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Medical Privacy/Complaint Issue

gov_moonbeam — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:00:49 -0800

ER seems to be giving out my information to 3rd parties Last summer a very good friend of mine got hitched and thanks to a combination of keeping up with a drinking buddy, not enough time at the buffet line, I blacked out and scared my friends. Not knowing what to do (and this is the first and only time I've ever blacked out from drinking), my friends called 9-11 so I could go to the hospital. I woke up, went home with a friend for the rest of the night/following day, felt like an idiot, paid all my medical bills and in the time since then, haven't had a drop to drink.

Well in the past few weeks I've been reminded of that whole unpleasant incident because:

a) The Hospital's development department sent me a fund raising letter about how they're trying to build a birthing center.

b) I got a phone message from a collections company in their metropolitan area stating that they needed to talk to me in regards to the ER visit. I call back confused (I paid my bill & have verbal confirmation from the hospital & my insurance company that all business is closed out) and the women I spoke with can't find any sort of record attached to my phone #.

So I want to contact the hospital and ask them what's up and possible also complain about how I've been contacted recently by their development department and the collections agency. Am I thinking something has got really effed up here in regards to my privacy? It's in a different state from the one I live in, but getting called about a collections agency over my confidential ER visit seems beyond the pale. Not to mention getting hit up to donate money to the hospital.

abre los ojos

TheBones — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:11:49 -0800

Another medical question I have been having some weird ocular distractions for the past week or so. If I look at something quickly, I feel like the way my brain processes what my eyes see is a millisecond behind where my eyes eyes are focusing.

I used to get this if I missed a dose of anti-depressants, but I have been off them for a couple of weeks now, tapered down from 100 mg of zoloft by half and then half again over 2 weeks periods for each.

I am currently on 100 mg of lamictal, 20 mg of benicar, and 5 mg of crestor.

This is not like vertigo and I have a doctor's appointment next week, as I don't believe this is an emergency. However, if you, hivemind, do, then I will go to the urgent care straightaway.

I am sure you will need more information so I will watch the thread for these, let me know what they are so I can figure out what is going on and what to do about it.

Should I get these tests done now, and will insurance cover treatment in the future?

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:01:50 -0800

A complicated question about a specific medical condition, insurance, and pre-existing conditions. Hello,
I'll try to explain this clearly- apologies if it's a bit long, the background is necessary!
I live in New York. Three months ago I switched jobs, and the new job told me I had to wait three months for my insurance to kick in. I did not elect to take COBRA or any interim insurance because I recently had surgery and that knocked my premiums up past what I could afford.

About three weeks after starting the new job I got the results back from a pap smear and they said they'd found HPV of the "dangerous, may possibly cause cancer" variety, and that I had to go in for a colposcopy. I explained that I was waiting for my insurance to kick in and they said it should be ok to wait the two months till this happened.
So last week I got laid off. Now there isn't going to be any insurance till I don't know when.

Planned Parenthood will do the colposcopy on a sliding scale that I can just about afford, but my concern is: if I get this test while I have no insurance, and god forbid it turns out I have cervical cancer or pre-cancer that needs to be treated... when I get a job and get insurance, will this then count as a pre-existing condition and not be covered?

I'm really worried about this. The strange thing is that I already have a condition- ulcerative colitis- but whenever I've started a new job, the employer's insurance has covered it with no problem. So that's a pre-existing condition, right? But everyone is saying that this will be different and that I absolutely should wait to get the colposcopy till I already have insurance.

So, two questions. Is there, for some reason, a difference between things like ulcerative colitis and (knock wood) cervical cancer, that would mean that the former is covered while the latter is not? Is it true that if I test positive my new insurance wouldn't cover treatment?

Second question- I know you are not my doctor, but would it be all right to wait until I do get insurance to get tested? It's already been almost three months now and I'm getting really nervous, thinking that something awful and dangerous might be growing inside me and I just have to wait. I know that the earlier you catch these things, the better, but I also know that if it IS pre-cancer, this kind tends to move slowly- is it all right to wait a bit longer?

Thanks...I'm sorry if this is a bit disjointed but the whole subject makes me incredibly stressed out and nervous and I feel a bit helpless in this situation. I want to do what's best for my health without putting myself into years of debt.

Thanks in advance to all of you....

How can I safely order a prescription drug from Canada that's not approved in the US?

DMelanogaster — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:58:59 -0800

How can I order a drug from Canada that's not approved in the US? Will I go to jail? The drug is domperidone and it is widely used to treat gastroparesis (delayed stomach empyting) in Canada and in Europe. There's a big controversy about its not having been approved by the FDA. It's considered a very safe drug everywhere in the world. This disorder, if you're interested, involves feeling too full after eating, and is very annoying and disconcerting, but doesn't seem to be actually dangerous (at least not in my case). Diabetics get it a lot, but mine is "idiotpathic" (i.e. no cause can be found). It seems to reflect a problem with the vagus nerve (maybe). I had this condition of "idiopathic gastroparesis"for the first time five years ago. It was diagnosed by a gastroenterologist after ruling out all kinds of other things (I had a gastroscopy, barium swallow, etc., and no physical blockage was found) who put me on Reglan which didn't really help (which he predicted). At that time he actually suggested that I might want to try domperidone, but told me it's not sold in the US.

Last time the gastroparesis went away by itself after six months. This time I've just had it for a couple of weeks so far but was thinking maybe I want to be more aggressive in making myself feel better faster.

Therefore: how can I order domperidone safely? when I google it of course there are all kinds of ads for online pharmacies, but I've never done this before. How do I know I'm going to be sent the right drug? And am I doing something illegal? Will dogs come to my house to smell all my medications?? Will I be fined or imprisoned???

Thank you.

What's the name of this British tv show?

jmmpangaea — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:39:26 -0800

Help, I can't remember the name of this reality tv show. A British Asian doctor (lady) berates an unhealthy person about their lifestyle. The doctor shows the unhealthy person what's happening inside their body and what will happen if they continue their bad habits. Usually the unhealthy person will be a smoker and drinks a lot.

Negotiating patient/family rights at an ultrasound facility

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:12:16 -0800

Is there a medical or technical reason an ultrasound facility would specify that only one person can accompany the pregnant person during the ultrasound? (And if it turns out we must follow this policy, how could the third parent observe the ultrasound from the waiting room?) (Anonymous only because we have friends who haven't heard our pregnancy news yet, and I don't want them hearing through internet-grapevines! Soon all will be nicely open for us. :))

I'm one of three people who are having a baby together. (Two of us are the biological parents, but the three of us are the parents -- love each other, live together, are committed to raising the child together.) Of course all of us are equally excited to be there for the ultrasound two weeks from now. But even understanding this, the one admin person we've asked so far (a receptionist, I think) apologetically said their policy is that only one person can accompany the pregnant person inside the room during an ultrasound.

This is a routine ultrasound for a healthy pregnancy. I'm wondering whether that policy is primarily meant to keep lots of family members from crowding into the room. I'm also guessing that at an ultrasound facility in a Northeast U.S. city, there must already have been some precedent for three people all having an equally valid interest in an ultrasound. (What about a surrogate mother plus the two bio-parents, or a lesbian couple who are including their known-donor in the parenting?)

So there two questions here, and I'd love your advice about either:

1) What should be our strategy for reaching, and for talking to, higher-up people at the office, so we can gently persist with this question? Clearly this is only the first of many such questions -- we need to know our rights and how to articulate them before there's any possiblity of an emergency situation (for example, if something went wrong during delivery and the non-bio parent found she suddenly wasn't allowed to be in the room). We're also asking other multi-parent families for advice, but I'm asking here because input from a more general audience (especially any medical people?) could be very useful.

2) If we really can't all be in the room this time: how can the third person, who would be there sitting in the waiting room, observe the ultrasound? (Could we at least record it with our own video camera, for later viewing? [I'm guessing live transmission of the video -- say if we brought one laptop inside the room and pointed its camera at the screen, transmitting to another laptop in the waiting room -- would not be allowed at the facility?])

What are the negative unintended consequences of medical marijuana?

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:03:47 -0800

What are the unintended, negative consequences of having a medical marijuana prescription? I've hit a point with my anxiety where I literally cannot function anymore. I am on antidepressants already, and have sedatives for when I anticipate an anxiety attack, but they aren't working- I feel like the antidepressants don't do anything at all, and the sedatives knock me out cold- and I'm already on the minimum dose.
In the past I have been a non-user, a full-on stoner, and an occasional, recreational user of marijuana. I mean this honestly (and I type this while sober)- the happiest, most productive time of my life was when I smoked on a daily basis. It was the first time I was ever able to hold down a job, I was in the best shape of my life (I had a six-pack!), and my anxiety attacks disappeared. So, now I am considering getting a medical marijuana prescription. I'm not trying to get high- I am hoping to consume low doses of edibles, just enough to get rid of my anxiety.

However: the whole thing just seems too easy. Even though it is now legal in California, are there consequences I'm not considering? Will this show up on background checks? Can I be denied a job for using medical marijuana? Somewhere, I remember hearing that if you have a medical marijuana prescription, you can be denied financial aid for college- I just applied to graduate school, and I'm going to need financial aid.

In short, I need to know every negative consequence that they don't tell you about when you want to become a medical marijuana user.

post-surgical bruising

moonlet — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:32:26 -0800

Is there a term for the type of bruising that occurs after surgery, away from the site of the surgery? My coworker had surgery for a torn meniscus about two weeks ago. Her knee didn't bruise much and the swelling's gone down, but as of this week, her food is black and blue. I'm sure I've seen this phenomenon before, and I made a passing reference to it before she consulted her physical therapist and was told that it is indeed drainage of dead blood cells from the knee.

Now we're both curious about it, and most of the things I find online about post-surgical bruising are tips for plastic surgery aftercare. She's not particularly worried about how to care for it, but we both want to know: is there a term for this?

Just Questions? Just Answers?

london302 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:24:47 -0800

I just bumped into a website justanswers.com while researching the world of medical second opinion. I have questions about the business and the human psyhcology behind it..... 1. I am intrigued byt their business model where you pay what you think is fair and also if you are not satisfied with the answer you can choose not to pay (is this real and how does it really work?). Are they relying on the goodwill of the customer and isnt the web a dangerous place to be doing this?

2. Have you, do you or do you know anyone who works for justanswers.com (pref. medical side)? What are your experiences?

3. Does this model make money?

Thanks very much in advance

1 in 500? I don't like those odds.

ostranenie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:44:49 -0800

CT scans on children for hearing problems. Worried about radiation risks. Wait? Asking for a friend:

Last year when my son was four years old it was discovered that he has what our ENT called maximum conductive hearing loss in his left ear. A little over two years ago, his older brother had stuck an opened large paperclip into the ear that now has hearing loss. The ENT is unsure if the paper clip incident is related to the hearing loss but has not ruled it out entirely. A CT scan has been ordered to look for "ossicular discontinuity due to h/o trauma, congenital ossicular abnormality, or congenital otosclerosis" (even though he passed his hearing test at birth).

The reason for the CT is so the doctor can determine if my son is a candidate for ear surgery to repair whatever is causing the hearing loss. When my son was tested for hearing the audiologist told me that he is a great candidate for a hearing aid as well, as he could hear well from the ear in question when she had the settings placed at what a hearing aid would acheive for him.

My question is if it's worth getting a CT scan for a five year old. I have read that one CT scan can be the equivalent of 4000 chest x-rays and that a child has a 1 in 500 chance of developing cancer later because of the CT itself. Does anyone know how true these claims are? The CT would be of the temporal bones for conductive hearing loss in the middle ear. I am afraid that unless he is completely sedated he may move and the image will not be clear enough and they will have to take another one, which would only expose him to that much more radiation. I am hoping that if I ask for them to make sure the CT scanner is set for pediatric dosage they will actually put it on that setting.

Thanks for any advice anyone may have. You are not [a / my son's] doctor.

Do the benefits of a cortisone injection outweigh the risks?

gypseefire — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:06:34 -0800

I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis a year ago. I am on Enbrel and it has helped a great deal with the pain I experienced in my arms and joints but I am still having really bad pain upon walking or standing in my low back, sacral joint areas...I swim and do a variety of stretches but it is not allowing me the recovery I long for. I use to walk a few miles everyday, hike on the weekends and I haven't been able to do that in a couple of years. I miss it! I have been reading up on Epidural Cortisone injections and I am curious about personal results people have had. I am interested in the good as well as the bad stories, so I can decide, after meeting with my Doctors, if I want to go through with it. In other words if the benefits outweigh the risks.

Privacy implications of 23andme

wireless — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:04:25 -0800

What are the privacy implications of ordering the 23andme DNA test? I am quite interested in ordering a 23andme test. The only thing that is holding me back is a concern that I might be crossing a privacy boundary I will later regret. I've heard a lot of ominous things about 23andme's connection to Google, how it isn't covered by HIPAA, etc.

But on the other hand, as several people pointed out in a previous post of mine, my medical information is already all over the place. Also, given that anyone who can get me to produce a hair/saliva sample can access all my genetic information, it seems futile for me to try to keep this private. Does anyone have a differing assessment of this?

Dealing with a possible growth hormone deficiency

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:44:45 -0800

Our son may have growth hormone deficiency. The endocrinologist has recommended some additional testing, and the process sounds terrible. Has your child been through this? Can you tell us how it went? Are there alternatives? Our three year old son is very short for his age (off the bottom of the standard growth charts). After a recent visit to the endocrinologist, it looks like he's going to need additional testing. The testing methodology sounds gruelling -- no food after midnight through the duration of the test, which will start early in the morning and last around six hours. That's six hours with an IV and his arm immobilized. But wait, there's more! If he is diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, he's apparently in for a regimen of daily injections. Every time I think about this I get upset. He's only three!

Have you had to shepherd a child through this diagnosis? Can you offer any tips for making the processing as bearable as possible? Are there any alternatives that the doctor hasn't mentioned?

Obviously the diagnosis is important. If he does have an actual deficiency it could have a significant impact on his health. I'm just afraid of traumatizing the little guy. Thanks for your help!

What are the most useful iPhone apps for a newly qualified doctor?

ianK — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:49:50 -0800

What are the most useful iPhone apps for a newly qualified doctor? I will be starting my housemanship/internship next week and would like to have some easy to reach reference material to carry around on ward rounds, on calls etc.
I would also appreciate non-medically related app suggestions that people find useful for work.
Thanks in advance!

Will I lose my dream job for the lack of a spleen?

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:03:30 -0800

My job of a lifetime travelling the world on a cruise ship rests on obtaining an ENG1 certificate (I'm in the UK). Healthy female in my 20's with no health issues except a full splenectomy three years ago. Employer showed no concern, but could a bureaucratic doctor scupper my dreams? Full story below... YANMD, but I'm hoping there's someone out there who has experience of the situation I'm in or at least the processes/ procedures currently keeping me awake.

I have worked in the shore-side office of a well-known cruise company for a number of years, building great relationships and earning a good reputation. Recently I have been severely under-challenged and restless, and a spot on board one of our ships working a dream job came up. I applied and was offered the job yesterday which I accepted without a moment's hesitation (all the oohing and aahing about life at sea was done pre-application).

At the time of applying for the job I had to complete a personal information form, one of the questions was "Have you undergone surgery in the last 3 years?" to which I answered Yes. No further explanation was asked for either on the form or in the interview.

The reason for the yes: three years ago I had a severe case of glandular fever that resulted in my spleen rupturing (thankfully while already in hospital) and having to be removed via emergency surgery. After a two month recovery from illness and operation, I went back to work and back to my life. I don't take any daily drugs etc I just have some strong antibiotics to take if I feel at risk of infection. If it wasn't for the navel to ribcage scar I'd forget it ever happened...

SO.. back to tonight and thinking about setting sail. My job requires an ENG1 medical certificate for seafarers. I was told at my interview this was to check for any conditions that may effect my capacity to safely carry out my duties in an emergency situation - epilepsy, heart conditions etc. At this point I did mention my previous run-in with a scalpel but the attitude was 'should be fine'. So I merrily book my appointment post-haste as I need to have everything sorted to start on the 23rd. I figured I'd have a look on-line to see what I was in for (as you do at 2am on a Saturday when no helplines are open to ease your soon-to-be-panicked mind) and I see that a Splenectomy is recommended for a Restricted certificate - visiting tropical areas may increase risk of severe infection.
Bugger.

I'm supposed to start on the 23rd, destination: Caribbean, (erm, not too tropical then) In January (and here's the biggest reason for the heartache) destination: World Cruise. All the good tropical places - Caribbean, Central America, Asia, South Pacific, India...

BUT
1. The condition is under control; 2. I'm on an extremely well-equipped cruise ship, not a lonely frieghter 3. If the ship starts sinking I am a fully-functioning crew member.

So my question(s) at long last are:
When I phone my GP on Monday can she tell me if I'll get my (restricted or otherwise) certificate? My appointment for the official exam is on Wednesday and I'll be phoning their adviceline too...

Is it even worth considering trying not to disclose my surgical history to the doctor, he's a guy and I'm a girl so I'm not expecting to remove much clothing. I know, bad idea, but this job means EVERYTHING. If I just wanted to travel I'd buy a ticket, I want the job, and the career.

There must be plenty of seafarers out there with no spleen, it's pretty common, we can't all just stay in the Baltic?!

Apologies for the ramble, and the panic. Throwaway email is whoneedsaspleenanyway@googlemail.com for your advice and experience.

How can I get rid of this mucus from throat?

InterestedInKnowing — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:07:03 -0800

My throat has been having a lot phlegm. I'm a singer and I don't know if it has to do with any dairy products I'm consuming. I haven't had a cold for several months so I'm not sure how to get rid of this problem? Any suggestions?

San Francisco insurance confusion

eschatfische — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:16:30 -0800

What's the deal with the Brown and Toland vs. Hill Physicians division in San Francisco medical care? Why must San Franciscans with HMOs be referred to specialists who not only accept your insurance plan, but are also part of the same medical group as the referring doctor? I've always found the demarcation of Brown and Toland vs. Hill Physicians doctors in San Francisco to be strange. Having to go to specialists who not only accept your insurance but who are also part of a specific medical group is certainly inconvenient and problematic for patients, and it doesn't seem to be so great for the doctors, either.

Is there a reason San Francisco medical care is divided into these sub-groups? Does this actually benefit anyone to add an additional layer of middlemen? Is it like this elsewhere? I can't recall experiencing this anywhere else, and Googling doesn't seem to help explain the origins of these groups.

Thanks!

Scratch my rash.

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:56:40 -0800

Erythema annulare centrifugum... ...sounds like the Latin motto of a fancy college, but is in fact a skin disease that, according to my dermatologist, is what is causing the periodic rashes on my upper thighs.

The good news is that I can now give a name to my previously mysterious and incredibly painful itching and swelling. The bad news is that a name doesn't mean a cure: they don't seem to know much about the underlying causes or have any treatment other than topical (generally steroidal) creams to reduce the itching and swelling when it comes up. First-round googling doesn't help much, and I'm not getting far with the medical literature.

Recognizing of course that YANMD, I ask you, fellow mf-ites, especially those who might be someone else's doctor, if you have any experience or suggestions that might point me towards a longer-term cure or relief.

Maybe the askme crowd can tell me I'm overreacting?

Solon and Thanks — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:23:02 -0800

I messed up my eye - please help me figure out doctor stuff. This morning one of my contact lenses fell out without my knowing, and I spent some time trying to remove/fix the non-existent lens, as a result really nastily pulling at and irritating my eye. It now feels sort of bruised and sore on one side. My vision is normal and the sensitive area looks pink and irritated.

The internet is unhelpful but is pretty clear that minor eye problems can become bad if they get infected. I'm not sure if something is torn, but I don't want to mess around with my eyes. I'd like to see someone about it tomorrow if it doesn't feel better then.

My problem is inexperience in dealing with doctors, and the fact that I'm at school - my regular doctor and optometrist are far away. I do have insurance.

Is this something I should go find an emergency room for? To be honest I haven't been to one before and that seems over-the-top. Would urgent care places be prepared for eye-related things? Frankly, the small clinic in the local CVS is the most convenient place. My university (Ohio State) is huge and has a medical center, but I have no experience navigating it beyond getting prescriptions. Wondering where to go for things like this has always been an issue with me.

Any insight would be helpful - especially if someone has had a similar experience and does/doesn't think it's that serious.

How far have we come in 25 years?

jonathanbell — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:12:38 -0800

Seeking accurate data points for improving survival rates for neurological disorders, but have no idea where to start. I'm looking for information on how patient survival rates have improved in the last 25 years, specifically for diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers, and what advances in treatment, surgery, drugs, etc., are behind the figures.

As a total medical ignoramus, I would also be interested in learning about the key developments in neuro surgery over the last quarter century. I'm in the UK, but global perspectives are always helpful.

Apologies in advance for the rather simplistic approach and thank you.

Medical Marijuana in San Francisco

MattMangels — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:36:36 -0800

Exactly how hard is it to acquire a medical marijuana recommendation in San Francisco for $100 or less? I am 19 years old, live in San Francisco, and am considering getting a medical marijuana recommendation for my chronic anxiety. Basically I'm not too good at interacting with other people, especially strangers, and often feel very awkward in conversations. At night before I go to sleep my mind will often replay all of these awkward moments and I'll obsess over really stupid things like "man I shouldn't have offered that girl a handshake it probably made her feel butch FUCK", and insomnia usually results. Weed, especially Indica strains, help to ease my mind.

So my question is, without any formal documentation from my Primary Care Physician, how hard would it be to get a recommendation? I am considering going to Green Relief on Sutter street. Being on a budget, I am not really willing to spend more than $100.

Also, since I am a dependent student on my parent's health insurance plan, will they automatically find out about this?

Thanks for the help, Hive mind.

Companies that bargain down your medical bills for you?

El Curioso — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:09:20 -0800

Have you ever used one of those companies that bargain down your medical bills, then take part of what they saved you as payment? I'm wondering if it's a legit service, and if so what kind of results you can expect.

You're in med school, what sites you lookin' at?

913 — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:53 -0800

You're in medical school (or have recently graduated) - what online resources/websites do you use the most? Which are the most helpful in terms of research and studying? I'm working on a project that will, hopefully, be of use to med students. Any thoughts or ideas would also be greatly appreciated. Feel free to MeFi/email me, if that's your style.

Need Low Cost Med Checkup

goalyeehah — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:26:39 -0800

Where does one go for a low-cost medical/physical check up in Los Angeles? Need to get a check-up, am low on funds and have no medical insurance. What options do I have?

With a little help from his friend

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:47:51 -0800

I'm trying to help a friend get a medical marijuana card in San Francisco, CA. Although I'm asking for a friend, some people at work know my username here, and I don't want to deal with the "knowing looks" thing, hence the anon.

My friend Jay has HIV. He's on a number of meds, some of which make him sick to his stomach, and some of which kill his appetite altogether. He's talked to his doctor about medical marijuana; his doctor has had him try Marinol, but it hasn't worked well for him - he needs to hit a sort of sweet spot when he's both psychologically and physically wanting/able to eat, and the Marinol doesn't seem to work like that for him. His doc is reluctant (for her own reasons, I think, licensing and such, not because she's opposed to it) to prescribe it for him, and Jay is a little weirded out anyway about how it would appear in his insurance records.

So, the question: how can he find a doctor who will write him a prescription/recommendation (I'm not entirely certain how the process works, exactly)? He's seen the ads on the backs of the free weeklies, but he's hesitant about going that route if he doesn't have to. If you have personal recommendations, those would be welcome. If you don't want to broadcast your knowledge to the world, or have questions, you can email anonymedsSF at gmail. Thank you all!