Posts by Brandon Newman95

Drew Gonzalez75 said:Is there some clinic in New York City where you can get all this done at once? Feel free to just DM me if we want to avoid any blatant advertising here.
I just realized I also need to check factor 2, mthfr 677 and 1298, and pai 1 too, right?

Breyer

Drew Gonzalez75 said:I basically want to figure out if I have a predisposition for thrombophilia. Does anyone know what kind of symptoms or red flags I actually need to show my primary care doctor so they'll finally give me a referral for those tests?

Look, you'd be doing those labs at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic, so honestly, it’d be way better if a specialist just tells you exactly what needs to be done first.

mellowskipper said:It isn't just people seeking private therapy or using their insurance to see a counselor who end up with some vague, minor diagnosis.
The rest of us—well, we get handed the heavy-duty diagnoses right away, I guess.

Tapatalk says: What does Z mean?

northerncobra33 said:I was wondering if you can switch your primary care physician whenever you want, or if there's a specific window of time when you're actually allowed to make that change.

Look, if you want the actual facts, just give Medicare a call or shoot them an email.

Jacob Lopez2 I can't even begin to process this. Seriously. What are we even doing here? It’s like everyone just decided to collectively lose their minds at once. I'm sitting here trying to make sense of the absolute chaos, and honestly, it feels like I'm shouting into a void filled with nothing but static. Brandon Newman95 was saying something earlier—something about how things shouldn't be this way—and you know what? They're right. They're absolutely right. But does anyone listen? No. We just keep circling the drain. It’s frustrating, man. It really is. You try to bring up a point, a real, solid point, and it just gets swallowed up by the noise. And don't even get me started on the way people are reacting to this. It's all just... much. Too much. I feel like my head is spinning just trying to follow the logic, if you can even call it that. It's a mess. A total, unmitigated mess.
It honestly feels like she’s just dragging a speech therapist into this at the last second just to prove her kid isn't ready for kindergarten. Like, what was the hold-up? If there were red flags, they should have been getting professional help a year or two ago. You don't just wait until the eleventh hour to start treatment when you already know something is off.

Look, a forum like this exists so people can actually share their experiences, right? It’s about hearing what others went through. I doubt anyone is out here making any kind of final calls or big life decisions because then Jacob Lopez2 or someone else would just jump in and say there's absolutely no reason to wait.

Look, you’ve gotta look at the whole picture here. You can't just blindly trust some specialist who spends maybe five minutes looking at your kid and thinks they've got it all figured out. They aren't that much of an expert, honestly.
Honestly, the whole thing boils down to one thing for me: the teachers at the preschool. I mean, they’re the ones actually on the ground, right? They’re watching these kids day in and day out, seeing how they act, how they interact... they have the long-term perspective that nobody else has. At the end of the day, their professional insight carries way more weight than anyone else's.

Look, I’m just laying out my own experience from back in '87. They completely missed the mark on this one. You can see the fallout everywhere now. There’s this whole neuropsychological testing thing that the psychologist keeps pointing toward. Back in the day, they had three people running those tests in Rhode Island, but now? Now they're down to just two.

Betty Wood54 said:But honestly, times aren't that dark anymore. From what I hear, the specialists in the public preschool systems are actually quite good now, and parents can always just take their kids to a private speech therapist if they need to. So, I don't really think many children will slip through the cracks like that today.

Look, I went to a tiny little schoolhouse, and I had the same teacher all the way through fourth grade—she didn't notice a single thing. Not one thing during those four years. And now? The fallout is just devastating. She never even suggested seeing a school counselor. Don't even get me started on the issues with rapid speech, or how bad my essays were. All I remember from that whole era is the alphabet book. If she wants to, I could suggest some neuropsychological testing. Why didn't she catch it back then? Because teachers always have their favorites.

urbantinker8 said:not really.
it's more like the American way.😬

I was talking about that whole drawing and coloring thing. You know, like a real life lesson.

mistyjackal842 said:Why would anyone want to delay starting school? To me, it’s such a milestone—something every kid should actually look forward to. I suppose the academic pressure on children today is much higher than when I started first grade back in 1984, but back then, the cutoff was just before September 1st once you turned six. There weren't many little ones in my class; most of us were a bit older. And honestly, elementary school isn't that hard. At least, it wasn't for me. Maybe first grade was a bit of a whirlwind since we were all still so restless, but I think I just got incredibly lucky with my teacher. I used to go to the after-school program, too. Personally, I actually preferred being in school over being in preschool. If nothing else, I didn't have to deal with those mandatory afternoon naps.

The main thing is whether they're emotionally ready. Plus, kids these days seem way meaner than they used to be. Or maybe that's just me.

urbantinker8 said:I mean, yeah—everything just feels so much more shallow these days. It’s all too easy, far too simplistic.😬
Honestly, if you look back, the textbooks used in the first, second, and third grades were pedagogically miles ahead of the junk they're pushing now.🙂
Nowadays, through fourth grade, it seems like kids are mostly just playing around and coloring; they might pick up a few bits here and there, I suppose, but it’s hardly challenging for them at all.
It’s actually been proven that overdoing the drawing, coloring, singing, and reciting can really just burn kids out.

But then again... I guess that's just life preparing them for the real world.🙂

The Scandinavian model?

Gary Martin12 said:Experienced moms, I need some advice! Who should I contact if we disagree with the school district's decision regarding first-grade enrollment? During our evaluations at both the school and the Mayo Clinic, we requested a one-year delay, but we were turned down. They claimed my child isn't right on the cutoff date and is physically large enough. Honestly, the school staff didn't seem thrilled with the testing results either; they could see themselves that delaying would be the best move, yet we still got a "no." How do I appeal this? Should I draft a formal written request to send over? Is it too late since we've already completed all the medical exams?

This is coming from someone who actually started school at six because there weren't enough kids enrolling back then. You know, during those "dark ages." My kid was physically big, sure, but everything else seemed fine. Well, not really. We missed dyslexia, dysgraphia, motor skill issues... all of it. I read fast, so cognitive delays didn't catch anyone's eye. I should have listened to my gut as a mother. Now, with a kid in high school, it's way too late to fix it.

Linda Gray said:Hey, I was wondering if all the family doctors are just totally swamped lately and that's why they aren't picking up the phone? I'm stuck in self-isolation right now, and I've tried calling my doctor over 150 times, but the nurse either doesn't answer or the line is just constantly busy.

Nah, you just gotta be relentless. Maybe try again in three days or just shoot them an email.

Anthony Barnes31 said:Hey everyone

I am totally lost dealing with Medicare and the healthcare mess here in Chicago..

I went to a private clinic for an ultrasound.. they found some stuff and recommended I see a specialist/urologist for more tests..

I need help figuring out what's next. I called my doctor this morning and she opened up an electronic referral..

I've been Googling like crazy but I can't for the life of me figure out how to electronically book an appointment with a urologist at Mayo Clinic...

And I couldn't even tell if my referral was valid on the health portal...

Can anyone give me some advice or help on what to do now?🙏

Just look up Mayo Clinic, check their waiting list. Somewhere it should say you have a blue form or a registration questionnaire. You can either call them or send an email. You can actually book at any hospital, just make sure to mention that it's an electronic referral—your doctor needs to give you a little slip of paper to prove the referral exists.

mistyjackal842 said:Try sending them an email, though honestly, they don't always bother responding. In my case, the doctor sends over some home health nurse for every little thing, and frankly, she has zero clue what she’s doing. I feel like I know more than she does at this point, yet she still insists on meddling in everything. She keeps asking me what I'm using on his skin. Like, I just use whatever I think will help him in the moment—I'm capable of basic logic, you know? Maybe skipping home visits is fine given the whole COVID-19 mess, but sending someone out who is completely clueless is just pointless. Even the folks from home care know how to give a heads-up about when she's coming to check his skin. So what's the point? What, is she supposed to move in with us? I never know when she'll show up; usually, she just drifts in without warning. And then there's the constant questioning. Who's been by, where do they work... why does she even care? It's not like I owe her a full report on my life. During a pandemic, it's definitely better to keep people away, especially from seniors, and besides, I haven't really wanted visitors anyway.

She's probably grilling you about the skin because of pressure sores. I can't even remember the name of that cream anymore, but honestly, you might be better off just asking at a CVS or Walgreens—those pharmacists often know way more than these people do. I know they used to use certain baby creams for people who are bedridden for long periods.

mistyjackal842 said:Look, I'm not from the Vinograd area and I'm not going to mention them because I actually got banned from this subforum for doing exactly that. If you really want to know about cardiologists, I can send you a DM. I took my immobile dad to two different private cardiologists. We went to one several times—Dad used to go there on his own before he lost mobility—and then I chose the second one because I read some of their professional papers and thought they looked legit. But honestly? That checkup was a joke. It wasn't even a real exam, and the equipment they were using was ancient.

And no, I didn't just go to Light, but that clinic isn't even operating anymore. After that, when Dad had issues, I took him to Light and they were actually decent.

Which clinic stopped operating?

mistyjackal842 said:Look, I’m not from the Vinograd area and I’m not going to mention them because I actually got banned from this subforum for doing exactly that. If you really want to know, I can message you privately about the cardiologists. I took my dad, who is immobile, to two different private specialists. We went to one of them several times—Dad used to go there on his own before he couldn't move—but I was the one who suggested the second one because I read their professional papers. Honestly? That exam was a total joke. Literally nothing. They were using ancient, prehistoric equipment.

And no, I didn't just go to Light, but that clinic isn't even open anymore. After that, when Dad had issues, I took him to Light and they were actually decent.

As for those doctors with a mountain of scientific papers... it could be a "trick." They could be amazing, truly top-tier research. But usually, the more famous or the more secretive they are, the better they seem to be.

mistyjackal842 said:If anyone’s looking for a gastroenterologist recommendation, there’s this younger doctor at the Amrusev Clinic who is honestly great—super professional and thorough. She actually performed an ultrasound on someone who couldn't move a muscle a few years back. She actually understood that I couldn't lift them myself and was patient while we waited for medical transport. Usually, plenty of doctors—even private ones—won't even book an appointment once they hear the patient is immobile, especially if they were just discharged from the hospital without a follow-up plan. I can drop her name in your Inbox if anyone needs it.

If you need an ophthalmologist, the folks over at Light are solid. Both my dad and I have been there several times. They’re also pretty understanding when dealing with patients with mobility issues.

Also, if anyone needs a private cardiologist, I’ve got some recommendations on who to see and, more importantly, who to steer clear of.

mistyjackal842, there’s a catch though. There are private cardiologists who work in public hospitals too. As for who to avoid—probably those coming out of Vinograd. Look, it’s not like everyone has a bad experience. I’m under one of their care right now and they’re awesome for me. And I’m curious, which private cardiologists are we talking about here: Dr. Smalcelj, Dr. Manola, Dr. Stambuk, and so on? Who exactly should we be avoiding? One doctor might be amazing for one person and a total disaster for someone else. Also, how much does Light charge? Their prices aren't exactly cheap. There are plenty of other good ophthalmologists out there.

quietfox384 said:You didn't even list half of the clinics out there in America.

Trust me, you'd be shocked at how many more there actually are. This was just a tiny fraction. These are just the ones I know for sure have cardiologists or endocrinologists on staff. There's probably at least 50 others floating around.

coastaltiger7 said:No hard feelings, Brandon Newman95, but these aren't actual recommendations.

I'm not mad, but it wasn't at Ariter—there was this really great vascular surgeon over at Synthesis. Honestly, I have no clue if he’s still working there. As for those other clinics, who knows what kind of vascular surgeons they have on staff? I just don't know.

Sandra Brooks91 said:Looking for some solid recommendations for private doctors in New York City:
- cardiologist
- endocrinologist
They don't all have to be at the same clinic, obviously. 🙂

Amrusev Bates Clinic, Saint Catherine Clinic, ABR, Phoenix, and Synthesis.

coastaltiger7 said:I need some recommendations for a vascular surgeon in New York City. Private practice only.

Maybe try asking at Saint Catherine Clinic, their New York City branch, Mayo Clinic, or maybe Ariter.