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Originally Posted by Altenweg

I do feel better. I do feel stronger. It's working. It's not a permanent solution but it will keep me alive until I find out what I'm dealing with.

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Getting your hemoglobin level up has nothing to do with fixing what's bleeding.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

Exactly. I also have that full physical with my doctor on March 30.

Right now I just have to get my hemoglobin up (which the iron is slowly doing) so we can find out what's causing everything.

I do feel better. I do feel stronger. It's working. It's not a permanent solution but it will keep me alive until I find out what I'm dealing with.

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This is insane what a system. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

It's only been this way for a few years Synn. It wasn't always this bad.

We used to pay $18/month for health care and if you needed to go to a specialist, it was instant.

Then the powers that be decided to change it, make it a two tier system where the rich get in right away and the poor wait for an appointment, unless they can dish out the thousands to get in right away.

We no longer pay the $18/month, the government does, but if you need that $5000 CT scan and have to wait for 6 months, you really wish you could go back to paying that $18/month.

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I would LOVE it if the US had a GOOD universal healthcare system. Right now a huge portion of the country just doesn't have healthcare. There's always the emergency room, but if you need to go to a specialist for something less than life threatening, or have an issue that requires more long-term or intensive care than the emergency room can give, you're SOL. If you're dying, they'll treat you. Otherwise, expect to be sent on your way with a bogus diagnosis and a prescription for meds you don't need.

The little bit I know about england's healthcare system seems to work quite well. There are probably lots of issues I know nothing about, though.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Getting your hemoglobin level up has nothing to do with fixing what's bleeding.

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No, it doesn't, but either would a blood transfusion.

Until we find the source, nothing will really work long term.

Iron pills are safer then a transfusion, so I'm on iron pills. If the iron pills don't work, it's step two. A transfusion is last on the list.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

No, it doesn't, but either would a blood transfusion.

Until we find the source, nothing will really work long term.

Iron pills are safer then a transfusion, so I'm on iron pills. If the iron pills don't work, it's step two. A transfusion is last on the list.

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Why is a transfusion last on the list? Why isn't it safe? I had one in Sept. -- 3 units of blood. It's just a matter of matching blood types. And I got that after they found out why I was bleeding and started meds to heal it. Once I got home, I started taking iron once a day until my hemoglobin level was back to normal.

It sounds like they have the cart before the horse.

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Originally Posted by Stringer

This is insane what a system. :rolleyes:

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It is and it isn't Stringer.

I can see both sides. I have a lot of friends in the US, if they didn't have health insurance, they wouldn't be able to afford to stay healthy.

It may take a while to see a specialist here, but it's not going to cost me my house, even if it is cancer.

Once I have a diagnosis, no time is wasted. If it is cancer I'll get treatment that same day and that will continue. Chemo, radiation, hospital stays, medication, specialists, all on the governments dime, unless I want a phone or a TV in my hospital room, then it will cost me $5 a day.

No system is perfect. I have to work with what I have because of where I live, as does my doctor. :)

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

No, it doesn't, but either would a blood transfusion.

Until we find the source, nothing will really work long term.

Iron pills are safer then a transfusion, so I'm on iron pills. If the iron pills don't work, it's step two. A transfusion is last on the list.

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If they screw all this up hon I am really going to beat some a$$! This is starting to pi$$ me off.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

It is and it isn't Stringer.

I can see both sides. I have a lot of friends in the US, if they didn't have health insurance, they wouldn't be able to afford to stay healthy.

It may take a while to see a specialist here, but it's not going to cost me my house, even if it is cancer.

Once I have a diagnosis, no time is wasted. If it is cancer I'll get treatment that same day and that will continue. Chemo, radiation, hospital stays, medication, specialists, all on the governments dime, unless I want a phone or a TV in my hospital room, then it will cost me $5 a day.

No system is perfect. I have to work with what I have because of where I live, as does my doctor. :)

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Just do what you can and get better... promise?

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Originally Posted by Stringer

If they screw all this up hon I am really going to beat some a$$! This is starting to pi$$ me off.

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Yup. I'm ready to start a "Fly Alty to Mayo Clinic" fund.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Why is a transfusion last on the list? I had one in Sept. -- 3 units of blood. It's just a matter of matching blood types. And I got that after they found out why I was bleeding and started meds to heal it. Once I got home, I started taking iron once a day until my hemoglobin level was back to normal.

It sounds like they have the cart before the horse.

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WG, this isn't from my doctor, but here is some info on blood transfusion and anemia. It can explain the risks better then I can. :)

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Doctors attempt to avoid blood transfusion in general, since multiple lines of evidence point to increased adverse patient clinical outcomes with more intensive transfusion strategies. The physiological principle that reduction of oxygen delivery associated with anemia leads to adverse clinical outcomes is balanced by the finding that transfusion does not necessarily mitigate these adverse clinical outcomes.

Transfusion of the stable but anemic hospitalized patient has been the subject of numerous clinical trials, and transfusion is emerging as a deleterious intervention.

Four randomized controlled clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate aggressive versus conservative transfusion strategies in critically ill patients. All four of these studies failed to find a benefit with more aggressive transfusion strategies.[

In addition, at least two retrospective studies have shown increases in adverse clinical outcomes with more aggressive transfusion strategies.

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I talked to Sneezy about this, he also explained why blood transfusions shouldn't be the first resort. He's glad that my doctor is going about this the way he is.

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Originally Posted by Stringer

If they screw all this up hon I am really going to beat some a$$! This is starting to pi$$ me off.

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Stringer, I'm being cared for, really I am.

My doctor is doing what he can, all he can. If push comes to shove and I get worse, he'll knock down the specialists doors himself, that I know for a fact.

Trust me, I'm getting good care, I really am.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

WG, this isn't from my doctor, but here is some info on blood transfusion and anemia. It can explain the risks better then I can. :)

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I must have been one sick puppy to be anemic and then to get a transfusion after my endogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

Stringer, I'm being cared for, really I am.

My doctor is doing what he can, all he can. If push comes to shove and I get worse, he'll knock down the specialists doors himself, that I know for a fact.

Trust me, I'm getting good care, I really am.

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I'm just saying...

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

If push comes to shove and I get worse, he'll knock down the specialists doors himself, that I know for a fact.

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Like what -- unconscious? Dead?

I see everyone is riding you Alty to do this and that. But know they and the rest of us care. Your valued here on and off this board with the friends you have made. Like the rest I feel you should push for more. But I guess your hands are tied and you do the best you can do with what's handed to you. Just thinking if you and wishing you well tonight. Worried. Bleeding the way you are isn't good. I feel there should be more done.

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Originally Posted by Altenweg

It is and it isn't Stringer.

I can see both sides. I have a lot of friends in the US, if they didn't have health insurance, they wouldn't be able to afford to stay healthy.

It may take a while to see a specialist here, but it's not going to cost me my house, even if it is cancer.

Once I have a diagnosis, no time is wasted. If it is cancer I'll get treatment that same day and that will continue. Chemo, radiation, hospital stays, medication, specialists, all on the governments dime, unless I want a phone or a TV in my hospital room, then it will cost me $5 a day.

No system is perfect. I have to work with what I have because of where I live, as does my doctor. :)

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I can't afford to NOT be healthy. I honestly think that's a huge part of why I just don't get sick.

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Originally Posted by hheath541

i can't afford to NOT be healthy. i honestly think that's a huge part of why i just don't get sick.

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I know that you don't mean it this way however some aren't quite so lucky hon.

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Originally Posted by Stringer

I know that you don't mean it this way however some aren't quite so lucky hon.

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Oh, I know. And I'm thankful I don't get sick. The only problem is, when I do get sick, I usually just ignore it. I'd never notice something was seriously wrong until it was SERIOUSLY wrong.

If I ended up with alty's symptoms, I'm not sure I'd go to the hospital until I had no other option. Even then, I'm not sure they'd do anything unless I was unconscious or comatose.

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Originally Posted by 88sunflower

I see everyone is riding you Alty to do this and that. But know they and the rest of us care. Your valued here on and off this board with the friends you have made. Like the rest I feel you should push for more. But I guess your hands are tied and you do the best you can do with whats handed to you. Just thinking if you and wishing you well tonight. Worried. Bleeding the way you are isnt good. I feel there should be more done.

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I understand everyone's concern and I share that concern. It's hard to describe the health care system here, at least without making it look bad. I appreciate the concern and I thank you all for caring so much about me. :)

Most of you, my friends in the states, have some health insurance, am I right? In other words, you can afford health care. I'm guessing that not everyone can.

Here, everyone has health care. Everyone can go to the doctor or the hospital and get treatment. It doesn't cost a dime.

There are pros and cons. Yes, I have to wait to see a specialist. Yes, I have to wait for a diagnosis, but, I will get one. They won't stop until they find out what's wrong and then I will get treated asap.

I can't push for more. It's not possible. My doctor also can't push for more. All he can do is stress to the specialists that he thinks I should be first in line. Sadly, those that are willing and able to pay for their tests are ahead, no matter what. It's not my doctors fault, it's the greed of the specialists. Have money, you're first, otherwise, you wait, like all the others that can't afford thousands of dollars to bud into line. My doctor isn't part of the system we have, he gets paid by the government for the patients he sees. He's not a specialist.

That's the fault with a two tier system. It's what I'm working with here, what my doctor is working with.

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Originally Posted by hheath541

oh, i know. and I'm thankful i don't get sick. the only problem is, when i do get sick, i usually just ignore it. I'd never notice something was seriously wrong until it was SERIOUSLY wrong.

if i ended up with alty's symptoms, I'm not sure I'd go to the hospital until i had no other option. even then, I'm not sure they'd do anything unless i was unconscious or comatose.

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You are still young (enjoy that... K cause it will change someday) and vibrant and you can fight off things a bit easier. But you should never wait when something may be wrong.