Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Fibromyalgia/forum/10915616-er-last/page-2
so i went to my doc's office yesterday and asked about the CT scan of my kidney. could not see my doc but the nurses assisted me.
they said it did indeed show renal thinning and they compared it to my CT scan from 2008. they told me that from '08 to '10 the "thinning showed no change." --wait a minute.... you mean to tell me a had kidney thinning two F---ing years ago and nobody told me this?!?!?!
the nurse looked at me confused. she said yeah explained to me it's nothing to be alarmed about that if there were any changes she would have been flagging me down to go see a specialist. she insisted that it's nothing to worry about. YOU DON'T THINK A SPECIALIST (aka a urologist / nephrologist) SHOULD SEE THESE CT SCANS AND TELL ME??
she said that the radiologist that gave the report was a specialist and would have said something if there was a concern.
somehow i'm not comfortable with any of this. 2008 is when i had back to back TO back kidney infections and they had to switch my antibiotics up. back then, all they told my was that i had some scarring of my kidney from the infections. i feel like theyve been keeping me in the dark about the actual details of my kidney. i don't trust them anymore. IT's 2 YEARS LATER NOW
uhh.... if you were me wouldn't you be pissed off too?! and a bit scared?
so i went to my doc's office yesterday and asked about the CT scan of my kidney. could not see my doc but the nurses assisted me.
they said it did indeed show renal thinning and they compared it to my CT scan from 2008. they told me that from '08 to '10 the "thinning showed no change." --wait a minute.... you mean to tell me a had kidney thinning two F---ing years ago and nobody told me this?!?!?!
the nurse looked at me confused. she said yeah explained to me it's nothing to be alarmed about that if there were any changes she would have been flagging me down to go see a specialist. she insisted that it's nothing to worry about. YOU DON'T THINK A SPECIALIST (aka a urologist / nephrologist) SHOULD SEE THESE CT SCANS AND TELL ME??
she said that the radiologist that gave the report was a specialist and would have said something if there was a concern.
somehow i'm not comfortable with any of this. 2008 is when i had back to back TO back kidney infections and they had to switch my antibiotics up. back then, all they told my was that i had some scarring of my kidney from the infections. i feel like theyve been keeping me in the dark about the actual details of my kidney. i don't trust them anymore. IT's 2 YEARS LATER NOW
uhh.... if you were me wouldn't you be pissed off too?! and a bit scared?
I don't blame you for being scared!
Would sending you to a kidney specialist mean sending you to a civilian doc? I know that causes some kind of complications at times....just wondering?
Sweetie, I'll keep you in my prayers. I've had 1 kidney infection in my life. That pain is horrible. Thankfully I had surgery the following day and the IV antibiotics they gave me for the surgery made it all go away by the time I woke up from the surgery.
And for the record...I'd be upset too!
You absolutely need to be the one in charge of your health care. They are hired professionals who take care of hundreds of people.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone else here as well - we need it!!!
HUGS,
Eva
Hugs
yeah i want to take all this to a civilian doc but how? i can't pay out of pocket. *frustrated*
Or....
do they?
most likely the VA will send me back to them. :(
i need docs that have nothing to do with the VA or military.
@vikkii.... that's really sad. nobody should ever have gone through what you've gone through. i would have gotten a lawyer and sued them. you poor lady!
i dont want to change my doc. she is one of the best docs in the VA, but she is swamped right now with new GI's that just got out from the military with gulf war injuries. all the docs in the VA are over booked with new veterans.
the VA needs more staff.
I'm gonna go back there wednesday and and tell them i want to see a specialist. i dont' care if my CT scan was flagged or not.
i really feel like i'm just part of the heard in some cattle farm. moooo
We all should ask to see and get copies report of all test blood, xrays,etc. I do this most of the time and my doctors don't have a problem. That away if I have a question about something they didn't bring up I can ask them right away.
Sending Hugs and Prayers that you get to see a good specialist and every thing turns out ok.
Hugs & Prayers,
Mary
I agree with the others--always get a copy of everything. I just got a medical flash drive to keep it all in one place, then I have it if another doc or specialist needs something.
So, it was a nurse who said the scan would have been flagged if there was a problem, and that the radiologist was a specialist? Hmm, I still would want a doctor looking at it, pointing out to me what they see, and explaining what it means to my health. And, wouldn't the radiologist be an expert in radiology? Honestly, they really expect people to not question that?
For what it's worth, I would request, politely or not, a copy of the CT scan AS WELL AS the radiologist's report along with a referral to a nephrologist. Go and keep asking questions until you understand and know what you need to do.
Regarding the scheduling problems: If I notice it is a problem, I start calling for appointments myself. If my primary's office hasn't made the referral, I call every day until they do. If the office I'm referred to doesn't call within a week (five day business week) I start calling them until I have an appointment. If they tend to forget or lose appointments, call two, then one day ahead to confirm. Since I am on Medicaid, I am stuck with the doctors available. Fortunately, my insurance carrier is very interested when I get poor treatment and does follow up on my complaints. They will also call to make appointments for me if there is a three month wait and I need urgent care.
You didn't mention--are you still having the severe pain?
I will keep you in my prayers and hope you get answers soon.
Years ago I had an anaphylactic reaction and was rushed to the ER, where they gave me (by their own admission) more epi than is considered healthy. I was so happy to be out of there that I never really questioned why it was that they did that.
It was only when a friend who worked in my doctor's office left her job (and copied my records on her way out) that I learned that I had no measurable blood pressure when I reached the ER - I was nearly dead and was in fibrillation and if they hadn't continued with the epi until I responded I would have died.
I had my WTF? when I realized that I had seen that doctor many times since then and he NEVER mentioned that I was knocking on death's door when I arrived at the ER. Wouldn't you think that might be a good thing to know?
Not the same as yours but I know what it's like to hear something really important almost by accident and wonder why the hell nobody told you.
Your BP is a GOOD indicator of how well your Kidneys are Functioning !