I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a great Rheumatologist. Dr. Nancy Scheinost is the fourth Rheumatologist I have gone to, and she has done the most to curtail my level of pain and improve the quality of my life. I wish I had found Dr. Scheinost sooner, as I might have been able to avoid the crippling deformities to my hands and feet. Dr. Nancy takes a whole body approach to treatment, such as a blood test that showed I was very low for vitamin D. ( No other doctor has ever checked my vitamin D level.) Since I started taking the vitamin D supplement, my health in general has improved, I have more energy, and even had improvement on my osteoporosis bone density test.
Dr. Scheinosts’ office is located in Bryan TX about 150 miles away. It’s a long drive, but the regular schedule is once every three months. It is more than worth the drive, (6 hours round trip), to have a caring, progressive person taking care of me. Rheumatologists are scarce to begin with but that doesn’t mean you should settle for someone who you don’t have complete confidence in. RA is a lifelong disease with many ups and downs, so you really need someone who you feel completely comfortable with.