[Lolo82]

Hi all,

I haven't been on for about a month. I think the first few weeks were more painful but 3-7 weeks have been more depressing. I've come to realize my whole world has changed. When the fog lifted, I guess I thought maybe a switch would flip and I'd be back to normal. Surprise, that didn't happen.

Anyways, I was reading through everyone's recent posts and found quite a few talking about their frustrations with their doctors. Then, I remembered MarkinIdaho's initial responses to me. So, I wanted to share my funny story. I have to find it funny otherwise I get sad or mad.

I had three appointments with the "concussion" specialist. What a racket they're running!! So, the co-pays were basically to have him confirm three times that I have a concussion and tell me to rest. On my last appointment, his words were pretty much, "Now, there's nothing else for me to do so come back when you are 100%. Then I can close your file." My response, "I'll just call. Why would I pay a co-pay to come see you for nothing?"

Oh and 100% means symptom-free for 3 days, no melatonin to sleep and an hour of intense exercise. I really think he hasn't listened to me at all these last 7 weeks. I can barely do twenty minutes of light walking, I'm up to 8 mg of melatonin to sleep and I have symptoms all day. The doc thinks because I'm working, I'm good to go. I'm working because I have to and I'm barely making it through a day and taking constant breaks. Also, I used to be a busy bee, out after work and on the weekends. Now, I'm a sad sack, going to work and then crashing during my off hours. Umm, I'm thinking 100% is months, if not years away.

Thanks for all the advice here. Honestly, you guys deserve my co-pays because since getting on the supplement regimen and following the advice regarding neck problems, I have noticed improvement on some symptoms.

[SnowWhite99]

I'm sorry you are having issues with your doctor. It seems to be par for the course, I guess.

The problem I seem to be having is that my husband's PCP sits on his butt and asks questions without doing any examining. Aside from the nurse taking his blood pressure and them ordering basic lab work (which came back normal) They have done nothing. The last time we were in there, the doctor was on vacation and the nurse practitioner said they'd call in all of my husband's meds... and I had to fight with them for weeks over why the meds never got called in. Turns out that a nurse practitioner can't prescribe Xanax. Thing is, I didn't even know the guy was the nurse practitioner. He didn't introduce himself. We assumed he was the other doctor in the practice. So now I have to take him back in (another co-pay) so he can be seen by the doctor again. My husband complained about sleep issues, the NP brushed it off as my husband doesn't have a routine... nevermind that I have noticed a lot of TBI patients complain about sleep disturbances. My husband complained about ankle and leg issues... When does it hurt? "When I walk on it" NP says "then don't do that..." Really?

He's been denied TWICE now for disability. Lawyer says the best chance we have at winning is to make sure my husband gets a thorough exam to address ALL issues... and I'll be honest, I don't even know where to start. Do I take him back to the neurosurgeon who performed the craniotomy?

[anon1028]

in the first case you need a new doctor because you only get the chance to get better from this concussion once and you need the make sure your doing it right every step of the way. Somebody should be telling you what to do every 2 to 3 weeks until you are healed. In the second situation of course sleep problems are very prevalent and mine are brutal. He needs help with them he needs help with the number of things and you not getting them and I would really see somebody else because this place sounds like a joke and your husband deserves much better. and your lawyer should probably be advising what doctor to see in the area. Make sure you have all records of the surgery write down all of the issues he is having every single one and how many times and work with your lawyer he should be telling you what you need or he's not a good lawyer. There is no way he should be denied. I wasn't

[SnowWhite99]

Yep. Denied twice. How does a man classified as being in a vegetative state in October get denied? I don't care how far he's come (and believe me, it's far) for anyone to think he can go back to full time work at this stage is absurd.

The lawyer is new. We went with the people who filled out the paperwork at the hospital first....took from October to May before we got a response. They referred us to the lawyer, and the appeal was shot down before we got our first consultation.

The lawyer basically said document everything... go to doctors and make sure every complaint is documented. I asked my mom if she liked her PCP.. nope. Same complaints. I asked his docs office, if a NP can't prescribe his Xanax, why in Hades was he brought in to see the NP? Wouldn't it be a tremendous waste of time and money for ANY patient on a controlled medication to see the NP? She says "we were supposed to call and reschedule you"

Like Lolo said, you have to find it funny or you'll get mad.

I'm going to the store tomorrow and buy a binder so I can document every symptom for doctors appointments and for the hearing.

[anon1028]

and of couse you have all the hospital documents showing what state he was in and I am sure you can get a testimonial from a doctor stating that he is in no condition to work full time. please keep us updated. I don't know much about the process as I was so sick I couldn't attend and my lawyer from my old job took care of verything. mark in Idaho has been helping you and I am glad. he's a great guy. mark if you're reading this, please do the puzzle so I can go lol

[jinga]

Originally Posted by Lolo82

Hi all,

I haven't been on for about a month. I think the first few weeks were more painful but 3-7 weeks have been more depressing. I've come to realize my whole world has changed. When the fog lifted, I guess I thought maybe a switch would flip and I'd be back to normal. Surprise, that didn't happen.

Anyways, I was reading through everyone's recent posts and found quite a few talking about their frustrations with their doctors. Then, I remembered MarkinIdaho's initial responses to me. So, I wanted to share my funny story. I have to find it funny otherwise I get sad or mad.

I had three appointments with the "concussion" specialist. What a racket they're running!! So, the co-pays were basically to have him confirm three times that I have a concussion and tell me to rest. On my last appointment, his words were pretty much, "Now, there's nothing else for me to do so come back when you are 100%. Then I can close your file." My response, "I'll just call. Why would I pay a co-pay to come see you for nothing?"

Oh and 100% means symptom-free for 3 days, no melatonin to sleep and an hour of intense exercise. I really think he hasn't listened to me at all these last 7 weeks. I can barely do twenty minutes of light walking, I'm up to 8 mg of melatonin to sleep and I have symptoms all day. The doc thinks because I'm working, I'm good to go. I'm working because I have to and I'm barely making it through a day and taking constant breaks. Also, I used to be a busy bee, out after work and on the weekends. Now, I'm a sad sack, going to work and then crashing during my off hours. Umm, I'm thinking 100% is months, if not years away.

Thanks for all the advice here. Honestly, you guys deserve my co-pays because since getting on the supplement regimen and following the advice regarding neck problems, I have noticed improvement on some symptoms.

Sorry to hear your situation but it seems quite common anymore. I think people in general need to start letting the medical community know they are no long percieived as know it all gods. lets face it if you took your car in for repairs and the car still was having issues you would call them on it and have it re-repaired or take it to another shop. Docs tend to think they are supreme in their fields but as anyone knows no one in most occupations is that good or efficient at their jobs - so docs are no different. If more people started standing up to this bs things may change. The insurance carriers are part of the problem as they require so much paperwork that most docs dont want to get involved if it will require they fill out a bunch of forms or not get paid without a lot of effort

[RickyBobby]

Lolo, find a new/better doctor!

Snow, what's your attorney's specialty? He might not be too familiar with disabilities n such.....or dealing with social security!

[SnowWhite99]

He's with a law firm that specializes in injury and disability...

I was thinking- I have this whole packet of new client forms to fill out. I need to ask them if Chamberlain and Edmonds submitted the stuff from the original doctor. The hospital records, the neurosurgeons records, etc...The lady I was in contact with with the state disability board (she was a pip... never returned calls, claimed I hadn't sent forms in on time when I did and they sat on her desk for a month) didn't seem to have all the facts correct. She thought he was in an accident on Halloween... I kept telling her NO... he was in an accident on October 2 and that he was transferred to rehab on Halloween. It was like she had no information of that entire month. I need to find out if the CT scans he had and the records from surgery and all of that were submitted with his claim. I don't have any of that physically in my hands. I trusted that they would get all of that information and send it in for me. ... because, oh I don't know, that's their job... that is what they were hired to do. But now I'm wondering....

[RickyBobby]

Correct, unless theirs some type of litigation where their gonna make mucho $, they don't really go the extra mile......or even a 1/4 mile!

They spend their time n effort on the cases that are gonna bring in $!