Posts by Matthew Taylor17

Does anyone happen to know where I can track down a blue curly hair insert around here in the States?

Kimberly Robinson2 said::.

Get married first—don't go having kids with your boyfriend before you've committed! ☕

And why shouldn't we have kids with our boyfriends? 🤷

vividsailor7 said:If they gave you a red referral slip, you can go wherever you want—though you'll still need to make an appointment.

That’s not how this works—you don't "make an appointment" in the traditional sense! These hormone levels have to be drawn on one specific day of your cycle; since no woman can predict that exact moment with absolute certainty, scheduling ahead of time is essentially impossible.

Lisa Nelson70 said:So, someone on this forum told me that "urgent" referrals don't even exist. Well, clearly they do. I actually saw it happen recently—this woman walked into neurology with a referral, and the nurse just looked at it and went, "Oh, this was issued yesterday... and it says urgent... okay, just wait a moment, we'll get you in right away." And no, the woman wasn't even being hospitalized or anything like that...

Honestly, forgive me, I'm just feeling incredibly frustrated...

That urgent referral definitely exists! Usually, they are meant for tests that are genuinely time-sensitive—though, I should point out, "usually" is the keyword here, because at our lab, they sometimes slap all sorts of random things onto those orders, like certain markers that aren't actually urgent at all....

Casey Rogers47 said:I am dealing with some pretty intense back pain—the kind that really hits you out of nowhere. I have all my specialist reports and test results right here with me, and there are still a few more diagnostic tests in the pipeline that I’m waiting to schedule.
Today, while just bending over, my back completely gave out on me—as they say—and my doctor happened to be finishing up her shift right as it happened.
I really don't want to head to the ER, though; I know I'll end up sitting there for half the day.
Is it possible to take all my medical documentation to a different doctor at another local clinic closer to my house just to get a pain-relieving injection?

No, you really need to go to the emergency room...
you can only see a different doctor if yours is away on vacation and that other physician is specifically covering their shifts!

Brenda Alvarez said:please help
which of these tests fall under immunology and which are coagulation-related?
I'm assuming LAC is a coagulation test

-anti DNA antibodies (Anti SS DNA, DS DNA) - anti SS-A antibodies (Anti RO)
- anti SS-B antibodies (Anti LA)
- anti Sm antibodies
-anticardiolipin antibodies
-antiphospholipid antibodies - antiphosphatidylcholine
- antiphosphatidylglycerol
- antiphosphatidylinositol
-lupus anticoagulant - LAC
-Factor V Leiden
-Factor II - prothrombin G2021A
-PAI I

Basically, regarding the coagulation panels at Johns Hopkins Hospital—they told me via email that these specific tests can only be performed upon the request of a specialist from the Mayo Clinic using a special referral form.

I don't quite grasp this whole "specialist at the university hospital" requirement—how am I supposed to even reach one, or what exactly is this special referral process? I have my lab results and medical history from a specialist at Mercy Medical Center, but apparently, that isn't enough to get anything moving; I can't even get a straight answer over the phone...
so if anyone understands how this works, please explain it to me
thanks

also, I've been trying to schedule karyotype testing for myself and my husband for several days now, but nobody is getting back to me—and when I call, they won't give me any concrete information... does anyone know if there's usually a long wait for them to confirm an appointment? Please feel free to inform me

thanks guys
🙂

The last four are coagulation tests... the rest are immunological!

restlessangler said:Does anyone have a rough idea of the wait times for a full checkup in endocrinology?

Also, are there any private clinics that accept insurance referrals for those specific tests?

That probably depends entirely on which hospital you choose and which specialist you’re aiming for...
At the hospital where I work, you're looking at a minimum of six months—and even that's assuming you aren't being picky about the doctor! If you want to see one of the top-tier endocrinologists, the wait can stretch past nine months... honestly, you might age out of the condition by the time they actually call your name.

bluebadger12 said:So, I ended up getting a second urine analysis—just a follow-up check after that sterile urine culture—and I felt like I ought to share the results with you all. It seems only fair to keep everyone in the loop.

So, here is the deal—the color is back to normal now, and that cloudiness is finally gone. The results show only 1 Leukocyte and 3 squamous epithelial cells; everything else is completely negative. It’s actually quite unbelievable—not a trace of Bilirubin, no urose, no bacteria, nothing. Just totally clear. I honestly can't wrap my head around how a lab could make such a massive error during the first screening. I provided the samples in the exact same manner as the first time, yet this result is night and day—clean, orderly, and exactly what it should be. I can't say I'm complaining. $100 For all of that—for everything I went through—the sheer weight of it was exhausting. It truly ate at me, this constant, gnawing uncertainty... just wondering if I was actually sick. 🤷 Thanks to everyone!

And really, anything is possible—even a simple error in a urine analysis! 😉 It is entirely possible that the urine sample sat around for too long—perhaps even left in a spot where it shouldn't have been—which changes everything. And let’s not even get started on the collection process itself; if the sample wasn't obtained properly from the start, you've basically invited trouble to the party. Besides, in my estimation, urine sediment analysis can be somewhat subjective... one person's finding isn't necessarily another's reality.
But all good—the main thing is that everything looks fine with your medical report! 🙂

Emily Walker said:Can anyone help me make sense of this? My MCHC is 348 (the range is 320-345). It’s almost always slightly high, yet my doctor never mentions it. Also, my potassium and sodium levels are consistently low, my cholesterol is up at 5.05, and ALP is lower than normal at 50 (should be 54-119). Glucose is also low at 4.5—though the doctor just chalks that up to hunger. On top of everything, I've dealt with low blood pressure, dizziness, and those sharp pains around my heart for years now. They haven't found a specific cause, just labeling it "myalgia" or "unspecified chest pain."

The doctor isn't commenting on the MCHC because it’s essentially fine—being slightly elevated doesn't really matter in this context! And your glucose isn't actually low; a normal range goes from 4.4 up to 7. As for the cholesterol, they usually recommend staying under 5, so yours isn't even significantly high...
It is quite possible that those sharp pains near your heart are actually just spasms in your intercostal muscles.

bluebadger12 said:So, I’m checking back in—the urine culture came back completely sterile!

I honestly don't know who's losing their mind here or what's actually going on, but there it is. If there was some kind of infection, could it really just vanish in a day and a half because I drank some herbal tea? One moment I have high Leukocytes and a ton of bacteria, and the next, everything is "sterile." It's enough to drive me up the wall—I truly don't know how to process this... Perhaps the pain is just triggered by GERD, or maybe it's just the sheer anxiety I'm manufacturing in my own head. Regardless, I'll be repeating the urine test... 😕

There’s no reason to worry since the culture is sterile!
Just redo the test and make sure you collect the sample properly! 😉

melloworca6 said:If that’s the case, then fine by me. 🙂

The only thing I don't get is why general practitioners haven't organized their schedules better. Like, why not set aside 8:00 to 9:00 AM just for blood draws? They could block off appointments during that window unless it's an actual emergency. 🤷 That would solve two problems at once: it cuts down on the crowds, and it stops nurses from having to juggle a hundred different tasks at the exact same time.

Honestly, I've been losing my mind for two days straight because I keep calling the clinic and nobody picks up the phone. I swear, these digital prescriptions are such a joke when I end up having to drive all the way down there in person just to tell them I need my script.

Well, technically, they shouldn't even be seeing patients during that hour... but you know how it goes—five grandmas will swarm the doorway, complaining about how they're in a desperate rush (probably to get to the local Farmer's Market), and by the time they've checked your blood pressure, you've already let them in!

melloworca6 said:Jack, that's how it works in my town. Now, I just want to know: am I forced to get my basic bloodwork done at my own primary care office, or can I just head over to the main community health center and get it done there?

Man, they really screwed the pooch with this one. I remember when every local clinic used to do blood draws every single day; a few designated spots handled it and it worked perfectly. Then someone had the "brilliant" idea that it would be better to centralize everything, so they moved it all to one main hub, and now they've made it even more of a headache where every individual office tries to draw blood and ship it off... They're complicating things for no reason.

as far as I know, you can definitely get it done at their facility too!
we actually perform blood draws for the health centers if patients show up with a referral—that way they don't have to deal with two separate needle pricks (since, clearly, not all doctors have transitioned to digital referrals yet)... and we only take those cases if we can guarantee the samples reach the lab within an hour...

Scott Allen10 said:Look, I’m not saying I’m 100% right—honestly, I might be totally off base here—but I figured I’d jump back into the conversation because, from where I'm sitting, the answer is... well... it's pretty multi-layered. I kind of cringed a little thinking about those laboratory loopholes, but here’s my take:

- Local clinic labs can really only run the specific tests they have contracts for under Medicare (primary care). We're talking basic stuff like a CBC, standard biochemistry, some clotting factors, and things like that which are covered by basic insurance. There might be a few extras where you have to chip in a small co-pay, like a CRP or a lipid panel. Basically, the Social Security Administration covers the basics plus a few extras if you pay the difference. So, you swing by your doctor because you've got a cough and a fever, they order a CBC and a CRP, you get the results the same day, and everything stays within the realm of primary care.
- Depending on their equipment, those same clinics could definitely run more advanced tests, but you'd likely be footing the full bill for those. It would go something like this: you show up feeling under the weather, the doctor says, "Okay, let's do a CBC and a CRP... we probably should check your PCT too, but you'd usually need to head to a hospital for that. However, if you want our lab to do it right now, you'll have to pay out of pocket at the full rate."
- A clinic lab might be capable of handling complex testing, but since those aren't part of their official contract with the Social Security Administration, the government isn't picking up the tab, so you're paying the whole thing.

- Now, a big hospital lab generally won't bother with that basic stuff mentioned above. They won't, mainly because there's no way for them to bill for it if the patient isn't actually an inpatient or seeing a specialist there—they just showed up with a referral for basic bloodwork. Plus, as far as I know, most primary care software doesn't even allow a family doctor to send a referral for basic routine labs directly to a hospital lab anyway.
- On the flip side, a hospital lab will happily draw blood for any tests requested via an internal referral by a specialist working within the hospital. For instance, if someone goes in to see an internist and that specialist orders certain tests as part of the exam—doesn't matter if it's basic or advanced—they can do it all.
- Hospital labs also handle anything covered by the Social Security Administration for tertiary care that a primary doctor requests through a specialist referral. So, if a specialist tells you to get some tumor markers or immunology tests done before your next follow-up, you get that referral from your doctor, go to the hospital lab, and they run everything you need... though you might end up with a bit of a co-pay.

Man, look at these sentences... I can barely even make sense of what I'm trying to say myself...😍...

In principle, that's the long and short of it! 😁

bluebadger12 said:Thanks to both of you for staying on top of my situation! Based on the results, as the eight mentioned, there is some presence of Bilirubin and ketones—though, presumably, the amounts are so minuscule that they still fall under "negative" according to the lab's reference range. (It’s that weird system where anything up to three pluses counts as negative, and I have two pluses... a bit nonsensical, but whatever.)

Aside from that, everything else in the sediment came back negative, except for Leukocytes at 20 and quite a few bacteria... the rest was all clear—not even any silly plus signs left. And yeah, I am feeling this pressure in my lower abdomen, even though I haven't had any issues actually urinating. But since most of my problems seem to stem from my own head and a healthy dose of hypochondria, suddenly my kidneys start hurting and then this and that... well, it's just my mind playing tricks. Then I find myself spiraling, thinking I have some catastrophic disease involving my testes, kidneys, bladder... just awful. I'm doing a urine culture tomorrow...

Let us know how the urine culture turns out! I am genuinely curious to see what they find.🙂

slywolf45 said:We’ve actually had this system running smoothly for months now. A doctor just sends an electronic referral over to the lab, and by around 2:00 PM that same day, the digital results are already sitting in our inbox. It’s incredibly efficient. 😉

You missed my point entirely—I was saying they could have just implemented that specific part without all this extra nonsense involving the ambulatory extraction process. 😉
In our local hospitals, they still deal with paper referrals, whereas at the community clinics, everything is fully digitized...

Paul Johnson said:It just paves the way for private labs to thrive. No crowds, everything stays pristine, and you get a polite smile along with your results delivered straight to your inbox the same day.

It’s quite possible that the whole system is practically engineered to funnel people toward those private labs! It feels like we're heading toward a reality where only the wealthy can see specialists at places like Mayo Clinic, or perhaps those lucky enough to have a "connection" at a major hospital system like Johns Hopkins. Everyone else? They'll just be left waiting indefinitely—I mean, some people are sitting on six-month waitlists for basic screenings as it stands...🙂

slywolf45 said:Exactly my point.
They've squeezed us from every angle, and eventually, the patients are going to feel the fallout. We're looking at wait times stretching to two weeks or more just to get a simple blood test.
Per our current regulations, we have to cover two afternoon shifts where blood draws aren't even an option, and within the remaining three days, there simply isn't enough bandwidth to see as many patients as the labs used to handle effortlessly.

Kudos to Milinović. 👋

The obvious fix would have been to allow doctors to electronically transmit orders directly to the labs so we could handle the fulfillment—but this specific approach to blood collection is fundamentally flawed... though, I suppose it’ll likely just fail like everything else does lately.😉

slywolf45 said:I pull blood three days a week, and I’m consistently seeing way more than ten patients per shift.
It’s incredibly clumsy, too, mostly because I lack any decent workspace. To borrow a phrase from someone on the first page of this thread: I’m basically working right next to my computer, buried under a mountain of paperwork. Not to mention, I have absolutely nowhere to store the urine samples they bring in; I just end up keeping them in a box on the windowsill until someone from the lab finally wanders over to pick them up.🙄
And honestly, don't even get me started on the sheer volume of extra work that comes with phlebotomy. None of the patients seem to care that we're essentially multitasking our entire job during those draws.

@Matthew Taylor17: It’s pretty obvious that things aren't uniform across all labs. At our facility, it's a total mess—the lab techs just sit around waiting for us to finish drawing blood, then they wander around like zombies to lug the samples back to the lab. I was chatting with one of our techs the other day, and she mentioned that nobody on their team is happy with how these new protocols are playing out.

But look, this isn't the first time they've tried to push this kind of nonsense. Every single time they implement something this half-baked, it eventually falls apart.

it seems it varies by location... honestly, this whole thing is absurd and should be scrapped entirely!! I won't even begin to describe how much bacteria can grow in urine samples sitting out on a windowsill...
I imagine your shifts must be a nightmare, especially when someone decides they can't make a 10:00 AM appointment and insists on being seen at 8:00 AM instead...
There's simply no way this works better than doing everything in the lab! At our clinic, we have two people drawing blood, two people transporting the samples and running the centrifuge, one dedicated to urine samples... and the rest of the crew manages the analyzers!
But really, if they were going to force this change through, they could have at least ensured the necessary infrastructure was actually in place... ☕

cosmicviper11 said:There is just so much misinformation floating around here...
Basically, what’s happening is that clinics will mostly be drawing blood once a week—specifically in the mornings—so patients will have to schedule appointments. I don't think they'll be doing more than 10 draws in a 7 or 8-hour window. This means anyone coming in for an exam who actually has a fever or high blood pressure won't get seen right away—they'll just be stuck waiting for an hour! As for getting samples to the labs, the technicians handle that; they organize the transport themselves. And honestly, the funniest part? They’re drawing blood in ground-floor offices while the lab is right upstairs 😕
The bottom line of this nonsensical idea from our dear Secretary of Health is this: unhappy patients, unhappy lab techs, and unhappy primary care teams!
The result? Just more frustration for us Americans 🙂
I really wonder who stands to gain here. They claim this increases accessibility 🤣
but it's not like we're living in some remote village in Tanzania! Maybe we should just go door-to-door to draw blood if they want to make things so "easy" for people
First off—labs are staffed by specialists trained specifically for this. It’s not that nurses can’t draw blood—they can certainly practice and get it down—but until they do, they’re just going to end up bruising a bunch of patients! If nurses are forced to take over blood draws, then the lab techs should at least pick up some of their workload 😁: Secondly, they’re piling more and more onto the medical nurses—so where is the pay increase for all this extra work?!

Oh, sure, because lab techs apparently just sit around doing nothing all day—it's clearly more logical for us to pick up half the nursing workload just because they spend one hour, once a week, doing our job! 😉On any given day at my lab, we see roughly 250 people plus hospital staff and ER patients, so you can try to wrap your head around the sheer scale of what we handle.
The whole idea was to cut down on the crowds at the labs... in outpatient clinics, they only do basic screenings now, while you still have to trek to the main hospitals for anything else... and yes, technically the sample has to reach the lab within an hour, though I honestly don't know how feasible that actually is given the current situation. 🤷

Maria Fisher46 said:I find myself in agreement with you—this is most likely a false positive regarding the bilirubin in the urine, which is exactly what I noted in my previous response. That said, I would still strongly suggest re-running the test, especially since the ketone levels were also quite high. It’s really just about ensuring we have total clarity on the situation.

Given that bluebadger12—based on what I gathered from his inquiry—was also dealing with some discomfort localized around the bladder area, and considering the specific findings in this urine sediment report, I suspect a urine culture is definitely warranted. It seems my intuition aligned with the doctor's, as she decided to order one as well.

Preliminary results can actually be available as early as 24 hours in—your doctor might even get them over a quick phone call—though, in most instances, you won’t see the final, official reports coming through until the 48 or 72-hour mark.

I agree—there’s really no substitute for running those tests again and getting a proper urine culture done. It's better to be thorough than to play guessing games with your health. 🙂
Well, in that case—we are in complete agreement on everything. 😁😉