Posts by David Mitchell4

Does any audiologist in the US actually deal with hyperacusis? Specifically someone who specializes in tinnitus? Does anyone happen to know a specialist worth seeing? Maybe they should consider attending some kind of professional training sessions..

Well, it all depends on what you're looking to get scanned. For a head MRI, you shouldn't be waiting more than a month—at least, that was my experience back at Mayo Clinic. They give you a specific date, but they often call you earlier. Don't expect a public doctor to just hand over a referral simply because a private specialist wrote one, especially for expensive imaging. They might prescribe some medication, or if they work within a hospital system, they might be able to squeeze you in for an appointment under their own care. I think there might be some affordable options out in the Midwest too, but I'm not sure where you're located, so... good luck. 🙂 And keep in mind, waiting for a specialist is just as much of a headache. My advice? Show up in person. Explain your situation, mention that you're traveling from out of town—not a local resident—and hope they can fit you in later today or tomorrow. 🙂

It’s not that simple. You need a specialist's referral specifically requesting an MRI, and some places even demand a signature. If you're looking at out-of-pocket costs, there are sometimes discounted MRI specials available through $400, so maybe do a little Googling if you decide to go private. Good luck!

Grace Davis77 said:Dr. Smith.

I wouldn't have agreed either. I actually followed a recommendation from this forum once, but let's just say I wasn't exactly thrilled with the results.

I find it completely unacceptable that we're hearing this doctor won't even show up before noon, despite the clinic being open since 9:00 AM. It begs the question: is there an issue with his health—perhaps he's slowed down and needs assistance—or is this just a massive failure in organization? I find it hard to believe that every single week, this specific day happens to be packed with such "critical" cases on the ward. Or, perhaps, he simply had surgery and lost track of time.

No, and it's even worse considering you have to hunt people down across different departments, yet rounds are supposed to happen within minutes. Then, of course, you finally reach the front of the line at, say, 1:30 PM for what you’d call a "routine checkup"—one you've been waiting months for—only to be ushered out the door before you can even settle in. I have zero sympathy for the excuse that he was nearing the end of his shift; patients don't just decide to give up and go home because the clock is ticking.

I see everyone here discussing doctor etiquette. Well, let me share my own peak experience with "hospitality." After spending about five minutes in a consultation—during which the doctor spent more time typing and staring at test results than looking at me—I finally gathered the courage to ask a few questions. By the third question, he simply tells me, "Follow me." Naively, I stand up, only for him to walk to the door, swing it open, and say: "Thanks, goodbye." 🙂 I was absolutely speechless! Perhaps some doctor reading this will recognize themselves—if they have the guts to admit it. To be fair, his expertise in his field is top-tier, which I don't doubt for a second, but as far as bedside manner goes? Minus 100 points. Not to mention you can easily wait four hours in the clinic just waiting for them to finish their rounds in the wards...

vividsailor7 said:It’s clearly a waste of breath arguing with you people—or with general practitioners—about how prescriptions should be handled.

Exactly. I pay my own premiums and my supplemental insurance, so there's really no point in debating me; I expect actual service in exchange for my money. 😳

swiftbear86, bravo, that’s the answer I was looking for. Thanks!

vividsailor7 said:So, you don't pay for health insurance?Your employer is already doing that.Unless you're running your own business—in which case, you're essentially paying your own salary.

bingo.

Let’s get one thing straight: when you start lecturing people on this, remember that those costs come directly out of an employee's gross pay, not the employer's pocket. Does anyone actually think the boss just hands over extra cash?

I’m sure I’ll be getting another warning for "staying out of other people's business" again, but what am I supposed to do when people are peddling blatant lies and pulling the wool over everyone's eyes?

vividsailor7 said:Now we’re going to nitpick over something completely trivial, even stupid, really. But honestly, shouldn't we actually consider the nature of the medication in question? We're talking about things like insulin for Type 1 diabetes or statins. Shouldn't that matter?
Besides, that specific example doesn't really have anything to do with the discussion, does it?

Of course it’s relevant to the discussion, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion—and their own level of comprehension.

feralgardener503, how are you doing? Why don't you try actually reading what the person above asked with a bit more comprehension? 🙂

Look, I’m telling you how it works. There’s the ER, and then there’s what they call observation . If someone overdoes it and the staff decides there isn't a genuine medical necessity, they simply have them sit or lie down under observation—you’ve surely heard the term if you have any connection to emergency medicine. In the meantime, they keep handling other cases.

Furthermore, doctors often step away mid-treatment to handle something else—that’s just the nature of an ER. I’m not talking about someone coming in with a gunshot wound and bleeding out only to be left ignored; those cases get prioritized immediately. Anyways, you start throwing titles and phone numbers into the mix as if they matter here. Is anyone actually going to call 911 because they lost their glasses? Of course not. But if someone has acute vision issues, they might head to the ER, sit down, and wait a few hours for it to be handled. Surely you realize that nobody wants to go to a hospital unless it’s absolutely necessary? And likewise, nobody died because a doctor in the ER admitted someone who didn't meet your specific criteria.

We are all subjective, and our own problems always seem the most important. A doctor can tell an ER patient, "Go home and call your primary care physician," but a patient has every right to show up at the ER and wait until a doctor tells them otherwise. That is exactly what they are paying for.

I think you’re stressing over someone else's problems for no reason. If you didn't realize—and neither did anyone else—that ER triage is based entirely on urgency. So, all this talk about cutting in line or taking a spot from someone who actually needs it? It doesn't hold water. Nobody is "taking" anything; they're just giving themselves a fair shot at getting treated within a reasonable timeframe. And honestly, stop wishing ill on others. You know how the universe works—whatever you put out there eventually finds its way back to you.

melloworca6 said:As much as the American healthcare system makes me want to gag, I’m starting to see people here vaping just so they can get hit in the wallet. Maybe if everything costs an arm and a leg, people might actually learn to appreciate what they have.

melloworca6 said:Are you kidding me? We live in a country where you might wait a month or two for chemo because some monthly quota of drugs ran out. What exactly are we even discussing here regarding rights and demands?

Make up your mind: are we supposed to be happy with our healthcare or not? Personally, I think we're all on the same side. It's like anything else in life—some people are proactive, some are passive, and most are unfortunately indifferent... until they suddenly need a checkup and wonder why the wait is so long, despite having paid their premiums religiously for years without ever using them. Welcome to America.

Maybe it would honestly be better if health insurance weren't mandatory. If you want it, fine; if you don't, save your money and go to a private clinic when you actually need it. End of story. How off-topic am I being
😍

melloworca6 said:What if we all just started acting like we actually had some rights in this world?

Maybe then politicians would finally take us seriously and address the systemic issues causing these endless delays and frustrations? But no, it's much easier to just roll over, follow orders, and sit around waiting indefinitely... while we continue to vent our frustrations on forums like this. 😁

Look, calling this slander is a stretch. I didn't resort to lies; I acted out of absolute necessity. My needs are urgent, and responding to them isn't lying. Regards.

This is basically that textbook ethics dilemma you'd see in a college philosophy seminar—is it morally justifiable to break into a pharmacy to steal life-saving medication for someone who simply can't afford it? I think my position is pretty clear: when human life and health are on the line, the rules change. Besides, I suspect we're drifting off-topic here. 😉

It honestly doesn't matter if we're talking about a child, a young adult, or a senior citizen... to me, everyone deserves access to medical checkups whenever they need them.

Since I pay my health insurance premiums religiously every single month, I expect to actually receive medical services when I need them—not after waiting months on end. This whole logic of prioritizing state revenue while leaving patients out in the cold just doesn't add up to me.

Whether you agree with what feralgardener503 wrote or not, unfortunately, this is just how some things get handled here in America. 😁

Just send over the order via email. You might actually snag an earlier slot that way..