I hope you get the answers to seek soon, but if your rheumatologist does decide to run a full compliment of blood tests before committing to a diagnosis of Lupus. I guess you have nothing to lose by focussing on "fighting" your particular symptoms. e.g. ask for help with the sleeping (I find nortryptoline pretty helpful)

Good luck

Val

[Thaddeus]

For me having a name for the condition was hugely important ~ after 15 years of doubt and confusion. And then comes acceptance. It is what it is, no point in second guessing what happens next. but it does get better.

Good luck tomorrow.

[pollyanna]

Hi Sue good luck, hope it goes well at the hospital. I have just stopped smoking and I am now n week 5! I am so impressed with myself, as have tried for years to stop, this time I'm doing it because I really do want to and determined not to give up, giving up, if I can do it so can you, good luck, take care, Mandy x

[jonesy1]

Thank you for your replies. My new consultant who was very nice says it is not Lupus but Sjorgrens Syndrome after doing the litmus paper test and because I am too old for Lupus.