Problem: lower right quadrant abdominal pain, on/off for over six months.
Primary Doc: Could be an ovarian cyst. Go see a gynecologist. $25 copay
Gynecologist: Could be an ovarian cyst, let's get an pelvic ultrasound. $50 copay
Pelvic Ultrasound: $150.00
Pelvic ultrasound shows small fibroid on left, nothing on right.
Primary Doc: Maybe you should seen an GI doc. $25 copay
GI doc: Let's get a CT scan of the abdomen. $50 copay
CT scan: $350.00
CT scan shows "pelvic cyst, probably benign", follow up appointment required to discuss with GI doc.
GI doc in follow up: cyst is on the left, probably an ovarian cyst. You need to see a gynecologist and get a pelvic ultrasound.
Me: I've already had that.
GI doc: Oh. Well I'll make a copy of the scan results and you can make an appointment with your gynecologist to discuss the results. And now we need to do a colonoscopy to find out what is causing the pain on the right. $50 copay
The colonoscopy will also be a $350 copay. Such joy.
If you haven't been keeping track, that is $700 out of my pocket so far for two tests to tell me the same exact freaking thing. And fixed nothing.
And my primary is suggesting an MRI for the back pain I've been having (which is getting better so I'm completely denying the suggestion it may be a herniated or ruptured disc). That would be at least another $350.
Thor sez: Sheesh, if you were a cat, we'd be pondering the Big Pink Shot.
2 comments:
Is there any chance the pain could be reflected? Just tossing that out there...
I went through a similar thing with my stupid gall bladder.
Me- I think I'm having gall bladder attacks (insert list of symptoms) and both my parents had theirs removed due to problems.
Primary Doc - U/S was negative I'll refer you to a GI doc
GI Doc - we must rule out ulcers here's an endoscopy a swallow test AND then a nuclear test. Oh, all negative let me refer you to a surgeon anyhow.
Surgeon - Actually talks to me, palpates my abdomen, sets a date.
Stupid gall bladder comes out, diseased and scarred like I tried to tell the first doctor. Oh, is here where I say we pay an insanely high deductible?
Heather - that was my first thought - gall bladder, but the symptoms didn't match and the CT scan showed a normal gall bladder.
I think it's diverticulitis and after all the tests and money I'm going to be told that I just have to deal with it.
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