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Posted 1/7/2009 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
I was just reading over the posts and saw on Kara's post wre Susie said "can't you just have one doctor?" Well that made me think about it and start counting! Lets see, of course my pain management Doc. Then my family or personal Doc goes without saying. Oh, my urologist for my prostate cancer and the problems it caused. Gee, I almost forgot about my endocronologist who removed my thyroid for cancer about 10 years ago, got to still see him! The pediatrist for my pancake flat feet & plantar facia tears &  ongoing toe fungus problems, always have to have a clean pair of socks. I gave up on orthopedic docs as all they want to do is cut you, Pete you need a new knee NOW! Pete you can't go on like this, I have to replace your hip it's totally gone! And neuologists scare me to death with if you don't get your neck & back discs & stenosis taken care of you'll end up in a wheelchair threats and are you ever going to get that carpol tunnel taken care of? Oh to be young again! Anyone remember running? Now wasn't that cool?

Sorry everyone, I was just thinking again, shouldn't be doing that!

Your Friend,

Pete 

Posted 1/7/2009 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
Not that old...but still. Know what you mean.
Watched Oprah yesterday...they were talking about taking charge of your health and one of the key points was to go see a doctor. Was a key thing to do this year...can you say, I already met my quota(probably for the whole studio audience). Got too many docs and tired of seeing them all. Would like a year in which I DIDN'T have to see a doc...I can dream can't I?
Posted 1/7/2009 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
EXACTLY> How many hours waised in Dr's waiting rooms?
Posted 1/7/2009 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Wow all Oprah could says was go to your Doctor, wow never would've
thought of that...Geezee that's what I'm doing wrong..Oh woe is me...
Just jokin with ya ...
Pete, I see my regular primary care doctor, asthma/allergy doctor, endocrinologist (enlarged Pituitary Gland)
Pain Management doctor, psychologist (as I have a hard time dealing with all this!) and an well woman's doctor (wink wink
if ya know what I mean!), got tired of the podiatrist last year, plus an eye doctor...
Now I'll try not to break into a million piece by the end of the year, but what the hay there's probably
a doctor that can fix that too....lol
sure hope ya don't mind my humor...
soft hugz to all
Posted 1/7/2009 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hey we can dream can't we??? What I meant for Kara was couldn't her pain dr take care of her chest condition, cant remember what its called. I do know its a painful condition.

 

Let me take a look at my lineup;

 

1. PCP who see's me tomorrow for abnormalaties that shows up on recent CT SCANS done w/contrast-had 3 done.

 

2. Cardiologist for heart valve insuffiency.

 

3. Gastroenterologist for crohns disease & ulcerative colitis (Yes you can have both 5% chance and I am one of the lucky ones) still not in remission, what is that?

 

4. Rheumatologist for Lupus not in remission there either.

 

5. Pumonary man for asthma and chronic COPD on oxygen 24/7.

 

6. Pain mgt dr to maintain my meds in my pump and keep some sort of sanity in my life.

 

Had to stop seeing my physchologist only because our ins did away with any type of mental health. When hubby retired we lost alot of health benefits. If anyone ever needed to see a counselor, I did and still do. She was wonderfull and she knew alot about autoimmune diseases. If I had the dough I would be seeing her right now but thats out of the picture w/o ins. If I ever lose my prescription card I am up the creek, one of my crohns meds is $84,000.00 a year. When I was on Remicade infusions, $11,000 every 4 weeks. Whew, I have so much money tied up in this body, why don't I feel like a million,lol. Have a great orthopedic but don't plan to see him again until I am ready for my new knees he is going to sell me.

 

And Oprah said what!!!!! Little does she know!!!

 

Hugs everyone. Susie

Posted 1/7/2009 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
I can relate too!

At one point I was seeing my ophthalmologist, several neuroophthalmologists, a neurologist, a pain management doc, a neurologist, a psychologist, my pcp, and a pain psychologist. I think that's it... (not counting acupuncturist, and others like that)
Now I'm at just seeing an ophthalmologist, one neuroophthalmologist, a psychologist, my pcp, & have to start seeing a psychiatrist. But that's still more than enough! I saw my pcp today and he joked that "I should go see a doctor" because of all the issues that I have going on related to my eye & everything that I've tried that hasn't worked & everyone that I've seen...

It's quite annoying to have to run from one doctor to the next! I feel like I'm always seeing someone!

Skeye

Post Edited (skeye) : 1/7/2009 8:57:53 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/7/2009 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
And don't forget all the others we get referred to like PT's and pharmacists, etc, etc, etc.

I listened to part of Oprah yesterday. She just happened to mention how when she went to the Cleveland Clinic she got all her doctors to come in the room at the same time so they could talk to eachother! And of course Dr. Oz (I think that's his name - the one on her show) says that's how it should be done. Just like it happens with all of us, right? rolleyes

PaLady
Posted 1/7/2009 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
O heck I missed one and thanks to Skeye I remembered, the opthamologist for the Lupus medication,lol. Does it ever end??? I think we would all faint if we kept track of the hours spent going to see these guys, we already know what tey cost us-but what about our gas expense and wear & tear on our vehicles,lol. We just can't win. Susie
Posted 1/7/2009 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, I didn't mean to start a pissin contest but I'm glad I did. It's very interesting to hear about all y'alls duc's, Oh I mean doc's. I almost quacked by mistake! Can you just imagin them all coming to see you and waiting in line? Maybe you could have them all sitting in your living room and then move them one at a time to isolation rooms before they could see you in your bedroom already naked. Wouldn't even have to hurt yourself undressing!! Or even better, take one ahead of another who had been waiting longer without an explanaiton> I'm beginning to like this post a little too much, it brings out my sinister side! I'm trying to twirl my mustash ala Sydney WHiplash!!! All for now, I'm starting to hurt myself lauphing>
Your villionus Friend,
Pete
Posted 1/8/2009 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
Naw Pete, we need to blame Oprah. She started this mess,lol. Can you imagine one us peons going to Cleveland Clinic and asking for the Oprah special. Well, we would get laughed right out of there,lol. I needed a good laugh today, its not been one of the best, worried about those CT Scans results so I am going to keep on laughing.

Susie
Posted 1/8/2009 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
The Oprah Special! Good one, Susie! smilewinkgrin

I hope it gives you a laugh but I'm also sending a hug. I know the waiting. Oh, the waiting.... shakehead

PaLady
Posted 1/8/2009 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
I feel like we should at least get Dr. Oz to see all of us. I know he is a cardiologist, but he seems to know it all! And I did see an article that he coauthored about pain in one of the issues of a "Pain Pathways" magazine. It was a nice article & addressed, or at least acknowledged some of the problems that we have as CP patients.

Oh, Susie, I can't even tell you how many miles I have put on my car just from seeing doctors! When I'm in school, I live 70+ miles away from all my doctors, and I'm pretty much driving back home (and then back up to school) to see one or another of my docs every week or two. That's 140+ miles a trip! Part of the reason I switched from my PM back to my pcp was so I could cut down on the number of doctor's visits, because it was just getting too hard to come back all the time to see both of them & my pcp offered a long time ago to take over my pain management. And I feel like I'm always at the pharmacy too. And I'm switching pharmacy's tomorrow since my old one is too expensive now that we switched insurance plans, and the new pharmacy, although cheaper, is significantly farther away! Thank goodness gas prices have dropped for now! I hold down a job on the weekend partly so that I can pay for things like gas to go to & from doctor's visits!
Sending you warm thoughts & hugs! I hope your scans come out okay! PAlady is right, the waiting is the pits (as I'm sure you know all too well)!

Skeye
Posted 1/8/2009 6:33 AM (GMT 0)
I know I drive 60 miles RT for the gastro & pulmonary man. My pain mgt dr was in the same town as well, but he quit pain mgt and my new dr is located in my town so that will cut out some of the driving. I would love to have all my docs local but been there & tried that and it did not work out well at all. There is no way I am willing to change either of these guys. I know the 30 minute drive just wears me out-I get so stiff from the sitting that I actually stand the entire time I am the drs office.lol. Oh, yes you do need a break in the driving dept for sure. Driving is one thing, but to not feel good and have to get behind the wheel when you are not feeling good is the pits. We just had over a 20 cent increase this week in gas prices, this infuriates me as there is not one good reason for this.

I am trying real hard not to stress over the phone call about the scans being abnormal, I think what bothers me the most was being told twice in a message to be sure and tell the front girls I need a 30 minute appt for her to discuss the scans with me. I can sit & conjure up all sorts of possibilites, but all that would do is stress me out-so can't go there.lolTill tomorrow at 2:00, we will see. Susie
Posted 1/8/2009 6:45 AM (GMT 0)
Susie,
Don't ya sometimes just wish they'd tell us over the phone and at least we wouldn't get our anxiety up - many times for no reason. Certainly I can have a conjure up contest with you and know I could hold my own (about my 'junk'). Please know we'll be here for you when you get back - start a thread and let us know when you're ready.

I had a thought after reading yours and Skeye's lasts posts. Maybe we could do some kind of group Oprah Special and we could all be in one room and the Clinic could bring in every possible specialist? LOL I guess maybe we'd need two rooms for modesty's sake! And then they could bill for group therapy! Can you imagine how fun it would be to drive the insurance compannies crazy??

PaLady smilewinkgrin
Posted 1/8/2009 7:00 AM (GMT 0)
Quite honestly, I am not so sure the Clinic could handle us,lol. What a hoot, now behind curtain number 1 you have so & so here that just hurts like hell dr-what do you think, lordy, lordy, if we had Oprah's money just think of the mountains we could move, lol. What Oprah don't know is all those ole boys wanted to do is to say they had been in the same room as her and the only way time could permit this, is for all of them to show up at once,lol. So much for being special Oprah, it was a time thingy. lol Gawd, surely she is not that naive, or am I just being plain ole cynical,lol. I think considering everyone's ailments we would need at least 3 rooms to hold all the docs,lol. This could go one of two ways, either we would have a field day with them, or they would have a field day with us,lol.

Yes, I do hate getting the kind of message I got today. I would much rather she call me back and actually speak with me & tell me this, rather than a message. I knew it would be pointless in calling the nurse back as even if she would have came to the phone I would have been told nothing. I just had an EGD a couple weeks ago by my gastro and it was fine. So, till tomorrow we will see. Susie
Posted 1/8/2009 7:43 AM (GMT 0)
Oprah should have a chronic pain special & then we could all get on her show, aaaand then we might have a chance to see all those docs at once! Someone should write her...

Good luck tomorrow Susie! I hope everything turns out alright!

Skeye
Posted 1/8/2009 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Well we here in Fla. just got powerball yesterday and no one won last night so here's my plan. I'm going to buy a ticket on my way home tonight and win 105 mil tonight! Then my friends, I will buy a week at Johns Hopkins (I'm patial to J.H. had my p.c. surgery there, a great place!) with all their best specialists and we will all take a trip to Baltamore! Maybe we like Miss O. can get some answers>>>>>>I can dream can't I???
Your Big Fat Friend,
Pete
Posted 1/8/2009 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
I know what you mean and for me, sometimes I feel it's just too exhausting to be seeing all these doctors all the time. Now I'm unemployed so I justnot see them all regularly nor can I seek treatment for some problems. But when I had a job & good insurance, I was seeing: OB/GYN, Podiatrist, Bladder specialist, Rheumatologist, Pain Management, and my spine surgeon. It seemed every week or 2 I had an appt. with someone and it was getting exhausting and expensive, even with my co-pays. And now I really need to see a Dermatologist but can't afford it, especially since they would probably need to do some skin tests, which I can't afford. I do have basic insurance on my own right now, but it only has a $500 yearly cap on everything. I do have to say my PM (i usually see the PA) is wonderful and knows my situation, so I'm only having to go now every 4 months or so, unless I'm in severe pain and need to get in quick. I also signed up and was approved for prescription assistance for some of my expensive meds, so that's a huge help.
Posted 1/8/2009 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
Pete,
I wondered what was going on last night. There was this powerball thing on but not the usual one from PA and I couldn't figure out why we were seeing the Florida lottery. I don't understand all those things anyway so you please play for all of us - and win - and thank you for your generous offer to pick up our tab at J.H. That's OK with me. They haven't heard of the Oprah Special though, so maybe it will be the Pete Special since you will be famous from having won the lottery!!

Baybreeze - I've been wondering how you've been doing. Don't want to hijack this thread but my extended unemployment will run out in about a week, but I think I just heard the new Pres. talking about extending it more. Although that may depend on the unemployment rates in each state. Anyway, I probably need to face reality and apply for disability. It is SO HARD to face that reality, though. But let's keep this thread light! (sorry Pete - see now I'm apologizing to you!! LOL)

Now, back to our regularly scheduled soap opera: The Doctors.

PaLady
Posted 1/8/2009 11:08 PM (GMT 0)

Hi,

I've been hanging in there still trying to find work. I have just one more check left myself. I've had some interviews but I'm beginning to wonder if it's my limp that's not getting me hired, you what I mean? I don't know what I'm going to do if something doesn't come quickly. Then I definitely won't be seeing any more doctors at all, nor filling any scripts!

Posted 1/8/2009 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
Baybreeze,
I know exactly what you mean! I don't want to hijack Pete's thread, so if you feel like you want to open up the discussion start a new thread and I'll chime in!

PaLady
Posted 1/9/2009 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Pete, I'm sorry but I have plans for that Powerball..... :) We used to have it in GA, and I was always surprised it wasn't here.
You know what worries me more than the drs is all the meds I take...... *sighs* Pete, I used to be a cheerleader..... I would have NEVER imagined I would not only gain a ton of weight but to be handicapped at 31? Noooooo. But its true. So sad, I miss feeling the breeze in my face when I ran or the sweat from exercising. I hear ya. Now all I do is stretching in my pool, and its been too cool to do that recently. Its funny what you take for granted. At least we had the chance to experience it, right?
Posted 1/9/2009 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Pete,

Winning that powerball sounds great! yeah I hope you bought the lucky ticket today! smilewinkgrin

PAlady,

Sorry to hear about your predicament! I hope unemployment does end up getting extended so that you can have some more time to sort things out! I can't imagine being in your situation sad. Sending you lots of hugs & prayers!

Skeye
Posted 1/9/2009 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
Hi folks

I gotta kick outa Pete's posts. Yea for you!

I'm down to two doctors one for depression/chronic pain and one for general health. Keep up the humor I'd be a dead duck without it!

My depression has taken over from my chronic pain. Sucks to have them both!

Be well my friends

Glen AKA theswan
Posted 1/9/2009 5:08 AM (GMT 0)
Oh I know what you mean Glen! I think a lot of us do! I've been dealing with significant chronic pain induced depression as well (especially lately). I just saw my doc yesterday & I have to go see a psychiatrist because he wants another opinion since I've already tried several anti-depressants without much luck.

And the humor here is great! :-)

Skeye
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