2nd Doctor's Appointment
I met with my rheumatologist on the 30th of September. I was a little nervous going into it, but mostly anxious. I had had a few people in my ward try to talk me out of going to him, because they weren't happy with him (though I never got an explanation why), but I decided I'd go and see what he was like, since he's the only rheumatologist in Logan and the next closest is in Ogden.
It was a good appointment. I actually liked the doctor. He has an interesting sense of humor, but the kind that I like. He asked me again the basic, "what's going on" questions that Dr. Carlson asked, and did a basic check of my ears, face, shoulders and skin. He confirmed that it was scleroderma, the diffuse kind. (I'll explain more about that in a different post.) He told me he wanted to do some blood tests, then scheduled some tests to check my lungs and heart to make sure the disease hadn't spread to them.
He gave me some more information, and talked a little about the disease and treatments, all of which I totally can't remember. I just remember thinking the whole time, "Am I still going to be able to have kids?" So when he asked if I had questions, I asked, "Are any of these medicines going to kill my chance of having kids?" I know right? Of all the questions that I had over the last year and a half, that's what I ask. He didn't really give me a clear answer, but just basically said that I can't be on some of the medicine if I want to try having kids, which led to a conversation about contraceptives, sex, and that awkward stuff.
Of course after that I couldn't really think straight, and so the appointment wrapped up. Because it was all a little overwhelming, he only put me on baby aspirin, amlodipine (used to increase blood flow to help with the raynauds), and a low dose pain killer called tramadol. I was actually surprised he prescribed that. I've had my reservations about pain killers, but he did say, "You don't have to be in pain all the time."
I think the most difficult part about this disease and these appointments is that I don't ever get a clear, definite answer on what is going to happen. Will I get better, will I not? But I also understand that it is what an auto-immune disease is. There are no definite answers. I just have to continue to have hope that "this too shall pass."
It was a good appointment. I actually liked the doctor. He has an interesting sense of humor, but the kind that I like. He asked me again the basic, "what's going on" questions that Dr. Carlson asked, and did a basic check of my ears, face, shoulders and skin. He confirmed that it was scleroderma, the diffuse kind. (I'll explain more about that in a different post.) He told me he wanted to do some blood tests, then scheduled some tests to check my lungs and heart to make sure the disease hadn't spread to them.
He gave me some more information, and talked a little about the disease and treatments, all of which I totally can't remember. I just remember thinking the whole time, "Am I still going to be able to have kids?" So when he asked if I had questions, I asked, "Are any of these medicines going to kill my chance of having kids?" I know right? Of all the questions that I had over the last year and a half, that's what I ask. He didn't really give me a clear answer, but just basically said that I can't be on some of the medicine if I want to try having kids, which led to a conversation about contraceptives, sex, and that awkward stuff.
Of course after that I couldn't really think straight, and so the appointment wrapped up. Because it was all a little overwhelming, he only put me on baby aspirin, amlodipine (used to increase blood flow to help with the raynauds), and a low dose pain killer called tramadol. I was actually surprised he prescribed that. I've had my reservations about pain killers, but he did say, "You don't have to be in pain all the time."
I think the most difficult part about this disease and these appointments is that I don't ever get a clear, definite answer on what is going to happen. Will I get better, will I not? But I also understand that it is what an auto-immune disease is. There are no definite answers. I just have to continue to have hope that "this too shall pass."
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