Rheumatoid Arthritis, Headaches and difficult docs

Well, where do I even begin?

Ok, we live in the Middle East. For those who are not from this region, medical care here can feel very foreign and frightening. For instance, I recently had to have my foot x-rayed because of a possible hair line fracture (it's fine now, btw). The technician wasn't wearing a radiation badge (shows if technician is getting too much exposure), the doctor, nurses and x-ray technician NEVER asked if I was pregnant (NOT safe), and the pillow/paper on the x-ray table wasn't being changed between patients. Patients need to be educated!

As you know if you read this blog regularly, my Munchkin #2 has Rheumatoid Arthritis. She has had headaches off and on (kinda like her joint pains) since she was around 8 or 9 years old. But now, her headaches are becoming much more severe and difficult to deal with. She had to leave her sport of choice an hour early last night because of the pain, she was sweating profusely last night with no fever and had some pain in the lower back of her head in addition to the 'regular' headache.

The rheumatologist has lowered her methotrexate dosage (I don't think it's the m.t.x), and a neurologist has put her on cyproheptadine and has her keeping a headache journal. What's frustrating to me is that the docs just don't seem to have a clue. The neuro wasn't interested in hearing about her dizziness or sweats. In the mean time, I'm having to drag the poor kid through crazy crowded medical centres, push and shove around to get meds because people don't 'que' well here, and pay massive amounts of cash out before our insurance will reimburse us. Yes, I am extraordinarily thankful we have health insurance. But, this has all been so very stressful that I am strongly considering hiring a lady to help me clean house because I feel like I'm 'drowning'. {Little pink piggies flying!} But, trying to pay for the extra help would probably only add to my stress at the end of the day.

In the mean time, I am day dreaming of our next snorkeling trip (a great little island close by - awesome with the kayak. Maybe we need to buy a second kayak? Hmmmm.....). I'm thinking it may be time to burn some of those frequent guest hotel points.

Peace.