Need Advice READ THIS Just My Luck

Hi Everyone. I have not been on in months. I finally got good insurance and man what a difference in service. People were so much friendlier. I got a Dr who cared and explained things to me. He was referring me to a Specialidst to check me for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Estrogen Defiency. I had to wait 30 days for the appointment. I was so happy to finally get some answers to the problems I was having that I didnt know about. (had to purchase regular insurance because state insurance wanted me to pay 265.00 before being able to use) which i could not afford at the time or I wouldnt have applied for help.
2 weeks before appointment my boyfriend got laid off and we were forced to move home to Pa before we were stuck. We made arrangments to leave after one week. I went back to my Dr that had referred me. I was so upset to have to go back to Pa in the country where care really *****. He filled my medicines and said if I needed anything to call.
I get back to Pa and find out insurance was cancelled day boyfriend lost his job. I thought we kept it 30 days. Called and found out it was 650.00 month to get Cobra. TOO Expensive I again applied for state insurance till I can get on my feet. It has been one month and im still waiting. I tried to make appointments with old Dr's-None of them are seeing new patients or they are at max of people with state insurance.
OMG what do I do. I did make appointment with a Dr that had just opened in town. I called my Dr in Fl and luckily he sent me a prescription for my pain meds. I went to appoinment with New Dr and told him I needed to be referred for certain tests and what meds i took. I told him my Dr in Fl had this months prescriptions on the way so I wouldn't need medicine Now. He told me I had to wait till I got insurance and he could refer me to specialist. He could fill all my meds but my Percocet

Ok first of all his office was the size of my mothers kitchen- with 2 tiny rooms in it(small) he had to look everything up on PDA.
So I have only my pain meds now none of other meds because i cant afford- waiting on insurance. Cant make appointments with old Dr's-The Dr I have seen wont fill pain meds. No pain management anywhere near here. I am so stressed out and tired of being in pain. Tired of no quality of life. I am stressed I wont be able to find a dr to prescribe meds and refer to me for health issues. Plus I have abcessed tooth but thats another story--- I need some advice on what to do. Thanks for listening to me vent Lesnbek

[sandee1818]

Hi and welcome back!
I am not sure what to tell you to do. You have applied for state or federal medical assistance right? I will advise you to keep looking for a Dr who will treat you, you say the old Dr's are not seeing new Pt's well inform them your not a new Pt that your an established Pt and you need to see the Dr.
Have you contacted your Dr in Fl again and ask if he can refer you to someone where your at now? Also try and find a PM clinic , you may have to travel a ways but it will be worth it. There are also Dr's that are DO's that will help with your pain management if you don't have a pain Dr in the area. A Lot of people here see DO's instaed of pain management Dr's
Good luck and if there is anything I can do let me know:)

[Tuckamore]

Hi and I too want to welcome you back to MedHelp. Sandee has offered some good suggestions. I know that in my state unless you have children or legally recognized as disabled you cannot obtain State Insurance.

I see a DO but in my state an MD OR a DO can treat CP suffers. You do not have to be seen at a PM Clinic. So it is not that just the DO's are treating CP suffers, all physicians may do so. I am puzzled why it is acceptable in Wisconsin and not acceptable in other states.

At any rate I have to apologize as I just don't have good suggestions for you. It is a sad state of affairs that you (or anyone) cannot obtain needed non-acute medical care because you do not have insurance or money. I love my country but I don't love the medical system that exists in my country. And I am very sorry this is happening to you.

We are here to support you and offer you an "ear" to vent. I hope you are able to find some solutions to your dilemma. Take care, Tuck

[lesnbek]

Hi Thanks for Advice. What does DO stand for. What is weird when i called to make appt with old Dr. I was told she was booked and not taking Patients but I could come in and fill out paperwork to be seen when she was accepting. She is just too busy. I went in filled out paperwork. I then asked receptionist did i need to call in a week to see if she if i could schedule appt. She asked when I would have insurance and said she would go ahead and schedule me for the following week. I asked if Dr still had my records from 9 months ago. She went to look. The nurse got off phone and went into records room and took the paper from receptionist came out to me and said. Dr Sweet is not taking any patients she is overbooked. I explained I was there to fill out paperwork so I could make appt when available. She informed me It would be a very long time and I should go see Dr. Linnel. This is the Dr I did go see that wont prescribe all my prescriptions. Now this paper I filled out had my insurance info and medication info and why i was there. Why would one person try to make me appt and nurse stop her.
I called today to check and person aske dho is this-I told her and she instantly said she is still booked. What is deal. This Dr was always very nice and I have never been a trouble to anyone about anything. This really hurts my feelings because I dont know why this would happen. I decided to write the Dr a note explaining my situation. I am going to send it tomm to her office. Maybe she ill remember me and get me in.

[Mollyrae]

Hi Lesnbek; Well here is another welcome back. A Doctor with a DO after his name is a Doctor that has added training the Orthopedic area but is not an Orthopedist. They also specialize in the Bone area. I have lived in Wisconsin my entire life and to hear that an MD or your regular Doc cannot prescribe pain meds is terrible. I did not know that other states were so different in prescribing. I guess I have to thank my lucky stars for having a Doctor that can do it all. My Doctor is an MD,DO and basically does it all, right down to reading the imaging. As far as your insurance, maybe the new President will make it possible for you to have some decent insurance....Who knows..

Hang in there and good luck with everything. I hope all will workout for you.
Mollyrae

[Tuckamore]

Hi Lesbek,
You have asked a very good question. Many do nor know what a DO is, even though they may see one or have seen one. It is difficult to distingish the two unless you look at the initials behind there name.

Osteopathic medicine is practiced by D.O.s in the United States. Osteopathic medicine was developed in 1874 by Dr. A.T. Still who stated "Any variation from health has a cause, and the cause has a location. It is the business of the osteopathic physician to locate and remove it, doing away with the disease and getting healthy instead." He believed that many medications (at that time) were useless and even harmful. He identified the musculoskeletal system as a key component for good health.

Both D.O.s and M.D.s typically have a four year undergraduate degree prior to medical training.
Both D.O.s and M.D.s have spent four-years in medical education. Both take the MCAT and are subject to a rigorous application process. Historically, D.O. schools are more open to the non-traditional candidate.
D.O.s, like M.D.s, choose to practice in a specialty area of medicine and complete a residency program ranging from 3-7 years. Some D.O.s complete the same residency programs as their M.D. counterparts.
M.D. students take the USMLE exam and D.O. students take the COMLEX exam . Both must pass a state licensing examination to practice medicine.
D.O.s perform surgery, deliver children, treat patients, prescribe medications and work in the same settings as M.D.s. D.O.s use the same tools, treatments and technologies of medicine as M.D.s.
D.O.s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, which make up the muscles and bones of a person.

The main difference between the two types of physicians is that D.O.s have been specially trained to perform osteopthic manipulations on patients. They view the patient as a 'total person" and focus on preventative care. They view the whole body rather than treat specific symptoms or illness. D.O.s use Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) in their practice. This involves the use of their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage your body's natural ability to heal. Osteopathic medicine is a fast-growing segment of the United States healthcare field. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) states that:

"Because of this whole-person approach to medicine, approximately 60 percent of all D.O.s choose to practice in the primary care disciplines of family practice, general internal medicine and pediatrics. Approximately 40 percent of all D.O.s go on to specialize in a wide range of practice areas. If the medical specialty exists, you will find D.O.s there.

I hope my information is helpful. Take care, Tuck