I hope the rheumy doesn't think I'm a hypocondriac.
That seems unlikely...
on my first appointment with a rheumatologist, he scolded me a bit for being such a stoic and not complaining enough to get referred to a rheumatologist years earlier
On the other hand, don't expect to hear about all the treatment alternatives from a typical rheumatologist -- there are a few rheumatologists out there who keep abreast of the full spectrum of helpful treatments, but from what I've heard that is quite rare. I got the AS diagnosis from a rheumatologist, but I've learned a lot more about kicking AS here
