Posts by Michelle Harris19

I feel like every time a team starts sniffing around for a big name at the deadline, it’s such a massive gamble. You might fix your immediate holes, but if the stars don't stay healthy, you've basically thrown your entire future away. Do you guys think it's worth the risk to chase a championship right now?

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone knows of a hospital in Washington, D.C. where I can get my thyroid hormones tested—specifically ft3, ft4, tsh, and tpo—without having to book an appointment ahead of time? Thanks!

Lisa Ramirez97 said:we were stuck waiting four whole days for a reply...

Personally, I usually get an email response within a day or two... especially when I’m ordering through the main office at bojcen@johns-hopkins-hospital.org ...just as an example, I sent over a referral for an ultrasound yesterday around 6 PM, and the response hit my inbox this morning by 8 AM.😉

Sandra Brooks91 said:They told me I had to see one of their own doctors for an initial checkup first..

Then it looks like they switched up the whole procedure on us... I was seeing Dr. Despot over at Mayo Clinic -.- She recommended an ultrasound, so I booked it, only to end up waiting a month and a half just to get seen.🙂

Olivia Bishop76 said:Does anyone know where I can get a cardiac ultrasound scheduled the fastest here in Washington, D.C. using an insurance referral? thanks

I actually managed to snag an appointment at the Heart Center on Draškovićev relatively quickly last year, 🙂 so maybe give them a call and see what they say🙂

I wasn't really sure where to drop this question, so I figured I'd just post it here. I need to get a CT scan done because of my Raynaud's. Does anyone know what that's actually like? Like, how long does the whole thing usually take?? Thanks in advance! :

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I already know about the eye stuff—I’ve actually already scheduled those specific tests they asked for. I’m fully aware of the whole situation regarding eye pressure and visual fields, even if the doctors at the clinic say it doesn't necessarily mean I have glaucoma, though apparently, I still need to go through with those extra scans... SOCT, RFL, PNO, whatever those acronyms are supposed to be. Honestly, even my primary care doctor was stumped! xD Anyway, my main concern was getting someone to help me make sense of this ECG. I don't know the first thing about reading these, but I noticed a weird difference between my old ones and this latest one. Specifically, on the V3 wave, the T-wave didn't look as "jagged" as it usually does, if that makes sense? Maybe it’s just because the doctor didn't even bother pressing the electrodes down properly against my skin and just kind of laid them on top? ...But look, I’m a total amateur when it comes to this stuff, so I immediately started spiraling and searching for every possible scary answer online -.- So, thanks again for the replies, you guys really helped calm my nerves 🙂 LP

I’ve got a question for any doctor who might be hanging out here. I was hoping someone could take a look at this ECG and give me their take on my situation. Basically, for about a week now, I’ve been dealing with constant pain just to the left of my breastbone—right where the heart is. The ache travels up toward my shoulder and hits that spot between my spine and my shoulder blade. It doesn't matter how I sit or stand; the discomfort is always there. I also get palpitations every now and then, and my circulation feels totally off—my hands and feet are constantly freezing.🙂Since I’m a total panic monster😁, I went ahead and paid out of pocket for an Ultrasound heart, which came back totally fine. My doctor is telling me it’s probably just rheumatic issues since the area is tender to the touch. He ran an ECG, but honestly, he didn't even really look at it—just handed it over. My blood pressure usually sits somewhere between 100/60 and 120/80, so that seems okay, and my pulse stays between 60 and 70 bpm. Also, they occasionally find respiratory sinus arrhythmia on my ECG, though they told me that’s actually a good thing and perfectly normal. Last week, I actually ended up in the hospital because an MRI showed two demyelinating lesions. I originally had the MRI done because of these nagging headaches in my neck and the base of my skull (there was some suspicion of MS since my aunt has it), but while I was inpatient, they did another MRI and those lesions were gone. The verdict was that the headaches were just a byproduct of a super stressful period in my life. My blood work was mostly fine, except I noticed that during my last three tests over the past month, my creatine kinase levels have been creeping up—it was 70, then 80, and the most recent was 104. So, my big question is: is it possible that stress or anxiety is driving all of this? Because that theory is starting to sound more and more plausible to me... I'll attach a photo of my discharge papers so you can see all the results from the hospital stay.
ecg scan:
discharge papers

Sorry for the novel! Thanks in advance for any help.

Lisa Nelson70 said:I have a few questions (and please, if anyone can answer by Tuesday at the latest, I'd really appreciate it):

1. Is it stupid to head to the ER for sciatica? My doctor has been (literally) feeding me nothing but painkillers and Norman for months now, but the pain isn't budging. I know this is serious, but she seems to think I'm just being a hypochondriac.
2. I’m planning on switching to a new doctor. Once that switch happens... how does that work exactly? From the day I sign up with someone new? Do I need to go back to my old doctor to grab my medical records or something, or do I just sign up with the new one? And most importantly: if I get fed up with this current doctor and she finally sends me for tests and gets me referrals, but then I switch doctors before those appointments actually happen—do I have to ask the new doctor for new referrals, or can I just use the ones from the old one?

Thanks.

First off, I don't know about the ER, but when my old lady was dealing with that kind of pain, they just gave her an Apaurin injection at the emergency room and called it a day. Nothing else worked. -.-
As for switching doctors, when I switched last year, I just showed up at the new office. You fill out some paperwork, and then they request your files from your previous doctor, so you don't have to go on some crazy pilgrimage back and forth. The nurse actually asked me right then and there if I wanted to see the doctor immediately, so basically, once the forms are done, you can get your exam. Legally, I think the old doctor only has about three days to hand over the records.🙂 Hope that helps!😉

copperraven53 said:If you’ve got a referral and supplemental insurance, you won't have to pay out of pocket at any hospital. I honestly don't know which one has shorter wait times—I can only tell you where the lines are longer 😁 - at Rib (I was stuck waiting three months for an appointment).

Thanks for the heads-up 🙂 but I don't have supplemental insurance, just my regular referral... so it looks like I'll probably be footing the bill myself... great. -.-

Hey there! 😁 I was wondering where I could go to get my thyroid hormone levels checked using a referral? I’m looking for somewhere without a massive waiting list, and also, does it cost anything out of pocket if I already have my referral from the doctor? Thanks!

Does anyone know if you need to make an appointment ahead of time for an EKG at the local clinic in Newark?