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How Can I Get A Doctor To Listen To Me?
A MySpondylitisTeam Member asked a question 💭

Yesterday I had an ESR 8 test that was high off the chart high, and if you read my ct and MRI scans they all say degenerative disc, spondylosis, are present. I have had so many bone spurs down my spine I'm having problems with my neck again but I really don't want a 3rd surgery on my neck. No one seems to want to help me because they all say there is nothing they can do....now I'm having this problem with my eye and my eye doc has given me meds but says this will continue unless I get my… read more

posted April 19
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A MySpondylitisTeam Member

Please get to a different eye doctor .. . You may have uveitis. If so you will need treatment pronto. Are you
seeing a Rheumatologist? If not, please get an appointment set up as early as possible.
Also, Most eye doctors are aware of the eye disease called uveitis. Make sure your eye doctor knows your diagnosis of Spondylitis. Once they know what you have, they will be checking your eyes for any signs of the eye disease, uveitis.
I’m sorry you’ve run into some doctors that are trying to push you along to another doctor. That’s awful but it does happen so don’t give up. I wish you good luck.

posted April 21
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

I want them to see that I am in pain and help me instead of telling me they can't someone knows something that can help. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm losing my eye sight I feel like I'm sinking and I can't.get anyone to extend a hand to help when I have been to doctor after doctor and they all seem to want to send me to someone else.

posted April 20
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

You need to see an Opthamologist as opposed to an optometrist and, as someone above mentioned, a Rheumatologist. However, my Rheumi doesn't treat eye symptoms. An optometrist primarily and mostly only studies eyeglass prescriptions whereas an Opthamologist specializes in diseases of the eyes from uveitis to glaucoma and MD. I was losing my vision, primarily to hazy darkness and double vision both near to far. It was cataracts, quite common and easy fix. Optometrists don't treat cataracts,, only Opthamologists do. with cataract surgery,, lens replacement. A Rheumatologist will offer you meds from DMARDS (basic first line chemotherapy) to biologics (i highly recommend you get a cytokine panel before accepting that route) to steroids like prednisone. They can also give you a referral to a pain management dr for steroid joint injections, epidural, ad nerve ablations. A spine surgeon can offer you stem cell treatments and surgery. You don't provide much info about types of specific symptoms or drs you see so it's anyone's guess here. The reality though, with spondylitis, you will have at least a dozen different drs. They all treat different aspects if the disease and none will go outside their specialties. We all deal with that. I never intended to have 4 different appts in a week before the age of 60. I always considered that to be the life of cancer patients and people over 80. But here I am at 58 having social tea time in the waiting rooms just for answers.😒

posted April 21
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

What do you want them to do?

posted April 19
A MySpondylitisTeam Member

Have you gone to a Rheumatologist? You need to go especially if you have been diagnosed with AS. AS can affect your eyes called Uveitis. A very serious condition which needs treatment to prevent worsening.

posted April 19

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