Shoulder surgery #7

Doctors not being accurately paid might negatively affect telemedicine. It will be interesting to see how quickly Medicare corrects these problems.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/85990

Wow, 2 hours in the drs office! I would have checked in & said here is my phone number, call me, I will be waiting outside. I use Voltaren gel mainly for my knees & hips when they get really bad. It does help me, I sure hope it does you. It's very much worth trying, so give it some time.My PM dr gave me a sample to try a few years ago, said if it helps I will give you a script next month.

I am glad he didn't jump to doing an injection right a way!

You need to give details,when you fill out the form. Do not just say you can't do something. If you can do it for 15 minutes and have to take a break. you need to write that down. Details,matter. If someone helps you with your Activities Of Daily Living that person needs to fill out a Third Party form.

Have you discussed the details of how your impairments affect your ability to perform Activities Of Daily Living with your doctors? Have you gotten copies of your medical records and,read them ? Some doctors take better notes than others. Your medical evidence needs,to back up your non medical evidence.

Take a week (at least). As you go through your day, write down anything that gives you trouble. Even if it's once that day...example...Woke up with shoulder pain. Had trouble brushing/styling/washing my hair. Had pain with toileting activities. Trouble fastening my bra hooks. Had breakfast. Drove to bank and had pain in my shoulder backing out of the parking space. etc. This way, you'll see what gives you the most trouble on any given day.

I never realized how much pain my shoulder would be in from the strangest tasks/activities! Crocheting is sure to inflame my carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrist but ALSO aggravates the shoulder! Hanging laundry on the line does, too! Of course, I only do that seasonally...so it wouldn't have shown up if I'd done my application in the cold weather months. I'm not sure what season you're heading into, but try to think of anything 'off season' that might need to be mentioned (clearing snow off the car, shoveling, or spreading out a picnic blanket or beach towel). You get the idea here.

Go through the whole day, every day, for a whole week. You'll be surprised at all that you write down, but it's the only way to give a clear picture I think. Don't be embarrassed to include intimate details either. Restrictions of positions and lack of desire are just as important!

I also included how, if I had to take my pain medicine, I would NOT drive. It restricted my ability to drive myself places...especially if there were an emergency...which affected my sense of security. I've already mentioned fear of addiction issues.

Good luck!

Hi fellow sufferers,
Hope you all are doing well. I had another pain management appt via phone last week. I like doing this from my porch swing but it’s really not the same. Funny, I have to go in to my orthopedic surgeons office. I saw him on Tuesday. My shoulder may be doing a little better. Next appt in five months. I have enjoyed being home the last few months. I would have had a breakdown if I had been out everyday since this COVID 19 made its appearance.

I was also going to mention our page has really slowed down in the past year or so. Maybe that’s a good thing but I liked reading and talking with everyone. Stay safe everyone.

I haven’t heard anymore from it. Still waiting for the first “denial”. Sad to say. They have piles of records to gather and go through though. On another note, I have wonderful news as I am getting my first grand baby this year! We are over joyed and can not wait.

I ask my PM doc about completing the form and she wouldn’t. She said to get with GP. I thought since she knows all about my pain and limitations she would have been best to complete. I guess since I did mine all online I wasn’t thinking about sending them in. I have lots of the, but not all.

Hope everyone is safe and feeling as well as they can. Looks like 2020 is going to be rocky.

The functional capacity form. This may be something different than we discussed as I have read so much about preparing for this. This may have been one that was suggested to send in with paperwork.

Just checking back in. Had to get a steroid shot in left shoulder today. He wanted to do it in June. I just wasn’t in the mood. I know that’s crazy but I felt bad and didn’t want that pain. Today wasn’t awful. It is terrible for those few seconds he is giving it. Oh it feels like it will come out the front part of the shoulder. I know it will be sore tomorrow.

I got my denial letter a couple of weeks ago. I have an attorney representing me now. I know it’s still going to be a long process. Also considering action with previous employer. I was discriminated against. I just have to get the fight in me. Don’t really have that right now. Seeing a psychiatrist because of anxiety and panic attacks she caused me. Trying to come out of this rut.

Hope you all are at your least amount of pain possible. Stay safe and well.

Will it change if I am staying on husbands insurance? Also is there a waiting period for Medicaid?

B, as long as your husband stays employed & has you on his plan nothing changes. His insurance will be considered your primary plan! Medicare is considered secondary & pays pennies on the dollar on any balance not paid by the private insurance.

I stayed on my husband's plan through his work several years after being approved. He retired at 65 & I had to get my own plan through his employer. The reason I did this for a year is at the time one of my medications was $3200 a month. With my script plan I paid $35 a month. I had a great plan including the script coverage. I could not get this price with a Medicare drug script program, lol. The plan was pricey back then, $620 a month, the following year is jumped to $1220 & that's when I bailed out. I switched to regular Medicare & bought a supplemental plan, much cheaper per month. I have not had any problems with Medicare & coverage.

I hope the injection gives you some good relief. Be sure & keep a log of your visits with your drs, this info will need to be relayed to your lawyer so he can obtain records.

Thank you for the info on keeping the log. I did call a local attorney that was highly recommended. He use to be in senate so he knows a lot of people. Hopefully this will turn out good. I am going to make an appt with my primary doc and talk to him about it. I really don’t get that my pain mgt will not do it. They know me best.

Checking in cause it’s been awhile. I had injections in shoulder a couple weeks ago. It may have helped a little. Pain goes down my arm. Elbow and hand hurts pretty good. Last two fingers are very painful. I can live with it. I saw my psychiatrist today. I really like him. He understands how pain and depression go hand and hand. He told me to let my disability attorney know that he will do whatever is needed to help me. That made me feel somewhat better to know I have his support. The reconsideration has been denied. On to the appeal. So that’s what is going on in my life. 😩😐

I hope you all are doing well and not in the path of the storms.