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Old 04-12-2019, 08:45 AM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,345,034 times
Reputation: 35920

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
Some shoulder issues can be resolved with a course of therapeutic massage treatments. But insurance doesn't pay for massage, so patients tend to go for surgery that really isn't necessary.
Generally, insurance will require you to see a PT before surgery is considered for such issues. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it's just a waste of time as the real issue is orthopedic. I speak from experience with my hip.

Back to the OP's issues, I think a second opinion would be a good idea, something I don't recommend tons because it's often done because a pt. wants to avoid an unpleasant diagnosis. Yes, ophthamologists do cataract surgery. Never heard of this laser surgery for floaters.

 
Old 04-12-2019, 09:17 AM
 
Location: Austin
15,580 posts, read 10,307,788 times
Reputation: 19358
Quote:
Originally Posted by reneeh63 View Post
Now, he sounds a bit too much in a hurry suggesting surgery for all of them.
Gee ya think he "sounds a bit too much in a hurry suggesting surgery"?

I wear glasses/contacts which correct my vision to 20/20 and don't have any trouble seeing or performing my daily activities, yet the doctor looks in my eyes during a routine eye exam and suggested I need two surgeries: cataract and floaters. Why would I have two surgeries when I have no issues with my eyesight or even get a second opinion?


My distrust of doctors has formed in the last decade. There has been a change in the medical profession. the emphasis, in my experience, has shifted from patient health centered to profit centered. No one begrudges a physician or dentist making a good living, but recommending useless, invasive, and expensive procedures or tests has become the norm with my care providers.

Oh, and I have gotten second opinions on two things recommended by a provider last year and both second opinions negated the previous provider's expensive and unnecessary recommendation. It is frustrating and sad I can no longer trust doctors as an advocate for my health. that is how I feel, based on my experience.

Last edited by texan2yankee; 04-12-2019 at 10:19 AM..
 
Old 04-12-2019, 09:20 AM
 
Location: The Driftless Area, WI
7,148 posts, read 4,996,790 times
Reputation: 17503
Quote:
Originally Posted by tickyul View Post
I would say that about 75% of my interactions with doctors have been either odd, disappointing or a waste of time.....or a combo of all three. I mainly say this because of the incompetence and/or weird attitude many of them have had towards me............especially since I do my best to be polite, upfront and as accurate as possible.

And now with the electronic-medical-records requirement.........guess who has a massive
supercomputer spy-network, that parses all your medical-info????????

Exactly my experience, too. Since retiring and moving to WI, I've been in contact with 4 PCPs, between myself, my wife and my uncle,-- only one of them knows (maybe) what he's doing. The other three were practicing by the cook book-- You may as well just use The Web for your medical care. Those three were more worried about getting all the blanks filled in on the computer program than to listening to what the pts (we) were saying.


In the old "fee for service" system, a doc made his money by how many times he saw you and what procedures he could do to you. Now, they're all working on salary for "The Group" (because so much paper work has been mandated by Obummercare that only a larger group can afford to get it done). They still have their quota of procedures to do but here's no incentive to "follow up" for the PCPs.


In the specific problem of Opthamology: they get a bundle for doing the relatively simple cataract surgery and there's not that many other problems that commonly need fixing....About 20 y/a in Chicago, there was a large Opth. Group that advertised they would send a limo out to get you for an exam no matter where you lived in the 3000 sq mi Chicagoland area...They got busted big time for Medicare fraud after a few yrs...I think their motto was "If you got eyes, you need surgery."


In regards cataracts specifically: if you can read a newspaper, you don't need surgery. Nothing is lost by waiting for cataracts to get worse. The surgery is the same whether you have a little one off to the side of the line of sight, or if it's huge and you're practically blind. If you can see well enough for your everyday activities, it's reasonable to wait.


In regards glaucoma-- it can come up more or less suddenly and should be periodically checked as we age. "Cupping" is seen more often in glaucoma, but can be just a variation of normal. Glaucoma is still the leading cause of blindness and that's a shame because it's usually easily (although sometimes expensively) treated with drops when you catch it in time.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:05 AM
 
7,212 posts, read 4,490,835 times
Reputation: 11757
It is like medical care has become shallow and unduly sensitive at the same time. First due no harm has gone out the window. If I present to my doctor with a problem at all, she seems obsessed with going down some list that has been approved by some manager. This list is shallow and I could have gotten it off Web MD. it also typically does not make a ton of sense. Trying to fit my symptoms into the list rather than the other way around. If I have an issue that doesn't fit into that list.. I am on my own.

Assuming we agree on something we agree to the solution phase but the solution is almost always (1) a drug (usually expensive and dangerous); (2) an invasive and possibly dangerous test and or (3) some sort of surgery etc. And again, these things seem to come off a list. There is never any suggestion of a new technology to make things easier. Ever week I get an update to an app but medical procedures never get better or safer.

Before I leave the office I have a long boilerplate medical summary that frankly probably means nothing because the diagnosis is wrong in the first place. There is very little effort in actually finding out what is wrong with you and there is almost zero barrier to a dangerous and potentially life altering "solution".

Also, what is with the incompetence with regard to these offices. So often my doctors will give me a form that seems it came from 1935, the billing office cannot, ever actually get things right and the offices do not seem to care about you or anyone at all. Oh you will be in pain all weekend if I don't get this authorization in.... oh well, I leave at 4 PM. Bye! It has been my theory for a while that once you start working for a doctor or a vet you become heartless because you deal with it every day.

Ironically there still seems to be tons of people going to them and doing exactly what they say, no matter how obvious it is that medical care is making them worse. I cannot understand why. Until those people stop making excuses for them nothing will change.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:15 AM
Status: "just passing through" (set 5 days ago)
 
708 posts, read 1,287,899 times
Reputation: 1777
Quote:
Originally Posted by heart84 View Post
You should distrust them. Unfortunately the majority of the public though goes along with the "expert" opinion without questioning anything.
It seems that almost a majority of people in this country are stupid. And they mistrust doctors? Stupid people only see themselves in others.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
10,931 posts, read 11,676,909 times
Reputation: 13170
In the US physicians like to load up on tests and procedures, while in Denmark they minimize real health risks and limit procedures in order to keep State costs down. As one gets older in Denmark, this gets worse.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:36 AM
 
Location: Southern California
29,267 posts, read 16,612,883 times
Reputation: 18902
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Geek View Post
Surgery for eye floaters should be a last, last, last resort. The surgery isn't proven and can be dangerous. Unless the floaters are making you near blind, I'd not consider it at this point.
Totally, I've had floaters come on maybe 30 yrs ago and I see fine...they do often reduce in quantity. I take eye support supps.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:44 AM
 
Location: Southern California
29,267 posts, read 16,612,883 times
Reputation: 18902
As I see it more and more, it's the pharma companies that I really distrust, they allegedly fund many of the medical schools and the younger doctors of today are all so brainwashed. Something tells me that may have not been so from the doctors of decades ago. From my own experience they were more concerned about patients vs payments. Being raised in an era when a GP had office visits for $5 stays with me. He was not driven by money, fancy cars, mega million $$ homes, Yes, I know life has changed and today people talk in millions and billions like it's nothing. Just every day talk.

I believe too that many MD's are on the take by suppliers of surgical stuff. When I was in the hospital with hip replacement, I was pushed for 3 days by sales people to "rent" a big ice machine to use at home, which of course, insurance gets billed. Come to find from a source that the surgeon was getting a "take" on their equipment rentals. I did not "buy in" and used ice packs at home as needed.

I question them all, and even right now have a questioning thought in my mind about an issue with my integrative MD.

Last edited by jaminhealth; 04-12-2019 at 11:18 AM..
 
Old 04-12-2019, 10:44 AM
 
Location: SoCal
20,160 posts, read 12,684,502 times
Reputation: 16993
I have minor cataract for years, at least 15 years. Eye doctor has not recommend surgery yet. Last he told me is to get a baseline in case I need surgery. Last he told me on a scale of 0-10, 10 is worst, I’m less than 1. I wouldn’t do surgery yet.
 
Old 04-12-2019, 11:06 AM
 
11,558 posts, read 12,007,782 times
Reputation: 17746
As far as distrusting the medical profession. There is nothing wrong with questioning diagnosis and treatment because unfortunately there are greedy practitioners out for their own pocketbook.

About five years ago my long-time dentist passed away and my search for a replacement was quite the ordeal until I finally found one who wasn't looking through a Mercedes catalog as I sat in the chair.

One practice I tried had a revolving door scenario of new dentists and one claimed I needed thousands of dollars worth of work performed. Another dentist at the same practice had an entirely different list of issues.

My current dentist doesn't have a fancy office and doesn't have a boatload of employees. It's just him, his hygienist and the receptionist. In fact, he still drives the same car he had while in college (and he's not a recent college grad). His diagnosis of my teeth is that they are in good shape and no additional work is necessary. If he did claim work needed to be done then I'd know it's valid.

We all need to be watchful. One time the pharmacy gave me the wrong medication and when I took it back for a replacement they presented as, "Oh, sorry." Scary!
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