Posts by Sophia Martinez65

You didn't mention which city... If it's in NYC, I'll shoot you a DM. You also didn't say what kind of illness we're talking about...

Justin Fox said:I don't see what a surgeon has to tolerate here—if it isn't an emergency, the patient can choose to take the risk and foot the bill for non-standard care. But when it comes to infection risks, they really ought to make it possible.

The odds of catching hepatitis or HIV aren't exactly one in a million—they're significantly higher. I think the issue lies in those early stages where you can't detect antibodies even though the virus is already circulating in the blood. Why isn't blood held back and only cleared as safe after a second donor test, once the incubation period has passed?

Because you can't always pull that off. It depends on the surgery—sometimes during abdominal procedures, blood gets contaminated with fecal matter, and there's no way to purify it. With this specific operation, it's different—assuming there's no osteomyelitis and everything stays "clean." Sometimes a patient loses blood too fast to even attempt purification... There's more to it, but you get my point.

As for the other thing—yeah, they do that, so the chances are actually kept to a minimum. That "window period" with Hepatitis B is tricky because there are no antibodies in the blood to signal an infection—absolutely nothing—which is exactly why they run follow-up HBV tests. Don't grill me too hard on the details, though; I'm no expert in transfusion medicine 🙂 , and I can't claim to know everything.
Anyway, I know everything gets screened multiple times and the risks are minimized.

It’s possible, sure, but it drives up the overhead—so I don't know if they actually bother, depending on the procedure. Are you some kind of Jehovah's Witness or just terrified of catching HIV or hepatitis? As far as I know, no surgeon is going to tolerate that risk. If a transfusion becomes necessary, they use donor blood that's already been screened—the odds of getting infected are basically one in a million.
Though, honestly, I doubt a surgery like that would even require a transfusion anyway. It's just shifting muscle to pull out pins and plates.

wanderinggull6 said:Thanks for the reply.
I get why you’re reacting to my outburst against my GP, but don't feel targeted just because you're a doctor. Respect to you.
I'm not the type to throw irony around for no reason—the thing is, this lady has been widely labeled as someone who "hoards" referrals. I don't have hard proof, but word is she gets some kind of kickback from Medicare that way. Apparently, it's already standard practice at my local clinic.
I’ve mentioned on here before that my situation isn't exactly an emergency, but it's specific enough that I shouldn't have to run to a private specialist—why should I have to shell out over $67 dollars for a routine hip scan for a baby, if I could just book through a referral? But hey, it's a baby.

It doesn't change the fact that she claims to be "worried" and wants to "send me to better hands" while saving me the trip... if that were true, she’d at least take a look at that mole I mentioned. She didn't.
Whatever, that's a whole different conversation.

Thanks again.

Hey wanderinggull6! If you're actually worried about that mole, why not just see a surgeon to get it removed and be done with it? I don't know where you're located, but surely there's at least one surgical clinic within 124 miles of your city once a week or something.
A dermatologist doesn't make the diagnosis anyway—it's the pathologist, after they look at the mole under a microscope. Save yourself the stress and the cash: tell your doctor you want it out and ask for a referral to a surgeon.

I’m a total chocolate addict—no shame in it—can't go a single day without a fix. Luckily, I don't have to worry about 🎉

My liver is fine; it's the alcohol that's actually wrecking it, not the chocolate. Thankfully, that isn't 🙂

You aren't going to get Type 1 diabetes just from enjoying some chocolate. The whole pathogenesis of Type 1 is way more complicated than that—genetics play a massive role... The only way you're looking at Type 2 is if you start packing on weight like crazy, but let's be real, you won't get fat from chocolate alone; it's everything else you eat.

If you aren't overweight, eat all the chocolate you want. Just try not to end up 😬

For me, those Hershey’s bars are the absolute 😍

Offtopic:

Susan Martin24, was it a struggle for you having to set fractures and deal with dislocations? You mentioned starting out in abdominal surgery before moving over to plastics. But surely you had to pull some shifts in the ER during your residency? It’s not that I’m weak—I just don't have the strength to haul a 330lb guy's leg around by myself. Did you have to call for backup, or were you expected to handle that solo? And did they even ask how you'd manage stuff like that when you were applying for the residency?

rustymoose54 said:Ugh, I spend a fortune every month on essential meds and supplies $433, and that’s even before factoring in the private insurance premiums I pay. Of course, my policy costs more because I'm considered "higher risk."

Beat that. 🤣

We’re totally off-topic here...

If I recall correctly, you mentioned having diabetes. You seem to be handling it pretty well, though.

Sorry you're getting hit so hard by those costs—really hope you're still able to live life to the fullest despite all the hassle. 👍

I honestly don't get people—why the sudden rush to get a mole removed in the middle of winter? It’s not like it’s an emergency. She knows her two options, and I'll tell her again just to be clear:
1) Pay out of pocket and get it done immediately.
2) Use insurance and wait a month or two.

I wear soft contacts and go for my annual eye exam—I pay for my own lenses $200 plus my solution five times a year at $33 plus enzymes. All told, I'm looking at about $433 annually. Why doesn't Medicare cover my contacts? Whatever. Look, I know I could just wear those cheap, basic glasses with the budget frames, but I choose to pay for what I want. I'm not going around complaining to anyone about it. 🙂

Kimberly Thomas4 said:WHATEVER??!! I honestly don't see the point of this stupid post—specifically all this lecturing! I wasn't asking for a saga about the state of government services; I just wanted the name of a doctor who isn't (OVERPRICED). Go find something smarter to do. Actually, that goes for everyone here who doesn't have anything useful to contribute.🙂

Look, Kimberly Thomas4, I don't see the issue here. If there’s a medical indication, they'll pull that mole out at the hospital, Medicare will cover it, and everything's fine. 😬
If there's no indication and you're short on cash, leave the mole alone and monitor it yourself. Just remember those letters (the criteria):
A—asymmetry
B—border
C—color
D—diameter
E—elevation in the center
F—funny-looking lesions
Plus, it's recommended to remove it if it's constantly being irritated or if it's on a sun-exposed part of the body.

BTW, regarding what you call a "pointless surgery"—besides everything the surgeon put into their education and everything Susan Martin24 wrote, they still have to provide anesthesia, sterilize the nose, and use expensive sutures. So, think about that.

If I got anything wrong, please Susan Martin24, correct me—I studied derm a long time ago (okay, maybe not *that* long ago 🙂), and I'm writing this entirely from memory. Hope my memory is still serving me well 🙂. I wouldn't want to give out wrong info. 🙂

Just go to the pharmacy and tell the pharmacist exactly what you told us—see if she has any advice. 🤣

I was stuck in line at a CVS once, and this old lady was going on and on to the pharmacist about her pelvic issues. It went on for at least five minutes before the woman finally just handed her some vaginal suppositories. But the lady wouldn't budge—she actually needed instructions on how to insert them. I totally lost it and just blurted out, "You just take it and shove it in." 🤣

Jokes aside, try using Plymicol cream or those Plymicol suppositories. If that doesn't do the trick—go see an OBGYN. You both need to apply it. 🙂

Good luck! 🙂

Let us know how it goes!

dustycanyon6 said:It’s not just that—there are plenty of people who skipped the shot and didn't catch the flu either... I don't know about the rest of you, but I think the last time I actually had the flu was back in my sophomore or junior year of high school, which was maybe eight years ago. Up until a year or two ago, I used to catch colds all the time, but never the actual flu. I’ve never been vaccinated in my life and I never plan to be. Why poison yourself over something so unreliable?

BTW, from what I understand, it doesn't just last one season—they have to target specific strains too.

What you said about the duration and the viral strains is spot on, but look—a virus can't mutate that much in just a single year... 😛

But that "poisoning" talk? That doesn't hold water. They aren't exactly designing vaccines to kill people. What are you thinking? Whether you get viral antigens injected into your muscle or you catch the virus through your nasal mucosa, it's the same deal regarding toxicity—meaning, it isn't toxic.
😁

I know ERCP isn't done under general anesthesia—every time I've watched it, the patient was just sedated with Midazolam. But honestly, I couldn't exactly explain all that to Drew Carter18. You know how they are—Midazolam is basically a benzodiazepine (though I'm actually not sure if I can even give it to her since I don't know the state of her liver), a drug that'll put your grandma right to sleep, and she'll wake up fast without remembering a thing, plus she might actually be able to cooperate during the procedure. So, I just skipped the details and kept it short.

Don't try telling me—the supposed overachiever, the wannabe surgeon—that I don't know how an ERCP works, because I'll end up being 😢

I get that you wanted it done live, but hey, you're you—you're the surgeon. Personally? I'd much rather perform surgery under spinal anesthesia than general; I’d want to be present and keep them under my control. 😁

Off-topic:

The "medical board" met on this forum and we're sitting here debating without a single shred of solid info. Every hospital in Washington, D.C. performs ERCPs—I'm 100% sure of that—and they're constantly clearing people out, which is why I got the impression this is terminal stage. I could be right, I could be wrong, but I don't have a single lab result to prove or disprove my theory. God, I hope I'm wrong and it's just basic gallstones!

Walter Myers4 said:And what if I get the shot right as flu season kicks off?
I'm wondering how long that immunity actually lasts...

That’s the whole point of getting vaccinated—so you have some defense when the flu season actually hits. My take? Immunity should last the full season, though—let's be real—you still see people who got the shot end up catching the flu anyway.

dustycanyon6 said:Think about yourself, your own body, and your own health—don't get vaccinated. 😉

Why not?

I've decided to just get the shot. Because look—if I do end up catching it, which let's face it, I probably will, I figure the vaccine might just help me bounce back faster. Instead of being out for the usual week, maybe I'll be back on my feet in two days. Simple as that. 👍

Kate Garcia2 said:Get vaccinated, seriously. It’s free for all medical staff at the Health Institute, including students.
I started getting them regularly after that Venetian thing, and I've been fine since.

I know it's free—I live here!—but I'm just lazy. Plus, I'm not sure if it even makes sense; it takes three weeks for your body to build up antibodies. So, if I get the shot today, I won't actually be protected until next month. 😬

Besides, the vaccine is basically a cocktail of dead viruses from the last three years. You're building immunity to a version of the virus that's already mutated.

And while I can't stand DayQuil—mostly because it's just massive doses of caffeine, Tylenol, and Vitamin C—you can find it everywhere here, and there's never a shortage. I hate it because the caffeine kick keeps me wide awake. Honestly, buying Tylenol and Vitamin C separately is cheaper anyway.

Anyone actually get their shot?

Not me—but I’m definitely getting it next year (same thing I said last year). 😬

Look, you already know the prognosis for gallbladder cancer isn't great...

By the time someone gets a diagnosis, the tumor is inoperable in over 80% of cases—and even if they do go through with surgery, only about 10% of people make it past the one-year mark.

A Mayo Clinic procedure involves general anesthesia, which is processed through the liver. If liver function is already trashed, the whole thing might not even be an option. There are anesthetics cleared through the kidneys, too, but let's face it—as we get older, our kidneys aren't what they used to be, so the risk just climbs.

If there’s already metastasis in the liver and the colon, then there’s almost certainly a massive amount of micrometastases lurking around. That makes any surgery incredibly difficult and significantly bumps up the risk of the procedure itself.

Still, I'd suggest getting a second—or third—opinion from some other specialists...

Which city?
If it's in Washington, D.C., you can get it done at pretty much any hospital—Brooklyn, Manhattan, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Vineyard, or Holy Spirit—just head to the GI department.
I don't know how things work elsewhere, but I assume you could do it at any major regional hospital.

Megan Reed said:I've known about that situation for a few years now.

Honestly? All I can say is that I’d jump at the chance to have surgery with someone who doesn't even own a defibrillator. No. 🙄

I can already hear the "how was she supposed to know?" excuses coming. Honestly? If you don't bother to ask or double-check, that's on you.

Megan Reed—don't go mixing apples and oranges with potatoes. 🙂

1. I haven't seen any posts from this user yet. If you have content you want me to rework, send it over. Anesthesia complications—nobody ever really wants to talk about that part. She signed the waiver and all, but that doesn't change the reality of it.

2. Apples: They didn't even have a defibrillator on hand—that's a massive failure on their part.

How can you even blame a girl for not knowing what a defibrillator is? Seriously. 😲 Maybe she didn't go to medical school—is that really enough reason to kill her? 😠

Maybe an anesthesiologist or an ICU specialist should actually bother checking the equipment once in a while. Just a thought. 😕 Just checking—to see if this actually works.

3. Potatoes. You can't exactly compare a piercing studio to a surgical suite. It's not even the same league.