Looking for a specialist...

Hey there,

Does anyone have a solid dentist recommendation around Brooklyn or Central Park who actually takes Medicare?
My only real requirement is that they aren't some grumpy old lady who thinks she knows more about dentistry than a retired professor from Harvard or something.🙂

Thanks, LP.

If there’s any doctor on here, please shoot me a DM. Thanks.

Terry Martinez55 said:So, I was thinking... what happens if I can't actually swing a checkup every three months? Like, if the money just isn't there? It's a real thought that keeps bugging me.
So, I'm looking at this whole thing... maybe a week, or honestly, who knows how long it'll actually take? But I gotta know—am I still going to be able to get my prescription from my primary care doctor? Like, can she just give me the same amount I usually get regardless of all this waiting around?

Terry Martinez55 said:Yeah.

That's just not how it works. I actually went to see my GP today and she told me straight up that there's no way she's writing me a new prescription without a follow-up exam first.

Terry Martinez55 said:And if not, can I actually count on some other social worker psychiatrist to help me out? Because let's be real—99% of them wouldn't even give me the same diagnosis. They’re either totally unqualified or they just don't want to deal with anything outside their tiny little niche. So, would one of them actually be willing to write a recommendation for the meds I’m already on during a check-up? And, if things are going south, would they even be open to suggesting a higher dose if that's what's needed?

Terry Martinez55 said:I mean, I should probably weigh in, but honestly? We’re only seeing one side of this story. We don't even know what the hell is actually going on here...

Look, here’s the deal: psychiatrists basically refuse to touch any syndrome they haven't specifically studied. Most of them just cycle through the same old prescriptions and shut their ears to anything that falls outside those narrow little boxes. They act like side effects don't exist—completely ignoring contraindications with other meds or the massive risk of becoming hooked on whatever they hand you. They'll tell you a drug like Concerta is "perfectly safe," which is a joke compared to the stuff I was actually forced to take, like Nestlé or Thermo Fisher Scientific. Anyway, I just got my new prescription for Thermo Fisher Scientific without even needing a follow-up appointment, and honestly, I bet I could get a refill for the Nestlé stuff too if I actually wanted to deal with it.

Sophia Gomez2 said:Thomas Vaughn5, honestly, I think it all just comes down to which doctor you happen to land on...there’s gotta be some decent doctor out there who isn't working in private practice, but the real headache is actually finding one. 🙄...and regarding prescriptions, I’ve gone to private specialists plenty of times myself—I just take the diagnosis and the suggested treatment plan back to my primary doctor and get the prescription without any drama. Not sure if that's how everyone does it, but that's how it works for me.

Oh yeah... anyway, if anyone actually knows a sane psychiatrist, please let me know.🙂 I saw a few of them before I finally got an actual diagnosis, and I spent so much time calling around just trying to book a diagnostic appointment, but half the time they'd tell me things over the phone that made me want to give up immediately. The most normal one was this guy who just told me straight up that he doesn't treat this specific condition—at least he wasn't making stuff up.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a GP in the area between Brooklyn and the Boston Celtics arena? I’d really appreciate some leads.

I want to switch doctors because my current one keeps making silly mistakes🤣.

Please send recommendations via DM.

Thanks

Has anyone here ever been to Dr. Martin’s dental office over in Washington, D.C.? I noticed their prices seem pretty reasonable compared to most places... I'd love to hear any thoughts or experiences you might have 🙂

Thomas Vaughn5 said:That’s just not how it works... I actually sat down with my primary care doctor today and she was dead set on the fact that she won't even think about writing me a new prescription unless I come in for a full follow-up exam first...

There used to be a rule—and I’m pretty sure it still stands—that you can't just get a single prescription written to cover more than a month's worth of therapy. It makes perfect sense, really; if you were handed a thirty-day supply of pills, but your mandatory follow-up appointment isn't scheduled for another three weeks, they aren't going to just hand over a fresh script without seeing you first. Especially when we're talking about a brand-new medication that was just introduced to the market...

Thomas Vaughn5 said:The whole issue is that psychiatrists just don't want to get their hands dirty with syndromes they haven't specifically specialized in... most of them just stick to the same old prescriptions and shut their ears to anything that falls outside those narrow little boxes. They act like side effects are completely irrelevant, or they ignore contraindications with other meds, or the massive risk of becoming hooked on the stuff, all while claiming this one specific drug is totally harmless—like Concerta. It’s a joke compared to the garbage they were pushing on me before, like Nestlé or Thermo Fisher Scientific products... anyway, I just got a new prescription for the Thermo Fisher Scientific stuff without even needing a follow-up appointment, so I bet if I actually wanted to go back on the Nestlé medication, they'd just hand that over without a second thought too...

So, I was just sitting here thinking... what kind of disorder are we even talking about here? Could it be narcolepsy? It’s one of those things that just sticks in your mind when you start looking into how the brain actually functions... if you really dive down that rabbit hole...

Kevin Garcia12 said:That's not how it works. I actually went to my primary care doctor today and they told me straight up: no new prescription without a follow-up exam.
There used to be a rule—and probably still is—that you can't get a month's worth of meds if your mandatory check-up was scheduled for three weeks after you got them. It makes sense, right? They aren't going to just hand over more pills without seeing you, especially if it's some new medication they're tracking...

Kevin Garcia12 said:There used to be a rule—and probably still is—that you can't get a month's worth of meds if your mandatory check-up was scheduled for three weeks after you got them. It makes sense, right? They aren't going to just hand over more pills without seeing you, especially if it's some new medication they're tracking...

Read below.

Kevin Garcia12 said:It’s basically because psychiatrists don't want to deal with syndromes they aren't specialized in. Most of them just prescribe the same old stuff and won't even listen to anything outside their little bubble. They completely ignore side effects, contraindications with other drugs, the risk of addiction, all that jazz. This med is safe (Concert), unlike the ones they were pushing on me (Febuxostat, Sanofi). Honestly, I managed to get a refill for Sanofi without a new check-up, and I bet I could get one for Febuxostat too if I actually wanted to take it.

Kevin Garcia12 said:So what's the disorder then—narcolepsy?

No, Concert is for ADHD, which was diagnosed at a private clinic. These random psychiatrists kept prescribing me Febuxostat for depression I don't even have and Sanofi for insomnia. There were about two months between my first and second Sanofi refills, and my follow-up with the doctor who prescribed the Sanofi was also set for three weeks after the first visit, but I just didn't show up.

Look, I know exactly what Ritalin is FDA-approved for, which is why I brought up narcolepsy in the first place. To me, ADHD is just too obvious; I can't wrap my head around how anyone could miss it, unless you factor in those two other meds you were on... they'd fit right into a treatment plan for depression or sleep disorders, which can easily be mistaken for narcolepsy, and since ADHD doesn't present with identical symptoms, things get messy...

But fine...

Anyway, whether you show up to that follow-up appointment or not, it all really boils down to the rapport you have with your doctor. Once you've got that specialist's NPI number entered into the system for your Medicare prescriptions, it’s pretty rare for them to push back or ask much about it, so your primary care physician can write whatever they want on the chart. Even though those check-ups are technically there for your own good—to monitor how the therapy is actually working—it doesn't mean an ADHD diagnosis isn't legitimate just because getting to that point was such a massive, exhausting uphill battle...

Kevin Garcia12 said:Look, I know exactly what Ritalin is cleared for, which is why I brought up narcolepsy in the first place. My ADHD is pretty obvious, so I don't get how anyone could miss it—unless, you know, those two meds you were on actually fit better into a treatment plan for depression or sleep disorders. Those can easily be mistaken for narcolepsy or ADHD, and honestly, the symptoms aren't always identical enough to keep them from getting mixed up. It’s easy to get confused.

Alright, here we go...

Look, whether you actually show up to those follow-up appointments or not, it all boils down to one thing: how much you actually vibe with your doctor. Once that specialist code is punched into the system and your Medicare prescription gets approved, it’s like the bureaucracy just stops caring. They aren't going to grill you about anything at that point. Your primary care doc can write whatever they want in the notes—they can claim you skipped your check-ups or whatever—but honestly? Those follow-ups are supposed to be for *your* benefit, to see if the meds are actually working. And hey, if getting an ADHD diagnosis felt like running a marathon through a swamp just to get a simple answer, don't let anyone tell you it isn't a real diagnosis. The struggle to get there almost proves it.

Seriously, it’s like you aren’t even reading what I’m writing. Look, I HAVE a diagnosed sleep disorder—that’s a fact—but I don't have depression. And honestly, you don't exactly diagnose ADHD just by looking at someone, but whatever, I won't go too far down a rabbit hole here. If you get it, you get it. It's funny how "control" is only ever mentioned when it's for my own good regarding Concerta (and by the way, Ritalin is banned here in the States).

Kevin Garcia12 said:Look, I know exactly what Ritalin is indicated for, which is why I brought up narcolepsy in the first place. To me, ADHD seems way too obvious to miss. I just don't get how anyone could overlook it, unless those two medications you were on were actually meant for depression or sleep disorders—which can easily be mistaken for narcolepsy. ADHD and narcolepsy aren't even the same thing, so the symptoms shouldn't really get mixed up like that...

When I asked my respected doctor during my last checkup if there was any kind of patient he’d actually be willing to prescribe an ADHD med to, his answer was a flat "no"(!?!!). He didn't even know what Concert was. It's honestly bizarre how psychiatrists could "get things mixed up"...

Anthony Baker17 said:Hey there,

Does anyone have a good dentist to recommend around the Suburban neighborhood or near Central Park who accepts Medicare?
My only requirement is that she isn't some grumpy lady going through menopause who thinks she knows more about dentistry than the local GP.🙂

Thanks, LP.

I heard about a great female dentist over by Reading Terminal Market; I’m planning on switching to her once I find out exactly who she is and where her office is located today.

@Thomas Vaughn5/">@@Thomas Vaughn5
Look, Concerta and Ritalin are essentially the exact same thing. Maybe the formulation or the dosage varies slightly—I don't know the granular details of every specific brand and honestly, I couldn't care less—but generically speaking, they're identical. And I’m talking about what’s actually officially approved as medication here. I'm not even referring to how things work locally, because there are so many drugs that aren't even "necessary" according to our regulations, even though half the world uses them and sometimes there just isn't any other option available...

I'm on the hunt for a general practitioner over on the west side of town—ideally someone who is actually accepting new patients right now. Either a private practice or maybe at a local community health center would work fine.
I just have one major condition: please, for the love of God, don't suggest Dr. Ružica Živković... I am actively trying to stay as far away from her as possible.😬

boldfalcon13 said:I'm looking for a GP on the west side of town who's accepting new patients. Somewhere near the suburbs or maybe at the local clinic.
Just as long as it isn't Dr. Ružica Živković—I'm trying to get as far away from her as possible. 😬

slava Posenjak Pavišić, Precka Community Health Center

I'm not 100% certain if they're taking new patients right now, but it's worth checking out. She's a solid doctor, though you'll definitely be sitting in the waiting room for a while once she finally fits you in. 🤷

boldfalcon13 said:I am looking for a general practitioner in the West Side area who is currently accepting new patients. It could be at a private practice or through a community health center...
I just hope it isn't Dr. Ružica Živković, because I honestly want to run as far away from her as possible... 😬

😂😂 But honestly, it isn't even funny when I stop to think about everything...🤦I managed to escape.

I am currently searching for an ophthalmologist. I have received my referral for a specialist consultation, but I am unsure if I need to schedule an appointment through the community health center first, or if I can simply show up around 8:00 AM and hope to be finished by noon. I am aware that hospital appointments require prior scheduling, but does anyone know what the approximate wait time is for an exam like this?

I need to get some moles checked out, so I’m on the hunt for a dermatologist who will see me just using my Medicare referral. 🙂

Also, if anyone has any leads on where I can actually get an appointment without waiting forever, please let me know! Right now, the place near the Reading Terminal Market is booked up until November, but the clinic over in the Vineyard district is backed up all the way until March of next year (😕)!

Should I get an exam first or just go ahead and have it removed? You can walk into a cancer center without an appointment, but I’m not sure if that applies to a consultation.

Susan Wilson56 said:Should I get it checked out first, or just go ahead and have them removed right away? You can usually walk into a specialized cancer center without an appointment, but I’m really not sure if that applies to just getting a consultation.

So, regarding that initial checkup... Honestly, I have no clue if they actually need to be taken off, but just eyeballing it, I’d say I’ve got maybe two prime candidates—you know, those larger, irregular moles.
Supposedly, the fastest way to get seen would be through a local Community health center, but truth be told, I know even less about which one to pick than I do about the major hospitals! 😕

wanderingmason86 said:Initial checkup... I have no clue if they need to be removed, but just eyeballing it, I’d say there are maybe two candidates (larger irregular moles).
Supposedly, I'll get seen fastest at some local Community health center, though I know even less about which one to choose than I do about the major hospitals. 😕

I was also surprised when they told me the next opening isn't until December.🤷
So, an oncology clinic means no exams, just procedures?
If nothing else works out, private care is always an option—assuming you can pay for it.