Inflammatory or Rheumatoid Arthritis ?

Hello everyone, I had my first appointment with my rheumatologist at the hospital last Monday. She was very nice and prescribed 'Sulfasalazine' and I also had a blood test to see if I had 'the rheumatoid factor'. I thought she said I will see you in 6 months....but today (thursday) I had another appointment through for six weeks time with the rheumatology nurse at the hospital....is that correct ?

[helixhelix]

It's fairly standard practice to see the nurse inbetween consultant appointments, especially at the start to check all's ok with you. Obviously your other blood tests and symptoms mean that she's pretty clear about her diagnosis, so testing for the RF antibody is just an extra. And rheumatoid arthritis is one of the diseases that come under the more general heading of inflammatory arthritis.

[miss-scarlett in reply to helixhelix]

hi, i have just seen this post. please can you explain a bit more, i have vasculitis - which has left me with imflammatory arthritis, but i tested positive for rheumatoid, are they the same or different? thank you

[helixhelix in reply to miss-scarlett]

Inflammatory arthritis is a general name that covers a large number of more specific diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of those.

Think of it like fruit. Fruit is the general name, and you have an orange rather than an apple or a pear.

[miss-scarlett in reply to helixhelix]

thank you

[Matilda_1922]

I'm about to see my consultant for the first time since diagnosis in March. I have seen the nurse 3x in this time

[Hamiltoc]

Sounds usual. I'm still waiting to see a nurse in between - I'm in Scotland so maybe it's different? Let us know how you get on with sulfasalazine

[izzithom in reply to Hamiltoc]

Hi im in scotland too. Only seen rhuemi 6month after being on meds for 6months, nxt appt 1 year l8r. No nurse or phone numbers to get in touch with so i guess i just go back to own gp if any probs

[moomie in reply to izzithom]

I have just gone to a new hospital and Consultant. Been seeing Dr every 4 to 6 month Nurse every month. New hospital first appointment no real exam see you in 12 month. No Nurse or helpli ne number. So in the same boat.

[izzithom in reply to moomie]

So unfair ! everyone of us should have the same care package

[moomie in reply to izzithom]

I agree . We all pay our taxes x

[Beaches2]

Yes, that's exactly how it was for me. After diagnosis I saw the specialist nurse every 6 weeks until we got things under control and I was " settled" on the meds, now it's every 6 months. I've been diagnosed 3.5 years and have only seen my consultant twice in all that time. I'm happy with things this way, the nurse gets 30 minute slots to see you, and the nurse I see is great ,very experienced, and has 30 minute appointments so plenty of time to ask questions etc.

[8080]

Tracy you probably know that you don't have to have Rheumatoid factor to have RA. I didn't know that, and my internist didn't either- she said "well you don't have Rheumatoid factor so it's not RA. This was years and a lot of pain ago. My wonderful Rheumy taught me that there is a lot more to test than just RF to diagnose RA. Just want you to know that that one factor does not tell the whole story. Would not want to you to suffer like I did. ( POOR ME-LOL )

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8080

Thanks for that info !