you'd end up with 5 completely different diagnoses and treatment plans!!!!!

Saw my rheumatologist this afternoon. After reviewing all my test results and getting copies of my elbow MRI & xrays from the orthopedist back in 2015, she's confident that I have a nasty little combination of osteoarthritis (normal wear & tear) and psoriatic arthritis (inflammatory arthritis linked to the stuff on my scalp).

That's about what I figured but then she dropped the bomb on me...."What sort of treatment did they do for the torn tendon in your forearm? Surgery?" EXCUSE ME???? What torn tendon????

According to her, the MRIs from back then clearly show a partially torn tendon in my forearm just below the elbow and fluid build up around where that tendon connects to the bone. This was NEVER mentioned to me... All I was ever told was that I had severe damage from osteoarthritis. But it makes sense because a lot of the pain always felt just "off" from the joint itself. (And our family doctor back then had actually sent me to the orthopedist thinking it was tendon damage but the doc there said it was arthritis & since he was the expert, we both accepted that diagnosis.)

So for the past 10/11 years, I should have been at least wearing a brace (kinda like a tennis elbow band) to help protect that tendon when doing anything particularly active with that elbow. Like refinishing cast iron, planting flowers, shooting, mopping, driving a 4-wheeler or zero turn, even drivign a car for extended periods!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was NOT happy that all that had never been addressed because even without a new MRI, the damage will have gotten worse over the years. Which is why I'm having so much more pain now....

Anyway, a brace has been ordered & I'm to stay on the meds I'm currently taking (as long as they don't throw my kidneys & liver out of whack - dermatologist will be checkign all that in August) and we'll re-evaluate in 6 months. Or sooner if anything changes.

Fun, huh?

p.s. Looks this this chalks yet another damaged tendon up to those da**ed antibiotics they gave me 22 years ago. Torn bicep, damaged achilles (both), damaged tricep, and this one in my forearm...