Q: How can I get the Dr. to see and treat me faster? I am falling apart and I don't know how much more my body can take. I can feel the destruction in my joints and muscles.
I can suggest a couple ways of "working the system." The first one is to talk to your family doctor who gave you the referral to a rheumatologist to ask if they canhelp move things along, perhaps get you an emergency appointment. Second, call the rheumatologist's office, explain your situation to the secretary and ask if there's anything at all she can do to help. She will most likely suggest putting your name on a cancellation list, so if someone cancels their appointment, you are called in sooner. Then there are the more extreme measures, such as on a really bad day, go to Urgent Care or an ER - it's possible that a referral from a place like that may get you moved along the list. However, I would recommend that you start with speaking to your family doctor and asked them if there's anything they can do. Through all of these, I recommend a strategic use of tears - I hate crying in front of people, but sometimes it's necessary to make doctors aware of just how desperate you are. You crying will likely make them slow down a bit, ask you some questions and this is where you tell them exactly how you feel and how much your symptoms are interfering with your ability to live your life. If they can help you get into the rheumatologist sooner, this may get you e.g., a prescription for prednisone to help bridge the gap (although being in full flare is often better when you see rheumatologist for the first time, as it cuts down on the risk of not being diagnosed) or some decent painkillers.
Please keep us posted on how things go?
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Thank you for your wise words and advice! I have gone through my family Dr. and he told me yesterday to just keep on waiting until I can get in to the Rheumatologist where I see my Immunologist for the Immune Deficiency, as a "learning" patient... He would be the best for me. The only problem is this Rheumatologist only works 2, 1/2 day a week... The rest of the time he's with the school of medicine. The local Rheumatologist has only contacted me once, to find out if I was willing to pay the 20% copay up front, BEFORE they made an appt., then never called me back with an appointment! I am on some strong pain pills now, it works, I just get tired of having to take it, let alone pay for it! I am allergic to anti inflammatory and steroids cause psychosis... I have had a lot of steroids in the past, then one day my body started to react to it in a bad way... Thanks again for the wonderful advice, I am going to make some "tearful" phone calls tomorrow and see if I can't get in quicker... I will and I am going to read up some more on these great posts! Thanks for being here!