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Author Topic: What happens on your MD appt??  (Read 5747 times)

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Offline Regretsafew

  • Member
  • Posts: 101
What happens on your MD appt??
« on: January 04, 2007, 05:53:29 pm »
Hey all,

I was just wondering what happens when you go to the dr?

Mine just goes over my labs...  I was wondering if she should be....

Checking my weight?

Listening to my lungs?

Checking inside my mouth? 

Checking my eyes? 

Seems like she is not being very through to me but I'm not sure  and was wondering what your doc does on your  every 3 month visits. 

Joey

Offline Tucsonwoody

  • Member
  • Posts: 396
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2007, 06:15:25 pm »
Hey Joey -

I have only been seeing my new doctor since September, but in that time I have been very impressed with my visits which occur monthly at least for now, with discussions weekly by phone on the blood test results.  When  I see her, her nurse firsts weighs me and takes my blood pressure.  And when I see my doctor, she checks my mouth for signs of thrush (none so far), checks lymph nodes in my neck area, listens to my lungs front and back and heart, palpitates my stomach area.  Then we talk about any issues I want to bring up (and I always take a list so I don't waste her time).  She also had me see an ophthalmologist for the past couple of months to check for CMV retinitis (no symptoms yet).

She may be more through then normal as she admitted me to the hospital on my first visit as I was really sick and it took a month there before she would let me go home.  She definitely saved my life no doubt.  But every doctor I have gone too, always got checked for weight and blood pressure which I thought were standard.  Guess not.

Modified: After reading some other posts - reminded me that they also take temperature, pulse and make sure my vaccinations for flu etc are up to date
« Last Edit: January 04, 2007, 09:55:13 pm by Tucsonwoody »
And I wished for guidance, and I wished for peace
I could see the lightning; somewhere in the east
And I wished for affection, and I wished for calm
As I lay there - Nervous in the light of dawn

Offline Miss Philicia

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  • Posts: 24,793
  • celebrity poster, faker & poser
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2007, 07:26:28 pm »
Yeah, mine have always given me a mini-physical of sorts.  Might have had more to do with my being diagnosed with 180 CD4s though they still do it now that I'm much higher so maybe not.  I'm on my 4th HIV specialist in 14 years and they've all done this.  Routines have varied slightly but mostly what Tucsonwoody described is what I've gotten.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline RapidRod

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  • Posts: 15,288
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2007, 07:42:38 pm »
Regretsafew, when I first get there, I'm weighed, blood pressure, pulse and temp taken by the  nurse. She asks if I'm having any trouble, pains etc. Then I go to the examining room. The doctor goes over my labs, then I lay down on the table,  she palpates my spleen and liver, listens to my heart and checks my neck. I sit up and she listens to my heart again and lungs, measures a mole on my back that she has wanted me to have removed. She measures it for changes. I go back to the chair she asks if there are any prescriptions that I need refilled or anything that I want. She tells me if I need other tests ran or not. Shakes my hand and she gives me a time to come back. That's what my doctor visits are like.

Offline J.R.E.

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  • Posts: 8,207
  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2007, 08:43:30 pm »
Hello Joey,

In order, the first thing that is done, is I get weighed, by the nurse. She then leads me into the room and takes my temperature, while also taking my blood pressure.

The doctor usually arrives about 3-5 minutes later.

During the wait for the doctor, I will be filling out a card, that will be mailed to me, in 7 to ten days with my blood test results enclosed. If something is not right, with the results, or if there is some concern, the doctor will call me, and have me come in, face to face, prior to reeiving the card in the mail.


 He will look at my chart, His pen is always going a mile a minute ( on the chart) as he ask me a series of questions. Such as :

How is your  appetite ?

Do you have any heartburn ?

Do I have any problem sleeping?

Do you find yourself sleeping more ?

Are you having any problems with depression ?

Has your neuropathy increased, decreased, or remained about the same, since last visit.

Do you have any feeling of" electrical "type jolts in your arms, or anywhere else ?


Do you have any muscle aches ? Where ?


Are your bowel movements normal? Any diarrhea, loose stools or constipation"


Am you overly fatigued?

How much sleep do you get everyday ?


Do you seem to tire out easily, has this remained about the same, more or less, since last visit?


Are you having any vision problems ?


Are you having headaches ?

Are you having any problems with being short of breath ?

Do you have any kind of congestion ?


Do you get dizzy ?


If you are having any pain in the joints ( etc,) where precisely are you having the pain., and has that pain increased, decreased or remained the same since last visit ?


I know there are a few more questions....can't think right now


We then go over the current medications that I am on, we also review the results of the previous blood tests.




Depending on some of the answers I give him to these questions, he may order additional bloodtests.


He then says, blood pressure is good, temperature is good, and your weight his good. He then reminds me that it would be beneficial for me to exercise a little more :P


I then sit on the table, And he looks in my mouth, pushing my tongue down with the stick. He will then look into my ears, and my eyes. He will feel around my neck and armpits.

While sitting upright, he listens to my lungs, on the chest and the back, while taking 3 or 4 deep breaths. ( thats me taking the 3 to 4 deep breaths)  :P


I then lay down. And he pushes and checks around my abdominal area. Ask me if I have any kind of pain while he is checking. Also checks around the arm pits again.


I then get off the table, he then ask, what questions I may have at that point. This is the time I will bring out the notepad, because if I have any questions, they are most certainly written down, otherwise I know I will forget to ask something.


He will leave the desired blood test to be taken on the desk, the nurse will come back into the room, and take my blood at this point.

Puts a quick bandage on me, I smile and say thanks !! I then go to "checkout" counter, and pay my 25.00 co-pay,( which is now 30.00 under Aetna) make the next three month appointment date, and out the door I go.




Ray
















« Last Edit: January 04, 2007, 09:11:47 pm by J.R.E. »
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline emeraldize

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  • Posts: 3,397
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2007, 09:50:28 pm »
Joey
My visits are similar to TucsonWoody's. Further, the clinic staff stay in close control regarding (for women) PAP smears, breast exams and for all--annual flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, eye exams, etc. They provide a sheet that gives your current status of labs, shots to date, plus blood workup (CBC, cholesterol if done, etc.)
Em

Offline cubbybear

  • Member
  • Posts: 510
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2007, 08:19:24 am »
Mr Doc is great, he is the head of ID at my local hospital.  He treated me from my emergency admission september 05 when I was about to check out from this world, courtesy of aids.

He comes out to the waiting area and greets me, he knows me by face and name despite having many other patients.  We go to his examination room.  We go through my lab results that I did 2 weeks prior, which includes cd4/vl, liver function, kidney function, and everything else.  He asks how my endocrinology, ophthalmology appointments are going, and discusses any other allied health issues.

He asks me how I have been, my sleeping patterns, moods, home life, general health questions like nausea/diahrroea etc.. and if I need to be connected with anyone like social work, psychologist etc.  He checks my lymph nodes, palpates my liver, kidneys and spleen, listens to my chest, checks my bp, t, p and r.  Asks me if I need more meds, and fills out the required perscriptions to take to the hospital pharmacy. 

Also gives me a pathology slip for my next set of labs and makes an appointment for 3 months time.  He usually says to email or phone if I need to in the meantime, shakes hands and sends me on my way.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2007, 08:29:11 am by cubbybear »

Offline Regretsafew

  • Member
  • Posts: 101
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2007, 08:36:53 am »
Hey all   

thanks for your input..  I wish she'd be more through with me  because I get paranoid about stuff alot and I want anything treated right away if something was wrong.  Maybe I need to get a new doc or ask her to examine me more on my visits.

Offline fondeveau

  • Member
  • Posts: 425
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2007, 07:53:43 am »
The doctor came in and asked what the problem was, and when I told him he looked a little shocked.   He told me to lie back and just relax, as he started the physical. I felt his cold hands on my shaft and around my balls. There was some comfort in his firm grip.

He told me to relax and went on to stroke my....oops, wrong board!

Naw, my doctor visits are pretty routine.
 ;D

Offline blondbeauty

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,787
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2007, 08:20:51 am »
Mine also listens to my lungs, heartbeat, looks into my mouth, scalp, hand palms, checks my lymphnodes under my armpits and tries to find swollen lymphnodes in my groin (which I never had), presses my sotmach to see the size of my liver and spleen...and nothing else.
The only member in these forums approved by WINBA: World International Nail and Beauty Association.
Epstein Barr +; CMV +; Toxoplasmosis +; HIV-1 +.
Counts when starting treatment:
V.L.:80.200 copies. CD4: 25%=503
Started Sustiva-Truvada 14/August/2006
Last V.L.count (Oct 2013): Undetectable
Last CD4 count (OCT 2013): 52%= 933

Offline Miss Philicia

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  • Posts: 24,793
  • celebrity poster, faker & poser
Re: What happens on your MD appt??
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2007, 11:34:11 am »
Yeah, my first HIV doctor used to do the ole lymph/groin thing.  Filthy queen he was.

However, the mere sight of his Sylvester and Tweety socks (ALWAYS wore them!) cheered me up.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

 


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