quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

PSA is not as important any more, but it would be a good idea to see a urologist. I do question your assuming this is a money maker for the doc. Needless surgeries maybe. I would find another PCP with a good office staff. My doc is great and his office staff superb. I spent time looking and talking to other physicians.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
PSA trends are what is important. I assume he did a DRE because PSA is useless without it. Tell me how checking statins is a big money maker? Your average PCP has 2500 patients so I doubt you will be missed.

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And how is checking statins a money maker? Because you have to go in for an office visit and check monthly with the guy I fired. I asked and that's what I was told. I'm aware that the standard is 3 months at first, then 12 months and apparently he isn't

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Originally posted by Flash-LB:

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:
This just popped-up in my Twitter feed. I thought it apropos to the discussion

There's an awful lot of truth in that picture.

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Originally posted by Flash-LB:
1. My LDL is 131. However, my HDL is 99 and my triglycerides is 60.

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So what" sthe big flap about? Two things.

1. My LDL is 131. However, my HDL is 99 and my triglycerides is 60. The Doctor feels this is an emergency and I must get on Statins immediately.

2. My PSA went from 3.5 the previous year to 3.7 and he wants me to schedule a biopsy immediately to have it checked as it's urgent.

To all of this I said bullshit. When the Doctor finally came in at 9:30AM I verified that these two things were the "emergency" with him.

I then told him that he was nuts and to not even think of billing me for this office visit and that he was fired.

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guess when you act/ look like you don't care ,
Your health care professionals start not to care also.

No kidding
They are showing interest.
It's kind of a good feeling

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Originally posted by Flash-LB:

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

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've found that a lot of doctors are essentially selling fear to ensure that they'll have a lot of cash cows coming through their revolving door.

The last Doctor I fired was doing exactly that.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Can you be more specific? Never had that happen to me over many years. Seems rather cynical if I say so.

Sure.

Went for my annual physical complete with blood work and EKG. As usual, they said they'd call me when the test results came in.

Got a phone call at 4:20PM on Friday. Highly excited female calling from the Doctor's office stating they'd just got my test results in and there was a "major problem". I said I'd be right down to their office. She said no, we're closing in a couple of minutes so you have to come in Monday, and it's urgent so we'll give you the first appointment of the day.

I said okay, I'll take the appointment, but what's the problem? I don't want to worry about this all weekend. She said she wasn't allowed to tell me that. I said okay, put the Doctor on the horn and he can tell me. She said he's gone until Monday.

So I spent Saturday and Sunday getting my affairs in order, making sure the wife knew the safe combination, where the will and power of attorney was along with my other Medical paperwork was.

I get into the doctor's office 15 minutes early for the appointment after having slept perhaps 4 hours in the last 2 days because of this whole thing. They let me into the examination room and I wait...and wait...and wait.

Finally 9:AM arrives and I've been in the room an hour, still no Doctor. The nurse comes in with a clip board. She says the Doctor's running late but be sure and stay because this is highly important. I said "are those my test results on the clipboard?" and she said yes. I said give them to me and she said she couldn't do that so I grabbed them and started going through the test results. Fortunately I know how to read these things.

So what" sthe big flap about? Two things.

1. My LDL is 131. However, my HDL is 99 and my triglycerides is 60. The Doctor feels this is an emergency and I must get on Statins immediately.

2. My PSA went from 3.5 the previous year to 3.7 and he wants me to schedule a biopsy immediately to have it checked as it's urgent.

To all of this I said bullshit. When the Doctor finally came in at 9:30AM I verified that these two things were the "emergency" with him.

I then told him that he was nuts and to not even think of billing me for this office visit and that he was fired.

This whole thing was obviously set up to get me to come in on a regular basis for more "checkups" and "statin adjustments" and so on, thus increasing the revenue stream.

I've discussed this with my two weekly shooting groups and found a number of others in the groups who have encountered similar things. Most of them see it for what it is but a couple of them are so scared of getting something that they go along with it while admitting they know they're getting taken by the Doctors. Two of them have wives who are getting taken but the wives insist on getting all the tests, drugs and operations that are offered and the husbands go along with it to keep peace in the house.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
PSA is not as important any more, but it would be a good idea to see a urologist.

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Riding a bicycle or motorcycle

Hard or long distance bicycle or motorcycle riding can apply pressure on the perineum which transfers to the prostrate, and may cause temporary spikes in tPSA. You may have to abstain from riding at least 24 hours before having your PSA tested. (My doc told me to avoid the bike or motorcycle riding for greater than 48 hours+ before a PSA test.
It cost me another PSA test to learn this).