specialist info please.

[artyone]

Hi I am new here, would like some advice please. I have been seeing specialst for a coule of years. She doesnt realy say much to me. She is out of the city I live in. I am wondering wether to try one in my home town. I like her

but dont know her background. Is there anyway i can find out . She is doctoe wilnkinson from kingsmill hospital I dont know were that is.Any advice thanks

carol

[helixhelix]

Hi there,

I'm not sure I understand your question - she'll be a well qualified consultant rheumatologist, otherwise she wouldn't be able to have that job. To get to be a consultant you have to have done the training to be a doctor and then more specialist training on top. You also usually need to have spent several years working in the same subject before you can get a consultant post - so will probably have spent at least 7 years training and a few years working in rheumatology before becoming a consultant. The hospital website will probably list her qualifications. I can't think what other background matters?

It may be that there isn't anywhere with specialist rheumatologists closer to where you live - but you can ask your GP and if there is you can ask to be referred to someone closer. Or if you are paying for private medicine then just look up the nearest one.

Hope that helps, Polly

[artyone]

Hi as far as I can tell she is MB CHB no idea what that is. I dont know if she has any specialism in Lupus. I do know were i live there are 4 consultants that deal with lupus. I am diagnosed fibro , Ra and white finger raynards which also come under Lupus and have a cousin with lupus. I like her very much but it is a way to travel to see her. Thanks for reply carol

.

[helixhelix]

That shows that she's has both medical and surgical qualifications. Rheumatology covers a big range of diseases, and there aren't special qualifications for specific diseases like lupus so it will depend on individual doctor's interests and experience. You could just ask her? But it sounds as if it's the distance to travel that worries you the most so why not ask your GP to be referred closer to home?

[oldtimer]

If you are finding it difficult to get information from your specialist, it's worth making a list what you want from the appointment. Write down notes on what you want to tell her, and what questions you want answered.

Sometimes the lack of information is because the person thinks you know already, sometimes because they don't know the answers. This can be the case in something as complicated as lupus which, from my friends with it, seems to take for ever to have a definite diagnosis because it has so many different ways of affecting the body.

[oldtimer]

I've just looked up the Kings Mill Hospital. Dr Claire Wilkinson is one of the four rheumatology consultants there. The department has lupus as one of its specialities.

If you have a nearer hospital which also has the same specialities, ask to be referred there.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Artyone

The following website may be of interest. You can use this to look up consultants in your area. The detail it gives on each consultant varies, but it sometimes gives their specialist areas of interest, though as others have said, any rheumatologist would be highly qualified and cover a range of conditions, so I'm sure they will be able to help you. Also, if you wanted to know more about her background but don't like to ask her directly, perhaps you could ask her secretary?

The website is:

drfosterhealth.co.uk/consul...

Kind regards

Victoria

[samuffin]

Hello artyone

I have RA but do have a friend with Lupus in Nottinghamshire. We both go to QMC and he can't praise the staff there enough. They give him (and his wife) all the information he requires and have stabilized his condition. I have had brilliant treatment at Queens both from the consultant and the the RA nurses who very often help with the practical problems which you don't like to bother a consultant with.

Do you opt to receive copies of all correspondence? We all suffer to some extent from white coat syndrome and to have what was discussed in black and white I find invaluable.

[artyone]

Thank you for your help.It seems there is a specialist in RA and Lupus at local hospital. Will see if I can get private appointment with them. Just need a bit of support . thanks carol