We're getting old (OO medical complaints)

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:03 pm

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:58 pm Oddly, I've been with my VA doctor about 25 years too. Be seeing him tomorrow.

My GP changes as often as Murphy Brown's secretary. And it's not us changing doctors, they leave their practice and we have to go find another one. I'm hoping it isn't anything we said

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:28 pm

Like with my mechanic it felt weird when my doctor become younger than me. All my life doctors had been older than me and it made me comfortable that they had had a life long understanding of medicine. Now they are always younger. For a while it felt strange. But now I no long care. Besides they've all become female and are getting cuter all the time.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:29 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:54 pm If we move this year I'm going to need to start over with all new doctors, dentist, mechanic, barber, etc. -- they'll all be people who never knew me as anything but a senior citizen.

My doctor was fine but a recent month long hassle to get him to sign some paperwork did make me less happy. Plus I still can't understand his comment that my EKG (taken to have a baseline for later) was "abnormal within normal limits." So while I'm not looking forward to getting a new doctor after the move is done I'm not dreading it. There is a chance I'll get a better one!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:50 pm

Madmarcus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:29 pm Plus I still can't understand his comment that my EKG (taken to have a baseline for later) was "abnormal within normal limits."

When I was getting clearance for my surgery my GP said there was a "funny" (my word, not hers) on the EKG and she couldn't give me a clearance till I got an OK from a cardiologist and got an echocardiogram. In Florida, getting a cardiologist appointment is second only in difficulty behind getting an appointment with a dermatologist

. We finally found one who would see new patients and even then it was five weeks till I could see her. She also took an EKG and said there was an abnormality (duh), so she scheduled my electrocardiogram. The results came back from that and she said that it was just a "funny", nothing to worry about. It took about two months to get that all worked out

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:23 pm

Luckily this doesn't seem to require that much followup!

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:33 pm

I last saw my doctor in late 2017 to get a referral for back surgery. Back surgery went well and I just haven't made an appt to go back. Last time I had a gap like this they said they had no record of me as a patient, so that would be fun. I guess as long as I don't go back I don't need another colonoscopy.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:40 pm

Madmarcus wrote: ↑Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:23 pm Luckily this doesn't seem to require that much followup!

My issue with needing an electrocardiogram was a hospital requirement rather than a surgeon's requirement. I also had to have a battery of blood tests and chest x-rays. This was a hospital we hadn't gone to before and they were a lot more strict on a patient's medical condition.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:42 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:33 pm I last saw my doctor in late 2017 to get a referral for back surgery. Back surgery went well and I just haven't made an appt to go back. Last time I had a gap like this they said they had no record of me as a patient, so that would be fun. I guess as long as I don't go back I don't need another colonoscopy.

and I just went through the setting an appt flow on the website and based on it being more than 3 years since my last visit I am a new patient and they are not listing my insurance. Hooray for finding a new primary doc. I guess I'll be switching to the on campus doctor.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:45 pm

Sigh...now they're scheduling an MRI for me as the blood tests didn't show anything Abby Normal. I really hope this is just a strained muscle in my neck, or a pinched nerve.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 2:17 pm

Went to see the doctor at the VA today. After waiting two hours after the appointed time I left.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:30 pm

From it's been over 5 years since I've seen a Dr to I just had a physical in under two hours... nice. Was lazily checking how long it would be to get an appt, 54 minutes... that is when the next available appt was. Basically booked the appt, ate lunch and walked over to the office. Hardly any wait in the office either. Labs scheduled next week since I wasn't fasting... otherwise they would have done them right then. They really want to make care convenient.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 4:17 pm

I hate you.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 6:44 pm

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 10, 2023 4:17 pmI hate you.

To be fair, government funded VA versus a Best Place to Work rated FinTech (Financial Technology) company isn't really a fair contest, but yeah the timing of my post was really unfortunate.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 8:46 pm

My doc is reasonably on time (generally within 15 minutes). I have to see him twice a year or I don't get the meds I need to live another day.

My current issue is falls. I've reached the age where they are devastating, and don't heal anytime soon. I took out a knee 10 days ago, the scab is still thick and the pain is unabated. And this weekend we're going to a water park. Then just a few minutes ago, I was taking garbage to the garage while wearing socks, slipped on the two steps and now further damaged left knee, plus right elbow and right shin. Fuck.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:57 pm

My doctor place is slow. If two people are ahead of me I can figure 30-45 min wait. The other day there were 5 cars there and 6 people in the waiting room. Told them to call me when its my turn. I left and went to two stores and did half my running in town before going back and parking . A couple min later they called me to be next. Was like 1 hour and 15 min. Im not sitting in a waiting room of sick people at a doctors office when Im not sick and only there for bloodwork.

Im getting good at this.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:40 pm

Had another blood pressure problem tonight and I think me and my sister figured it out.

I saw the doc last Sat and it was a new doc in the office Id never seen before. When I picked up my meds one of my two BP meds felt or seemed different to me. It was off in look and name. I couldn't remember my old ones name as Id thrown the bottle away by then and thought maybe it was just me. I knew I took two and knew the other ones name and it was right so meh I thought. Also my BP monitor was broken so couldn't take my bp until Tuesday.

Once I got my bp monitor I noticed my numbers were high on top and even the lower was..this was ON bp meds. I figured it was just a new machine and it may be reading wrong. No way to tell. Both thursday night and friday night I went to bed around midnight but woke up around 2-3am feeling bad. The new doc was having me take my meds twice a day instead of once like I used to. So my last dose would be around 9pm - 10pm. I woke up both nights and my bp was way high like 165/102. So I took my old med but not that one I wasn't sure on because it was a higher dose I was sure of that much and didn't think I needed it...and Id go back to bed and be fine.

Come tonight I was planning on going to bed early and at 6pm I took my bp and it says 132/85. So I took both meds at 6 and thought Id use the pc a bit and go to bed. But I started feeling off and felt the pressure in my torso and head rising. I can like 'hear' a crinkling in my head if my bp is rising and the blood vessels and places are getting under pressure. My legs were heavy and walking was harder and breathing was getting short and heavier.

I took my bp again and it was up not down like it should be after taking meds. Like 145/95. Now Im worried. Why is my bp going up after taking my meds. Im thinking there may be a blockage and my heart is pumping harder to force the blood through. But I feel fine. My torso feels tight and bloated sensation wise but looked fine. My head was feeling the pressure though. I wasn't having any pain at all...harder to breath and walk..heavier legs still. BP rising. Weird. SO Im scared and I got ANOTHER does of bp meds out and crushed them in a spoon to take and make sure I got some relief. But I kept getting worse still. More and more pressure and feeling worse. bp now reading 172/105 WTF.

I actually walked next door to my neighbor to talk to him as he is a emt / fireman. But he was out of town and only his teenage kid was there with the his mom..the guys wife. No help. Its Saturday and all is closed. Tomorrow is Sunday so closed and Monday is MLK day so all closed STILL. Now Im scared as all hell. I can barely walk back home across the yard and breath.

Called my sister and we sat talking for an hour and I started feeling better. bp down to 145/95 . I get up and walk to the bedroom telling her Im better and by the time I return to the couch Im full pressure feeling again and bp is 147/100. wth,.

To end it all its now another half hour later and Im feeling better. So 2 1/2 hours after that all and taking that 3rd dose of bp medicine better...not normal but better. And my bp is 138/83. Me and my sister have come to think that 2nd bp med..the Losartan is NOT what my 2nd bp was or should be and is hurting me..making my bp spike way up instead of down. Coulda killed me. Im trying to stay calm and flush it out with lots of water and some food. I think that new doc either gave me the wrong med totally or gave me an old one on my record that I was not taking instead of the one I normally take. And between me not remembering the name of the med and not having a bp machine to test with and it being a new doc..it coulda killed me. I kept shoving it in thinking it would help me and it was causing the problem to start with....I think anyways. Seems to be right.

Wont know until Tuesday when I talk to my pharmacist and the doc office. I should have listened to my gut that something was off. Im still feeling a bit off and weak and my neck feels stiff and sore/tight and my bp is a little high. Tomorrow I take NOTHING. Also they put me back on my thyroid today when my results came in and they called me. Im not taking it either. Damnit.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:10 am

You can call paramedics to come and check you out and they don't need to be paid unless they take you to the hospital. Or at least that's the way it works around here.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:44 am

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:10 am You can call paramedics to come and check you out and they don't need to be paid unless they take you to the hospital. Or at least that's the way it works around here.

That's true here, too, which has the downside of creating a lot of unnecessary rides to the ER. Because by definition, professionals have to be paid. Did you know paramedics don't make much above minimum wage? I didn't until recently. They ought to be millionaires, like nurses.

Having said that, if one suspects that one might be dying, calling professionals is a better idea than going to the neighbors.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:53 am

BLS

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:12 am

My wife was a paramedic in Oklahoma and Arkansas and indeed was the first female paramedic in Oklahoma. Over course this was over 40 years ago and she told me she was always on call 24hours a day and she averaged around 50 cents an hour.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sun Jan 15, 2023 1:43 pm

My neighbor is a professional . He is an EMT and a fireman.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 6:57 am

Thought I was getting better, but the last two days have proven me wrong. MRI is still scheduled for Sunday. Hopefully they find something simple like a pinched nerve or something.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:02 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:44 am
dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:10 am You can call paramedics to come and check you out and they don't need to be paid unless they take you to the hospital. Or at least that's the way it works around here.
That's true here, too, which has the downside of creating a lot of unnecessary rides to the ER. Because by definition, professionals have to be paid. Did you know paramedics don't make much above minimum wage? I didn't until recently. They ought to be millionaires, like nurses.

Having said that, if one suspects that one might be dying, calling professionals is a better idea than going to the neighbors.

When I got in the accident in September, my wife insisted I go to the hospital. The cop on the scene wouldn't drop me off, I could have walked the six blocks or so but she insisted I ride a meat wagon. They took vitals, checked my blood sugar, gave me a 3 minute ride, and charged $3,600.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:10 pm

Jeff V wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:02 pm When I got in the accident in September, my wife insisted I go to the hospital. The cop on the scene wouldn't drop me off, I could have walked the six blocks or so but she insisted I ride a meat wagon. They took vitals, checked my blood sugar, gave me a 3 minute ride, and charged $3,600.

How much was covered by insurance?

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:58 pm

I had a follow-up CT scan yesterday (chest, abdomen, and pelvis). Based on my non-expert reading of the results in MyChart that popped up this morning, everything is still looking good in there. I've got an appointment with oncology next month to discuss in more detail and just for general follow up.

That's good!

I also had a regular checkup on Monday, and it looks like I'm prediabetic. That's bad! I need to eat better, drink less, and exercise more. The first two are easy enough - I need to look into how I can do the last one.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:00 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:10 pm
Jeff V wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:02 pm When I got in the accident in September, my wife insisted I go to the hospital. The cop on the scene wouldn't drop me off, I could have walked the six blocks or so but she insisted I ride a meat wagon. They took vitals, checked my blood sugar, gave me a 3 minute ride, and charged $3,600.
How much was covered by insurance?

Speaking of insurance, when I checked in for my CT yesterday, the woman at the counter asked me if anyone had talked to me about my co-pay for this. Then she asked if I had a high-deductible plan. Turns out I'm getting dinged about $4600 for this (fortunately I've been building up my HSA balance).

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:35 pm

I pay $80 a year for ambulance insurance. I don't know how many people in your family it covers because we only had three people and now there's just me. With my wife they carried her to the emergency room many time a year.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:47 pm

ImLawBoy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:58 pm I had a follow-up CT scan yesterday (chest, abdomen, and pelvis). Based on my non-expert reading of the results in MyChart that popped up this morning, everything is still looking good in there. I've got an appointment with oncology next month to discuss in more detail and just for general follow up.

That's good!

Excellent!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:14 pm

My wife and I both have Medicare and good supplements, so we have no deductables or co-pays. And she has the prescription plan as well. Well worth it with all her medical challenges. What we were paying on the supplement for me was beginning to seem not worth it until I got prostate cancer and went through that whole process.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:01 am

I thought this might be appropriate here.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:11 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:10 pm
Jeff V wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:02 pm When I got in the accident in September, my wife insisted I go to the hospital. The cop on the scene wouldn't drop me off, I could have walked the six blocks or so but she insisted I ride a meat wagon. They took vitals, checked my blood sugar, gave me a 3 minute ride, and charged $3,600.
How much was covered by insurance?

All of it (his insurance).

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:02 pm

I know the title of the thread is medical complaints, but since I am technically old, Just had a chat with the doc about my annual (it has been 6 years) labs. Low vitamin D. Thats it. Yay! Supplements for 3 months and suck my blood again.

Next up, optometrist.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:08 pm

Six years since last labs and just one minor issue? Go buy a lottery ticket

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Jan 25, 2023 5:11 pm

Should I mention that this vitamin D supplement is the first "pill" I've taken in probably close to a decade, not counting a very small number of Tylenol? Last I recall was largely ineffective pain meds when I had my last kidney stone.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:12 pm

I mentioned about a year ago that I had been having some issues down in the...area. Basically it felt like I was getting kicked in the balls 24/7. Doctor thought it might be prostatitis, so he put me on antibiotics. That seemed to help, but as soon as those were done it came right back again. It's been going off and on for a year now. It'll hurt like hell for 4-6 weeks, then subside for a couple months. Then flare back up, then go back down.

We've been doing test after test after test, but nothing seems to point in any particular direction. Checked for hernia. Had a number of...unpleasant exams. Tested for colon cancer. Tested for prostate cancer. Checked for liver or kidney abnormality. Did a scrotal ultrasound. Did a CT scan. Did full blood panel. Urologist appointment. Orthopedist appointment. Everything has come back completely clear and shows there's absolutely nothing abnormal at all. But the pain is still there.

Doctor finally told me yesterday that he honestly has no idea and is completely stumped at what could be causing this. Next step (which he admits isn't likely to help, but he can't think of anything else) is to have me talk to a sports medicine person to see if there's something muscular going on. Maybe a groin pull that is causing residual pain elsewhere. In the meantime, I guess I'll just keep chomping Advil and sitting on icepacks for the forseeable future. Yay.

On the plus side, yearly physical came back completely clean this week. Cholesterol is down, weight is getting better, and I'm "remarkably normal" (his words). Have to take one pill to keep uric acid under control (to avoid gout flareups), but that's it. Given how much cancer has ravaged my family over the past few years, I'll take that.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:26 pm

I have a negative reaction to some medications in that area. Only took me 20 years to figure it out.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:47 pm

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:12 pm Doctor finally told me yesterday that he honestly has no idea and is completely stumped at what could be causing this.

Having just watched this episode a few weeks ago, any new hair loss? Do you use a stationary bike?

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:54 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:47 pm Do you use a stationary bike?

No, but he did wonder if it may simply be from sitting all day, every day (except for my morning run). Told me to try either a new chair or one of those donut cushion things.

I suppose a couple decades of accumulated laziness could cause some issues…

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:10 pm

I pulled or tore something in my groin about a year ago. I know exactly how and when I did it. The pain gradually subsided, but I can't lift my right leg very far without assistance. It still works apart from that. Since this is one of those "doctor, it hurts when I do this" situations, I just don't do that.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:10 pm

Many moons ago when I used to race bicycles I twisted one of my testicles. Hurt like hell for awhile but the pain has subsided since then but that testicle is very sensitive to the touch and positioning in my pants.
No cure but to remove it.