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THR 2 weeks post op and miserable

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Wow @dianehelen that is insane....in Australia if you have private health insurance you just chose your Dr and book to go into hospital.....you don't need pre approval or to justify the surgery. The hospital submits the forms to health insurance ....all done. When it comes to PT, dentists etc....each fund has different limits and you may choose your fund based on your family needs...ie lots of dental problems etc. our family have top top cover. We are very lucky as it is expensive but hubby's company's have paid it in his last 2 jobs. With getting older, kids needing braces, glasses and of course all my issues we couldn't afford to be without it.

In Bills @fulafoto s case he is going through our public system where you go on a waiting list, which gives priority to the most chronic cases. You can't chose your Dr but you don't pay either. Of course for emergency surgery issues there is no waiting.

Now to your case...what worries me is the lack of continuity of care. You want to use an infectious disease Dr. Who works well with your OS and you don't want to be chopping and changing for your sake!!!! I'd try to get one your OS recommends and that your insurance covers if that is possible :groan:

My infectious disease Dr is free he doesn't even bulk bill through our Medicare system. I am so so so lucky as he is a well known Professor who has an award from the Queen. He is apparently retired but does this clinic for the love of it!!!!

If you end up being really unhappy with your current treatment there is a well known infectious disease DR in Texas.....Dr Gerhald Maale. He specialise in infections and has excellent success stories. He will even go through your notes and x-rays if you send them to him. Sonja @RestAssured has seen him...she can tell you more.

Good luck at the visit....let us know what he says

@yougrowgirl365 girl thanks for understanding.....I'm off to find your thread

Xxx
 
Unfortunately, I think we'll be seeing more and more restrictions on care here....but its a lesson to ALWAYS check before scheduling to see if its something covered by your insurance... we almost had a similar issue for my husband where it was recommended he go see a particular group for an issue that could have been taken care of anywhere...
 
Oh, @dianehelen , gee whiz, I hate that kind of stuff! It's maddening! Was wondering if your OS would not be able to help you with the antibiotics you need? I know your case is complicated, but it would see you through till you see the In Network doc. You sure have had a go of it. Hang in there, my hope is that things begin to take a turn for the better on all fronts for you.
 
Hello!

@dianehelen

I seem to be visiting the hipsters more and more these days, but that's all right because we are all in this together!

I will copy and paste from a recent post that I wrote because it applies to you as well. I will tell you that my life is now terrific since I found Dr.

First of all let me tell you, there is hope! I had MRSA 6 times before I had my knees replaced and was told I had a 50/50 chance of getting MRSA in the replacements. Well, I wasn't living, merely existing! My weight had shot up to 435 pounds, I had braces on both legs, and a 4 wheeled walker with a seat! I was 45 years old! My OS asked me a question that sealed the deal. He said "Do you want to live a life of quality or merely quantity?"

So, the journey began. I had my left knee replaced first because it hurt the most; they found 6 golf ball size bone spurs and one had gotten loose and trapped in my thigh muscle. I went through rehab. Kicked butt took names, was feeling great... Until one day when I refused to get out of bed! Turned out I had MRSA pneumonia.
They transferred me to a different section, and I begged to go home. Two days later I left for home and fully recovered!

I was feeling so well at the 6 week mark that I wanted the other one done. Well, that knee has been the story of my knees, and MRSA did attack! I will not lie to you! Depression, lack of caring, crying jags, fever, headaches, and so on are all part of it.

But..... There is light at the end of the tunnel! I was referred to a world renowned surgeon named Dr, Gerhard Maale! He has found a way to eradicate MRSA/Staph FOREVER Ina person's body! He also was one of the doctors who invented and designed my hinged knee.

I am out walking in 5K events, golfing for charity, and this weekend my family and I went hiking and rock climbing! I am down to 263 from 435 and feeling fantastic! I eat healthy now and exercise and life has taken on a whole new meaning. I will put a few pictures so you can see, YES there is HOPE! Don't give up, and don't let your husband give up either. He will have gloomy days, part of the sickness, but he needs you more than ever!
 

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So my nightmare continues. My 1p, appt at the out of network infectious disease doc, I called at 12:30pm, as suggested by her at the hospital, as she said the office is very busy and there can be long waits. When I called I was told the waiting room was full and the wait time was over 90 minutes. Yikes, thats just unacceptable. They said if I wanted to come at 4pm it should be less busy. Oookkk, another 3 hour wait for a stressful visit. I show up at 4pm, a few in the waiting room, fill out paper work, pay my $150 self pay, then have to go sit in my car to wait as they are tiny, low seats, that I cant sit in between my still healing hip, and the wound vac on my side. My husband stays in the office to wait.

It was ONE HOUR when I was finally called in. Then vitals, and MORE waiting. 30 minutes later, the Nurse Pract, comes in and starts going over stuff on the computer and asking some questions. Finally the dr comes in and they start, in what seems a very hap hazzard, confused way, going over records on the computer, talking to each other with their backs to me. Eventually she turns to me, also seeming confused about what surgery I had, and when and how the cultures were taking, and just a very hither and yon conversation about the strain of ecoli I had.

Now keep in mind I have been taking 2x a day IV antibiotics to treat the strain that came back in the original culture. Well, NOWWW it turns out, upon my release from the hospital, a culture from deeper in the wound that was taken during surgery, reveals a differnt strain of ecoli that is NOT sensitive to the drug I have been injecting into my body for now THREE FREAKING WEEKS. She then goes on the scare the stuffing outta me, telling that the joint is infected , and if I have hardware it may have to come out. Now this it TOTALLY contrary to what my surgeon said, after HE did the aspiration in to the joint and found NO connection to the subcutaneous infection and the joint pocket. Of course she did not see that anywhere in the notes. Then I asked her, if the date of the second culture was IN my hospital records as of 4/5/14 why didnt she know that. Her dazed and confused answer was that she is just seeing it now? If I'm a patient, with such a complex infection, that she KNEW I had an appt to see her, doesnt she have SOME obiligation here to have followed up with the obviously available hospital records before my appointment, in fact the entire 3 weeks that she had me on the IV antibiotic?

I am now hysterical, and furious and told her at that point that whatever she was going to Rx , had to last be at least 4 weeks as I would NOT be coming back to see her ever again, because mostly of her non network status, and her horrendous office and appointment procedures. I did not even mention my thoughts of her incompetetance regarding not following my records. She told me she was changing me to some other IV antibiotic and it would be a 6 week course. She also said something confusing about, IF I had my primary working with the case he could have done a pre approved referrel to her thru my insurance and I would not have to pay. And if I wanted she would refund my $150. I said, thank you, I would appreciate that and left in tears and scared to death.

I get home and just totally LOSE IT! About an hour later, she, yes, the Dr who did not seem to know what the hell was going on, called me. Said she spoke to my surgeon, and he informed her of what I had told her, that the infection, as deep as it was, was NOT in the joint but just deep in the wound debridement area. She said, with that knowledge, the hip appears to be safe, and I would only need this new antibiotic for 2 weeks. I am now somewhere between hysterical and MAD AS HELL. Have I just WASTED 3 weeks of putting the wrong drug in my body, and wasted time NOT getting the right one? Im trying to get in touch with the hospital as well to see exactly when the culture results from 4/1 were posted to their records, to determine why the hell this was not known to the Dr. Was it the hospitas fault, or more likely , my gut feeling, tells me the dr just didnt bother to look.

I then took a Zanax and passed out for the rest of the night. I really can NOT catch a break these days. I now have the appt with the new IN network doctor in a few weeks, and hope he knows what he is doing, and has a better office operation than this one. Ughhhhhh, is all I can say...

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[Bonesmart.org] 2 weeks post op and miserable
@dianehelen, you have been through so much and it seems likely to continue for quite a while. I cannot begin to imagine what it has been like for you, but I can certainly understand your anger and frustration. I do hope the new doctor you are scheduled to see will have an answer for you.

Please take care of yourself, try to be as positive as you possibly can, and keep us posted. We care.
[Bonesmart.org] 2 weeks post op and miserable
 
@dianehelen,

My 6 rounds of MRSA were riddled with and incompetent IS! He told me if I lost 200 pounds the MRSA would go away! I told him, "I can lose 150, in 30 seconds!" I fired him! :snork:

Yes incompetence happens, but what do you do about it now? You pick up the pieces and your resolve and don't let THEM determine your outcome! Find a competent IS in your network and leave the incompetents in the rear view mirror as you speed through life!:bolt:
 
Ya,I already have an appt with a new, in network Infectious dr, but could not get in until 5/21.


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I am so sorry for all that you have been through. Hopefully this new doctor will be more interested in providing you the care you need and deserve. Have you tried talking with his nurse to see if there is any way you could get in sooner? Are you on their cancellation list? Schedulers have their rules to follow, but nurses can sometimes work wonders if you can get through to them to explain all you have been through.
 
@Jamie I have no access to the nurse, all I get is the appt scheduler

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@RestAssured I cant see a dr in texas, I'm I FL and with my insurance have to see local drs in my network

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Dr. Maale is going to start flying to Florida I think. He has his own plane, and is planning on getting more mobile with his practice. I think Florida was one of the states he mentioned. Worth a phone call.
 
Thanks @RestAssured , but I cant see how this would be feasible for me timewize. He is currently not in my network, and I cant really wait to see if and when he comes to FL, if he would be. I need an infectious dr, here as soon as possible to follow up after this next course of antibiotics, which is 2weeks. As it is, my appt with the new dr is 4 weeks away, and not sure how all that is even gonna work. It's all just maddening.
 
Oh no. I am not saying wait on the IS! He is a revision specialist if you need a second opinion! Get the infection under control! I would NEVER say wait on that!:swoon:
 
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