The medical system . . . short rant
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The medical system . . . short rant
Arghh!!! I wonder how many more alcoholics would have sought treatment if they hadn't been stigmatized for doing so. How many would have gone so far down the rabbit hole if the medical system worked?! How many would have got help sooner, if it wasn't for a majority of doctors who either don't seem to care, or have their hands tied behind their backs?! And, if medical treatment is supposed to confidential, then why do insurance companies and employers get to know anything about it?!
What a sham. I feel I would have gotten help a lot earlier in my life, and good help, if things were different. Thanks for reading. Rant over.
What a sham. I feel I would have gotten help a lot earlier in my life, and good help, if things were different. Thanks for reading. Rant over.
Sorry you are feeling disillusioned iamsolost.
Having said that, you still have the ability to make positive change in your life regardless of what happened in the past or what any particular industry or "society" does.
You could say exactly the same thing about each of us individually....how many of us would have not gone down the rabbit hole if we would have just taken responsibility for our personal actions and got the help we needed? I know I could say that of myself and really wish I would have done it when I was 22 instead of 42- even 32 ;-)
Either way, it's water under the bridge. The only thing that matters is the choices we make and the actions we take today.
Having said that, you still have the ability to make positive change in your life regardless of what happened in the past or what any particular industry or "society" does.
You could say exactly the same thing about each of us individually....how many of us would have not gone down the rabbit hole if we would have just taken responsibility for our personal actions and got the help we needed? I know I could say that of myself and really wish I would have done it when I was 22 instead of 42- even 32 ;-)
Either way, it's water under the bridge. The only thing that matters is the choices we make and the actions we take today.
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Thanks, Scott. I know you're right, I just have anger issues sometimes. Especially because when I've sought treatment in the past, I've been turned away due to not being suicidal, despite having schizoaffective disorder, and hallucinating heavily at the time.
In the US employers don't have access to medical records. Yeah, insurance companies will.
I quit without medical assistance, so it is possible. If you cannot do that, then the choice is remain sick or bite the bullet, right? One will kill you, the other is just a bit embarrassing - and maybe you can find a doctor who will let you pay for service instead of using your insurance? I don't know, but I have insurance that wouldn't pay for something I needed so I got the thing done and paid out of pocket. I could have used any name, they didn't ask for ID...I mean, where there's a will there's a way.
Have you gone to any AA meetings? Someone there may know of a doctor who can help you medically detox if you feel that's something you need but want it to be anonymous. There is always a solution.
I quit without medical assistance, so it is possible. If you cannot do that, then the choice is remain sick or bite the bullet, right? One will kill you, the other is just a bit embarrassing - and maybe you can find a doctor who will let you pay for service instead of using your insurance? I don't know, but I have insurance that wouldn't pay for something I needed so I got the thing done and paid out of pocket. I could have used any name, they didn't ask for ID...I mean, where there's a will there's a way.
Have you gone to any AA meetings? Someone there may know of a doctor who can help you medically detox if you feel that's something you need but want it to be anonymous. There is always a solution.
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6 months in i spoke with a doc about some of the issues i was having. I told him i was thiking about just maybe changing my diet and excercising. he told me that while there has been some research in how that can be helpful that i'd never sucede and that it would be best if i just got on meds and that thats just life at my age and getting on meds is what you do. He also stated that a lot of what i was dealing with was withdrawels or what many of us might know as PAWS. I didnt believe him.
I got angry. I adopted the "dont tell me what i cant do!!" mindset I lost the weight my damn self I got on an excercise program my self and change my diet myself. I'm now super fit and super lean and the vast majority of my symptoms are greatly reduced. So long as i follow the course and stay on top of things I do ok all things considered.
I think modern medicine has its place. and my current phsysician applauds my efforts and refused to prescribe me meds for some of my gripes good or bad i dunno.
So maybe it all depends. Maybe you find a Doc that works for you? I duno.
one thign is for sure guess who had to get sober and guess who had to fix my life? It wasnt my doctor it was me. All they can do is maybe offer some help if needed at the end of the day it is up to us. no one else can do it for us it seems.
I got angry. I adopted the "dont tell me what i cant do!!" mindset I lost the weight my damn self I got on an excercise program my self and change my diet myself. I'm now super fit and super lean and the vast majority of my symptoms are greatly reduced. So long as i follow the course and stay on top of things I do ok all things considered.
I think modern medicine has its place. and my current phsysician applauds my efforts and refused to prescribe me meds for some of my gripes good or bad i dunno.
So maybe it all depends. Maybe you find a Doc that works for you? I duno.
one thign is for sure guess who had to get sober and guess who had to fix my life? It wasnt my doctor it was me. All they can do is maybe offer some help if needed at the end of the day it is up to us. no one else can do it for us it seems.
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What were you turned away for? If you're talking going to your GP, they are just the first stop to refer you to a specialist for further treatment, likely a therapist in this case, or perhaps you can ask for an inpatient rehab facility that works with dual diagnosis.
My primary care physician told me she would no longer treat me until I had a psych consult. She referred me to the Dual Diagnosis clinic, which treats both substance abuse and underlying mental health issues.
After the 90 minute intake exam (with the shakes coming on...it was forever) with the resident, she discussed it with the attending for about 15 minutes. The attending came in and said, point blank, that their suggested course of treatment was medical detox and inpatient rehab, that I was in fairly serious danger of having seizures or worse without medical detox, and that if I didn't do inpatient rehab afterwards, my chances of long term success were miniscule.
I thought "No freaking way" and ubered home. Took a few shots of vodka to stave off the sweats, shakes and terrifying anxiety. Looked in the mirror and said "She's right. Let's do this." I started calling around as best I could, they had given me a list of facilities but I was so screwed up I left them at the office. I called the one rehab that I'd heard about, they only did inpatient so they referred me to three others. As I could only read my handwriting for the first one (also their top rec) I went there. Fortunately my insurance covered all of it except a $1500 copayment, but they would have worked with me if I'd only had state insurance. I couldn't go for two days, so I kept drinking until it was time to go so I wouldn't get DTs, seizures, etc. I slowed down enough so that when they measured my BAC it was 1.2, with great difficulty. Generally they make you wait until you are at zero until they instigate a benzodiazepine taper, but given my sleep med cross addiction and my presentation of severe withdrawal symptoms, they started my detox as soon as they got my prescription.
The beginning of my journey was medical, and my doctors have been fantastic ever since. The IOP was next door to the addiction/mood disorder clinic. My PCP, psychiatrist and therapist have and continue to provide tremendous care to keep me sober and living.
My beef isn't with that part of the medical system, it's with the insurance. Thank God I have it. I would still have gotten care, but not to the extent that I have now. You can do it with public insurance though. Or use AA and other recovery methods alone after getting yourself through detox. The important thing is to want (and need) to stop.
After the 90 minute intake exam (with the shakes coming on...it was forever) with the resident, she discussed it with the attending for about 15 minutes. The attending came in and said, point blank, that their suggested course of treatment was medical detox and inpatient rehab, that I was in fairly serious danger of having seizures or worse without medical detox, and that if I didn't do inpatient rehab afterwards, my chances of long term success were miniscule.
I thought "No freaking way" and ubered home. Took a few shots of vodka to stave off the sweats, shakes and terrifying anxiety. Looked in the mirror and said "She's right. Let's do this." I started calling around as best I could, they had given me a list of facilities but I was so screwed up I left them at the office. I called the one rehab that I'd heard about, they only did inpatient so they referred me to three others. As I could only read my handwriting for the first one (also their top rec) I went there. Fortunately my insurance covered all of it except a $1500 copayment, but they would have worked with me if I'd only had state insurance. I couldn't go for two days, so I kept drinking until it was time to go so I wouldn't get DTs, seizures, etc. I slowed down enough so that when they measured my BAC it was 1.2, with great difficulty. Generally they make you wait until you are at zero until they instigate a benzodiazepine taper, but given my sleep med cross addiction and my presentation of severe withdrawal symptoms, they started my detox as soon as they got my prescription.
The beginning of my journey was medical, and my doctors have been fantastic ever since. The IOP was next door to the addiction/mood disorder clinic. My PCP, psychiatrist and therapist have and continue to provide tremendous care to keep me sober and living.
My beef isn't with that part of the medical system, it's with the insurance. Thank God I have it. I would still have gotten care, but not to the extent that I have now. You can do it with public insurance though. Or use AA and other recovery methods alone after getting yourself through detox. The important thing is to want (and need) to stop.
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Please allow me to clarify . . . I am not currently drinking. I relapsed a few days ago, while coming off benzos, and because I have no other means of support, I got online and found this community. I drank the first day I started going through benzo withdrawal, and haven't since.
I was feeling angry this morning about the medical system, for various reasons. I have had several issues going on for quite a long time, and many times, when I went to a doctor, I feel I wasn't taken seriously. I have been in and out of physicians offices since I was very young. I feel I have often been waved away, because of various factors, such as age and gender. I am also from a military family, and have never lived in one place for longer than 4 years, and very rarely kept the same Dr. for very long, so many times they didn't have time to delve into my issues, especially when insurance made it so doctors could only treat for one thing at a time and had no more than 10 minutes, generally, to see patients.
I have had a thyroid problem for years, for example, and many symptoms to go along with it. Not one doctor ever ordered me to get bloodwork done, until recently. It surprised me when my current doctor ordered labs, because no one had ever suggested such a thing, but it was the first thing he wanted. I should have been on treatment years ago, but no one bothered to check. I feel I was just another number to push through and send out the door, and this is just one example.
Thankfully, I am getting somewhat better treatment for my issues now, but sometimes it really seems futile.
Thanks everyone.
I was feeling angry this morning about the medical system, for various reasons. I have had several issues going on for quite a long time, and many times, when I went to a doctor, I feel I wasn't taken seriously. I have been in and out of physicians offices since I was very young. I feel I have often been waved away, because of various factors, such as age and gender. I am also from a military family, and have never lived in one place for longer than 4 years, and very rarely kept the same Dr. for very long, so many times they didn't have time to delve into my issues, especially when insurance made it so doctors could only treat for one thing at a time and had no more than 10 minutes, generally, to see patients.
I have had a thyroid problem for years, for example, and many symptoms to go along with it. Not one doctor ever ordered me to get bloodwork done, until recently. It surprised me when my current doctor ordered labs, because no one had ever suggested such a thing, but it was the first thing he wanted. I should have been on treatment years ago, but no one bothered to check. I feel I was just another number to push through and send out the door, and this is just one example.
Thankfully, I am getting somewhat better treatment for my issues now, but sometimes it really seems futile.
Thanks everyone.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
Please allow me to clarify . . . I am not currently drinking. I relapsed a few days ago, while coming off benzos, and because I have no other means of support, I got online and found this community. I drank the first day I started going through benzo withdrawal, and haven't since.
I was feeling angry this morning about the medical system, for various reasons. I have had several issues going on for quite a long time, and many times, when I went to a doctor, I feel I wasn't taken seriously. I have been in and out of physicians offices since I was very young. I feel I have often been waved away, because of various factors, such as age and gender. I am also from a military family, and have never lived in one place for longer than 4 years, and very rarely kept the same Dr. for very long, so many times they didn't have time to delve into my issues, especially when insurance made it so doctors could only treat for one thing at a time and had no more than 10 minutes, generally, to see patients.
I have had a thyroid problem for years, for example, and many symptoms to go along with it. Not one doctor ever ordered me to get bloodwork done, until recently. It surprised me when my current doctor ordered labs, because no one had ever suggested such a thing, but it was the first thing he wanted. I should have been on treatment years ago, but no one bothered to check. I feel I was just another number to push through and send out the door, and this is just one example.
Thankfully, I am getting somewhat better treatment for my issues now, but sometimes it really seems futile.
Thanks everyone.
I was feeling angry this morning about the medical system, for various reasons. I have had several issues going on for quite a long time, and many times, when I went to a doctor, I feel I wasn't taken seriously. I have been in and out of physicians offices since I was very young. I feel I have often been waved away, because of various factors, such as age and gender. I am also from a military family, and have never lived in one place for longer than 4 years, and very rarely kept the same Dr. for very long, so many times they didn't have time to delve into my issues, especially when insurance made it so doctors could only treat for one thing at a time and had no more than 10 minutes, generally, to see patients.
I have had a thyroid problem for years, for example, and many symptoms to go along with it. Not one doctor ever ordered me to get bloodwork done, until recently. It surprised me when my current doctor ordered labs, because no one had ever suggested such a thing, but it was the first thing he wanted. I should have been on treatment years ago, but no one bothered to check. I feel I was just another number to push through and send out the door, and this is just one example.
Thankfully, I am getting somewhat better treatment for my issues now, but sometimes it really seems futile.
Thanks everyone.
In my case its why these days i tend to be hesitant I for starters always worry am i gonna walk away worse off or more angry and still no solution etc.. Other times I know I have no choice and just gotta go in for me those cases are usually more the extreme however.
Hm. And I often have the opposite complaint. If I so much as say I'm sad they want me to go to therapy (at $300 an hour) or give me three different pills. I am always saying, "No, thanks," to more medical/pharmaceutical, "solutions," and I would say they over-treat.
Maybe keep searching until you find one that will help you. Thyroid is easily treated, I've been on thyroid meds (levo) for 30 years. If I had it to do over again I would insist on a referral to an Endocrinologist right off the bat. Skip the middle man and get right to the specialist who might actually know what to do.
Maybe keep searching until you find one that will help you. Thyroid is easily treated, I've been on thyroid meds (levo) for 30 years. If I had it to do over again I would insist on a referral to an Endocrinologist right off the bat. Skip the middle man and get right to the specialist who might actually know what to do.
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Thank you all. I went to a new doc yesterday, and believe he is truly going to help me. I really had to dig to find this doc. He is from another era. I think my venting yesterday was partly in anticipation of that first appt., fear and worry it wouldn't work out again, but I am feeling a little better about it today. All I can do is keep the hope alive. But, thanks again for allowing me to vent, as there's nowhere else I can.
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Thank you all. I went to a new doc yesterday, and believe he is truly going to help me. I really had to dig to find this doc. He is from another era. I think my venting yesterday was partly in anticipation of that first appt., fear and worry it wouldn't work out again, but I am feeling a little better about it today. All I can do is keep the hope alive. But, thanks again for allowing me to vent, as there's nowhere else I can.
It took me awhile battling with low thyroid before one of my Dr.'s would finally go ahead and treat it. The low thyroid funneled into my depression issues. I realized that some doc's are quick to put someone on thyroid medication, while some Dr.'s will wait until it gets worse and THEN start medication....and I also learned that the "thinking" has changed over the years on how to best treat thyroid. I currently see a female nurse practitioner who, though no Dr., I find she really listens to me well and she'll prescribe what is helpful and not over-prescribe.
The medical system is broken in many areas, so it's important to keep searching for answers and never give up. And, do not discount your own resourcefulness in finding answers; your own capabilities.
I think in many ways....people want someone who will listen well to them and they want expertise too. Not all providers have those two qualities.
The medical system is broken in many areas, so it's important to keep searching for answers and never give up. And, do not discount your own resourcefulness in finding answers; your own capabilities.
I think in many ways....people want someone who will listen well to them and they want expertise too. Not all providers have those two qualities.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
Hm. And I often have the opposite complaint. If I so much as say I'm sad they want me to go to therapy (at $300 an hour) or give me three different pills. I am always saying, "No, thanks," to more medical/pharmaceutical, "solutions," and I would say they over-treat.
Maybe keep searching until you find one that will help you. Thyroid is easily treated, I've been on thyroid meds (levo) for 30 years. If I had it to do over again I would insist on a referral to an Endocrinologist right off the bat. Skip the middle man and get right to the specialist who might actually know what to do.
Maybe keep searching until you find one that will help you. Thyroid is easily treated, I've been on thyroid meds (levo) for 30 years. If I had it to do over again I would insist on a referral to an Endocrinologist right off the bat. Skip the middle man and get right to the specialist who might actually know what to do.
Now i'm glad i never got on any kind of medication for it sure. But I'm not gonna sit here and say it was an easy road by any means. Its very possible some medication woulda helped me through some rough spots. It does have a time and a place.
And like you said with your sitation. I had people over the years tell me OMFG you dont need to suffer like this go see a doc or get a new doc i was always just too scared after having situations like that.
I duno maybe i was just more or less to scared to ask for help too mighta just been that simple as to why i didnt work harder to find a diff doc.
This is a hot topic for me (same applies for people who try to seek help for suicidal thoughts)... but I really don't think that insurance companies can go an get this information but can require you to disclose it or potentially have an actual claim denied if they find out after the fact that you did seek treatment. Stinks.
In my personal experience, I had sought advice since the ACA (with good intentions, I presume) had started requiring health care providers to provide mental health benefits. However, I found that the "professionals" who assisted in addiction were no more than two year technical college graduates that gave me a questionnaire I can get off the internet.
I guess my point is that the US Health Care system likely will be of very little use to us except for treating the effects that come from alcoholism or the withdrawal from it. Perhaps your employer provides really good mental health benefits (for example, an EAP program) but I have come to the conclusion that help is almost better sought on your own unless you are closer to the extreme side of the spectrum.
This is where I am finding AA, forums like this, friends and family, etc. to be the most valuable to my recovery.
OK, I probably need to spend some of my "Step 4" time to include my inventory of my frustrations with the medical system in our country.
(IMO)
In my personal experience, I had sought advice since the ACA (with good intentions, I presume) had started requiring health care providers to provide mental health benefits. However, I found that the "professionals" who assisted in addiction were no more than two year technical college graduates that gave me a questionnaire I can get off the internet.
I guess my point is that the US Health Care system likely will be of very little use to us except for treating the effects that come from alcoholism or the withdrawal from it. Perhaps your employer provides really good mental health benefits (for example, an EAP program) but I have come to the conclusion that help is almost better sought on your own unless you are closer to the extreme side of the spectrum.
This is where I am finding AA, forums like this, friends and family, etc. to be the most valuable to my recovery.
OK, I probably need to spend some of my "Step 4" time to include my inventory of my frustrations with the medical system in our country.
(IMO)
PCPs/GPS/Internal Medicine docs have very little training in addiction. Seek out a psychiatrist with a specialization in addiction. Ask for a referral.
You are not guaranteed getting good care, but you have a far greater chance of actually being helped.
Th e psychiatrist at my inpatient rehab was a joke btw.
You are not guaranteed getting good care, but you have a far greater chance of actually being helped.
Th e psychiatrist at my inpatient rehab was a joke btw.
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