Hello friends. Long time, no blogging. I’ve missed you all!
I’m tired of tests for anything and everything. The medical profession seems more like a fast carnival ride now. Litigation has made it this way. They will send you for every test they can think of, to avoid being accused of not testing for something.
I spent my life being healthy, like many of us. Seldom had to see a doctor. In the last 4 years, I have spent more time in waiting rooms than I did my entire lifetime. To top that, you no longer see the doctor. The new thing is “Nurse Practitioners”. They are learning. Some are good, but when you have to go through a middle-person who then consults with your doctor, signals get crossed.
Anyway, I’m stepping off this ride. Taking a step back and looking at each doctor (specialist) I have seen, it appears that each one causes the need for either another test, or more medication. Gone are the days of carefully reading a chart to avoid unwanted effects to condition or medication.
I just had the ultrasound of my heart, and wore a Holter heart monitor for 24hrs, a stress test was next on the list. The ultrasound was fine, the heart monitor reported nothing amiss. However, since I am tired all the time, weak, and on rare occasions feel like I am going to pass out, they want the stress test.
I’m not a doctor, but I figure I’m tired and move like a snail, because they have had me on toprol for over a year, which keeps my heart at 47-50 bpm. I’m declining the stress test. I told them that common sense tells me, that if I have no indication of a problem from the first two tests, why would I want to go through putting my heart under stress to see if it will fail. No thanks. Take me off the toprol and let’s see if maybe a regular heart beat doesn’t deliver more oxygen to muscles when active. Of course, I had to pay “them” a $40 co-pay for the visit. Just to get the results of the first two tests above. After the stress test, it would be another $40. So he decided to take me off the afib medicine to see if I improve. It has been two weeks, and I feel so much better.
Comments always welcome,
Each medication has it’s side affects. Sometimes they are necessary and sometimes I just wonder. Good luck to you.
I wonder as well, Kate. I have been to several, that have forgotten what they had prescribed for me, they forget to chart it. That worries me. Thanks for the comment.
My husband was prescribed beta-blockers before his triple bypass. The first time he took them, he had to rest for an hour before he could get up and do anything. since his bypass, he still has to rest after he’s taken them. I’d hoped the dosage would be reduced, but instead it has increased. He is feeling much better since the operation, but still doesn’t have enough energy to do any of the low key tasks awaiting his attention around the house. More worrying, he still doesn’t have the mental energy to tackle the crosswords and sudokus he used to love.
I had my quadruple bypass and was about to be released after having been in afib for 8 hours. Wife threatened to throw the doctor out of the 4th floor window, so they kept me another 2 days. It was my primary doctor that decided I needed to be on a beta blocker during recovery.
I’m slowly getting some strength back, but tire easy, but I have only been off the beta blocker two weeks now. It got to the point with me, that I would forget what I was planning to do, from one web page to the next. A main reason that I haven’t been blogging like I’d like to.
Thanks for the comment, I hope your husband gets to feeling better. Maybe they will reduce his amount soon.
Nice to see you back, Ron. I know what you mean about doctors. Even over here, where we don’t have to pay, entering a hospital feels like jumping onto a medical merry-go-round of constant referrals, and subsequent tests. If you can avoid any of them and stay healthy, best to do so.
Stay well my friend.
best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. I have missed visiting all of you. It’s been nuts here. I had food poisoning. They immediately sent me for a CT of my stomach, even though I have not had any stomach issues. There was no indication of a problem. Then they scheduled me for an Upper and lower GI test. They didn’t want to give anti-biotics till they “knew” what was going on. I canceled the GI, waited two more days taking over the counter nausea medicine, and I recovered. Co-pay for CT? $200. I would have had a co-pay of $40 for the gastro specialist and then more $ for the tests.
I’m beginning to loose faith in some of these “specialist”
Thanks for the comment, and I will be visiting your blog.
No problem with the visits, Ron. Just get well. 🙂
You really have to be your own health advocate these days. Many (most?) doctors seem to be practicing defensive medicine. They prescribe meds and tests just so they won’t get sued somewhere down the line for not doing it. Good luck to you. I’m glad you are feeling better and I hope it continues.
So true, they started to prescribed a medication with aspirin in it to Michelle a couple of months back, she is deathly allergic to aspirin. I’m glad Michelle was listening closely and asked about the medicine containing aspirin.
I’ve stood up lately as my own advocate. I have challenged several tests that are not really needed. Your right about the liability caution on the doctors part, it’s sad that it has gotten that way.
Thanks for the comment,
Sending healing energy to you! 🙂
Thank you. Much Appreciated.
Oh, Ron! You’ve been through the mill. I hope you will soon have more energy and feel like blogging again. I’ve missed you.
Thanks, Anne. I was feeling a bit like a lab rat for a short time. I have missed everyone as well. I’m looking forward to more normalcy, and blogging more.
It is frustrating even to read about, much less have to endure, your medical trek. My doctor says she always thinks of side effects first. That is how she changed my blood pressure medicine when I reported depression even though that is not a common side effect. I hope that you are back with us in the blogging world.
I hope I am back here as well, Elizabeth. The one I liked was the PA AND doctor, recommending breaking in half the depression medicine, while taking pain medication. The depression med was extended release, so it absorbing fast instead of slow into my system kept me messed up, till Michelle noted the bottle said XL. I hope that adventure is over, Time to enjoy life clearly.
It is increasingly important for us to supervise our medications as Michelle did for you.
Ugh, that doesn’t sound fun. I hope everything is ok.
Better everyday so far! Thanks for the comment.