Confused!

[Hoopy1950]

Hi all, I hope this doesn’t sound like a stupid question. I was diagnosed with GCA in May 2021. I am presently trying my best to taper and am doing a very slow taper and have got down to 4.5mg. During this time I have been under the care of a Rheumatologist but my next appointment in 4 weeks time is at the General Medicine clinic but I am seeing the same specialist. I have rung the hospital and they tell me this specialist is no longer doing Rheumatology. There is now someone else doing the Rheumatology clinic and I haven’t been transferred. My question is, is it prudent for me to see a General Medicine specialist rather than a Rheumatologist? Sorry if it sounds petty but I really don’t want to go backwards at this stage - perhaps I am over thinking it. There is such excellent advice and guidance on here - sometimes better that the professionals. 💞💞

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Sorry, I’m a bit confused as well - early in UK and different medical set up.

Are you saying you are seeing the same person, but in a different role? Maybe they requested you stay with them until the next meeting and then the way ahead can be discussed. Or have I misread that?

If it is same person, they may decide you can still be treated by them [provided your GCA is well controlled and you don’t have complex issues] - or they may feel you still need to have specialist care. If so, presumably they can refer you back to rheumatologist clinic.

Why not go to appointment and discuss.

[Hoopy1950 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you - apologies for sounding confused. After I had posted I realised I had the solution but couldn’t formulate it properly. I needed guidance and you gave it . Thank you both.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hoopy1950]

No probs…

[piglette]

Why are you worried about being treated by the same specialist? Rheumatologists normally would be treating you and if they would then transfer you to someone else if they were unable to treat you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You wouldn't have asked if you had continued seeing this person in the rheumy clinic would you - and they haven't lost all the knowledge they had before, just changed the place they see you.

All rheumatologists are trained in general medicine first, then they specialise in one direction of medicine. What they have done is allow you continuity of care and the treatment is still within their remit. I was actually under a general medicine Primar here in Italy as our hospital didn't have a rheumatology department at that time. He could prescribe everything and there isn't much in the way of specialist techniques involved in rheumatology. Now we have a world name in PMR as our head of rheumatology for the entire region as well as our hospital and he is my doctor. But the system here is that all the specialist doctors also have to take their turn as medical on-call for the emergency department - so if I have a heart attack when he is on-call for medicine he'd see me in the ED before calling a cardiologist. So in that case, a rheumy is doing general medicine.

[Hoopy1950 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you - much appreciated.

[Grammy80]

No question is a stupid question....I know nothing of your health system, but know you will get help here!💞

[Hoopy1950 in reply to Grammy80]

Thank you - I felt a bit stupid after I had posted and didn’t give myself time to think it through. Sometimes this disease scrambles your rationale 😔

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hoopy1950]

Both the disease and the treatment. But G80 is right - there are no stupid questions. There may be stupid or unhelpful answers but if you ask the question it is because you are finding something confusing. And most healthcare systems and some of their machinations are confusing!!

[Hoopy1950 in reply to PMRpro]

💞💞

[Grammy80 in reply to Hoopy1950]

Right now, I could change my name to 'Scrambled Brain' but I'm hoping that Grammy80 comes back. No foolish questions. 😉💞

[Hoopy1950 in reply to Grammy80]

🤣🤣💞