The Retiring Rheumatologist

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Just last week, I went to a doctor’s retirement party.  It was festive, with honors and ribbing for the lucky one, but there was an asterisk to his milestone. Retirement was not anticipated or planned for. What is your retirement plan?

Lipstick Rheumatology

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A 25 year-old female recently diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis was started on a TNF inhibitor. She came in for a follow-up visit and noted that her toenails were brittle and discolored when she removed her nail polish recently.

The Negotiator

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This is going to be my third visit with this patient and I’m not looking forward to it.

In the first two, I discovered how sick she was and how, despite my handouts, efforts, insights and words, my educated medical expertise was totally wasted.

The Pain of Funerals and Suicides

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Cannabis Arteritis

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Following the November elections, there are now 29 states and the District of Columbia that have legalized marijuana (aka cannabis) for medical use. Of these, eight states and the District of Columbia have also approved laws legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Regardless of the stated benefits associated with marijuana use, there are potential health risks. One of these which rheumatologists may see more of in the future is cannabis arteritis. The following is a recent case we saw at the University of Colorado.

Food and Wine and the Rheumatologist: The Microbiome and Natural Wine

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Is the microbiome influenced by wines "terroir" (“the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate”)? Len Calabrese believes so.

What I'm Looking Forward to at #ACR16

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The ACR Annual Meeting (#ACR16) is such a huge event that it’s worth your time to spend an hour or two planning your time at the meeting. Here's my tentative #ACR16 session schedule.

Prescribing Hope

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Everything will be alright in the end; and if it’s not alright, then it’s not yet the end. – Suni Kapoor (from the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)

Reboot Your Digital Self: Part One

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This is written as a check-up to your digital self and a wake-up call to those of you who are disconnected lazily or willfully. This is written for the journal-subscribing, big textbook toting physicians whose primary education is acquired at the medical library, weekly medical conferences or grandiose annual conventions. Before you bail out on this blog, you should recognize the consequences of not being digital.

My Take on New Ocular Screening Guidelines for Plaquenil

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A recent article published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology presented new recommendations for screening of patients being managed with hydroxychloroquine that changed the previous monitoring paradigm. More importantly, it has repositioned hydroxychloroquine from one of the safest medications that rheumatologists use to a drug that can have potentially significant ocular morbidity (if used in doses greater than 5 mg per kilogram and or for prolonged periods of time).

Georgia Society of Rheumatology: Education Leads the Way

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Rheumatologists in Georgia and across the country are under extreme pressure to care for our patients. The Georgia Society of Rheumatology exists to stimulate interest and increase knowledge of arthritis and rheumatic diseases among physicians, allied health professionals, and lay advocates. Following are highlights of GRS issues and activities.

The Big Fish

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