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Please comment if you have seen a Rheumatologist!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 3/4/2008 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

I am a little bit confused.  My Internist and my Opthamologist have decided I should see a Rheumatologist because of my eye condition now being Scleritis.  What exactly DOES a Rheumatologist do?  I have been blood tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis and it was negative. 

Any ideas?

Thanks a bunch!

Posted 3/4/2008 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
I see a Rheumy, but she works with me for my joint pains. Didn't know they handled eye conditions.
Posted 3/4/2008 8:43 PM (GMT 0)

Good Afternoon
Scleritis may cause inflammation of the anterior and/or posterior segments of the eye and manifests as severe eye pain. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in almost one third of patients suffering from scleritis. I would think this is why you are being referred to a Rheumologist.
Please keep us posted and bless you.
Kitt

Posted 3/4/2008 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
Scleritis is almost always related to an autoimmune disease. Rheumatologists are very good at differentiating between autoimmune diseases and diagnosing them.
Posted 3/5/2008 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone! Do you think a Rheumatologist could also diagnose IBD? Or is that strictly a GI?
Posted 3/5/2008 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
In my opinion a rheumatologist might suspect someone of having an IBD but would not do the testing to confirm it. They would most definitely refer to a GI for the necessary scopes etc.
Posted 3/5/2008 10:41 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with Ides, A Gi doctor handles IBD and a Rheumy doctor is for Arthritis and ect.
Posted 3/5/2008 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have been seeing a rheumatologist for nearly a year now, and she does not want anything to do with the G.I. related issues.  She is great about all of the other stuff, but she wants me to focus on that with my G.I.  She has been able to identify some different vitamin deficiencies that I had probably relating to my Crohn's disease.  Rheumatologists are really joint specialist and will refer you to another specialist for other problems.

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