POZ Community Forums
Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: phildinftlaudy on October 03, 2012, 09:52:41 pm
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So, back on March 25th, I had to have a large almost golf ball sized boil lanced from under my left arm (armpit)....
Now, less than 7 months later.... you guessed it..... I have a large assed boil under my left arm (armpit)....
This is sucks right now - cause it hurts no matter what position I have my arm...
And it is going to suck on Friday or Saturday (whichever day I clear my schedule up enough to go to the Urgent Care) when I get it lanced.
This time I am going to make sure they do a culture - as my doctor wishes they would have done that last time....
The shot they give to numb it before cutting into it is going to burn like hell (lidocaine)... and even when they do that, it still hurts have your arm cut into... even though last time, a few minutes after they completed the procedure, I felt so much better....
But, dang.... between all of the copays I have had over the past month on dr. visits, hospital copay, and scripts --- this is crazy.... The urgent care will be a $75 copay, plus they will probably give me two or three scripts (antibiotics) for both staph and regular (non-staph) infection.....
This sucks..
LIONS, and TIGERS, and BOILS....
oh my...
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Goodness Phil, you've had more medical issues this year. I hope this lancing takes care of it, and that you're free from med catastrophes for the rest of the year (and next year).
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Goodness Phil, you've had more medical issues this year. I hope this lancing takes care of it, and that you're free from med catastrophes for the rest of the year (and next year).
Thanks Betty
I think I am going to leave work a bit early tomorrow and go get it taken care of - that way I can miss the Friday evening, got drunk and hurt myself crowd - or the Saturday morning I have a hangover, I did too much coke and I think I now have blown out my septum crowd.
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Wow Phil , I sure hope you catch a break soon . I have a friend who gets boils and they look very painful .
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Phil,
Having had one myself many many years ago I can relate to the torture they bring. I can imagine the location the boil is at makes for a ton of discomfort. I hope today's procedure brings an end to this and it doesn't return.
T
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Thanks Skeebo - I appreciate the support...
So, I got the boil lanced this afternoon/evening. The doctor did a culture of it...
He thinks it is a sebaceous cysts - and says that this will be a recurring issue (as I had one in the exact same location about 7 months ago - March 25th) unless I get surgery done to remove the cysts...
So, now I have to get this surgery done - it is a same day procedure and should remedy the problem once and for all...
He put me on doxcycline, cephalexin, and Lortab (Hydrocodone)... as well as two days off work (Monday /Tuesday) ---- although I will probably only take Monday off (and that is only if it is still bothering me).
Just glad I got it taken care of - but it hurt like hell getting it lanced - felt like someone was stabbing me with a scolding hot pitchfork - and twisting it inside my underarm. And of course the doc insisted on showing me the stuff that came out of it (I should have taken a pic ;D ) It was nasty. Needless to say, I won't be eating cottage cheese anytime soon.
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Sounds like having surgery is a no-brainer for this. Hope you're on the mend soon!
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So, against doctor's orders (and the work excuse slip I was given at the Urgent Care that said not to go to work Monday or Tuesday) - I went to work yesterday and paid the price....
I felt like crap all day - the antibiotics also kicked in and had me yesterday and today in the bathroom most of the day.
I am also a magnet for any kind of "bug" floating around urgent cares or ER or doctors offices or..... well you get the picture...
I have been doing orange juice all day (I got wise and took today off work - well, I didn't physically go in, but did do some work from home - what can I say, I am hard-headed)... I also have been getting rest throughout the day and eating lots of chicken noodle soup...
All that, in addition to the 17 pills I am consuming a day (antibiotics, Ibuprofen, Nexium, Lopid, gabapentin, Atripla).... has me actually starting to feel better....
I sent an email to my doctor regarding getting me in to see a surgeon/doc who can remove the cysts... haven't heard back yet - she is probably still pissed at me from our last run in..... oh well - she has til tomorrow to respond or I will go above her head and really put the last nail in the coffin of our doctor - patient relationship....
Time for a change of docs anyway - she is much to reactive and not proactive - and it is pissing me off to no end...... and, yes, I do let her know this ---- I really questioned what exactly her roll was last time I saw her - as it always seems to be me who has to push to get anything done (she is quickly earning the nickname of "asswipe, no good, no help, what exactly is your role, you freakin' idiot doctor," to me)...... I usually get a good 3 years out of docs before I tire of them....
Problem is - I think - that for all of my "minor" health hiccups, they have patients that have much more intense maladies and issues going on and that is where they choose to focus their attention --- never mind that ignoring my issues and minor maladies is quickly setting me up to become one of their higher maintenance patients...
Any way - just venting..... It actually makes me feel better ;D
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Glad you got a good vent in there..... and it does seem like surgery is a smart move.
Although, and I fear this will fall into a "yeah, but......" scenario, however I'll go for it.......... Why don't you actually do what the docs tell you when they say to REST AND RECOVER??? You seem to think you are superman and that these instructions don't pertain to you. I get that you like your work, but IMO, no one is irreplaceable -- which means you can take the time needed to recover from illnesses, etc. Your company will remain a going concern even if you are home, in bed or watching TV for a couple of days. (END OF LECTURE)
Now -- PLEASE -- take care of yourself and get better.
Hugs,
Mike
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Problem is - I think - that for all of my "minor" health hiccups, they have patients that have much more intense maladies and issues going on and that is where they choose to focus their attention --- never mind that ignoring my issues and minor maladies is quickly setting me up to become one of their higher maintenance patients...
Any way - just venting..... It actually makes me feel better ;D
Hope you feel better Phil , sounds dreadful !
I also get the feeling my doctors think other have much more important issues . But when I think about it
they just have bigger mouths :-X
Take a nice rest and heal up ;)
Carl
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It sucks to the ends of the earth to have to doctor yourself. Been there, done that. I usually burn through a doctor every five years or so, but since I have managed not to be a total dumbass and take my meds, I am hoping my new doctor (nurse practitioner) lasts longer than that.
It's good that you are proactive. Honestly, I don't know how people who aren't survive this thing with any quality of life whatsoever.
Now get that goddamned cyst removed and find a doctor who you can respect.
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The Doctors at my ID clinic all go away every year or so . I wasn't fond of saying goodbye until I realized I was getting better care because when the new doc takes over they come in with a fresh look and care to not overlook things . I always choose women doctors too when I can , I just seem to get better results with women doctors for some reason .
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So, I went ahead on my own and found a dermatologist/cutaneous surgeon who is going to see me on Friday (luckily my insurance is open access - so, I don't need a referral from ID or any other doc to see a specialist)...
I emailed my doc and let her know that I had handled the matter myself ---
She replied she "was getting to it" but was glad I had handled the matter....
Nothing like having to play scheduler, case manager, doctor, etc..... all in one....
But, she has no problem billing my insurance $250+ each time I see her...just for her to give me the lab requisitions and new scripts to take to pharmacy..... I guess that has become her only role.... She was good for a while - but she is an Associate Professor who has just been awarded a major research project - which is taking up a lot of her time and focus - she has changed her clinic days and lowered the number of hours she is actually available. That is the problem with university research docs - is the good ones sometimes get caught up in so many other responsibilities that they loss sight or ability to focus on the patients.
I have begun ID doc hunting.... hopefully, I can make the switch after I see her in December.... time to "refresh." I will still probably stay with UM - as I do get overall good care there and have access to the whole medical facility/hospital.