Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Diagnosed With Osteoarthritis, Allergic To Advil And Tylenol And Severe Back Pain. Suggestion?
Question: I am a cash patient and can't afford to go from doctor to doctor and test to test. Can you narrow down what type of doctor/specialist I should go to and possible testing I should have if I have: 1) either osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia (have had diagnoses of both), 2) allergic reactions to advil, aspirin, alleve, and tylenol (yes it is possible, it happened to me), 3) autoimmune and autoinflammatory type symptoms, 4) unbearable back pain that seems to differ from my severe arthritic joint and back pain (inflammation or infection around the spine?). This is my list so far:
Allergist - test for allergies
MRI - currently working with my pain management doctor to try to order
Complete blood work - my family wants this
Liver checkup - associated with autoimmune disorders
Check for anemia and diabetes - have a lot of those symptoms
Rheumatologist - what type of arthritis do I have (pretty sure it's not rheumatoid per both doctors)
Sports Medicine - have a lot of those type problems due to work history
Autoimmune/autoinflammatory specialist - don't know what this type doctor would be called
Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic - because this helped in the past when other types chiropractic didn't and I do believe
that subluxation can cause a lot of the symptoms I have
Primary care doctor - dont' have one, but feel my issues would be referred elsewhere anyway. I tried to make an
appt. with the primary care doctor that diagnosed fibromyalgia but he is not seeing new patients and it has been
over ten years since I was there (or anywhere) so they consider me a new patient. I literally cried when they told
me this because he was the only one that listened and accurately diagnosed when I had different issues, and it
took me a long time to find him.
I have also asked my pain management doctor this question, but have not gotten an answer yet. I only started going there for temporary relief of unbearable back pain until the work I was doing was completed. It's been 10 months since I've done physical work, or any full-time work and I'm not better yet. In the past, discontinuing strenuous activity has leveled my chronic pain back to a 3 and below.
I'm hoping I can find some overlapping areas to save time and money. I know you would need to see my complete history to provide the best answer, but I tried to sum it up as best as possible in this query.
Thanks
Allergist - test for allergies
MRI - currently working with my pain management doctor to try to order
Complete blood work - my family wants this
Liver checkup - associated with autoimmune disorders
Check for anemia and diabetes - have a lot of those symptoms
Rheumatologist - what type of arthritis do I have (pretty sure it's not rheumatoid per both doctors)
Sports Medicine - have a lot of those type problems due to work history
Autoimmune/autoinflammatory specialist - don't know what this type doctor would be called
Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic - because this helped in the past when other types chiropractic didn't and I do believe
that subluxation can cause a lot of the symptoms I have
Primary care doctor - dont' have one, but feel my issues would be referred elsewhere anyway. I tried to make an
appt. with the primary care doctor that diagnosed fibromyalgia but he is not seeing new patients and it has been
over ten years since I was there (or anywhere) so they consider me a new patient. I literally cried when they told
me this because he was the only one that listened and accurately diagnosed when I had different issues, and it
took me a long time to find him.
I have also asked my pain management doctor this question, but have not gotten an answer yet. I only started going there for temporary relief of unbearable back pain until the work I was doing was completed. It's been 10 months since I've done physical work, or any full-time work and I'm not better yet. In the past, discontinuing strenuous activity has leveled my chronic pain back to a 3 and below.
I'm hoping I can find some overlapping areas to save time and money. I know you would need to see my complete history to provide the best answer, but I tried to sum it up as best as possible in this query.
Thanks
Hello,
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your query in detail and also the medical journal that you have attached has also been very helpful. Although it was quite lengthy but a worthwhile read to understand your concerns in detail. I also understand that you are a cash patient and really cannot afford to XXXXXXX a lot many doctors. Although you have already been to a plenty.
After going through, what all you have suggested, fibromyalgia and somatoform disorders are one of the foremost possible diagnoses for your illness. And of course your back pain is associated with some spinal problem but then, again aggravated or escalated by the somatoform disorder.
The best possible combination of doctors that you should see are:
1) Psychiatrist- with good experience in psychotherapies.
2) Orthopedics- With special experience in spinal and vertebral illnesses.
Both these doctors have a very broad areas of work and would be good enough to cover most of the overlapping areas.
You should certainly take a fresh MRI whole spine and in blood works should insists especially for TSH and Vit B12.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query.
I have gone through your query in detail and also the medical journal that you have attached has also been very helpful. Although it was quite lengthy but a worthwhile read to understand your concerns in detail. I also understand that you are a cash patient and really cannot afford to XXXXXXX a lot many doctors. Although you have already been to a plenty.
After going through, what all you have suggested, fibromyalgia and somatoform disorders are one of the foremost possible diagnoses for your illness. And of course your back pain is associated with some spinal problem but then, again aggravated or escalated by the somatoform disorder.
The best possible combination of doctors that you should see are:
1) Psychiatrist- with good experience in psychotherapies.
2) Orthopedics- With special experience in spinal and vertebral illnesses.
Both these doctors have a very broad areas of work and would be good enough to cover most of the overlapping areas.
You should certainly take a fresh MRI whole spine and in blood works should insists especially for TSH and Vit B12.
Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you can close the discussion and rate the answer accordingly.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy
Wish you good health,
Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
