2017--This Year is Our Year!!!
Options
Replies
-
0 -
0 -
Just got home from a frustrating doctor’s appointment. I needed a refill on my medication for hypertension and my doctor required me to have fasting blood work first. I had that done on Tuesday so she would have the results today. My appointment was at 10:45 but I wasn’t seen until almost noon, which was very annoying, but since I was already there I waited. My labs were all ok, so no issues there, but a new issue has come up. On Tuesday afternoon I suddenly began having extreme pain in the third and fourth toe on my left foot, which is the one where I broke my ankle almost two years ago. Since it healed I’ve been experiencing peripheral neuropathy in those toes, but as long as I wore good shoes with strong arch support, it was manageable. Now, for no apparent reason, it has become unmanageable. My doctor ordered X-rays and thinks she can see a stress fracture. So for now, she wants me to continue buddy taping the two toes and will refer me to an endocrinologist. She also restarted me on Fosamax, which I really didn’t want to take again after being on it for 11 years previously. All in all, it was a frustrating appointment that left me with more questions than answers and a medication I really don’t want to take, but feel I have no choice other than to comply for now.0
-
I fully understand your frustration. Running that late and then not giving you good answers to your questions is pretty stressful. Did she explain what she thinks an endocrinologist can do for the pain in your foot? They deal with hormones so how does that connect with foot pain. It would seem like seeing the doctor who treated the broken ankle might be a better starting point.
I had a very painful foot for several months. I'd find myself limping and couldn't walk very far without pain. My pain was in the instep of my foot. I was ready to call the podiatrist who treated my infected foot to see if it was an arch problem. Before I got around to doing that, I mentioned it to my massage therapist. She took a look and could feel a knot in the middle of my foot. She did some work on it and it was kind of uncomfortable as she worked on it. By the time she finished the knot was noticeably smaller. She suggested I roll a tennis ball with my foot which I try to do once or twice a day. The result has been that I'm pain free when I'm walking. My problem was muscular. Your's may not be but it might be worth looking into. She worked on it again yesterday and it's now the size of a pea, It was probably more like a grape the first time although I didn't ask her how big it was. She said it's now a lot smaller than the first visit.0 -
Do endocrinolgoists treat osteoporosis? I can see that they might but never thought about it. (I assume that's what Pam's doctor is thinking).
Pam - can you delay starting the Fosamax until you see an endocrinologist or other osteoporosis specialist? "Thinks she can see a stress fracture" would drive me nuts. An alternative or addition to an endocrinologist might be an orthopaedic surgeon. Even if you need long term treatment for osteoporosis you still may need treatment for the broken bones (they don't always treat broken toes).
My dad said once you get to a certain age and all you do is wait at the doctors. Unfortunately around here doctors all seem to have more than enough patients and long waits are common. At my internist the wait is usually several hours which is why I started to see the nurse practitioner. I figure if I get anything serious I'll see a specialist anyway. I use the internist's office to write prescriptions for my cholesterol meds and write the orders for lab tests. They also gave me the pneumonia shots. In other words, stuff a nurse practitioner is perfectly good for.0 -
Maryanne, you are correct. The referral to an endocrinologist is due to the diagnosis of osteoporosis. My doctor wanted me to immediately start the Fosamax even though the specialist may want to change to a different medication. She seemed to think it best to not delay starting it. The X-ray will be read by a radiologist and we should get the results on Monday, so depending on what that is I might go back to my orthopedic doctor. My doctor is concerned that 3 of my medications can have a negative effect on kidney function, so that means more blood work to monitor that. She wants me to take the Fosamax for 3 weeks then come back for labs to see how that’s going. And after all that, she forgot to give me the referral to the endocrinologist, so I’ll have to follow up on that.
Usually appointments with this doctor don’t run that far behind, so I don’t know why this one was so late. There were no patients waiting in her waiting area besides myself, and after I was placed in an exam room I didn’t hear others being moved through the other exam rooms. I know she had been out of town earlier in the week, so I suppose she might have been trying to catch up on things that needed her attention and lost track of time. I was just so glad to finally see her that I didn’t ask why she was so behind, lol!0 -
Maybe she was called to the hospital with an emergency? She may not have been in the building for most of the time you were waiting. I hope everything works out well.0
-
Nope, she was there the whole time. I could hear her talking to a patient in another room (HIPAA violation, anyone?), and to her staff. I should have at least stuck my head out the door to remind the nurse that I hadn’t been seen, but I had taken a book and was reading. About the time I realized how long I’d been waiting was when she finally came into my exam room.0
-
I have a FANTASTIC endocrinologist; too bad I can't clone her for you.0
-
Nope, she was there the whole time. I could hear her talking to a patient in another room (HIPAA violation, anyone?), and to her staff. I should have at least stuck my head out the door to remind the nurse that I hadn’t been seen, but I had taken a book and was reading. About the time I realized how long I’d been waiting was when she finally came into my exam room.
MASSIVE HIPAA violation but I "hear" it everywhere I go. They are fanatical about getting forms signed but totally ignore everything else. When I had the endoscopy recently, partly to be contrary, I admit, I filled out the form to say my information could not be shared with ANYONE yet when DH came to pick me up they brought him into the room where they were sharing results with me. That's all backwards. They should worry more about actual privacy and less about forms.
0 -
Okay, this is funny (and could only have been done by a man).
http://cheezburger.com/3665925/guy-accidentally-steals-his-neighbors-cat-after-mistaking-it-for-his-own-hilariousness-ensues0 -
0 -
0 -
I guess this explains what happened to the Aunt Jemima pancake and french toast breakfasts: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/05/pinnacle-discontinues-recalled-aunt-jemima-breakfast-products/#.WePMQmhSyUk
I wonder if I can track down what happened to the Smart Ones versions. Here is what they are currently offering. http://www.eatyourbest.com/products/all-products.aspx
WHY three flavors of oatmeal (who needs frozen oatmeal?) and no pancakes or french toast?0 -
Who eats frozen oatmeal? Real or instant are so easy and 'm sure the frozen variety is a lot more expensive. I'm out and about early today for a doctor appointment. I got there and discovered I'm a week early! Better than a week late. I had lab work done last week and his office called to say I had an infection. I finished the antibiotics Saturday and wanted a re-test to make sure it's cured. The receptionist told me they wait three days before a retest so I can go tomorrow. That makes sense because if some of the antibiotic was still in my system, it might mask an remaining infection. In the past 3 months, I've had an infected toe, abscessed gun and a UTI. I'm thinking all are related. I probably never got rid of the toe infection with one course of antibiotics. I think it showed up again in other places. That's why I want the re-test.0
-
0 -
Helene - good luck with the retest!0
-
0 -
i was a week early for my appointment. I think the infection has fried my brain. I can do the retest today. I need to be 3 day off the antibiotic for accurate results. I'm meeting some friend for lunch o I'll stop by the lab on the way to meet them.0
-
