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March 17, 2007

Comments

Becs

Oh, that sucks, that sucks, that sucks.

Some other tips for dealing with bladder infections:

- Take lots of vitamin c. I mean, lots.
- Buy the cranberry extract tablets or capsules. It's easier than trying to drink all that cranberry juice.
- Drink water. I know it feels like you're peeing ground glass, but drink anyway.
- Heating pad on the tummy or small of your back. Works wonders.

Feel better soon.

Friend #3

Are you serious?? They're making you get the MRI NEXT week?? They couldn't have made this arrangement known to you sooner than that? What jerks.

Mary

OMG!!! I so TOTALLY understand!!

I have Sjogrens syndrome, but started developing symptoms of MS. My primary care dr is great, but has to send me to the university hospital - which is filled with the most horrible people!! I managed to have an MRI done at a very nice off-site place, but had to have another one done at the university hospital. I brought in the nifty CD of my first one, which the guy behind the desk discarded (apparently). The neurologist they assigned me was approximately a week out of med school and could not finish a sentence without running out to check with someone else. She did not have any MRI results, so I had to make an appointment to come back - in two months, because they are so backed up. (Before I left, she did manage to tell me I might have had a stroke and might need physical therapy, but she could not be sure until she saw the MRIs. This was apparently bullshit, but hardly the worst thing that happened!)

So I come back in two months, and apparently the appointment setter had scheduled me for a week when "my" neuro was actually on vacation. They all got a good laugh out of it, because I was the THIRD person that day to come in for a phantom appointment. (And, I had received two of those automated phone calls reminding me of my appointment, chastising me in advance not to "waste the doctor's time!") Naturally I was just so pleased to chuckle along with them. Bastards.

On my third trip to see her (only a month later) she again had no idea what was wrong and wanted to send me for another MRI because the first one had never shown up. It was my last visit to the neuro; I'm waiting for a grown-up doctor now.

I have never had a test or a visit to any doctor which started sooner than an hour after it was scheduled. And these are the RUDEST people I have ever met!

I was fortunate enough to find my primary care dr, after the first one I tried to see would only see new patients who made an appointment the first week of the month. I had had a headache for about three weeks and was considering a trip to the emergency room, but did not want to be overreacting, so made an appointment at apparently just the right time. However, my insurance company sent me a map to the dr's office which was completely wrong. As I was on the cell phone with the dr's office to get rerouted, my appointment time came up and the lady told me that since I had now missed the appointment I would have to wait until the first of the NEXT MONTH to call to make another appointment. I cried for two hours.

To top it all off, I was covered under my insurance (through the university - it was crap) AND my husband's insurance (it is fantastic!). Apparently this so threw the hospital billing department they started just not billing either and sending my accounts to collection agencies. After I sent a letter threatening to report them to the state Attorney General's Consumer Fraud department, the Head of the Billing department and the Head of customer service called me to apologize and most of it was straightened out. However, I just received an incorrectly billed statement last week, telling me it was going to be sent to a collection agency if I did not pay. This is for an MRI that I had in December of 2005!

No wonder medical care is so expensive! It must really take a LOT of effort to screw things up this much, and that can not come cheap!

(Ha! I've got great stories about the first time I tried to get a rheumatologist and the awful process that was - the best dr was unfortunately the one who had a massive stroke the week after my first appointment and was no longer able to practice medicine.)

I always feel whiny when I complain about this stuff, but honestly dealing with the medical people is definitely the worst part about being sick. And, people who do not have an entire cadre of doctors to visit regularly just do not understand how frustrating it is!

So, I feel your frustration with the medical system!!!! Good luck!

Becs

Do you think men would put up with this bullsh*t? I don't think so. I think they would stand and glower and demand to be seen.

I know I'm way too inclined to just slink away and wait until, say, I've bled to death rather than "bother" somebody. (Um, this nearly happened.)

Unfortunately, the health care system requires that we be our own case manager and our own patient advocate. And when you're sick on top of it, it sucks beyond all reason.

Luckily, only once have I been really ill and I managed to do the advocate/case manager thing. But for something on-going, you really need Shirley MacLaine to go up to the nurse's station and haul somebody's ass down to your room to give you a pain shot.

Sheesh.

TheQueen

Becs: I didn't know about the heating pad. Huh. Sounds like you are a fellow sufferrer. And men would be louder about the bullshit BUT they would still be treated as badly.

Friend #3: Yes, and to top it off the doctor can't read the MRI until it's done AND he's going on vaaction on Friday for a month. So at least two tests will be be joining last month's blood work in limbo.

Mary: I loved hearing your story. I especially love that you called the wrath of the Attorney General's Consumer Fraud department down on their heads!

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