General Medical issues thread

Re: the last item, investigations (eg blood tests/biopsy) will have the name of the pathologist who did test/reviewed etc — and it will be unlikely you would know who they are.
If that helps
Hope your recovery progressing well
Thanks Martine. Yes, I understood that but simply amazed at the sheer number involved. There is 3-4 pages worth for a 4 week period. Then the out-of-hospital billing starts. When you open detail you see one doc has billed say 10 times in one day and it's tests of one kind or another.
Hope your recovery progressing well
Yes, going well. Next infusion is next week, then week after immunity boost infusion. I am told we will not get rid of the 2nd cancer but aim is to reduce it to a level where it should not bother me. After that we just keep an eye on changes in-case it mutates into something nasty again.
 
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That's what they told me at my pharmac_ ;). A good way to get repeat business, but I think its right.

EDIT: Hmmm ... reading more, that doesn't seem to be the case. But otherwise you have to keep track yourself. AT one pharmac_, they just look it up.


Its not necessarily good when you go in and all the pharmacists know you by name ...
No, or yes. It makes it easier to use one pharmac_ to keep track of it all but it doesn't matter which pharmacies you actully use, just keep track.
 
I went with my wife to Gastroenterology outpatients last week. This is the 3rd time we've seen this specialist. What a pleasant man.

I'm there for support and to try and explain things to my wife but this doctor explains everything. He explains everything, why he's changing reflux medication, plans for what next if reflux continues. He even talks slowly so wife can understand as her English is not great.
Sounds like the guy is one of those great doctors! It is so good when there is one you really trust.
 
You still pay for two lots of the medication though. It’s just the $2 dispensing fee isn’t charged for both.

This was such a non announcement. Only saves me $2 for one of my scripts and the other five aren’t covered so still require the same number of GP visits and the same number of trips to the pharmac_ for the rest of them.

But worse is that one script only has one repeat allowed so have to keep making appointments for that. It’s only hydroxychloroquine so not a dangerous drug at all. The rheumatologist just doesn’t understand why it’s like this.
The pharmac_ guild kicked up such a stink and there were petitions for people to sign etc.
 
Hate it when that happens.

Appointment was on time out in 15 minutes, she said I'm very pleased with those results, I thought pleased!, I'm ecstatic....... seeing it's been an issue for over 10 years...

Next Monday is Ophthalmologist followup for my right eye cataract, after the first visit just after it was done, he said, ohh, that's not the result I had hoped for. Me neither, thought 'eye', I'm now very short sighted, so reading isn't an issue, distance is though, sigh.
I rather have a stack of cheapo reading glasses scattered about the place and to be able to read a number plate at 10 metres.

He did mention putting another lens in, so we'll see what the outcome is next week.
 
The pharmac_ guild kicked up such a stink and there were petitions for people to sign etc.
Yes. They sure did. But storm in a teacup given its very limited introduction. Hard for people to sympathize when their (minute) loss was a (minute) gain for the patient.
 
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Appointment was on time out in 15 minutes, she said I'm very pleased with those results, I thought pleased!, I'm ecstatic....... seeing it's been an issue for over 10 years...

Next Monday is Ophthalmologist followup for my right eye cataract, after the first visit just after it was done, he said, ohh, that's not the result I had hoped for. Me neither, thought 'eye', I'm now very short sighted, so reading isn't an issue, distance is though, sigh.
I rather have a stack of cheapo reading glasses scattered about the place and to be able to read a number plate at 10 metres.

He did mention putting another lens in, so we'll see what the outcome is next week.
I asked the opthamologist how they worked this out and she said that they tend to try to normalize reading vision. I did get lucky as somehow she juggled both really well for me, so maybe it’s worth another try?
August is my checkup month it seems. Four different medical reviews.
 
I’m here for my followup dermatologist appointment, got here early to have a cup of coffee in the attached cafe whilst waiting. Bugger, they close at 3pm, so missed them by that much……
A couple of weeks ago I had an appointment with my cardiac surgeon. I arrived to an empty waiting room but it soon filled up with nice chatty people. Then a woman came in with quite a cough and no mask. We all looked at each other. After coughing she said it's alright I am not contagious. It wasn't long and the receptionist asked her to wait outside in the hallway (private section of a hospital) where there was also chairs. As she followed her outside I heard her mention she had a lung issue and had traveled down from the Central Coast by train. I understand there are some terrible lung diseases where the lung tissue does not regenerate. You need both parents to carry the gene, some lottery. The long term outlook is grim. When the pacemaker rep turned up and I was called first I asked the receptionist to give my spot to the woman in the hallway. She was not going to have a good day by the time she got home again on the train.
 
Appointment was on time out in 15 minutes, she said I'm very pleased with those results, I thought pleased!, I'm ecstatic....... seeing it's been an issue for over 10 years...

Next Monday is Ophthalmologist followup for my right eye cataract, after the first visit just after it was done, he said, ohh, that's not the result I had hoped for. Me neither, thought 'eye', I'm now very short sighted, so reading isn't an issue, distance is though, sigh.
I rather have a stack of cheapo reading glasses scattered about the place and to be able to read a number plate at 10 metres.

He did mention putting another lens in, so we'll see what the outcome is next week.
That's what happened to me a couple of months ago. Had a piggy back lens in my right eye and distance vision is still not good :mad:
 
Sorry if I seem to be hogging this thread a bit of late, just found out today that another friend has been lost to the dreaded C......

She had never smoked, rarely drank, and being a nurse was very health conscious, makes me so sad.

I've lost count of the number that have died from cancer in the past 2 years. Makes me realise just how lucky I am.
 
Sorry if I seem to be hogging this thread a bit of late, just found out today that another friend has been lost to the dreaded C......

She had never smoked, rarely drank, and being a nurse was very health conscious, makes me so sad.

I've lost count of the number that have died from cancer in the past 2 years. Makes me realise just how lucky I am.
But it also makes me wonder when individually we will get that diagnosis too.

Prostate cancer is 'endemic' in our peer group. I just hope that there is realistic knowledge on that type that will actually impact on lives versus something that can be left generally untreated. Do we actually test too much these days? Food for thought.
 
Not only radiology. of course Spotify has increased the playlist offerings

Except:
One surgeon I know has only Bob Dylan on a loop.
Another thinks he is cool by playing only Bach...

There are a few "Operating theatre playlists" on Spotify. Here is One
I think such distractions in a critical workplace should be banned.
 
But it also makes me wonder when individually we will get that diagnosis too.

Prostate cancer is 'endemic' in our peer group. I just hope that there is realistic knowledge on that type that will actually impact on lives versus something that can be left generally untreated. Do we actually test too much these days? Food for thought.

Yes, I agree, but imo, there can't be too much testing for prostate, it's a fairly simple test isn't it?

When I think back to my younger days using compressed air to clean brakes on cars, asbestos used then, working for the local parks and gardens here in Canberra, spraying 245T and using Chlordane and other nasty carcinogenics without giving a great deal of thought about my health and definitely no concern for my longevity, who want's to be old!
Then I'd bring my work clothes covered in poisons and insecticides home for mum to put them through the washing machine, the things we did.

Then using leaded petrol to clean bitumen based mastic sealant off my skin for about 7 years, plus breathing in the fumes as sometimes it was also an enclosed space, guess I'm really lucky to seemingly not have the C gene, expect for a few BCC's, I blame my mother for those, she was a red head and smoked when she was pregnant with us kids..... :)

Now I think I will go and have a few bevies in memory of all those friends that have gone far too early, I forgot to mention, my friend Jules was only 62.....
 
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I have often wondered how my gp manages consultation notes.
I have had suspicions watching him studying the monitor while we chatted , and I think I now know what is happening.
He is using an A1 tool that records the conversation and provides a real time summary in medical lingo of my ramblings.
I am puzzled as to how this is legal or ethical..but I sure lots of high powered lawyers have approved the process.

Do any of the esteemed medico's following this thread use such a tool ?
 
I have often wondered how my gp manages consultation notes.
I have had suspicions watching him studying the monitor while we chatted , and I think I now know what is happening.
He is using an A1 tool that records the conversation and provides a real time summary in medical lingo of my ramblings.
I am puzzled as to how this is legal or ethical..but I sure lots of high powered lawyers have approved the process.

Do any of the esteemed medico's following this thread use such a tool ?
The Doctors I know loathe AI.
 

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