Yes, you read that title right. I just got word from my Rheumatologist and Dermatologist that I was misdiagnosed! (This is a good thing) Let me backtrack for a minute...
I was diagnosed four years ago with Behcet's by my OB-Gyn and a Dermatologist, that diagnosis was confirmed by my first Rheumatologist. I was put on Hydroxychloroquine pills twice a day. Due to insurance changes, I had to change Rheumys. My 2nd Rheumy didn't even question the fact that I had Behcet's, just told me to keep doing what I was doing because it seemed to be working. Then, about six months ago I began having flare's...every month. Rashes on my skin, ulcers all over, you know the drill. After getting fed up that I couldn't get an appointment with my Rheumy, I scheduled an appointment with a new Rheumy - Dr. Tan at the UT Med Center in Houston (he's amazing btw). By the time he saw me I was between flares, but I told him my history and he added Colcrys to my Hydroxycholoroquine. Colcrys is a gout med that is supposed to also help decrease the severity of ulcers (skin and mouth). He also took me off Prednisone and gave me Methylprednisolone because I told him I felt the Prednisone never helped.
Then last month, May, I had my 4th or 5th flare in 6 months. I called Dr. Tan and he got me in immediately (this was the first time he was going to see one of my flares). At the appointment he made it very clear that the rash on my skin was unlike any rash he had seen on other Behcet's patients, and thus he wanted me to go see a Dermatologist he worked with (also in the UT Med Center). Unlike the other Rheumy's who were pushing me to start Imuran any time I would have a flare, Dr. Tan wanted to double check the diagnosis (with the help of the Dermatologist) to make sure that I did in fact have Behcet's. Thank goodness he did, because what I have been living with for almost six years has turned out not to be Behcet's, but Erythema Multiforme.
