Swarup Areena MD

In 2013, my PCP found arthritis developing in my lower back. He referred me to see a rheumatologist.
Swarup & I got off on the wrong foot right away. I mentioned that I was considering a hysterectomy and that I would prefer to avoid having to do it if possible. I told her about my family history with psoriatic arthritis. And that I had read that there have been studies on TNF– inhibitor class drugs (such as Enbrel and Humira) which suggest that they might also help endometriosis. I concluded that I would like to wait on the hysterectomy to see what type of arthritis I had, and to see what the treatment was going to be, and that *IF* the treatment ended up being something like Enbrel or Humira, and *IF* if it ended up also helping my endometriosis, I might be able to avoid the hysterectomy.
When I finished speaking, she basically laughed in my face. Literally, out loud, and said, «I’m not going to put you on Enbrel for endometriosis.»
I was stunned. The way I explained it above was exactly what I said to her. I tried to re-​explain – I hadn’t asked her to do that, and I was here for her to figure out my arthritis situation (which x-​rays proved I had). She just kept looking at me with this «you’re off your rocker» expression as I spoke, so I immediately realized nothing I was saying was getting through to her.
(I’m not off my rocker – there ARE studies that have look at how TNF– inhibitors interact/​affect endometriosis, for example:
)
Since there’s a shortage of Rheumatologists in this area, and since it takes forever to get in, I stuck with Swarup as we tried to work through diagnosis.
However, throughout my appointments, Swarup continued to regard everything I said with incredulity, including my descriptions of my symptoms, and my reports as to medication efficacy.
At one point, she stated unequivocally that my foot pain was from plantar plantar fasciitis – despite the symptoms being incorrect, and my risk factors being very low. I didn’t have, nor have I ever had, plantar fasciitis.
I finally stopped seeing her in 2013 due to loss of insurance. We never completed the diagnosis process.
Fast forward to 2015, and 6 weeks or so ago, I tried to make an appointment with another doctor at Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates (Swarup’s practice), because Swarup and I did not have good report. I was told that I could not make an appointment with another doctor within the practice because I was established with Swarup. I asked if they could please ask Swarup for special permission. Swarup refused. She «advised» me to find another rheumatologist outside of the practice. I told them that this was difficult to do – of the 30-​some-​odd rheumatologists in my area covered by my insurance, **15** of them are at that practice. And, wait-​times for new patient appointments are ridiculously long.
So I said I’d just stick with Swarup and try to work things out with her. I made an appointment that was about 6 weeks out. It was the soonest she had available for a «new patient” – I was being treated as a new patient because I hadn’t seen her in almost two years. Which is interesting, considering I’m a «new patient» but I wasn’t allowed to start fresh with a different doctor in the practice. Contradiction, much?
So I wait my 6 weeks, and then…
On THE DAY of my appointment, they call to tell me that my appointment has been cancelled because I had requested to see a different doctor, and that she had told me to find a doctor outside of the practice!!!
Ok… So, why did they allow me to make the appointment in the first place?
And WHY did they wait until 2 hours before my appointment to tell me it was cancelled, when they could have any time in the previous 6 weeks?
Now I have to find a new doctor, and wait another few months in terrible pain.
STAY FAR, FAR AWAY FROM AREENA SWARUP. And if you go with this practice at all, choose your physician wisely, because you won’t be able to change your mind.