I'm not a Doctor but I play one on the Internet

Obviously with all the back problems I've been having for the past year (and all my adult life) I've been doing a great deal of research on the Internet. I started to have a couple new symptoms and I was shocked when theynwere symptoms (along with the chronic sacriilietis) of a particular type of arthritis. Why shocked, I don't know, my aunt had severe rheumatoid arthritis.

I guess because I never have a name for anything.

Any who, how to I ask my Dr about this type of arthritis without 1) telling him how to do his job and 2) coming off with med student syndrome.

I would be very happy if the Dr was able to say"no, it's not that because of blah blah" It does not look like a easily manageable arthritis. But, it would explain a lot of things....

Your answer probably depends upon what kind of relationship you have with your doctor. Some doctors, like my headache doctor, love it when I do my own research and ask her questions about what I find online. Other doctors, like my FORMER headache doctor (the one who said I should just commit suicide), feel very threatened by the proactive patient.

If your doctor is comfortable with you bringing stuff up, or is somewhere between the two extremes, you might say that you have been having this series of symptoms and just came across an article online that seems to describe them. You might add (to reassure them that you're not trying to take over) that you know that you're not a doctor, so you want your own doctor's opinion about whether this is something you should have to be concerned about.

Or, if you're afraid your doctor won't like the Internet, you could say that a friend told you about such and such an arthritis because what you have sounds like that. (I mean, the Internet is your friend, isn't it?)

If your doctor really doesn't like suggestions of any kind from a patient, you might first try emphasizing the symptoms you have that fit the disorder and not mentioning the arthritis itself, to see if the doctor comes up with that on her or his own. And then if not, perhaps timidly venture a question about this particular arthritis.

That's my two cents, at least! Good luck!

Charlotte,

I too would say it depends on the relationship that you have with your Dr. Hopefully, your Dr. is one who likes the fact that you want to help your situation and do something about it, such as research, and won't be intimidated by it.

In a perfect world, we should all have Dr's like this. But, the sad fact is, we do not. IMO, if your Dr. is one who does not want, nor like, your input and your help, then I might be thinking about finding another Dr. if that is a possible solution for you. I don't know your circumstances, but I honestly wouldn't want a Dr. who does not listen to what I have to say or would not like to hear what I have read or would like to try.

Best of luck to you and I hope that this Dr. of yours will give you the opportunity to tell him what you have learned from your research.

Hugs!

Just ask if you have had bloodwork to rule out rheumatoid arthritis. Easy Peasy.

Are you talking about your G.P.?

Dr. W just recently did a very comprehensive workup on Anna. His office sent the results to us in the mail--four pages worth. All normal. He was trying to nail down something, and he was very surprised when everything came back normal.

Maybe ask him to do the testing. If there is something to be found, he will find it! I'm sure he would be willing. Anna's blood was drawn in his office.

Cheryl

Any doc worth her/his salt knows that they do not always know and do everything, so should be open to any and all suggestions from their patients.

You may ask him if he has tested for RF, and he can simply say..."Yes, of course we already did that" or "What makes you think we need to do that?" or "What...do you think you are a doctor now?" either way, he will get the point to check your RF or to reevaluate it if he has done it in the past.

Doctors are just people with a lot of education. They are as fallable and forgetful as anyone and are particularly talented in chasing "ghosts" rather then seeing the most basic of diagnosis. They also tend to correct themselves quickly when these more obvious tests are pointed out.

Actually, it's not RA I'm concerned about, it's ankolysing spondyolosis ( sp?) The new symptoms are pain in my achilles tendons, and my finger joints are getting floppy. Plus, it would explain the years of getting "pink eye" when nobody around me has it. I've had sacra ileitis problems since my early teen age years.

I know AS is usually men, but I had problems with pilondal cysts too and that a predominantly "male" problem.

Yes, Cheryl, it's Dr. W that I want to talk to about this.

In that case, just ask him straight up what he thinks about the possibility.

It's your health Char, you are flying the plane, he is merely the steward.