Think I am calm enough to write this out now. Three weeks ago took Mark to doctor, turned out a PA. The PA was alarmed at his very slow heart rate- I explained, it is genetic, he had many tests made before we moved to Kansas. After discussion PA decide to change up med dosage. Then proclaimed Mark to see cardio doctor because the PA thinks he may need a pacemaker. Come back in two weeks. So today took him in, the changes in meds has made big difference. All looks good. Still pushing for the cardio doctor. I can tell you I tried to watch me mouth and be nice along with trying to get my point across. So PA orders more blood work and EKG. Ok fine. Verbally still pushing for cardio doctor. I already agreed with him we both need one and would be going that asap (money issue) . He naturally recommends one, only 25 miles away. un ok will look in to that. So I decided perhaps this is some kind of Omen, Called the cardios office and during the automated answering message pick up on these words "if you need our pacemaker dept" , I get defensive in my feelings. So as I am giving the lady info to set up appt.---whoa Trigger - oh but he already has an appt made by his Pa for August 21! Am I wrong to be incensed over this? The guy already admitted he is just a practitioner , yet he has decided my husband needs a pacemaker ? We will go to cardio doctor..if that doctor thinks Mark needs a pacemaker we get a second opinion First ! i am just beyond words that his guy took it upon himself to do that. Oh and he did comment in order to for him to continue Marks BP medicine - Mark would need to see cardio doctor. Question- am I wrong to feel this way? Please spare me the horror stories of how this could go wrong... Just am I justified in my feelings?
You most certainly have a reason to be upset. I definitly think you should get a second opinion. I, myself trust no one in the medical profession any more. It seems that they are all as motivated by greed as any other scammer. I think they look at people as cash cows and some doctor people without cause. They even pass patients around to their friends so they can share in the wealth. Since they have taken to mutilating children for the cash flow I have no expectations of truth from them.
Yes. But this is common practice now. The PCP "refers" a patient to a specialist, and MAKES the appointment. I've had to cancel more than a few of these for procedures that were recommended, etc. I will make MY OWN APPOINTMENTS, thanks.
question intended for John and his eye problem Do you think an ice cube might help the pain. It might slow down the nerve triggering.
If I remember correctly, boric acid was originally used as an eye wash because a saturated solution of boric acid is isotonic with the eye. That may come out to be a 5% solution, I don't recall, but the home user couldn't get it wrong if they just dissolved as much BA into boiled water as they could.
Perhaps you and @Don Alaska are right and the same-day disappearing pimples I've had in my eyelid were not styes. This thing is way different. I've not experienced anything like this before. This morning is the start of Day#3 and while it is less painful, it is still debilitating. I like the idea of wrapping gauze to hold the compress on. I wrapped a tea bag in a strip of cheesecloth last night and that made a huge comfort difference, since it was soft and the juices still seeped through. I may drive to Walgreens later on to get an eye patch to secure the compress.
@Hedi Mitchell My PCP has always contacted other doctors on my behalf for the other provide to set up appointments, and then they contact me. I don't know if it's a required Insurance Referral or if it's a required PCP Referral. The only annoying thing is that sometimes the referred practice will not call to arrange a convenient time, they'll just send an email notification of the appointment they made, and then I have to call if I need to reschedule it. In any event, my PCP has never makes such a referral without my permission, and I've declined such offers at times. He's usually on his friggin' computer during the exam (which is mostly just me watching him type), and makes the referral right then as I watch. The referral starts the ball rolling for the other guy's appointment process. I agree that your PCP over stepped boundaries big time. They are Advisers, not Controllers. You may have said...I assume this is a new guy you found after you moved. It's like training a new puppy.
I was thinking about your other symptoms of pain in the sinuses and mouth area. I'm wondering if you might have an allergy-related infection (say in the sinuses) that has spread. I haven't had a stye since I was a kid, but as I recall they were just pimple-looking infections in the eyelashes and any pain/swelling was confined to that small area. My mama would yell at me to keep my hands away from my eyes.
That might be. I, too,wondered if there were some other infection. The eye discomfort has subsided and the sinus/teeth pain have all but gone away. I'll see how I feel Monday and see what the eye Dr. says when she calls back then and we discuss the sinuses/teeth. But the eye thing felt a lot like those pimples on the inside of my eyelid...only worse and longer-lasting.
I need to check my "facts," but I always thought a stye was an inflamed/infected hair folicle, always in the eyelashes. Of course I'm probably wrong about that, but that's the only place I ever had them. There is also some other eyelid infection that I can't remember the name of... it starts with a "C". Chalizon?? I have had conjunctivitis a couple of times, but that is pink eye and easy to ID.
I can only go from my own experiences, @Hedi Mitchell ; but if your husband is having issues with a low heartbeat, I think that going to see a cardiologist is a good thing for him to do. I have had a pacemaker for several years now, and i am thankful that I had a good doctor that did the tests and then the pacemaker procedure. Besides the a-fib, my heart rate had been gradually slowing down as I aged, and with the Apple Watch I was able to monitor it 24/7. I discovered that overnight, it often went into the 40’s, and occasionally into the 30’s, and was getting progressively worse. I was afraid that one night, it would go too slow, and just stop beating ! When I talked to my electrophysiologist, he said a pacemaker would help keep the heart from going too slow, and it has done a great job of that. While it wasn’t stopping the a-fib (at that point), it kept the rhythm from going below 60. Now, because of the a-fib issue, they had to change me to complete control by the pacemaker so my heart can no longer send the afib signals . It does not have the instant response that a normal heart would have; but it is MUCH better than what my heart would be doing on its own without the pacemaker. I think that you should at least see the cardiologist, and then make a decision after he explains things more in depth for you.
From WebMD: A chalazion is a red bump on the eyelid that develops when there is a blocked oil gland. A stye develops where your eyelashes start or under your eyelid. Bacterial infections usually cause styes (also called hordeolums ). A chalazion is usually (but not always) painless. That's why I thought I had styes before...a tiny painful scratching pimple under my eyelid. Maybe that is what I've had, and they just popped quickly when I've rubbed them. They have never lasted days like the web says they can. The ides of the hot compresses is to thin out the oils so it might pop/drain easier.
I know you've thought of this,but I have a need to give advice...have any of those records been transferred to these guys so they have a frame of reference for your husband's conditions? On the other hand, you said that the PCP changed the dosage of hubby's meds and it made a difference, so there's some upside to the new guy with a fresh set of eyes.
It seems to me that DMV is terrible in most states. Ours is understaffed. If you get there after 9:30, the lines are long and the people behind the counter disappear often. Few know how to smile.