go to the doctor

Saw a decent-looking family dentistry office in my neighborhood. I want to make an appointment to get an exam (second opinion).

I really do need a dental filling and a skin cancer screening.

I’m glad I finally went to a top orthopedic surgeon. It cost a fortune and I wasn’t thrilled with the experience (he was in too much of a rush to gather all the facts and answer all of my questions), but I managed to communicate and ask enough to get the guidance I need. The important thing is that my foot/leg are restored to their former health, and this visit helped me on that path.

I went to a family practitioner and then a podiatrist for my leg. I suppose they were helpful in giving me more confidence that I’m doing the right thing on my own – primarily, staying off of it while it heals. But in general they didn’t do much for me. The podiatrist completely ignored the story of my injury and thought I had a neurological pain disorder! I was pretty angry about that. I’m debating whether or not I should keep an appointment I made with an orthopedist. I guess I’ll give it one more shot. Maybe he’ll have more insight and be able to advise me on rehab.

This is the second dentist I’ve tried in my city.

This time I got a cleaning/x-rays and within a week had tooth sensitivity and a chipped front tooth. Coincidence? Then I had to go back because the dentist didn’t have time to examine me after the cleaning. So I make another trip to the dentist, he tries to potpone the visit, doesn’t know what the appointment is for, then after examing me tells me I need thousands of dollars worth of dental work (unlikely) after he lured me into his ofice by promising to lower prices since I don’t have insurance. I left the office in tears. Needless to say, I’m getting a second opinion.

I look forward to going to the dermatologist for a thorough skin cancer screening. I want to get all of my spots checked. I’m nervous about this and will feel so much relief when I know I have a clean bill of health (positive thinking). First I’m doing the dentist. Then this, if I can afford it without insurance.

I went to a free consultation with a dentist to see about whitening my teeth (I have a crown in front so it’s complicated) and ended up realizing I’d rather just get a cleaning, exam and x-rays for now. My health comes first. If I keep waiting until I have insurance I could really damage myself. He gave me a reasonable rate so I made an appointment. I can’t wait to have clean teeth and to know how my teeth are doing. I pray I don’t need any dental work.

I have chronic upper back pain, and I suspect seeing a chiropractor would help. I’d like advice on stretches/exercises/sitting/sleeping tailored specifically to my body. And maybe an adjustment or massage would do something for me … I’ve never been to a chirporactor so I wouldn’t know.

There was a chiropractor at the street fair outside my place yesterday. I decided to make a ‘free’ appointment. I’m sure walking in the door is free but anything they do for you costs extra. I’ll have to make it clear that I’m not insured and I need to know any cost upfront so I can make an informed decision based on my budget.

I’m willing and able to spend $200 on this, all inclusive. If it ends up not helping then I will have learned my lesson and I won’t waste my money on the chiropractor again. According to this site http://www.costhelper.com/cost/health/chiropractor.html I should be able to get advice, x-rays and a treatment for that much even without the ‘free’ consultation.

Update: I went and I don’t trust him. He seemed to be a salesperson who didn’t do a thorough exam before recommending a series of adjustments. He didn’t have any helpful advice for me on lifestyle factors. So I will take a lifestyle approach on my own as best I can (exercises, stretches, sitting differently at work, etc), then if needed I will go elsewhere for treatment.

I don’t have insurance so I just ignore my health issues and hope they go away or aren’t serious. I went to a clinic once out of desperation and paid hundreds of dollars for one visit. The problem went away without diagnosis or treatment.

To address all of my issues, I believe I should see:

general practitioner (thorough physical)
obgyn (exam)
dentist (exam & cleaning)
dermatologist (skin cancer screening & mole removal)
c-r specialist (exam and options)
psychologist?
chiropractor