Ok so I'm on a program with a certain group of physicians that will see me for no charge.
I REALLY need to get into someone to get my lupus under control
My GP can't do that.
There are not Rhemy's in this group that will see me.
Can an Internal Medicine doctor help with this or does it HAVE to be a rheumatologist?
Is anyone seeing an Internal med dr and can tell me what they do for you?
I don't want to go to a dr who in the end is just going to say you need to go see a rhemy.
I at least can see a neurologist and cardiologist with this group so that's good but it doesn't get me the constant set or prednisone/ steriods or immunosuppressives to help get this under control for long term.
My PCP is an internist and a really good one. He feels uncomfortable with the more complicated rheumy stuff. When I get to the point that my MCTD is under control and I am not still changing up meds, etc., I will ask him to follow me so maybe I can go to the rheumy only once a year or more often as needed.
My PCP is an internal meds doctor. He is FABULOUS, he in a way saved my life! We are such a small hospital I was lucky that he was the one to take my case! He knew once they found the ulcers that there was more to it and continued to search. He was also the first to think lupus, and start steroid treatments even without a +ANA. Once my condition got worse and he wasn't able to treat at our hospital he transferred me to a bigger hospital. There they stopped treatment, and once released we went back to him and he has been following me ever since along with Mayo clinic. We are now back to him full time and he is the main doctor between all the specialists. He is so good at listening to me and is so compassionate. I lost it in his office last visit, and he told me that it has been a long road but we will get you feeling better.
I love doctors that are willing to keep searching admit that even if they dont know they keep searching. Without him I would have never been diagnosed. The hospital sent me home with the a mental diagnoses and he knew there was more and was the one to send me to Mayo. A lot of people don't like him because his is so thorough and takes his time with you. When we got back from the hospital and told him they said I had anxiety disorder he looked at me and said what 19 yr old well anyone for that matter would not have anxiety being sick! Since I was being seen at Mayo he really couldnt do to much but since we have transferred care he is taking the everything and getting it where it needs to be. Have to love those doctors that really care and dont make you feel like a mental case! :) Ann A. said:
Louters, your story made me cry. I love my internist PCP also. He is willing to say he does not know and look stuff up. We experiment on me.
The choice to see an internal med dr is not my choice. If i can i will see them and I have a few different offices to try but the few I got to talk to on friday said they will not take a lupus patient. I can't see them if they won't take me.
We have nothing like pateint first here. There's urgent care which is like an er but nothing as major. It's common to go there for a I just sprained my ankle need to make sure it's not worse or a bad cold but I can't get to a dr during their times.
The whole point of this post though was not to should i go or not it was to find if they are capable of helping. I'm not sure what an internal med dr is or what they do and that's what I posted this to find out. I didn't want to get into a dr who's going to say i'm sorry you in the wrong place (like going to a cardiologist for my foot hurting).
I do realize it's possible to not disclose I have lupus until after I have my frist appt with them, but that means I can sit there for an hr with them and be told sorry I can't help you but i'll refer you to someone who can that's not in the network so you'll have to pay out of pocket.
I at least have a main dr to help me with whatever cold is going on with me right now and help me try to figure out what to do. She's really nice and understanding and wants to help me be able to have a life and not be stuck in the house. I can get into see her within a few days.
My primary care doc is an internist. He doesn’t treat my MCTD- defers to the rheumy on that- but he treats all my everyday stuff. Right now, I have a rheumy, neurologist (mostly for sleep issues), psychiatrist and my primary care doc. I feel fortunate just to have those four right now. Good luck finding a doc that you like and that can meet your needs.