need recommendations on a doctor, i have no insurance. (Houston: car insurance, home)

[Josci]

Take care of yourself Parisby and go see a doctor. Maybe there are other areas you can costs in your life so you can spend a little extra on the doc?

There are many great suggestions on this thread so hopefully you can find something. Check out every link and suggestion. Maybe some places will work with you...like a payment plan? It will be okay...you will find something...just remember that above all your health is most important and you need to see a doctor...even if you go into debt for it.

[bamba_boy]

There is a great little clinic in the strip center at SW FWY 59 @ Beechnut in southwest Houston. It's maybe 12-15 mi from Katy but I've had really good treatment there on weekends, including a complex and nasty spider bite that got infected. The clinic was founded by Memorial Southwest Hospital (just across the freeway in case you need more complex tests or treatment) to alleviate pressure on the emergency room for minor emergencies and for the un-insured for all sorts of routine checkups and treatment. I have insurance but my deductable is only $15 more than there full fee ($40) and follow-ups on an initial diagnosis are were only $10 for my serious problem (the spider bite). I've gone to them several instances when I got sick or hurt on weekends and didn't want to wait to get an appointment for the following week. Good luck!

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by parisby

Sigh, it is an unknown skin condition on my "manhood" . It's getting out of hand and seems to be getting worse. I believe I know what it is. But I do not know any doctors or places that specialize in this area? Right now I am not feeling good at all. My world has just completely shut down and I feel extremely out of touch with everything. I tried looking a t a few places online to get an idea of how much it will cost me monthly to have health insurance and it looks to be about $250/month. I am just really scared at this point and seriously do not know who to go or where to start. Sorry if I am being like this.

Paris my friend is my posts invisable? Skip the nonsense. Here it is again.

Try here:
Ibn Sina Foundation, Houston: High Quality Health Care at low prices (http://www.ibnsinafoundation.org/about.cfm - broken link)

Or if you have some money go here:
CareCredit® Healthcare Finance - Payment Plans and Financing for Cosmetic Surgery, Dental, Vision, Hearing, Veterinary & Other Medical Procedures

You can pay for the card at 8 in the morning and be covered by noon. It's that easy.

Now that you mention what is wrong, that qualifies you to go to the city Health Dept for FREE FREE FREE.

Now get the hell off this thing posting away without reading the advice you asked for and call the Health Dept first thing in the morning.

[VickiMBA]

Parisby,

Here are some low-cost medical and dental (in case anyone needs low-cost dental care) clinics in the greater Houston area I found on a Web search:

It looks like the first one is the one bamba_boy mentioned.

Low-cost medical clinics

• Memorial Hermann Neighborhood Health Center is open 7 days a week, and costs $45. It is located at 8150 Southwest Freeway, at the Beechnut exit. Phone 713.981.1605.
• Baylor College of Medicine Teen Clinic – free medical services for ages 13-21. There are several locations in the Houston area. Phone 713.793.3601.
• El Centro de Corazon offers medical care and dental care for all ages. The cost is $20 per visit. Prescription medicines are sold at a cheap price. There are four locations in east Houston. Phone 713.926.1849
  
• Good Neighbor Healthcare Center offers medical care and dental services for all ages. 277 W. Gray, 713.529.3597
  
• Northwest Assistance Ministries provides medical and dental care to children ages 18 and younger. 15555 Kuykendahl, phone 281.885.4630.
  
• San Jose Clinic provides low-cost dental care to adults and children. 301 Hamilton, phone 713.228.9411
  
• Tomagwa Ministries Medical Clinic provides medical and vision care to people in Tomball, Magnolia, and Waller (in the northwest part of Harris County). Located at 13414 Medical Complex Dr., in Tomball. Phone 281.357.0747
  
• University Dental Center (http://www.db.uth.tmc.edu/gpr/facilities.htm - broken link) provides dental care to adults and older children (ages 13 and up). 6410 Fannin, Suite 310, 713.500.5888
  
• University of Texas Dental Branch provides dental care to adults and children. The cost is usually $45 per visit. 6516 M.D. Anderson Blvd., phone 713.500.4000
  
• University of Texas Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Clinic offers dental care to children under age 16. 6655 Travis, Suite 460. Phone 713.500.8220.

Also, here's a link to another clinic that asks for a small $25 donation for services but will also make payment arrangement and exceptions if you're unable to pay:

Ibn Sina Foundation, Houston: High Quality Health Care at low prices (http://www.ibnsinafoundation.org/about.cfm - broken link)

Please heed the advice of others on this forum who are telling you to take care of your health! Ask for a male doctor and be open and honest with him so he can provide you with the best medical care possible. And do try to overcome your embarrassment, as doctors have pretty much seen it all!

Good luck!

[parisby]

Thanks for the support everybody. Will i be able to go to the city Health Dept for free? I am in Fort Bend County.

I see your post, and very appreciative of everyones concern on here. You guys are a helpful bunch. I feel a little better.

One thing I am afraid of is doctors passing me around cause they are unable to diagnose my problem. I am contemplating on whether or not i should just jump right to a specialist? Like a urologist or dermatologist instead of wasting my time and money on a family doctor. Even if i go to the family doctor and he sends me to another doctor, that is money wasted right there. And w/o any medical coverage I cannot afford that.

[domino]

Originally Posted by parisby

Thanks for the support everybody. Will i be able to go to the city Health Dept for free? I am in Fort Bend County.

I see your post, and very appreciative of everyones concern on here. You guys are a helpful bunch. I feel a little better.

One thing I am afraid of is doctors passing me around cause they are unable to diagnose my problem. I am contemplating on whether or not i should just jump right to a specialist? Like a urologist or dermatologist instead of wasting my time and money on a family doctor. Even if i go to the family doctor and he sends me to another doctor, that is money wasted right there. And w/o any medical coverage I cannot afford that.

If it's a rash on your private part you can probably get it diagnosed and taken care of at a walk-in clinic. With any luck, the doctor will prescribe a topical cream, and your problem will be solved with one office visit. You are not the only one who has ever had a problem like this.

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by parisby

Thanks for the support everybody. Will i be able to go to the city Health Dept for free? I am in Fort Bend County.

I see your post, and very appreciative of everyones concern on here. You guys are a helpful bunch. I feel a little better.

One thing I am afraid of is doctors passing me around cause they are unable to diagnose my problem. I am contemplating on whether or not i should just jump right to a specialist? Like a urologist or dermatologist instead of wasting my time and money on a family doctor. Even if i go to the family doctor and he sends me to another doctor, that is money wasted right there. And w/o any medical coverage I cannot afford that.

Parisby,
Go here: Fort Bend County - Indigent Health Care
Also look at their provider list. They have a nice selection of doctors, most of them would probably work with you on a private basis as well.

[parisby]

Poltracker thank you for that link. Very well appreciate it. Ok I've come to the conclusion that I either have lichen schlerosis or balanitis xeroderma obliterans. I am very worried and am not sure if its better to seek a dermatologist over a urologist for this type of problem? I've read and researched a lot for the past few years and finally the symptoms that I have seem to match very closely to lichen schlerosis. I am not even sure if the two are the same thing just different terminology. Anyhow. I am very scared at this point that my life is pretty much over and there is not much anyone can do to get rid of this condition. I really pray to God that it is not penile cancer. I am almost to the point of losing hope in anything I do anymore ever since I narrowed it down to what I have. I just want to say a great thank you and appreciation to everyone who has responded in this thread and shed some light on what I can do to seek medical help. Now I must find the courage and little bit of faith I have left in me to get up and see a doctor about it. I am afraid he will have bad news for me. Thanks again everyone.

[Poltracker]

Originally Posted by parisby

Poltracker thank you for that link. Very well appreciate it. Ok I've come to the conclusion that I either have lichen schlerosis or balanitis xeroderma obliterans. I am very worried and am not sure if its better to seek a dermatologist over a urologist for this type of problem? I've read and researched a lot for the past few years and finally the symptoms that I have seem to match very closely to lichen schlerosis. I am not even sure if the two are the same thing just different terminology. Anyhow. I am very scared at this point that my life is pretty much over and there is not much anyone can do to get rid of this condition. I really pray to God that it is not penile cancer. I am almost to the point of losing hope in anything I do anymore ever since I narrowed it down to what I have. I just want to say a great thank you and appreciation to everyone who has responded in this thread and shed some light on what I can do to seek medical help. Now I must find the courage and little bit of faith I have left in me to get up and see a doctor about it. I am afraid he will have bad news for me. Thanks again everyone.

God Bless Parisby, please do not let internet research scare you...go and see the doctor. You may be surprised and it is nothing serious, just extremely annoying.

[VickiMBA]

I agree with Poltracker. Go see a doctor, as they're the ones with the training to diagnose your condition, and don't rely on the Internet to do that for you.

Years ago, I started having sudden fainting episodes for no apparent reason. I had been working out 5-6 days per week and running 52 miles/week for years, so I was in tip-top physical shape at the time. When I looked up my symptoms online, all signs pointed to either a brain tumor or heart disease. In actuality, I went to the doctor and a cardiologist who ran all sort of tests on me...and it turns out that I was merely suffering from LOW blood pressure/blood volume, which made me more susceptible to fainting! And the "excessive" exercise and healthy diet only served to lower my BP even more.

Gosh, if I would have waited to see the doctor, I might have really had a heart attack from all of the stress!

So pleeeeaaazzzzee go to the doctor and report back to us that you're ok. We're all rooting for you!