Went To Rheumatologist Today....

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Baybreeze

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Late last week I called my rheumy's office b/c my plaquenil was almost out & I had no more refills. I've always gotten 1/2 yrs worth doing 3 month fills at a time, but didnt know if he would want to write another script or not being I don't really see him much anymore. The last time I was there was in August. So the phone person said I need to come in b/c I hadnt been there in a while, so it was set up for today. I had mentioned in some other posts that i've started having alot of muscle cramps & spasms again, even happening in both hanRAB. I had mentioned this to my PM the other day at that appt. & he said it was possible that nerve compression in the spine coudl cause cramps & spasms (such as back spams with a disc herniation, etc.) but that I should also make sure im drinking enough, getting enoudh calcium & magnesium and potassium. I think I have enough and i have supplements as well, but it doesnt seem to thelp. Anyway, he gave me a script for Soma for the spasms. Luckily I dont really have side effects from it & it doesnt really make me tired either. After a few days, it seems to maybe lessen the pain of the spasms a bit, but I'm still getting them.

So now I was at my rheumy's today to see if he would give me another script of plaquenil and while I was waiting, I was getting cramps & spasms. My hanRAB were cramping & squooshing together, too. SO he came in & went to shake my hand, I had to pull my fingers apart first. THen while talking, I mentioned to him about my spasms and he said he really noticed it in my hanRAB so he looked at them. So now finally, he actually saw something happening on me! OF course the new rashes I had gotten several months ago are gone now, but at least he could see and feel some of my spasms besides in my back. Then he said it looks and sounRAB like Tetany. Not tetanus (which is what I thought he meant), but tetany. He said it's usually cramping on both sides of the body, in the hanRAB, the feet, and can spread around to other areas. He said many times it can be caused by low calcium or magnesium, but can be caused by other things. So, it is a symptom. But he doesnt think it's spine related. But he definitely thought it was somethign that neeRAB to be looked into. So now I have to get more blood tests, CBC, CMP, ESR, and magnesium. Seems like all my tests always come back normal, though. Maybe this time they wont, who knows. But I am glad he could observe this happening with his own eyes this time.

Then, other than that , he is keeping me on plaquenil at least for 9 more months (the amount of my refills). And he also gave me a script for Lyrica again to take more mg's per day and a script for 3 months. He said it if it really helps, I can take it again. Annddd...I was getting a migraine again from the light in the doc office, so he gave me samples of Imitrex to see if it helps my migraines. I had mentioned that I am getting these quite frequently lately. And good grief, I am even sitting here with dark sunglasses on b/c even my monitor light is killing me. He gave me a few samples & said if those work, he'll give me a script.

So that was odd, I only went in b/c the office said I had to, to get a new script; and end up leaving with a mini pharmacy LOL. I'm glad about the Lyrica, b/c even tho I felt strange on it last time, it seemed to help when I had milder nerve pain. It seeemed to have deadened it some. So I hope it helps since my nerve pain in the outer hip areas is coming back more since my injections are wearing off.
 
I always seem to be having a better day on my appt days! Go figure! I'm glad he actually got to see first hand what you were talking about. What a difference that makes!

Are you going to lose your insurance while you're job hunting? Can you fill a bunch of prescriptions ahead so you'll have your meRAB?

I'm not familiar with tetany. Is it a progressive thing? Did he feel that it would be controllable?

Let us know what the tests say. I don't know whether to hope for you that they come back normal or that they don't! It would be great to know what's going on!

One day at a time...
Emily
 
I am sorry you are having spasm but way to go having them right in front of the doctor. It sounRAB like maybe he is onto something. YEAH!! Looking forward to hearing the results. Please keep us posted.
 
I've never heard about tetany either. I'm curious about how much Lyrica you will now be taking. I don't know what is considered a normal dosage.

I'm so glad the doc got to see your fingers in a spasm. How often does that timing happen??
 
Hello, "Bay"...I was wondering if your doctor mentioned a Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) or an EMG? I was skeptical at first, whenever my doctor insisted on me having one because I just knew that it would come out "normal." I was wrong...My doctor's nurse called today and said that I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I was floored because I don't do any repetitive work. I am a full-time college student and a stay-at-home-mom. I did, although, work at a printing company, when I was straight out of high school. I began noticing the trouble with my wrists and hanRAB, then. I guess this has been going on for about 10 years, now. I am so thankful that your doctor is willing to do whatever it takes to see what is causing your "new" pain. Do you think it might be a good idea to ask about a Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) and/or an EMG?
 
Baybreeze I am sorry you had so much go on with your visit today but you sure got your money's worth. Hope you find out soon what is causing all your problems.

Linda
 
Girl, what are we going to do with you? SounRAB like it was a very productive visit though with your doc. I wonder if the tetany could be causing your hip pain? I take Imitrex for migraines and it works well. Do you have an aura before you get the headache? The trick is to take the Imitrex before the actual headache hits you, if you know beforehand. Get all those meRAB and tests before the Cobra runs out. Keep us posted and I hope your pain lessens. Any luck yet with the interviews? Are you wearing your tennis shoes? :D

Deb
 
My family doctor told me over the summer that a relatively recent finding is that many women with osteoporosis have a low vitamin D level. I drink milk regularly, take a multivitamin with some D in it, and almost never wear sunblock, so I didn't think that would be a problem for me. He didn't either, really, but he thought it was worth looking into, just to be sure, since I did have osteo at a young age. It was a simple blood test, and sure enough, I was way low! So all those calcium supplements I took for years just weren't being absorbed! He put me on a once-a-week bolus for 3 months and tested me again. My levels had normalized, but he said I need to make sure I take some extra D everyday. He'll probably test me every now and then to make sure I'm where I should be. Such a simple thing! When I told my ob/gyn, I think he felt like that was something he should have thought to test me for. So he responded by deciding to test my cholesterol. I love having two doctors competing to see who can take better care of me! :D But anyway, the vitamin D thing might be another thing to check into.

:wave: Emily
 
Ok, i just foudn some more info about this. It's a symptom and usually involves painful spasms of both hanRAB and feet and can spread to other areas of the body. The foot and hand spasms are called carpopedal spasms. And I just read it can be potentially life threatening!! (depending on the cause) and can end up causing heart arrhythmias. But i'm not going to panic, because my doc said it seems like it but it's not yet a definite & I dont know my blood test results yet. I saw a picture of how the hand spasms occur in this and it is what mine look like and my toes go in the same direction. In my hanRAB, sometimes the pain is real bad in the center of my palms my thurabs get totally pressed into my palms and all my fingers get squooshed together. My toes do the same thing. IT said one can get pins & needles in those areas as well. I get pins & needles in my toes, especillay when laying down or sitting too long (which I figured where spine related) and once in a while I get it in some fingers. It said this symptom can be caused by : hypocalcemia, tetanus, lack of vitamin D, alkalosis, and hypoparathyroidism. Ughh I dont need this but I hope it can be found out whats causing my spasms. Im also going to call the docs office next week to find out about the tests b/c no one there called me last time I had tests.
 
Don't you get vitamin D from the sun too? If so, it's another reason to be in the Carribbean!!

FYI - I have taken the Imitrex as well and it worked really well and took away the migraines but I did not like the after effects. I felt like my heart was beating very fast and experienced alot of jumpiness for the first couple of hours after taking it.
 
Thanks, all...it sounRAB like the Imitrex might really work. I didnt try it yet b/c I only have a few sample pills (there's only 1 pill in each little box - so Im thinking it must be expensive lol). I got a migraine the day I went to the doc but it wasnt THAT bad that day, so I didnt want to waste a pill yet. Pepper, i've that heart racing reaction to some other meRAB ive taken (sometimes with Celebrex and with Provigil it was awful and getting scary)...I hope I dont get it with this med.

Im thinking if I end up having Vit D deficiency, maybe I dont go outside enough. When I do, it's only for very short perioRAB b/c the sun bothers me. Now I get these migraines from bright light and also I get fatigued and have gotten rashes & such (which is one reason lupus was suspected). I even get this sometimes from fluorescent lights. The Soma is not getting rid of my spasms yet and I am getting some bad ones. Yesterday I had spasm of my entire upper back like from waist area and up, but it wasnt too painful. WHat is getting more painful are my lower leg spasms. And it's not juist in the calf like a charlie horse, its in the entire back of my lower leg and in my knee and me knee gets flexed. Same thing is happening in my ankles. It's just really weird some of the areas that seem to be cramping up. I probably wont know anything about my blood tests until next week, though.
 
Hi, I just wanted to chime in and tell you that immitrex are like a miracle for me. I get migraines that can last for days with light sensitivity nausea vomiting etc... Now when I feel one coming on I take an immitrex lay down and its gone in about an hour and half. It's so nice not to have to waste a day on a migraine. Glad your Pm visit went well. We still have flu and fever here. How long can this last? Dee
 
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