Chest X-ray results

Is there anywhere in the US where I can get a private lung scan done?
Thanks

Are you talking about RTG's?

Where exactly? You could go to a private imaging center, an outpatient clinic...

http://www.diagnostica2000.com/rtg.php
http://www.radiology-clinic-dr-smith.com/scans.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/exams.htm

and so on.

Ugh, honestly, that part scares me. I feel like I’ve just been absolutely wrecking my lungs with all the cigarette smoke over the last three years😳

I really need to find a way to break free from this habit once and for all.👎

Larry Torres7 said:Is there any way to get a lung scan done privately here in the States?
Thanks

I believe you can get it done at just about any local clinic. Your best bet is to see your primary care physician first to get a referral. It'll end up being much cheaper than going strictly private—you'd likely just be responsible for a small co-pay.

@Megan Reed: Yeah, that’s exactly what I meant. Thanks a ton for the links.

@Megan White4: I’d gladly just go to my own doctor, but knowing how things work there, I’m worried I’d be stuck waiting two or three weeks just to get a referral from her.

Thanks, everyone.

And why would you even "scan" lungs in the first place?
To be clear, an X-ray of the lungs—or any diagnostic test involving exposure to ionizing radiation—isn't just some casual thing you do on a whim; it has specific limitations.
Because of that, there needs to be a legitimate medical reason for it.

It’s not exactly like booking an appointment at a salon or getting a haircut... 😈

nimbleskipper13 said:But why would you even "scan" lungs?
To be fair, an X-ray of the lungs—or any test involving ionizing radiation—isn't exactly "casual." It has its own set of limitations and risks.
So, I guess there needs to be a medical reason for it.

It’s not quite like booking an appointment at a salon or a barber shop... 😈

¸

I've been having various lung issues lately. So, my options are either pay out of pocket to see a specialist tomorrow just to get some answers, or wait three weeks for an appointment with my primary care doctor, who will probably misdiagnose me anyway (it won't be her first time) and won't even bother ordering an imaging test.

I’d highly recommend checking out the Mayo Clinic—honestly, you wouldn't believe how good they are for any kind of diagnostic testing.

But yeah, I’m with everyone else here... just heading in for a "chest X-ray" without actually seeing a doctor first—especially a specialist—given all those symptoms the OP mentioned... it’s probably not the smartest move. I mean, what is an X-ray even going to tell you if there isn't a specialist there to actually read it and connect the dots with what you're feeling?

Larry Torres7 said:Or I could just sit there for three weeks waiting for my primary care doctor to give me some wrong diagnosis—which isn't exactly a first for her—and then refuse to even send me for imaging.

Why on earth would you have to wait three weeks just to see a GP?

She can't just hand out diagnoses like candy, especially without a specialist weighing in. I mean, sure, she could make an educated guess... unless she's suddenly developed X-ray vision or something. 😎

What kind of doctor is she, anyway? 😬

I actually went to mine recently because I was feeling off, and she wrote me a referral for a chest X-ray right away.

Larry Torres7 said:—

I’ve been dealing with some serious lung issues lately. I can either head to a private specialist tomorrow to get some real answers, or I can sit on a three-week waiting list just to see my primary care doctor, who honestly won't get the diagnosis right (it's happened before!) and probably won't even bother ordering any scans.

Then just switch doctors, for goodness' sake!
What are you waiting for?
You can make the move whenever you want. You just have to sign a quick form stating something like, "I'm done with Dr. Smith, I want to see George instead."
You should try seeing my doctor. She’d try to send me to every specialist under the sun, but I don't let her get away with it!

Switch it up!
Whether you show up or not, she’s collecting her principal every single month...

I went through a ton of primary care doctors before I finally found the ones who weren't worse than the rest...🙄

p.s. If you want a decent diagnosis, you have to pay for it. It isn't just about what gets done; it's about which doctor is actually doing the work...
Unfortunately...

If it's really eating at you: just pay the fee and move on...

I’d probably suggest Mayo Clinic for any kind of diagnostic testing—you wouldn't believe how good they are. But I agree with the others; just heading in for a "chest X-ray" without seeing a doctor first (ideally a specialist), especially given all those symptoms the OP mentioned, isn't the smartest move. What is an X-ray actually going to tell you if there isn't a specialist there to interpret the results and connect them to what you're feeling?

See, that wasn't really my point. I wasn't questioning who would read the scan. I'll pay a specialist to look at it if I have to.

@Megan Reed: Just some eccentric doctor where people pass out in the waiting room while she just shuts the door and tells them to wait their turn.

@jadesailor14 & Joseph Long3: I wasn't there long, and she barely even squeezed me in. Most of the other doctors I wanted to see aren't taking new patients right now.

Larry Torres7 said:Look, I wasn't really thinking about who's actually gonna listen to the recording. Honestly, if I have to pay some specialist to deal with this, fine... I'll do it.

Man, what a spoiled brat... ☕

nimbleskipper13 said:Look, an X-ray, just like any test involving ionizing radiation, isn't "nothing." It has its own set of limitations and risks. 😈

Ouch, that hit home. Sorry for the tangent, but is there actually a reasonable limit on X-rays? I had 15 of them done in just two weeks (!!!). When I pushed back, my doctor basically told me they do up to 50 if they need to! I could have fought harder, but when you're doubled over in pain, you aren't exactly playing lawyer—it only hits you later. So, is there a point where this actually becomes dangerous?

nimbleskipper13 said:And why would you even "scan" lungs in the first place?
To be clear, an X-ray of the lungs—or any diagnostic test involving exposure to ionizing radiation—isn't just some casual thing you do on a whim; it has specific limitations.
Because of that, there needs to be a legitimate medical reason for it.

It’s not exactly like booking an appointment at a salon or getting a haircut... 😈

Man, I have so many X-rays! I could practically publish a photo book.😁
Essentially, every doctor I've consulted has told me that a single CT scan is much more intense than one quick X-ray. You’d probably need to undergo a massive amount of X-rays just to match the radiation dose of one CT scan.

I suppose the change in weather is getting to you🙂