A Slow Process

The diagnosis process felt like it took forever. It took a month from the time my family doctor told me I should see a Rheumatologist until my first appointment with one. I guess they have some long waiting lists. Waiting is hard for me. I feel like I can deal with stuff really well if I know WHAT I'm dealing with. I now knew there was in fact something wrong and all the pain and weakness in my body probably wasn't going to just go away. The WHAT was still a big unknown and really annoying to me.

My first Rheumy visit was mostly lots of talking about what I felt like, examining of my joints, and what seemed like a lot of blood samples being taken. I went back the next week for a follow-up and which point I was told I exhibited enough symptoms to be diagnosed for both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus. That being said the doctor wanted to do more blood work to make sure there wasn't something else going on. And gratefully I was given some meds to help out, mmm Prednisone...I can still remember the sweet sweet relief it offered from the pain and stiffness. More blood drawn, more tests run. More time gone by. More blood drawn and more tests run to confirm previous tests were accurate. I'm not sure how much time actually passed, but to me it felt like FOREVER. Finally I had a diagnosis. My ANAs and anti-RNP results were ridiculously high...Mixed Connective Tissue Disease.