Not the gastro, but the Rheumy. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Hubby hasn't had a "traditional" flare of his CD in his guts lately, but he's been having a heck of a time with his joints! So he's gone to see the rheumy doc three times now.....most resent was yesterday.
The background: Hubby was Dxd with CD in early 2009 after a big flare in 2008 while he was deployed to Iraq. Has had a couple of flares since then. He watches his diet, doesn't drink alcohol, etc. Was given Asacol by his doc and steroids as needed. In May, he broke his foot and ankle in a motorcycle accident. Since then, he's developed severe TMJ (can't eat), and has severe pain in his ankles, knees, shoulders, wrists. It is migratory pain for the most part, some days his knees will be the worst, other days his shoulders, etc. Two weeks ago he had gotten to the point that he couldn't move due to the pain. I convinced him to go to the Rheumy doc that he had seen previously due to back pain (which was determined to be sacroiliitis.) Anyway, the doc listened to us, poked at his joints a little, gave him 12 days of steroids and wanted to start him on sulfasalozine. Hubby was able to move once the steroids kicked in, but as they stepped down he progressively got worse until he couldn't move again. I talked him into going to see his Army doc (in a wheelchair, because he is in agony when he tries to use the crutches to walk) and he weighed him and he only weighs 115 pounds!!!! The Army doc was MAD that no one has done anything to help hubby, and sent him off to be admitted to the hospital due to malnutrition.
At the hospital, they took the history and decided that this was just CD related arthritis, gave him a high dose steroid shot in the butt and sent him home.
Hubby actually felt 110% better the next day, thankfully!!!
We were told to follow up with the Rheumy the next day, which we did.
The doctor basically told us that he wasn't going to run any tests, because they were pointless and wouldn't tell him anything. He said that he wasn't going to try hubby on a more aggressive medication because he wasn't bad enough. He wasn't going to give him a month's worth of pred because it's too risky. So he basically told my hubby that he needed to suck it up. (My husband is NOT the type to whine about just anything....he's a pretty tough guy.)
I comlpletely understand and respect the fact that autoimmune disorders are difficult to diagnose and treat, but I felt like he could have been at least a little bit more understanding! He literally asked me at one point if I thought he was lying to us when I tried to ask a question. I almost started crying right then and there in the office. My husband was an active 33 year old who always maxed his PT tests and played ultimate frisbee and soccer with the kids. He is now reduced to being pushed around in a wheelchair because of the intense amount of pain in his joints???? (Yes, he does have a broken foot, but surprisingly through all of this, the bone doctor said it's healing really well.)
I am just VERY frustrated with the whole thing. This doctor was basically very condecending in dealing with us yesterday. Hubby has seen him 3 times now and he has yet to order a single blood test on him. We want to get a second opinion, but he was very adiment that if we go get a second opinion, they will tell us the same thing. It's incredibly depressing. It kills me to see him like this. Although he is still doing pretty well today.....I'm very worried about when that shot wears off.
If anyone actually read all this, you deserve a cookie! Haha!