Finding The Best Rheumatologist For You: Terrific tips for your next visit

Dear Purple Butterflies, 
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably sick of going to doctors’ appointments, blood tests, taking medications, etc. As much as I hate to say it, for those with chronic illnesses, it just comes with the territory.  I have recently found a brand-new rheumatologist to help me with my Fibro symptoms. My appointment won’t be till September. Until then, I am doing lots of internet homework to prepare for said visit. For instance, I believe I have found an actual name for my twitches and spasms that I get daily. I am anxious to see if my new doctor agrees with any of the information that I found. 
 
I am currently being treated by my Pain Management doctor for my arthritis in my neck and right arm pain. I have been given medication, at home physical therapy, and two rounds of neck injections. Let me tell you that I trust my Pain Management doctor completely. Still I’m thinking that I need a second opinion. Which is where the new Rheumatologist would come in. This is where I got the idea for a new blog. I could share all my tips and tricks that I’ve learned about finding the best doctor. As my adventure continues, I will update this blog.  This list is a mixture of my own recommendation and ideas I found from www.creakyjoints.org.

1. Google: Best doctors in my city: 

 I am not shy about sharing this idea with anyone who needs a new physician for whatever reason. All you need to do is fill in the type of doctor you need, i.e., Fibromyalgia. You typically find a list of doctors available. For example, if they are within the DFW area to show they are excellent doctors they get put in the D Magazine. It is a yearly magazine. 

   2.   Research: 
Now that you’ve found a doctor what seems awesome, do a little research on his or her  background. Go to their actual medical website and look around. Look at his or her reviews. Call around to your doctors and ask if they have heard of the doctor you’re thinking of seeing. Get their opinion. 
 
     3.    Insurances: 
Sometimes our insurances don’t want to cooperate with the doctors we want to see. I have been there many times.  In times like these it makes you want to pull your hair out, right?  Before you do that, try taking a few days off from your search. Then look to see who you can go to that your insurance company will accept! If you don’t have insurance, make sure to tell the doctors office. It has been my experience here within the States that you can receive a discount on your bill. This may or may not apply to other countries. Please ask before assuming they will give you a discount! 
 
Some of the advice from 9 Signs You’re Seeing the Right Rheumatologist (and 5 Signs You Might Need a New One) includes: 

• Competence: 

“Seems obvious, but your doctor must know what the heck they’re doing. Adds Barbara Mendez: “My rheumatologist is very knowledgeable and uses her common sense along with her book-smarts.” 

​If you’ve been following me for a while, you know all about my botched plantar fasciitis surgery. I made the mistake of not getting a second opinion. I was sure fooled into thinking that doctor knew what he was doing. I have moved on with my life always reminding myself to never let that happen again. 

• Comfort level:

“This is perhaps the most important criterion, notes Ashira D. Blazer, MD, instructor of medicine in the division of rheumatology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. I talk to my RA doctor, Dr. Feldman, about everything — arthritis pain, of course, but also diarrhea, menopause, disgusting nose bleeds, and being transgender. Nothing about my health or life is sacred or off-limits because everything is relevant. “You have to feel comfortable with your doctor,” Dr. Blazer explains. “You must feel safe talking about what’s bothering you and if you’re comfortable taking your medication. You must trust your doctor to come up with a therapeutic plan to help you feel better.” Admittedly, not everyone has a big pool of rheumatologists to dip into, especially patients in less populated areas. Many must travel hours just to find a doctor in a 100-mile radius. But if you have the luxury of choice, be picky. This is your health, your life, and your future at stake. “Make sure you have a good relationship with your doctor,” insists Dr. Blazer. “If you don’t have that comfort level, perhaps keep looking around."

​My first instinct is to look for someone who is the same sex as I am. Most of the time I find it’s easier to talk to a lady doctor about what I am going though, than a man. It’s not that my male doctors don’t listen. I feel more comfortable talking to another female about my time of the month, than I would to a man.

• They communicate with your other doctors:

"Inflammatory arthritis can cause or be associated with a host of ancillary issues — eye problems to anxiety and depression to other autoimmune diseases. So, it’s essential that your rheumatologist be in contact with all of your doctors, especially your primary care physician. “Your primary should be looped in,” Dr. Blazer says, “because they’re responsible for your holistic care. They should be aware of what’s going on. Continuity of care is essential.” Debra DeWitt’s rheumatologist keeps track of the tests her other doctors order and “she discusses those results with me, too. She lays out options, then helps me decide what to do.” Mendez appreciates that by the time she comes in the room, her doctor has already read and gone through all her recent doctor appointments and their notes and lab results/tests. It’s not like Evelyn Wood speed reading right in front of her (that’s a joke for Gen-Xers).”
 
On a personal level, this is especially important for me because my physicians aren’t always in the same hospital network. 

• They will squeeze you in:

“If you’ve been in the military, you know it can take eons to get an appointment at a veteran’s hospital and there’s not much you can do about it. But for the rest of us, it’s totally unacceptable to wait months for an appointment, especially if you’re in excruciating pain. A good rheumatologist’s office will find time for you. Vanessa Gonzalez couldn’t get an appointment with her doctor for two months and resorted to popping a lot of ibuprofen, which could be dangerous to her kidneys. “The receptionist told me there were no openings,” she laments. “If I didn’t at least take ibuprofen, I wouldn’t be able to go to work anymore, let alone get up to make myself something to eat. I was so irritated with my doc.”

I know I am not alone when I say that being able to see my doctor as soon as I can is definitely a plus! When offices can do this for me, it not only shows me how much they care but, it reassures me I am not just a faceless number, 
 
It goes without saying, I hope I will be with this new doctor for a long time. Once I find a good one, I hang on with a vice grip. I’d love to know of your experiences. Do you know of any ideas that I failed to mention? Let me know in the comments below. Please continue to stay safe purple butterflies! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today! If you’re enjoying my blogs, why not subscribe to my website? My blogs will go straight to your email. It’s free to sign up! Tell your friends! Tell your friends to tell their friends!
 
Be well!
~ Rachel