David Flores68 said:Just got an appointment at Vinogradski. January 31st, 2018. Honestly, it makes me wonder what the actual record is here. Like, what’s the longest anyone has ever had to wait? I heard people waiting five whole years just to get braces—is that even possible?
Man, those official waiting lists are basically useless; they have absolutely zero correlation with when you actually get seen at the hospital.
That’s weird though, my sister-in-law got her appointment at Vinogradski in just two months... Maybe it’s because of the "urgent" tag on her referral? It looked like they were worried some moles might be cancerous or something...
For what it's worth, speaking as an oncology patient myself, I can get in for all my necessary tests—even skin checks—within three weeks. I really can't find anything to complain about there...
David Flores68 said:Does anyone know if there's anywhere else besides the clinic on Vinogradski that has a dermatoscope (or whatever that thing is called)?
Dr. Milko Padovan (Mayo Clinic), I’m giving you a massive thumbs up for this guy—he is honestly one of the kindest, most attentive doctors you'll ever meet. He handled my double J stent insertions and removals, so while I’m not 100% sure if he focuses specifically on your exact issue, he's definitely worth a shot if you want to ask him about it...
I haven't actually been to a private clinic, but honestly, I’m super happy with the care at Šalat. The doctor was so sweet and really took her time with me—she didn't just try to rush me out the door to get to the next patient, which I really appreciated! 👍 The only real downside is that you have to wait about four months just to snag an appointment...
dustyscout8 said:Nicholas Doyle91.. would you mind sliding into my DMs and letting me know what those cost? Yeah, they probably do chemo too, but honestly, I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole if I were you.😢
Look, all I ever had done at the Cleveland Clinic was an abdominal ultrasound, so I’m really not the best person to ask when it comes to pricing for the specific stuff you guys are looking for...$133 cash only
So, I headed over there to get my abdominal ultrasound done—honestly, I specifically picked that clinic because their imaging tech is top-tier, which my oncologist actually vouched for once he saw where I went for scans. They didn't even blink or ask a bunch of annoying questions before getting me in...
Nancy King39 said:Does anyone know where I can go in Chicago to see an ophthalmologist using my insurance without having to wait like eight months for an appointment? If anyone knows, let me know.
Tyler Davis2 said:Does anyone happen to know which facility in Chicago has the shortest wait time for an abdominal MSCT if I have a referral? I just got a call from Northwestern Memorial, and they’re already booking out as far as October, which is just great.
Honestly, your primary care doctor should be able to see all that info right in their system... It’s probably handled through that specific provider network they use to schedule patients directly..
Emily Martinez61 said:I’m getting ready to start chemo, so I really need some quick advice here: does anyone know if there's actually any difference between the beta glucan from Eurovita in Canada versus the stuff from Yasenka in Vukovar, or is it basically the same thing? Also, what else should I be taking before the chemo hits so I can handle it a bit better? I've heard there are specific things you can take for the nausea—is that true? Thanks for the help!
I was given Kytril first off, and then right after my first IV bag and before the actual chemo bag, they gave me something else specifically for the nausea, but honestly, I can't remember the name of it... For back at home, my doctor prescribed Reglan, and man, that stuff really did the trick for me.. Good luck!
I’ve been lurking in this thread for a while now, just watching, but I finally felt like I needed to actually say something...
Tomorrow marks exactly six years since cancer tore my mom away from us. It was a whirlwind—just two months from the moment we got that diagnosis to the moment she passed. Honestly, if you haven't walked through that fire, you can't truly wrap your head around that chaotic cocktail of grief, pure rage, misery, and just feeling completely powerless... When we first found out, my son was only four months old, and he was the one who kept me from totally falling apart. In those darkest hours, nobody mattered to me except my baby, my husband, and one close friend...
Those kinds of shocks hit everyone differently; some people retreat into themselves and others don't, but the main thing is just letting people know you're there for them, no matter what. For me, nothing outside my inner circle even registered. I basically pulled us all into this mental isolation and just put everything else on total ignore...
Fast forward to now, and I’m the one facing an oncology diagnosis (though the prognosis looks good), and having that tiny circle of family and close friends behind me means everything. Beyond that, I just don't care about anyone else... My husband was in a complete wreck when we first heard the news—honestly, he was struggling even harder than I was—but his inner circle was always there to hold him up, just like they were for me...
Seriously, just learn how to tune out the people spreading negative vibes because that is the absolute last thing you need right now, whether it's relatives, friends, or just acquaintances... Dig deep, find your strength, and draw a line in the sand. Lean on the people who actually support you and just stop acknowledging the rest...
Joshua Wood2 said:I had no idea you could pick up that kind of coverage through private insurance companies. Honestly, what’s the actual difference between using Medicare versus going through State Farm or some other provider?
From what I gather, most medical facilities besides Medicare only take supplemental plans from State Farm, whereas with any other provider, you basically have to shell out the cash upfront, pay the bill yourself, and then file a claim with the insurance company to get reimbursed—correct me if I've got that wrong. As for any other perks, I'm not really sure, but I personally went with State Farm because I needed that extra coverage within a 15-day window, and back then, Medicare was taking a full 30 days to process things.
I’ve spent about ten days hanging out on the surgical floor, and man, I’ve seen my fair share of people coming out of anesthesia acting just like that... You know, they try to hop out of bed right after some heavy-duty procedure, or they start making a huge scene and picking fights with everyone in sight... It was honestly pretty wild, like a nonstop party that never slept, day or night.
Angela Wright and placidfalcon3, thanks a million... After doing a bit of digging and hearing about a coworker's experience, I managed to track down Dr. Herceg over at the Mayo Clinic tumor institute. He actually works as an outside consultant at this local outpatient clinic, so that’s where I’m planning to head once the timing is right... I’ve also got Dr. Tarle as my backup plan, since I've heard nothing but good things about her work 🙂
I'm just dropping my post from the "looking for a doctor..." thread here too, so if you guys have any leads, please let me know. 🙂
Basically, I'm looking for a solid place to get a private abdominal and pelvic ultrasound done. I really need a recommendation for a doctor who’s actually going to take their time and give me a thorough exam—that's exactly why I want to avoid the big hospitals, because they usually try to rush you out the door in five minutes flat. I'm an oncology patient (gynecological cancer), and I've already been through the wringer with radical surgery (they removed all the gyno organs and surrounding tissue, plus the lymph nodes), radiation, and chemo. This is going to be my very first ultrasound since finishing treatment, so it would be huge if I could find a doctor with actual oncology experience...
I'm looking for some solid recommendations on where I can get a high-quality private abdominal and pelvic ultrasound done. I really need to find a doctor who’s going to take their time and actually give me a thorough exam—honestly, the reason I'm looking to go through a hospital system is because I don't want some rushed doctor just asking me five questions and sending me on my way after five minutes. I'm an oncology patient (dealing with gynecological cancer) and I've already gone through the ringer with radical surgery—everything was removed, including the surrounding tissue—plus radiation and chemo. Since this is my very first ultrasound following all that treatment, it would be huge if the doctor had specific experience in oncology...
restlessmason4 said:What’s the deal with getting an MRI through Medicare? Like, where can I actually snag an appointment without waiting forever?
I know back about four months ago, the Affide clinic over in Jordan was doing MRIs using Medicare referrals, though I'm not totally sure if they still are. From what I gathered, you were looking at about a month's wait—but honestly, I was in such a rush that I just bit the bullet and paid out of pocket. When you pay your own way, there's basically zero wait time... I checked with the Mayo Clinic, and they told me the first available slot wasn't for another whole year!🤦