Posts by Chris Miller

silentskipper3 said:How do you switch doctors? Not the primary care physician, but the oncologist. Can a patient request a different one if the relationship has broken down to the point where treatment can't proceed?
What’s the procedure? Do you contact the hospital providing the care or Medicare?

Try asking your primary doctor for a new referral for an initial consultation; they might be able to code it as a "second opinion," though I'm not entirely certain about that part. From there, you could book with another specialist at the same facility or pick a completely different one. I didn't quite catch your last question.

Megan Gonzalez4 said:Does anyone know if I can request a prescription refill if I still have a 10-day supply left?
I'm heading out to a rural area without a pharmacy, and I'd rather not travel in the middle of summer.
This is for a therapy I've been on for months.

Of course you can. If they ask why, just tell them.

Sandra Green38 said:Hey, looking for a recommendation for an eye exam in New York City. Private clinics only—I don't have the patience for hospital waiting rooms and endless hallways.
I want to get my prescription checked and go a bit deeper than what a standard optical shop offers.

Optotiti Clinic on Broadway is always a solid choice for me.
They actually have a deal right now—Offer day 50 with 50% off full ophthalmology exams, plus discounts on glasses and everything else if you're interested.

copperotter5 said:Yeah, but I'm assuming if someone scheduled before me can't make it for some reason, they might bump my appointment up. Now I'm not sure if they'll notify me about a new time or if I have to check online myself—and honestly, navigating their website is a total nightmare.

It doesn't work like that. Medicare isn't run that way. Your appointment stays exactly where it is.

I'm sipping on some herbal tea blends. Take a coffee table, for example. I read online that certain herbs can affect bleeding, suggesting people stop consuming them before surgery. If this were a prescription medication, I’d just call my doctor, but when it comes to tea, you're basically flying blind. It's hard to gauge exactly how much these botanicals impact blood clotting. I did see advice suggesting you cut them out two weeks prior to a procedure, just to be safe.
I suspect a specialist would have a definitive answer. It isn't just about that specific two-week window; I want to understand the general rule for stopping these "risky" supplements before surgery and the logic behind it.

I have a question regarding dietary supplements and medications generally known to affect blood clotting. Why is there this standard recommendation to stop taking them two weeks before surgery? What’s the deal with that specific two-week window? Is it simply about giving the body enough time to flush those substances out so blood clotting returns to its baseline state? And why specifically two weeks—why isn't it longer or shorter? For instance, if I'm on a supplement that increases bleeding risk, I sometimes hesitate to take it when I know a procedure is coming up, even if the timing isn't exact, because that supplement is actually treating a different issue. I'm stuck wondering whether to play it safe or just trust that mentioning it to the anesthesiologist covers my bases. I'd really like to understand the logic behind that two-week rule I keep seeing everywhere...

Brenda Alvarez24 said:I went to get blood work done and I have this sensation like I'm running out of air, like I can't take a full breath. It feels like when you need to yawn but you only manage to get halfway through the inhale.
It hits me from time to time.

Is it that tightness in the throat where you try to take a deep breath—sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't—and the only relief is a yawn, except sometimes you can't even yawn because it’s just a false sensation of needing to? 😁If that's what you mean, it's likely anxiety. The more you obsess over it, the more it "suffocates" you.
The only thing that confuses me is that you feel better after coughing. Perhaps it's just a psychological illusion of relief?

Susan Rodriguez77 said:I have a question since my gynecologist isn't getting back to me.

I need surgery, and my doctor gave me a stack of referrals for various tests. I'm wondering if I should schedule the surgery first (get a date on the calendar), or if I need to finish all the testing and see the anesthesiologist before finally asking for a surgical date?
Thnx

It depends on the hospital, and honestly, even the specific department. Your only move is to call or email whoever handles the scheduling—it'll likely be the head nurse.

What’s the current setup over at the Fairgrounds for testing? Is it strictly drive-in, or can you walk up, and if you go on foot, what’s the average wait time looking like?

Why exactly do anesthesiologists care so much about the number and type of previous anesthesias? Are they picking the next anesthetic based on those stats, or is this just data to track potential complications the patient might have faced before?

Douglas Grant26 said:Emaner. Once I stop taking it, my symptoms are hit or miss—it really depends on the day and what I’ve eaten. Sometimes I’ll feel fine for a few weeks, and then suddenly I'll hit a week where everything feels terrible.
The worst part is definitely the nasal congestion. I can actually feel my sinuses starting to flare up and tighten, especially when there's a sudden shift in the temperature. As for the throat irritation and inflammation, that's almost non-existent.

What dosage and for how long?

It sounds like pudendal neuralgia. If you’re searching in English, try googling "pudendal neuralgia"—you'll find plenty of advice and personal accounts there to see if your symptoms align. Regardless, go see a neurologist. If it is indeed neuralgia, they can prescribe nerve pain medication to at least take the edge off. Don't let it go if the first doctor you see dismisses it or looks puzzled; this diagnosis isn't always top-of-mind for every specialist in the US.
Obviously, this is all speculation, but a neurologist is your best bet. Good luck.