Specialists!

[minkydog]

I went to my orthopedist yesterday to have my left thumb injected with cortisone. I have pretty bad degenerative arthritis in both thumbs so I have them injected periodically to give me some relief when the going gets bad. I've tried to hold off on it, but in the last 3wks the pain has gotten severe enough to wake me up at night. It affects everything i do, even holding hands with my DH, and often I wear a splint just to protect the joint.

This is the third time I've had to see this doctor and for the last time he has treated me like I'm an idiot. Very abrupt, with one foot out the door, as if what I have to say is either stupid or uninteresting. I wanted to know about hand surgery, since the last two times he had been pushing it. So is says sarcasticallly, "Why are you so eager to rush to surgery?" I"m not! He just keeps bringing it up so I wanted more info. I'm not signing on for major reconstruction of my thumb just because he says too! He acted like he was just above all that. Just gimme the injection, doc, and you won't have to be bothered again...

He did give me a prescription for Ultram for pain(I'm highly allergic to Advil so I can't take most NSAIDS or aspirin). It made me sick as a dog and I'm still hung-over,so I'll just take tylenol, I think. My hand feels 1000% better today, although it's not completely normal.

I've been a nurse for 29yrs. I'm not a doctor, but I'm an expert in my field. Why do specialists have to act like this? When it comes to pain in my hands, I believe I'll be the judge of how bad it is. I'm not a drug-seeker, I don't need a narcotic. Just a little relief now & then, and to be treated like an equal.

 

[Poohnatic]

Minky,

My orthopedist was the same way for a long time. Knew everything and I knew nothing. Hello, my wrists here-had these problems for a long time before you came along!

It took the first surgery he did on me for him to change his tune. My whole wrist was reconstructed with two pins put in and I kept nagging him to go back to work! I didn't miss a day when I broke it, but his colleague saw me and set it, so that didn't count.

After that, I could go in and present/triage and he'd follow what I told him. My carpal surgery, he told me 'normally, I tell patients they will be off for 6 weeks. I'm making you stay out three, but you'll probably be ready in two"

I broke my thumb at work and was forced to go to a designated facility. After two weeks of still being in pain (supposedly, it was just bruised) I called my HR rep and explained the 5 wrist surgeries and that I wanted MY doctor. He examined and asked "bad news or worse news?" Broken, but if he went in to fix it, it would accellerate the arthritis I'd definitely have. This is a specialist of wrist and hand surgery and if he says surgery is a bad idea, then I'm not having it.

The cortisone shot is one of the few things I don't tolerate well, but I suck it up and get the injection. Doc kept checking in on me afterwards (not his normal MO) and offered to call my DH to come get me. I think I was whiter than white.

If I ever need more wrist work, I am flying to Maryland for this guy!

Now, new doctors get a typed medical history. The specialists usually love this and treat you better from the get go.

 

[sharbear]

Minkydog, my DH has Psoriasis Arthritis so I have so idea of what you are going through. My DH struggled to find a diagnosis to what was happening to him. It was very fustrating. He found that orthopedic surgeons were not the best option for him and what was happening.

On the advise of his brother, he decided to see a Rheumatologist. It was the best thing he could do for himself. The Rheumatologist was so much better at knowing how to treat and manage the pain. He is great about cortisone shots and also is really good about treatment options and medicines. I am wondering if a Rheumatologist would help your situation, it just a suggestion.

I would be very unhappy if a doctor talked to me like that. I'd say that you don't need to accept that behavior but sometimes it can't be helped or changed. I know that we live in a big town and the ortho guys are such specialists. We have wrist guys and hand guys (who knew they were different), general orthos don't want to see you and there are only a few sub specialists.

 

[Poohnatic]

I'll second the suggestion SharBear made. Try the Rheumatologist. I found a great one on the first try here.

Suzanne

 

[minkydog]

Minkydog, my DH has Psoriasis Arthritis so I have so idea of what you are going through. My DH struggled to find a diagnosis to what was happening to him. It was very fustrating. He found that orthopedic surgeons were not the best option for him and what was happening.

On the advise of his brother, he decided to see a Rheumatologist. It was the best thing he could do for himself. The Rheumatologist was so much better at knowing how to treat and manage the pain. He is great about cortisone shots and also is really good about treatment options and medicines. I am wondering if a Rheumatologist would help your situation, it just a suggestion.

I would be very unhappy if a doctor talked to me like that. I'd say that you don't need to accept that behavior but sometimes it can't be helped or changed. I know that we live in a big town and the ortho guys are such specialists. We have wrist guys and hand guys (who knew they were different), general orthos don't want to see you and there are only a few sub specialists.

This guy is a hand specialist. He seems like a hot shot, or at least he thinks he is Thanks for the suggestion about seeing a rheumatologist. I have seen a very good one in Atlanta and she seemed very sympathetic. I'll be in touch with her for any future cortisone shots. I'm not interested in having surgery until I have run out of other options. I have a handicapped child and a disabled husband who depend on me for physical care, so I don't need to go looking for more problems. Eight weeks of being unable to feed, diaper, dress, bathe or lift DS *sounds* like a dream come true, but I'll bet it would impact our whole family. Already my kids have to pick up the slack when my hands are hurting too much.

Getting old isn't for sissies

 

[noodleknitter]

We had one of those too...maybe it is an extra course for orthopeds...

I'm glad you are feeling better today!