After 11 months I've seen a Rheumatologist!

[Footfairy-1]

Just to put you in the picture, I was dx at the beginning of July 2017, suspected GCA & PMR and had an immediate referral to Rheumy. Luckily no GCA. I was put on 15mg Pred with the normal advice on reduction. Had three further appointments with Rheumatology (different consultants) the last consultant being the worse ever (March 2018), talking down to me and not listening to what I had to say. I gave up and just carried on as I had been with a slow reduction of Pred. She said the next appointment would be in 6 months time.

In all this time I have only spoken to my GP once by phone since August 2017 and that was to ask why I wanted a different mg of Pred. From that phone call he said he was happy for me to manage it myself. I was happy with this as I seemed to be managing things ok. Obviously some ups and downs.

As I hadn't received an appointment for Rheumy by August 2018 I rang but they said they were only just booking for October and that was for new patients. So I left it and got an appointment a couple of weeks ago to attend last Saturday. 11 months!!!

IT WAS A GREAT APPOINTMENT! Lovely, new Rheumy. Addressed me and acknowledged I have a brain. Said I was doing great (even though I'd had a flare the week before and my CRP had gone up to 88 - higher than when I started). Thought I was very knowledgeable about PMR, so I told her about this forum. She was impressed!!! and thought I could probably give them a hand and inform other PMR patients ;). She asked about AA and I said I wasn't taking it as I'd had to pay for a private Dexsa Scan. She couldn't understand why the previous Rheumys and my GP wouldn't send me for one on the NHS. When she saw my results she was impressed and said I wouldn't need another for 5 or 6 years....I'll see her again in August.

I'm sooo happy

[Longtimer]

Well done...keep her!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Why can't everyone have that sort of experience?

[SheffieldJane]

Another angel! Where and who is she for the role of honour? No wonder it takes ages to get to see her.

[Footfairy-1 in reply to SheffieldJane]

Her name is Dr Patel at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. She's new there. Don't know where she came from, probably sent by the angels 😇.

I also had an appointment with the optician a few days before the flare cos I was having temple pain (all checked out ok). The optician was great! He even rang me later in the day to reassure me and tell me he'd left a letter for me to collect and take to the hospital. When I read his letter he started it by saying "This delightful lady". Aww, so sweet. He's at Specsavers 🤓😇

[Oxford8]

Lovely encouraging post! Well done you and Dr. Patel. 😀👍🌷

[Jackoh]

How encouraging!! Hang onto her!

[Hellyowl]

So nice to hear a positive story