I don't have a credit card myself, but I think I understand how these limits work. If your limit is $3333, you can't buy anything more expensive than that amount—it doesn't matter if you're planning to use a line of credit, an interest-free installment plan, or if you intend to pay the whole thing off the second the bill arrives. So, you couldn't buy something for $12,000 even if it was an interest-free 12-month plan where you just planned to pay $333 each month. The most expensive item you could grab at once would have to be no more than $3333, and after that, you're tapped out because you've hit your limit. If you pay off one installment of $333 next month, maybe then you could buy something else, but only up to a maximum of $333, which is basically whatever space you've freed up from your previous purchase.
I am just so incredibly sorry. I've been reading through your posts... and my heart really goes out to you. If there is any way at all that I can help, please, just let me know.
If anyone is looking for a solid private dentist who won't absolutely break the bank, I think I can recommend a really good one in downtown Washington, D.C., over on Draškovićev. I’ve been going there for about two months now, and honestly, I’m super happy with how everything has turned out. It seems like mostly younger people go there, which was actually a pretty big deciding factor for me. I guess I just haven't had much luck with the dentists covered by Medicare—they usually attract an older crowd, and it felt like those doctors didn't really care about actually fixing my teeth. Maybe for older patients it matters less since they're already dealing with dentures or bridges, but since I don't have either of those, I really needed someone focused on actual dental work.
Hang in there, granitebadger21. Just stay strong, and I truly believe everything will turn out okay.
It breaks my heart to see so many of you struggling with such heavy diagnoses. In my family, we’ve faced this too; my grandmother passed away from lung cancer five years ago, though she was quite elderly at 91 and a half. My grandfather passed ten years before that from bladder cancer when he was 85. I know Grandma was very old, but it still shocked me how quickly they seemed to write her off—they wouldn't even give us a clear diagnosis at first. She spent a day in the outpatient clinic getting a blood transfusion because her anemia was so severe, and the staff just told my mom it was pneumonia. It wasn't until my mom actually pushed them and asked, "Well, aren't you going to try some antibiotics to treat this pneumonia?" that they finally gave her something. We didn't get the actual truth—that it was lung cancer—until ten days later, when my mom took her charts and X-rays to a pulmonologist for a second opinion. That doctor basically said there wasn't much more they could do given her age, so instead of aggressive treatment, the focus should just be on providing the best possible comfort care. She stayed in her own apartment until the end, just as she wanted. During that time, my mom moved in with her permanently, and I was there every single day. We had a nurse through social services and a physical therapist helping out. But since she became immobile and needed help with incontinence, that wasn't enough. We ended up calling an agency for home care called Domnius within hours, which I honestly highly recommend. Monica was this wonderful young nurse who would watch Grandma for a few hours while my mom was at work, and we made sure to pay her full rate for everything she did. A physiatrist actually suggested we move her to a facility called Villa Nonica over in Brooklyn, but we visited, and it just felt wrong to us—especially the ward where the non-ambulatory and critically ill patients were kept. So, Grandma stayed home. For the last month or two, she couldn't even speak and was in a semi-conscious state, which was... it was a really difficult period for all of us. Grandfather was a bit younger when he passed, and he remained lucid and able to talk until the end, so he was actually able to say goodbye to me the day before he died. He passed away at home, too. I was only 16 back then, and it hit me pretty hard, but I felt so proud to have had such a brave grandfather who faced so much with such courage.
I think Susan Ruiz76 made a really good point. Maybe you should try calling some other hospitals? It might be possible to get an earlier appointment somewhere else. I’m certainly no doctor, but waiting two whole months feels like such a long time... and honestly, there's the uncertainty of whether they'll even have that radiation machine fixed by then. If the equipment is old, it could just start acting up again. In your case, I guess it's especially critical since you aren't heading into surgery—radiation is pretty much your only shot at treatment here. It might also be worth seeking out a second opinion from another specialist regarding the treatment plan itself. Who knows? Maybe there's a better approach than radiation, especially given how long this wait is becoming.
So, I went to the public dentist through Medicare at the local Community Health Center this year, and even then, I had to pay out of pocket for white fillings $33. Honestly, I have no clue where you could possibly find decent fillings for less than $33. And those cheap white fillings for $33? They’re honestly terrible. They just don't last, and I actually had to go back and get some replaced with crowns already. I really think it's much better to track down a private dentist who accepts Medicare rather than sticking with the public options at a Community Health Center. My previous dentist at the center was using such ancient equipment... I mean, while they were drilling, water actually leaked all over me and soaked my pants. It was so bad they eventually started putting rags on my clothes just to deal with it. It’s probably no surprise that they ended up cracking one of my teeth during the procedure, given how outdated the gear was. So, yeah, I’m done going there. Now I see a private dentist, and I've already had two crowns done there. I checked their website, and their price list says a white filling is $67. Personally, I’d much rather pay $200 or maybe $100 if I knew it would actually hold up, instead of paying $33 only to have to redo it all within the same year.
My income isn't exactly steady right now, but I guess I know how to manage my budget. Still, I didn't go for that GO! card they were pushing at Bank of America since it was the only option they offered, and it's the only one that can be linked directly to my savings account.
Instead, I went with a Visa Gold charge card from Wells Fargo that’s tied to my savings. They aren't charging me any application or annual fees for the first year. After that, I'll be looking at a yearly fee of $117, whereas that GO! card would have cost me $67. Honestly, I think this Gold card is probably the better deal for me because it includes insurance coverage here in the States and health insurance when I'm traveling abroad. Plus, if I ever lose it, they have this quick service where they get a replacement Gold card out to you even while you're overseas. I really didn't want a revolving credit card, though—I read some stories on this forum about people getting hit with unexpected interest charges, even at places that claim to offer zero-interest installment plans. My limit is going to be $3333. Now, I'm just waiting about two weeks for the card to actually arrive.
Regarding those specific details about fainting and how the anesthesia works... you really ought to ask your surgeon at the hospital where you're having the procedure. Maybe even bring it up with the anesthesiologist directly. I guess nobody on a forum like this is going to give you a medically accurate answer. Just talk to your doctor; then you can actually find some peace of mind and get the facts straight. You mentioned being nervous even about just getting blood drawn from your arm, so I suspect maybe you’re feeling a bit extra sensitive about all this—and honestly, most people deal with blood draws without much fuss. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?
Good luck! Please let us know how the surgery goes.
Honestly, you really ought to experience an alveotomy on a lower wisdom tooth yourself... then maybe you'd understand what true fear and helplessness feels like. I mean, imagine having someone basically using tools like a hammer to chip away at your jaw just to reach an impacted tooth—all while under local anesthesia, and let’s just say the conditions at the School of Dentistry weren't exactly top-tier. If I had suddenly collapsed, there wouldn't have been anyone there to help me because it isn't exactly a hospital! I'd never step foot in there again, even if they were the only dentists left on Earth. And those unbearable, throbbing pains that hit me a few days after the surgery? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
So, yeah... getting blood drawn is honestly a tiny thing in comparison.
I guess you really shouldn't be that scared of this upcoming procedure. When you're under general anesthesia, you actually lose consciousness—that's the whole point, right? With your local anesthesia, you'll just be a little numb and drowsy, but I don't think you'll lose consciousness entirely. Maybe you should ask the doctor user about lenses? Since he's an ophthalmologist, I'm sure he could give you a much clearer picture of what the surgery entails and how long it'll take.
How did they actually find that cyst in your eye? Has your vision gotten worse in that eye? And where are you going for the surgery?
Good luck, and I really do believe everything will turn out fine!
I’m really not a fan of that revolving Visa debit card either, especially after reading the terms on the landing page—it almost feels like they're forcing you into taking their revolving credit. I think I might actually go with the American Express Gold Card linked to a CD at Hypo banka instead. I’ll probably put $6667 into a term deposit there, and since the card limit would be based on that amount, it should be about $3333, which I guess will be enough for now. I considered just getting a standard Mastercard credit card from JPMorgan Chase, but for some reason, they won't approve me. I'll look into a few more things and hopefully decide by next week. I'm done with Bank of America, though; they turned me down just two days ago and told me I couldn't get any kind of card, so honestly, I'm boycotting them at this point. Both Goldman Sachs and Raiffeisen banka offered me nothing but those revolving Visa or Mastercard credit cards, so it seems like Hypo banka is actually my best bet.
I really need an urgent answer from someone who actually uses a GO card or at least understands how to fill out the application process.
So, I went into Bank of America yesterday, and they told me that because I only have savings in a CD, the only option they’ll give me is a GO card. I was actually looking for a standard Visa, but my banker said I could only get that if I had a steady paycheck coming in—which I don't, since I'm not working right now. It just doesn't make sense... why can't I just get a regular Mastercard at Bank of America when, say, at Wells Fargo, you can get a Visa Gold just by having some money in savings!
Honestly, those interest rates on the GO card scare me. I really don't want to deal with installment plans, because that 12% monthly interest is just... it's massive.
1. Can the GO card actually function like a regular Mastercard if I just check that one box on the application and specify that I want to pay everything off in one single installment? Is that enough, or am I supposed to write it somewhere else too? If any of you have filled out the GO card application, where did you indicate that?
2. Also, I'm a bit confused by the section where you pick what percentage of your spending you want to pay back—somewhere between 5% and 95%? I really want to select 100%, but they won't even let me choose that; the maximum is 95%! There are two little boxes where you have to enter a two-digit number, so even if I wanted to, I physically cannot write 100%!!!
I have brochures and applications here for revolving Mastercards from places like Citigroup, and with them, you actually *can* enter 100% in that field. But with this GO card from Bank of America, it’s just not an option.
So, I'm genuinely stuck. I was planning to head back to my banker today to submit the request, but now I'm second-guessing everything.
3. My main reason for needing a card is for traveling abroad. How am I supposed to explain to a merchant in another country that I don't want to pay in installments, but rather all at once?
4. Same thing applies if I go on a cruise. When I'm registering my GO card on the ship, how do I tell them I don't want my expenses billed in increments, but all at once? I mean, I know that on those ships, they usually don't even ask how you want to pay—they just swipe the card and they don't care about the rest, right?
5. Is it even worth getting this GO card if I have zero intention of using the revolving credit they automatically approve with it?
6. What has your experience been like with the GO card, and how do you typically use it?
Personally, I think general anesthesia is way better than local. At least I don't have to suffer through the pain or actually watch what the surgeons are doing. It just lets me sleep through the whole thing in peace. Of course, they run all these detailed tests before you go under, so you can be pretty sure everything will go smoothly. I wasn't even scared of the general anesthesia itself; honestly, it was the local stuff that terrified me. After one really bad experience, I decided I wanted to avoid local at all costs. I didn't feel sick at all when I woke up from general anesthesia—no nausea or anything. I guess it really depends on what kind of surgery you're having, though. I'm not entirely sure what they typically use for eye surgery. My own experience is limited to general anesthesia for a tonsillectomy and then local anesthesia during a lower wisdom tooth extraction, which was just... awful. I was still feeling the effects of that local anesthesia procedure five months later. So, based on my own experience, I wouldn't recommend going to an oral surgeon at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. I’d suggest going to Madison Square Garden instead because I had such a positive experience there, and the surgery went great without any lingering pain.
When I switched my primary care physician back in December two years ago, they didn't give me any paperwork to take for verification or anything like that. I just grabbed my medical records from my old doctor and brought them over to the new one. I think it was during that window at the end of the year when you're allowed to switch doctors. My new doctor is actually further away than the previous one, but honestly, I haven't been there much since I haven't dealt with anything majorly serious lately. I only switched because this one older doctor filling in wasn't willing to give me a referral for an ENT specialist—and that was probably the only referral I’ve even asked for in five years. He insisted his nurse could just flush out my ear, but my ear stayed completely clogged because she tried using cold water. I hadn't even asked for a prescription in maybe five years, so I really don't get why there was such a fuss over just one single referral, especially since he was just a temporary replacement anyway.
Zendesk
I have a question about switching dentists. I signed up with a provider through my insurance coverage toward the end of June this year. I know the rule is usually that I can change providers after a full year, but I'm wondering if it's possible to switch in just six months—so, by late December or maybe January? If I had to provide a valid reason for the change, I’d mention the lack of coordination, the arrogance, and how they actually cracked a tooth of mine due to excessive, unnecessary grinding. Would that be considered a sufficient reason? There's a private dentist I’m already seeing who I’m quite happy with, and I believe they accept my insurance, so they take new patients that way. Should I try to switch now, or should I just wait for the full year to pass?
Back when I registered with that network dentist at my local community health center this past June, I signed some paperwork, but the nurse didn't hand me anything to take for verification myself; I assume they handled the filing on their end.
I really don't care for vinegar at all. My biggest pet peeve is when a salad is overdone with it, making everything taste way too acidic. I just can't bring myself to eat a salad like that.
Which dentist do you go to over on Savska? I used to see Dr. Vidović, but he doesn't practice there anymore. They wouldn't even tell me where he moved to, so I'm still totally in the dark. He was honestly great, and I was really happy with his work. Once he left, they switched me over to some Dr. Rakarić—or something like that—and she’s a bit older, but she just wasn't right for me at all. She rushed through replacing two fillings about a year ago, which cost me $283, and she didn't even do the whole thing; she just patched up the parts that were crumbling.
Now I've started going to a private dentist over on Draškovićev 23, and it's actually way more affordable, even though I'm paying out of pocket instead of using Medicare. They're working on a crown for me now, and the price is exactly what they listed on their website. I haven't had any fillings done there yet, but their online price list says it'll be $67, whereas back on Savska, my cheapest fillings for a fourth or fifth tooth were $117, and for a sixth, they were $150. So far, I'm feeling pretty good about the change.
The referral is only valid for a month. So, I guess if you picked it up on August 27th, it’ll stay good through September 27th at the latest. If that month runs out, you can just head back to your primary care doctor and they should be able to extend the same referral for you.
It feels like you’ve never actually had to deal with a loved one being seriously ill, which is probably why you’re talking like this. You haven't really sat there in a hospital room facing that reality. Or maybe you're a doctor yourself? Because you sound like one—someone who assumes every physician out there is some flawless expert, perfectly kind and professional, and that everything just runs flawlessly without any issues.
If that were true, then how do you explain what happened to Miroslav maškarin? He lost his leg during what was supposed to be a routine appendectomy. That surgeon didn't even bother to visit him once while he was recovering in the hospital. Not even a single word of apology for the fact that a young man became disabled because of his mistake. To be blunt, the doctor wouldn't even admit he made a medical error, so he wasn't held accountable. Honestly, I think he should be punished, if only to make sure something like this never happens to another patient again.
To check how your kidneys are functioning, the standard go-to tests are urea and creatinine. Usually, you'd have your blood drawn at a hospital for those, though I guess most local clinics or primary care offices can handle them too if your doctor sends over a referral.
If things need a deeper look, they might order additional tests—like a creatinine clearance test, for instance. For that one, you have to collect urine in plastic containers over a full 24-hour period. Then, the next morning, you head into the lab on an empty stomach to get your blood drawn and drop off those collection bottles for analysis.
Has anyone ever gone to Dubravko Sven Flegar at his office on Draškovićev 23 in Washington, D.C.? I was browsing his website, and honestly, the prices seem pretty reasonable, plus the clinic looks really well-equipped. I'm in desperate need of a private dentist right now because I'm just so unhappy with my current provider through Medicare—they actually cracked one of my teeth while drilling, and now I urgently need to get a crown put on it. If anyone has other recommendations for a dentist in Washington, D.C., maybe around the Trnje area, near Savska Street, Knežija, or Downtown...
I'm not entirely certain about the specifics, but I suspect you'll end up footing the whole bill yourself if you decide to seek treatment abroad. I guess you could file a claim afterward, and maybe—just maybe—Medicare would reimburse you, but honestly, that seems pretty unlikely. The only exceptions I've heard of involve really severe or rare conditions that simply can't be treated here in the States.