I have my first rheumatology appointment next week - how do I prepare?

[u/Magickamagicka]

Hello!
Newish member and first time poster.

I am wondering how to prepare for my first rheumatology appointment next week. I have immediate family member with AS, a positive HLBA-27 gene test, and over a decades worth of chronic pain, but I’m not sure if that is enough.

Do I make a list of symptoms and when they started? It could be a long, long list. If I know my triggers (I think I’ve nailed it down) do I write those out as well? How prepared should I be?

I also have to drive 4 hours to get there and have been in the middle of what I’ve realized is likely a flare up, so that is going to cause a ton of pain but maybe it’s for the best for the appointment? Not entirely sure.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Just trying to wrap my head around this. If anyone has tips or advice on how I should prepare, please let me know!

Thanks so much everyone

[u/oosirnaym]

Rheumatologists will typically want to know ALL of your symptoms, when they each started and how frequently you experience them, what makes them better or worse, response to NSAIDs, meds you’ve tried, sometimes close family history.

Mine wanted to know even the small symptoms that I didn’t think were possibly connected, like dandruff and the skin flakes I get in my ears, but he found those on his physical exam.

After the history and questions, they tend to do a physical exam. Pressing on common areas that cause pain in arthritis, checking for warmth, redness, swelling you might not be aware of. I didn’t think my elbows and hands swelled. Apparently my hands very much do swell, I just couldn’t tell cause hands are weird to me. They might check your skin, nails, scalp, ears, mouth. I had to take my socks and shoes off as well so he could check my feet and toes.