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Post by minx on Mar 19, 2018 8:22:51 GMT -5
You've reached the point when you don't have to come back for a year! Woot!
Granted, it's only the dermatologist, but I'll take it. Was going every quarter (have severe rosacea), then it went to every 6 months, and now once a year.
Of course I need to put a reminder on my calendar to make the appointment next year, but I'm not complaining.
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Post by k9krap on Mar 19, 2018 14:01:22 GMT -5
Congrats! Who is your dermatologist, if you don’t mind sharing. I’ve started developing psoriasis, I believe. It’s in my ears and I’ve been treating it with OTC cortisone but should probably see someone about it along with the other spots I have that aren’t responding.
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Post by minx on Mar 19, 2018 14:44:04 GMT -5
Virginia Dermatology - I see Leah Waller, who is a PA there. I highly recommend her - very nice, listens to your concerns and doesn't rush you out the door.
The actual dermatologist is Mark Eid, but he usually sees patients who have skin cancer or a really severe condition.
Their number is 540-373-6647, and they're over by Express Auto on Route 1.
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Post by dickie11 on Jul 25, 2018 4:21:26 GMT -5
Absolutely! I am also planning to start a treatment for my skin. It has started getting blemishes and I am not liking it at all. It was intensive case management that offered to help and I am sure I will also happy just like this when it will be over. Going to a doctor is something that not everybody likes and I am one of them. I want to be fit and fine for the rest of my life. |
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Post by No. 1 son on Jul 25, 2018 9:25:11 GMT -5
I have 2 spots that the dermo says was roseaca, but it didn't respond to any oh her treatment. I did have my dr freeze one out, but the other needs to be frozen again, maybe biopsied. You can't take that stuff lightly, they aren't always right.
So good to hear from you, dickie, are you from this area ( Virginia)?
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Post by rally2xs on Jul 28, 2018 9:17:00 GMT -5
Psoriasis pretty much forever. Mild, just ignore it.
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Post by rally2xs on Dec 6, 2018 20:25:14 GMT -5
So had the heart catheterization done today, not as big a deal as I had though. No general anesthetic, was awake thru the whole thing although they said I dozed off (when you have to be there at oh-dark-ugly, (6 AM) to check in, lack-of-sleep happens, tired happens from that, unannounced sleep happens from that...)
My doctor just said I have several 50% blockages in my heart, and the rest are less. Not worth a stent. There are others that are in vessels so small they're hard / dangerous to stent, so if the heart disease progresses, I might have to have a bypass.
Doctor just jacked up my insurance company and got the hi-power (very expensive) injectable drug Repatha approved, which supposedly should do wonders for my cholesterol rating. We'll see. Its kinda a pain 'cuz it has to be refrigerated. OTOH, one injection is good for 2 weeks, so that's something. Have to have it shipped to a pharmacy with a refrigerator. Have to figure out how to keep it cool when away from home - ice chest I expect. Maybe something else.
With luck, the hi-power drugs and some care in other areas and I'll live to 100. Ha! If I get the car I'm buying paid off before I croak of this or some other nonsense I'll feel lucky. The loan on the new car is planned for 8 years as it's pricey, and I'm 71 so paying it off will be an achievement.
See what happens...
Meanwhile, how to injure yourself in the hospital. Order the hot chocolate. You get a cup with a cover on it to keep it from spilling and a straw to go thru the cover. OK... I figured it'd be pleasingly warm...maybe 130 degrees or so, but I think it was close to boiling. Burnt the roof of my mouth pretty good before I could put 2 and 2 together and spit it out, but the damage was done. Probably the worst burn that way I've had. Really sore. Mouths heal fast, this one needs to step on the gas for that.
Have to sit around quietly for a couple days to be sure not to tear the incision open. Its direct to an artery, so that could get really nasty if it were wrongly stimulated. Am attempting to baby it, but its easy to forget and do something verboten, like bending over. THere's no real solution for picking up something off the floor, no squatting, no bending. Hmmm... don't drop anything. I think kneeling will work... that'll keep the area fairly straight. But don't drop anything.
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Post by rally2xs on Dec 6, 2018 20:27:14 GMT -5
Actually, I already feel lucky I'm not dead from a lot of really dumb stuff I've done and all the health challenges over the years. Really lucky...
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Post by k9krap on Dec 6, 2018 21:03:30 GMT -5
Both my parents went through this twice, each. Plus each of them had bypass surgery; each of them had 5 at once and Dad went back a second time for 4 more. My dad actually died during his first cath; he said, many weeks later, that he had an out of body experience and saw himself on the table with the docs trying to get his heart restarted. They rushed him into surgery the next day and this experience explains why he was so terrified before the surgery. I’ve never seen my dad afraid before or since and it totally shook me. He tried to hide it, but it was very obvious to me.
I’m glad everything went well. I was on Xarelto for 3 weeks after both my knee surgeries and hated it because I couldn’t take my anti-inflammatory prescription. My joints really suffered. All these medications scare me with their side effects.
Speaking of my ant-inflammatory, my rheumatologist told me today I may have to stop taking it, depending on my labs. My kidney function has deteriorated gradually over the past year, so we need to reduce the stress on them. Ugh. Got rid of pain, now I get it back. FML.
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Post by minx on Dec 7, 2018 11:34:34 GMT -5
Glad that things went well - you should feel lucky that you had a job that provided really, really good health insurance so that you can afford the co-pay for your fancy new drug.
I have a great job - good pay, good co-workers, good working conditions. I am also very, very lucky because I don't have to use their offered health insurance (United HealthCare). Not only do none of my doctors take it because their reimbursement rate and amount of paperwork required for simple procedures isn't worth it, but they don't cover fancy new drugs like that until you've met your $2000 deductible.
Too bad everyone can't have access to the same insurance (and choices) that federal employees get, isn't it?
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Post by rally2xs on Dec 7, 2018 14:31:37 GMT -5
Glad that things went well - you should feel lucky that you had a job that provided really, really good health insurance so that you can afford the co-pay for your fancy new drug. I have a great job - good pay, good co-workers, good working conditions. I am also very, very lucky because I don't have to use their offered health insurance (United HealthCare). Not only do none of my doctors take it because their reimbursement rate and amount of paperwork required for simple procedures isn't worth it, but they don't cover fancy new drugs like that until you've met your $2000 deductible. Too bad everyone can't have access to the same insurance (and choices) that federal employees get, isn't it? Not sure about the deductible thing with this insurance. Medicare part B has big deductibles - $4K I think I read when I looked yesterday, and so I may get an opportunity to be abused by this insurance too. My BCBS doesn't cover everything. I get my expensive blood thinner for $10 a month due to a manufacturer support program. Dunno if there's one for Repatha or not. May end up paying the 1st several months myself. It's about $1300 / month. See what happens. Glad you have an alternative to UHC. |
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Post by bobathon on Dec 7, 2018 15:55:59 GMT -5
Eat some bootstraps, ya big moocher.
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