Judy

[donna1990]

Has anyone heard from her? Thought she went to the DR. yesterday.
We are worried about you GF.

[judy]

Has anyone heard from her? Thought she went to the DR. yesterday.
We are worried about you GF.

I love ya Donna!

I didn't go. I'm waiting for my appt. which is next week. I have the mammo and bone density tests manana, and the stress test on Thursday.

I will be all tested by the time I go!

[donna1990]

I thought your appt. was Mon. Sorry you have to wait so long.

[judy]

I didn't go for the stress test. A 4 hour test and being injected with radioactive stuff did not appeal to me in the end.

[gja1000]

Judy, did they tell you why they wanted to do a chemical stress test instead of a treadmill stress test? Usually they do chemical tests on people like my husband who cannot walk on the treadmill long enough to get results. It really doesn't make sense to me that they would do a chemical test on you instead of the treadmill stress test. I kinda think the stress test would be good for you to have, but I agree, I would rather do the treadmill, then the radioactive dye.

[judy]

Honestly, Gayle, I think the whole test was just scheduled so that the hospital could make money. I wonder if the doctor gets paid for any of it too.

My doctor had me scheduled to see a cardiologist to evaluate the EKG and echo, and to see if I could take a stress test. He found a mild mitral valve leakage; nothing to worry about.

He then scheduled me for a stress test because I was a smoker for years. The rads were because, according to him, 40% of women's' stress tests are incorrect unless they are thallium.

Since I stopped smoking about 15 years ago, and because I really felt that this was just a money maker, I decided not to bother with the test. I can always get a referral for a regular stress test if I decide I want a baseline.

[gja1000]

Makes sense to me - I think I would decline too. I hadn't heard that stress tests in women are inaccurate, but maybe so. I'll ask next week when Gary goes to the heart failure clinic - they will know for sure!

You are probably right about the making money part! Too sad!

[HALEY]

I think the whole test was just scheduled so that the hospital could make money. I wonder if the doctor gets paid for any of it too.


AMEN Judy, i think Micah's doctors are the same way, all these test for nothing !!!

[gja1000]

Many tests these days are CYA (cover your a$$). You see, Judy went in complaining of fatigue - a PRIME symptom of heart issues. Every test she had checked out OK, but one last most definitive test would have almost absolutely ruled out heart issues. If Judy does manifest a heart problem in the coming months - and all the tests were negative, including the stress test - then it would be less likely that Judy (or her family, in case the worst happened) would win a lawsuit against the doctor or hospital for lack of proper medical care (testing in this case). Does that make sense? Our society is so litigious that doctors and hospitals often do lots of tests to CYA, just in case something happens later. Some tests are most certainly unnecessary for diagnosis - but necessary for CYA. Some hospitals/doctors order tests to make money, but most do it to diagnose illness or CYA.

Now, as the wife of someone who has had AND NEEDED a multitude of tests, I'm very grateful they are available, that they've been ordered, and that they've shown what is wrong with Gary so the doctors could prescribe the appropriate treatments/meds. However, they are not all always necessary. It's one of the things that had driven our health care costs so high - unnecessary (or CYA) medical tests.

[judy]

That is a very good point Gayle! She does schedule a lot of tests, but people around here say that she is doing that so she is covered. They feel that since she is not a doctor, but a Nurse Practitioner, she may have to practice CYA even more (???)

However, I saw her on Monday and she was very pleased with all the findings. I have a very healthy profile!

My blood tests show a rise in blood sugar and a big rise in triglycerides. I also have a little low something in kidney function. She wants me to continue eating the way I am now (low carbs, low fat), and I go back in 3 months for another blood test to see if high these levels are food related. She is very happy with the weight loss. I need to lose a few more.

She thinks the fatigue is from the way I was eating before, especially the carbs.
I really don't know much about that, but I have an open mind.
She said she purposely uses this particular cardiac group because they do not test unnecessarily for money. She did not understand the need for thallium, and said that since my heart tested okay, don 't worry about it. She said she probably would not have gone for a thallium stress test either.

It's interesting - Jessie went with me and got a whole different feeling about what the cardiologist said. According to her, the doctor said there is nothing to concern myself about with the heart., The stress test was just because my primary requested it, and she felt that he didn't think I need to come back in 6 months.

I'm so glad I took her! I will go back in 6 months though. It is my heart, not hers and I want to be certain.

[gja1000]

Sounds good, Judy! My primary care provider is a nurse practitioner too. I prefer them!

[Gina]

Judy I am glad to hear all is well.. Gayle interesting to learn about the CYA, it makes sense since we do live in a litigious society.