Yesterday I had an appointment with Dr. Ahmed, the anesthesia pain doctor. First I met with his assistant/resident and was asked a million questions and then examined. More agony. Then the doctor came in, he was very nice, but of course had to do his own exam, so more torture. I was a wreck yesterday with pain from all the twisting and moving and bending.
Anyway, first the resident mentioned something about having an electric stim implanted in my neck with a battery pack under my skin on my hips. My hips are big enough and I don't really like the thought of having things implanted in me that shouldn't be there. I said that sounds a bit too permanent for me. I was quite surprised he mentioned it even before mentioning the epidural. A bit fishy, perhaps he's doing some sort of study with it. He also told me he thinks I have a rotator cuff problem and wants me to have an MRI. I said fine, I've been trying to get the doctors to give me one for 3 years, but I can't do it until my neck is sorted because I can't lie down on my back flat. Then he asks if I've had an X-ray study of my neck to see if it's lax. I was like - dude! seriously? My whole body is lax - that is why I was diagnosed with HEDS/ hypermobility disorder! I told him I wasn't going to waste my time and money (and I don't need the extra radiation, Lord knows I've had more than my fair share) on something that we all know is a fact already. It's not like it's going to prove something and give us a magical solution to fix this. I passed along this info to Dr. Panagos who said, and I quote, "The name of the game is strengthening. Of course you are lax because of the EDS. There is a rotator cuff component to everything, but I think it is related to your neck versus a separate problem. Once your neck feels better, we will see how much pain is originating from the rotator cuff." I'm going with my trust in him, he knows my body slightly better.
Anyway, Dr. Ahmed was very nice and at said I could have the epidural. I asked him how soon and he said he'd check the calender. First he came back and said the earliest was the 20th! I looked right at him and said there was no way I was going to make it that long. (Today is 7 weeks of this crap!). He went back and then a few minutes later returned saying he could ask some other doctors to shuffle around so he could get the OR on Tuesday afternoon (not his usually scheduled time). I was so so grateful.
Then of course something had to happen. Right before I left work last night I received a message from Dr. Wu's office that he wanted to do one more test. I flipped, especially since I tried to ring back directly and they had the service on already. I spoke to his office this morning and the assistant knew nothing and said I could ring Dr. Wu in Queens after 11am. I have to find out what this is about because now that I'm scheduled for Monday morning (oh - did I forget to mention that? Dr. Ahmed's office just rang and said they had a cancellation for Monday am so they gave it to me!) I am not wanting to delay the procedure for some blood test when everything else has come back perfectly normal.
The stress is killing me! Fingers crossed it all works out and I can have this sorted on Monday!
10 July, 2009
08 July, 2009
Results of some kind
After driving Dr. Wu's assistant insane for the last day I finally have the results from yesterday. I rang him again at the end of yesterday (Tuesday) and he said he'd ring again and then I rang him this am (yes I'm persistent) and he said they were meant to come through this am but had not yet. I guess he rang them again or the lab has ESP as a few minutes later I received a fax with the results. I knew all would be fine, but whatever, it's done. I faxed them and the earlier results over to Dr. Panagos, sent him an email saying I was faxing them, and then rang his office to speak to his assistant. I realised I hadn't thought about if I need pre-approval for the injection or not and I was sure the dr's never thought about it, so wanted to find out for sure, I am trying to avoid any more delays. I told them I needed a CPT code so they said they'd ring the insurance company to find out. Poor Dr. P probably can't wait to get me sorted so I stop sending him emails constantly and driving his staff batty. I just need this sorted and quickly, Friday will be 7 weeks of this rubbish. I know there are people worse off than me but enough is enough. I have one medical nightmare after another and I'm just so over it. I've also lost humongous amounts of patience with everyone and everything (not that I had that much to begin with). I just want to feel like myself again and have my life back.
So, here's to praying I can get the injection without any more complications or delays by the end of THIS week and that it works! Please.............
So, here's to praying I can get the injection without any more complications or delays by the end of THIS week and that it works! Please.............
07 July, 2009
Blood
They took about 4-5 vials of blood from one arm, then cut my other arm and waited to see how long it took to stop bleeding. Thankfully only 5 minutes - and they said that was good. So...waiting for the results of the platelet test. The lab said they should have them today but the haematologists office insists it will take 4-5 days - so I'm trying to not get my hopes up that I might actually get an injection this week.
Waiting for results to be faxed to Dr. Wu so he can fax to me so I can fax to Dr. P.
Time is going too slow at present.
Just as a reference - came across this article on ehow
http://www.ehow.com/how_5006778_cervical-radiculopathy-due-bone-spurs.html
Waiting for results to be faxed to Dr. Wu so he can fax to me so I can fax to Dr. P.
Time is going too slow at present.
Just as a reference - came across this article on ehow
http://www.ehow.com/how_5006778_cervical-radiculopathy-due-bone-spurs.html
06 July, 2009
Insurance and doctor hell
I won't bore you with the varied and numerous details about trying to get a lab and a doctor work together with ones insurance company when there is a daft blood test that is only done at particular places, but think of a very frustrating thing and then multiply it by 100! I swear, the more ill you are the more difficult it is to get treatment. Something has got to give in this bloody country with health care!
Just to give you an idea - the blood work taken a couple of weeks ago, one set cost over $700 - UHC paid $30 of it. (this was w/ an in-network lab, G-d only knows what would've been charged for an out-of-network lab) WHY CHARGE SO MUCH FOR A TEST THAT IS ONLY $30, if that??? The other set was over $800 and UHC paid $40. Now this is great if you have insurance, but for those millions of people who do not have medical insurance, why are they getting charged these exorbitant costs? It's no wonder you can go bankrupt and lose your home from being sick. Congress better sort this out and properly soon!
So the long and the short of it and what should probably be a few valiums later, I am going to Mt. Sinai tmrw am to the Phlebotomy lab for a bleeding test and a Platelet test. Even though Dr. Wu doesn't have privileges there, they are (Thankfully) letting me have the blood tests done there. Most hospitals won't let you do that - because everyone in the medical field are evil horrid people. Sorry I do have a few dr's I like but at the moment I hate the whole field.
Oh - and the pins and needles are worse so nerve damage is progressing - hopefully by the time we sort this out it won't be permanent. ARGH!
Just to give you an idea - the blood work taken a couple of weeks ago, one set cost over $700 - UHC paid $30 of it. (this was w/ an in-network lab, G-d only knows what would've been charged for an out-of-network lab) WHY CHARGE SO MUCH FOR A TEST THAT IS ONLY $30, if that??? The other set was over $800 and UHC paid $40. Now this is great if you have insurance, but for those millions of people who do not have medical insurance, why are they getting charged these exorbitant costs? It's no wonder you can go bankrupt and lose your home from being sick. Congress better sort this out and properly soon!
So the long and the short of it and what should probably be a few valiums later, I am going to Mt. Sinai tmrw am to the Phlebotomy lab for a bleeding test and a Platelet test. Even though Dr. Wu doesn't have privileges there, they are (Thankfully) letting me have the blood tests done there. Most hospitals won't let you do that - because everyone in the medical field are evil horrid people. Sorry I do have a few dr's I like but at the moment I hate the whole field.
Oh - and the pins and needles are worse so nerve damage is progressing - hopefully by the time we sort this out it won't be permanent. ARGH!
26 June, 2009
Day from hell
I just am SO wiped out still from yesterday and have this horrid headache now for four days and I'm sure it's all stress.
I spoke to Dr. P yesterday and he said after consulting with some colleagues they agreed that I should have a blood workup to make sure I don't have any underlying blood conditions. The reasoning for this is that because my vessels and tissues are so friable, they don't want me to form a haematoma whilst doing the spinal epidural, as then I would be paralyzed. I appreciate the caution, but it also delays everything. His assistant gave me a list of 3 haematologists but said that I needed to blood taken first so I could bring that with me and to go to my PCP as soon as possible. It didn't make sense to go to the PCP for blood when she had nothing to do with it, but the assistant sounded so sure I said ok. Being brain dead, I just do what I'm told. I rang up Dr. Rosen and her office said to come in. Which I did. And then I sat and waited for over an hour to see her. And whilst she's normally very understanding and accommodating, she was uncomfortable taking blood that she wasn't interpreting and not really knowing what was needed. Which I have to say I agree with. It didn't make sense to me and I did ask Dr. P's assistant over and over if she was sure that's what I should do. So I left and was quite disheartened. I picked up some food on the way back to the office as it was about half two at this point. When I got back I rang the first haematologist on the list from Dr. P. That dude was retired so the put me on to another dr. Of course my luck was that the person answering the phone was on her first day and knew nothing. She said she would have the other girl ring me back when she returned. In the meantime I rang Dr. P's office after finally inhaling my food, and filled them in. I then rang the next haematologist on the list, a Dr. Wu. Thankfully he was able to see me at 16.15!
Now you have to understand that throughout all of this I was under the impression I'd have some blood drawn, wait a couple of days and all would be groovy and I could go get the epidural. You have to imagine my surprise when Dr. Wu, after asking me a ton of questions about bleeding, explained the procedures. He first takes some blood and then sends it off for (I could have this backwards so excuse me) I believe the coagulation studies, which take a WEEK!!! THEN, after those results, he has to send me to a special lab at Beth Israel where they take more blood and do some sort of platelet study, which takes a couple of days. Whilst hearing all of this all my head is doing is calculating how soon I am actually going to be able to get this epidural. And it's not till after the 4th of July weekend by my calculations. All of this make me a very unhappy person.
So after I leave Dr. Wu's office, I ring Dr. P and get to speak to him. I was sort of flipping because no one had warned me about the length of time. He said he has to make sure about this and I do appreciate it because the worst cast scenario is that I bleed and get a haematoma on my spinal cord which would paralyse me. I don't really want that, but at the same time I am losing my mind from the pain. I'm at the point that I'm actually trying to convince myself it's all in my head and I'm imagining the pain. If only! So I ask Dr. P about Dr. Rosen's suggestion on trying neurontin, which he says is similar to Lyrica. I have been SO afraid of Lyrica because I've heard such horror stories. So he said sure he'll ring in a script for me. Groovy.
During the bus ride home though I was debating about it and when I got home I decided to go online and look up more info before I picked up the prescription. Very contradictory reports but some positive about nerve pain (the weight gain totally freaks me out) but in the end I decide to go ahead and try it. Ha, like anything is easy at this point. I get to the chemists and he tells me the doctor requested a specific number of pills, but the insurance co will only fill a lesser number. I said that is fine, as I am only going to try it for a week or two until I get an injection. He says ok, and puts it into the computer, which of course comes back saying that the doctor has to ring the insurance company for prior approval, and that can take 2-5 days. At this point I don't know how I didn't just fall on the ground and start wailing. I think I was too tired.
I rang my mother and ranted for a while, because everything that should just be simple isn't. I hate insurance companies and I really hope the President gets his public health care option, because we really do need to level the playing field here.
So that was my day from hell. I've emailed Dr. P today about the prescription problem, and I'm sure the pharmacist has rung him as well. So now it's a waiting game to see if I will get any relief or I will jump off a building waiting for some.
Venting for the day:
And if I hear one more person whinge about having a cold or the sniffles I just might kill them. Someone on FB yesterday went on and on about having a little cold and how he was sent home from work and was devastated. PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE. I know I'm not as bad as some people, but come on, a bloody cold!?!?!? Get over yourself!
I spoke to Dr. P yesterday and he said after consulting with some colleagues they agreed that I should have a blood workup to make sure I don't have any underlying blood conditions. The reasoning for this is that because my vessels and tissues are so friable, they don't want me to form a haematoma whilst doing the spinal epidural, as then I would be paralyzed. I appreciate the caution, but it also delays everything. His assistant gave me a list of 3 haematologists but said that I needed to blood taken first so I could bring that with me and to go to my PCP as soon as possible. It didn't make sense to go to the PCP for blood when she had nothing to do with it, but the assistant sounded so sure I said ok. Being brain dead, I just do what I'm told. I rang up Dr. Rosen and her office said to come in. Which I did. And then I sat and waited for over an hour to see her. And whilst she's normally very understanding and accommodating, she was uncomfortable taking blood that she wasn't interpreting and not really knowing what was needed. Which I have to say I agree with. It didn't make sense to me and I did ask Dr. P's assistant over and over if she was sure that's what I should do. So I left and was quite disheartened. I picked up some food on the way back to the office as it was about half two at this point. When I got back I rang the first haematologist on the list from Dr. P. That dude was retired so the put me on to another dr. Of course my luck was that the person answering the phone was on her first day and knew nothing. She said she would have the other girl ring me back when she returned. In the meantime I rang Dr. P's office after finally inhaling my food, and filled them in. I then rang the next haematologist on the list, a Dr. Wu. Thankfully he was able to see me at 16.15!
Now you have to understand that throughout all of this I was under the impression I'd have some blood drawn, wait a couple of days and all would be groovy and I could go get the epidural. You have to imagine my surprise when Dr. Wu, after asking me a ton of questions about bleeding, explained the procedures. He first takes some blood and then sends it off for (I could have this backwards so excuse me) I believe the coagulation studies, which take a WEEK!!! THEN, after those results, he has to send me to a special lab at Beth Israel where they take more blood and do some sort of platelet study, which takes a couple of days. Whilst hearing all of this all my head is doing is calculating how soon I am actually going to be able to get this epidural. And it's not till after the 4th of July weekend by my calculations. All of this make me a very unhappy person.
So after I leave Dr. Wu's office, I ring Dr. P and get to speak to him. I was sort of flipping because no one had warned me about the length of time. He said he has to make sure about this and I do appreciate it because the worst cast scenario is that I bleed and get a haematoma on my spinal cord which would paralyse me. I don't really want that, but at the same time I am losing my mind from the pain. I'm at the point that I'm actually trying to convince myself it's all in my head and I'm imagining the pain. If only! So I ask Dr. P about Dr. Rosen's suggestion on trying neurontin, which he says is similar to Lyrica. I have been SO afraid of Lyrica because I've heard such horror stories. So he said sure he'll ring in a script for me. Groovy.
During the bus ride home though I was debating about it and when I got home I decided to go online and look up more info before I picked up the prescription. Very contradictory reports but some positive about nerve pain (the weight gain totally freaks me out) but in the end I decide to go ahead and try it. Ha, like anything is easy at this point. I get to the chemists and he tells me the doctor requested a specific number of pills, but the insurance co will only fill a lesser number. I said that is fine, as I am only going to try it for a week or two until I get an injection. He says ok, and puts it into the computer, which of course comes back saying that the doctor has to ring the insurance company for prior approval, and that can take 2-5 days. At this point I don't know how I didn't just fall on the ground and start wailing. I think I was too tired.
I rang my mother and ranted for a while, because everything that should just be simple isn't. I hate insurance companies and I really hope the President gets his public health care option, because we really do need to level the playing field here.
So that was my day from hell. I've emailed Dr. P today about the prescription problem, and I'm sure the pharmacist has rung him as well. So now it's a waiting game to see if I will get any relief or I will jump off a building waiting for some.
Venting for the day:
And if I hear one more person whinge about having a cold or the sniffles I just might kill them. Someone on FB yesterday went on and on about having a little cold and how he was sent home from work and was devastated. PERSPECTIVE PEOPLE. I know I'm not as bad as some people, but come on, a bloody cold!?!?!? Get over yourself!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)