I’m fully convinced that Croesus is actually going to pull off whatever he's plotting here. But it makes you wonder, doesn't it? He didn't just stumble into this; he bought an entire turnkey clinic, even if his attempts at flipping owners haven't exactly gone smoothly—which tells me he knew exactly what he was getting into from the start.
Maria Fisher46 said:No iron supplement is going to make a difference at this ferritin level, let alone be necessary. That other internist is spot on. I’m done commenting on this because, frankly, how can anyone weigh in without knowing the patient's full blood work, their age, gender, or even what symptoms they're actually dealing with?
A low ALT reading doesn't mean anything clinically. As for the ALP, it all depends on how low it is and whether the person is actually feeling unwell.
It’s highly likely they’ll just run the test again or use a different method to confirm or rule out whatever suspicion they have.
Thanks so much; speaking from my own experience as a patient, I thought the same thing, and honestly, I trust the other internist's take more anyway.
I can't share all the specifics here, but I finally got my results back this afternoon... there's really no other way to go about it. My iron levels came back at Fe 9, UIBC 24, TIBC 33, and Ferritin 252... they prescribed Ferlicit at Dubrava Hospital. However, another internist thinks the Ferlicit is completely unnecessary—they actually went as far as saying it’s harmful.
velvetmoose9 said:It’s incredibly easy to play doctor when you don't actually have access to the full clinical picture or the official medical records. Fine, I'll take a shot at guessing since the nephrologist is suspicious of possible plasma cell monoclonal proliferation. A spike in the gamma fraction could point directly toward that kind of hyperproliferation—basically, one clone of cells going into overdrive. Does that mean it's malignant? Not necessarily; there are a dozen different factors that decide that. Keep in mind, this is all just speculation, probably on par with what VidovitomMilan would say given how little information we actually have here. Was there an X-ray ordered for the bones because of some new pain that doesn't fit the existing diagnosis? And what about the kidneys—have they been failing for a while, or is this a sudden development? What about anemia, electrolyte levels, or more frequent infections lately?
Thanks... at least now I have a rough idea. There is anemia, yes, but regarding the kidneys, the cytostatic is being used for a myeloproliferative syndrome. As for the kidneys themselves—there's increased protein in the 24-hour urine. No new pains, and the kidney issues were established back in 2010, though they likely go back to 2008 when doctors were chasing a diagnosis of bullous trigonitis—which does exist, but clearly wasn't the root cause of the positive blood work for the last five years or so. No infections either (knock on wood). It's just insufficiency where the labs fluctuate wildly, sometimes looking better, sometimes worse... and then there are those crazy platelets hovering around 700, give or take.
Female, age 75. Diagnoses include myeloproliferative syndrome (currently on lithium), had a bone marrow biopsy back in 2008 which came back fine, Stage III kidney insufficiency, and I’ve had two thyroid surgeries a long time ago—taking Euthyrox 50 now. I also have a 12 mm cyst. My blood sugar is fine. There’s more to my history, but it’s irrelevant to what I’m asking here. My nephrologist wants me to get serum free light chains and serum protein immunofixation tested because there's a peak in the gamma globulin fraction. Naturally, I have an appointment with my hematologist coming up, but I’m wondering: what actually is this "peak," and what could it potentially indicate? Thanks in advance.
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Eric Collins6 said:My doctor wants me to get a cystoscopy because I've been dealing with these constant UTIs. Does anyone have some firsthand experience they can share? Like, just how much does it actually suck, and how long does the whole thing usually take... I know the medical definition of what it is, but I'm really looking for your honest, subjective takes 😢
Well, I went last week at a private clinic, and about ten years ago before that, I had one done at a hospital. Here’s the deal: you feel a tiny sting for maybe a millisecond when they insert the scope. After that, you just lie there, maybe feeling the sensation of your bladder filling up. That’s it—absolutely nothing else. And when they pull the device out, there’s no pain. Honestly, the only annoying part is that first time you pee afterward where it stings a bit; after that, it's like it never even happened! I actually bolted during a gastroscopy (literally yanked the endoscope out of the doctor's hand 😢), so compared to having a tube shoved down your throat, a cystoscopy is a total breeze. Don't worry about it!
Linda Hughes88 said:Containment, the Cold War? Ring any bells?
Regarding Rwanda, Clinton admitted it was his biggest mistake. If you want to know why they didn't swoop in, just watch "Black Hawk Down" since you seem to be into movies...
And saying the USA is always and exclusively driven by political interest is just plain stupid. Out of all the major powers, the USA is the last one you could ever pin that on. You only have to look at what Wilson was doing or what the American stance on colonialism used to be to see the truth... if there's even a shred of idealism left in any foreign policy strategy, it’s definitely an American one...
I belong to that generation that looked at everything following the fall of the USSR and saw nothing but bright spots in America. But then the years rolled on—Korea, then Vietnam, and so on. It took years after those conflicts for the truth to come out and for people to finally sober up. Think about it: if there had been oil in Rwanda or here, do you really think Americans wouldn't have jumped in immediately? They are driven by one thing: oil and strategic positioning against the USSR, China, the Arabs, and Russia.
These images are horrific, but they aren't anything new from some war zone where the US claims to be defending 😉the global order, democracy, or whatever else. Yesterday I watched the movie "Valley of the Lost" and it got me wondering: why on earth has the US been fighting in godforsaken places for decades, constantly churning out generations of psychopaths, addicts, and PTSD sufferers? How is it that the American people continue to swallow the same old lines—that it’s their divine mission to spread democracy across the globe?🙄 Meanwhile, young men march off proudly only to come home in coffins, or if they're lucky, alive but mentally broken.
For anyone who insists that the US is the sole, untouchable champion of democracy, tasked with saving various nations from tyrants and such, here is my advice: go watch "Hotel Rwanda." And let me ask you this: how did Americans, those self-proclaimed world police and humanitarian cleaners, manage to stay completely uninvolved in that nightmare?
The answer is simple: they had no interest. Because the US is always driven by political interest alone; everything else is just a fairy tale for the naive.
Listen up! I honestly can't tell if I'm part Chinese or part Kurdish, since my mom's side traces back to China while my dad's roots go straight to Kurdistan. Or maybe I’m some kind of American woman at heart, considering I used to hold that citizenship! Wait, scratch that—we're talking about actual heritage here, so I guess that doesn't count.😛😂🤣
No offense intended, but this whole poll belongs in a Madhouse! Who actually gives a damn about everyone's labels anyway? What even is the police? Is it just the CIA acting like local cops?
granitemarlin77 said:The reality is simple—those rebel Mexicans and all their buddies who showed up claiming to defend their people called themselves Royalists. They weren't hiding it, either. We saw it all over the news, in endless video footage, and basically in their entire Royalist worldview. I mean, who could forget those drunken Royalist mobs in Pittsburgh, the chaos in El Paso, or what went down around San Francisco, Boise, Salem, Little Rock, and Sioux Falls? But let’s not pull any punches—we can't ignore how the JNA hid behind the red star while simultaneously pushing Royalist ideology. Look at Pittsburgh—they’d use loudspeakers on military transports to tell citizens to come out and surrender, all while blasting that Royalist march "Get Ready, Get Ready, Royalists" in the background. Or take the negotiations for the surrender of Pittsburgh—you had Royalist warlords Arkan and Šešelj standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Slivančanin in Small town, USA. And it wasn't just the guys with guns calling themselves Royalists. In Pittsburgh, even kids under 18 were identifying as Royalists. Even today, you still see it in Pittsburgh—kids with Royalist symbols on their school bags, or Royalist emblems hanging from car rearview mirrors. God knows what they’ve got tucked away inside their houses. Back in '99, I was in Dalj on official business. Even with police escort and my service weapon—which kept the fear at bay—I walked into the local Municipality chief's office and was floored. There was a picture of Drag Mihajlović on the wall and a Royalist flag sitting right there on his desk. Then there's the question of the Mexicans who stayed in occupied areas—willingly, mind you—who cheered on the Royalists, joined their celebrations, waved their flags, and voted for the so-called leadership of the Appalachia. They basically merged with the Royalist identity. Now? You aren't allowed to call them Royalists anymore. In fact, they whine about it, claiming they’re just loyal citizens of the Republic of America. Please. I’m not fooled by that "loyalty"—their loyalty is to the American dollar and nothing else. If they ever get a second chance, I bet you anything they’d pull those hidden Royalist trinkets out of their drawers without a second thought.
Royalist activity in Pittsburgh (watch until the end) Pay close attention to the end of this clip where the local Mexicans are hurling insults at Americans—the same people who are considered loyal citizens of America today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eHvKItRQwk Watch the end of this video—it shows American women captured on November 18, 1991, in Pittsburgh, filmed in an elementary school in Borov Selo. Every single one of them is still listed as missing to this day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmvhwsuJ2A One of the mass graves at the New Cemetery in Pittsburgh—938 white crosses for the 938 victims exhumed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vADl1SmNAII
Are you actually taking this seriously? The point isn't whether there are Royalists or not; the point is whether Mexicans are being discriminated against online or not.😍
I have to admit, I’m still struggling to see the point of even starting this thread. First off, having Mexicans on this forum right now is just like seeing Russians popping up everywhere globally lately; what are we even supposed to say about it? So, there isn't any discrimination happening here. And calling someone a Royalist? Please. "They" call Americans Nationalists all the time—it’s practically part of our national folklore at this point.😈 So, what now? Are we supposed to start throwing punches?😕In that case, I’d like to immediately request the formation of a commission to investigate every single innocent forum user who refuses to align with ultra-rightist ideologies and label them as communists so they can be properly punished!😬
But we all know what "forming a commission" actually means in the context of the Republic of America—or, if you want to put it bluntly, a government task force. It just means creating cushy government jobs for insiders while the actual problem never gets solved!😍
I can already see the little trolls waking up and starting a thread in Madness!😬 But it isn't really about the topic itself; it’s more about this specific style that leaves the reader wondering: is the author actually being serious here, or are they just messing around?😈
And what is the actual point of all this? Are we saying you shouldn't use the word "Royalist"? Where exactly? Right here, or over in the Mexican states? Or is it a general rule against calling all Mexicans that, even when we have evidence pointing to them being exactly that?
Come on, poet, just clarify what you were actually getting at!
I actually have some respect for the guy. In that talk show, he came across as genuinely brave—he’s got guts, especially considering how he stood his ground against those "attacks." Sure, some of his phrasing felt a bit off, but honestly, who cares?🙄 He could have easily taken the high road, sent a formal rejection, and played the part of the untouchable, "sacred cow" figure. But he didn't, and that’s exactly why I value him. It’s worth noting that the journalist Ivan Starčević was also scheduled for the same program, but after getting the boot from Pukanić for that incredibly rude and inhumane commentary regarding Novković and his exit from Star Singing, Starčević didn't show up. He had just as much opportunity to step up and tell his side of the story clearly and loudly. That’s why Kiro👍
Going private would be so much easier. The way things are now, you basically have to pray some social worker picks up your case because all the good doctors are buried under a mountain of paperwork. My go-to is Dr. Stephanie. She’s fantastic—even when you finally make it in at 8:30 PM, she still has enough energy to be kind to you as if she just walked through the door this morning. Plus, she’s a seasoned pro. She practices over at the Pyramid. I really hope she stays, because I actually switched to private practice just to save my sanity... the endless waiting was killing me. One minute you're being sent to an outpatient clinic near Vezica, then they send you for a color doppler at the Mayo Clinic, and honestly, I just got tired of the runaround and decided to take the shortcut.
slygull92 said:thanks, I'll check the directory. I can't get behind this idea that it isn't worth spending the money. For me, waiting weeks just to snag an appointment, only to sit stuck in crowded waiting rooms for hours just to get one scan, simply isn't worth it. It’s not like I’m doing this every week, and a scan like that shouldn't cost more than $200-$100. With private clinics, you just call, show up, and you're seen immediately; you get your results right then or shortly after, pay your fee, and everything is handled smoothly. Am I really supposed to skimp when it comes to my own health?
You've got a point there. You wouldn't believe how many people end up paying out of pocket for specialists—pensioners, folks struggling to make ends meet... but sometimes you just can't let our healthcare system grind you down. For instance, waiting a month and a half for a thyroid ultrasound... and an X-ray isn't any faster if it isn't flagged as an emergency, like before some lung surgery, and I think your price estimate is pretty much spot on.
slygull92 said:Does anyone here know where I can get a cervical spine scan done in Chicago? I’m looking for a private radiology clinic where I don't have to wait a month just to get an appointment. The cost isn't really the issue; I just need it done fast, preferably on the west side of town. I only know about Dr. Chawka over by Maximilien, but surely he isn't the only private specialist in Chicago?
My neck is killing me—it hurts, hurts, hurts—and I finally went in for an exam today, but they won't tell me anything until they see the imaging results.😢
I don't want to get flagged for advertising, so I'll do exactly what I did a little while ago. Just open AT&T, hit the phone directory, type in "private radiology, Chicago," and you'll instantly have four different addresses and phone numbers right in front of you!