Hello, I just discovered this site and am so glad to have found a place I can get feedback from fellow sufferers. I would be grateful for any suggestions as I'm having to seek second opinion due to my local doctors being stumped and suggesting I get a comprehensive diagnosis. I'm very stressed out about
what I should do as I've been getting progressively worse over the last couple of months.
I have had RA since I was a teenager, but it was not properly diagnosed or treated for many years. I also developed severe gastritis, migraines, asthma, endometriosis, and other auto-immune diseases by the time I went to college. I've been given so many NSAIDs, DMARDs, pain killers, etc over the last few decades that it's really ripped up my stomach. The Celebrex and Sulfasalazine seem to not do much but be maintenance mode drugs for the last several years. The MTX really caused the most damage over the last year to my stomach, and since I saw no benefits from continually upping the dose over a year, my Rheumatologist switched over to biologics. I was put on Enbrel, but didn't see any benefits in the 5 weeks I was on it. It was stopped by a surgeon since my gallbladder started to malfunction (HIDA scan showed 8% rate, but no gallstones). I also have had an intense flare up of stomach pain and gastritis with a lot of reflux, despite being on PPI (nexium) for the last 14 years and being put on Sucralfate this past month (it's an ulcer medication that coats the stomach, although my upper endoscopy didn't show any ulcers, just a severely inflamed stomach). I can't eat anything without pain and bloating, and feeling like something is stuck in my throat. The gallbladder attacks are quite painful, but I am resisting having it taken out as I have read that it will exacerbate the gastritis. That's probably why the surgeon wasn't too keen to take it out; he's also not convinced that there isn't a lot more going on. My RA is painful enough, but these abdominal pains are just overwhelming.
I have thus been advised by my GP to seek out comprehensive treatment where a team of doctors work together for diagnosis and treatment protocol. Since I have so many chronic illnesses, this makes most sense. We're not entirely sure that there isn't more going on that no one here is getting hold of. My options are Cleveland clinic or Mayo clinic. Cleveland clinic is about
4-5 hours drive away (I'm in upstate NY), but Mayo clinic would require flying to/from (and thus likely be more expensive). I would be grateful for any insights from anyone's experience at either place. Also, any names of specific doctors would be very helpful.
Thanks very much!
Post Edited (globalprof) : 8/20/2014 12:08:44 PM (GMT-6)