Are you hot?

[Justagirl💃]

Just undress in the exam room before the doctor comes. Then he will have to see the edema

Good point!

[stevey]

Gosh, moving to another state is a big ask.  It's much easier in the UK.  There are lots of GP (General Practitioner) practices around, probably 2 or 3 within a few miles.  You just go into another practice and ask if they will take you on.

Obviously it's something you need to get sorted as soon as you can.  As a stroke survivor, having an edema is pretty serious, I think.  Hopefully someone you see will be awake enough to act.

I did a bit of a check here:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oedema/

and it says:

Oedema can also be caused by:

an injury – such as a strain or sprain
an insect bite or sting
problems with your kidneys, liver or heart
a blood clot
an infection


So not just salt intake then.

Best of luck with the cardiologist.  If you want to, do let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Steve 

[Justagirl💃]

Gosh, moving to another state is a big ask.  It's much easier in the UK.  There are lots of GP (General Practitioner) practices around, probably 2 or 3 within a few miles.  You just go into another practice and ask if they will take you on.

Obviously it's something you need to get sorted as soon as you can.  As a stroke survivor, having an edema is pretty serious, I think.  Hopefully someone you see will be awake enough to act.

I did a bit of a check here:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oedema/

and it says:

Oedema can also be caused by:

an injury – such as a strain or sprain
an insect bite or sting
problems with your kidneys, liver or heart
a blood clot
an infection


So not just salt intake then.

Best of luck with the cardiologist.  If you want to, do let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Steve

The biggest concern as that it is limited to just one leg. If it was diet related it would be both legs. I also have a history of blood clots in the effected leg (DVT's).

The "nurse" is convinced since I already take blood thinners it can't possibly be a blood clot. I have yet to be seen by a doctor. Perhaps today my cardiologist will take a peek. 

There are plenty of GP's in my area, and finding another would be easy enough. But finding an outpatient program with "nursing home level of care" is quite difficult. Unless I care to spend quite the fortune in co-pays. 

There is one other program a couple hours away, and I would have to live in the service area. 
Also several programs in every state in the US. 

[stevey]

Yes, hopefully the consultant will see you leg and take some action.  I'd like to suggest that you pretty much shove it in his/her face and tell them how painful it is.  It sounds quite serious, and I'd be concerned about it.

The nurse sounds pretty useless and clearly has about as much imagination as a caravan site.  It could be the blood thinners aren't working, but she seems to be struggling with that.  It sound like she's written you off and isn't interested, which is bloody appalling for a health professional!

Best of luck with it, but make sure you push people.  Hard.

Ok rant over, but it makes my blood boil.

I did have a similar problem getting diagnosed as bipolar.  All the evidence was there, but the psychiatrist I saw was having none of it and neither was my GP.  Eventually, I saw someone who understood and I was diagnosed and got on to meds that helped.

I used to work hard and fast all day and into the night, going to bed at 3am.  Then up at 5am to start again.  Like this for a few weeks then crash and I lay on the sofa for days.

Sometimes you have to kick some serious ass to get what you need out of some people.  Irritating, but I guess that's life.

Best of luck with it!  Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Steve

[taxmapper]

If you decide to move out, research the medical programs ahead of time. 

In NM the once great Presbyterian health services has fallen into the crapper. 


overly expensive for worthless care. 


Be vigilant. 

[Justagirl💃]

Stevey,

Quite the morning as my appointment was canceled today and they never informed me of the changes. 
It seems my medical program was supposed to send me in for a stress test prior, and forgot. The cardiologist decided to reschedule without all the proper testing ready. 

I sat and waited for the medical transport bus for an hour when the day-centre bus showed up instead. I have no idea when I see the cardiologist now, but I know it will be after a stress test. 

This morning has been bloody awful.  

[Justagirl💃]

Hello Stevey, 

My appointment got cancelled because my medical team forgot to order a stress test. 

My new appointment is in the end of September now. 

I talked to the dietitian about my low salt diet, and how my leg is getting worse everyday.  It's very swollen now much more than it was before. I showed her it's solid, not edema at all. 

She will bring it up in the morning meeting with my medical team, see if the doctor decides to look at it or not. 

I told her I will contract a doctor outside of my plan and pay out of pocket if this doctor still refuses to look at it. 

We'll see what happens.

[stevey]

Hi Justagirl

You're not having much luck on the medical front, are you?  The service is appalling.  I don't know what it's like in the states, but in the UK if you threaten to put in a complaint, people seem to wake up and actually do their jobs properly.  Peeps here hate complaints.

Hopefully the dietitian will wake the doctors up.  It's not funny.

I'm at my daughters now and will be off back home this morning.  It's round 4 hours, but I have some good (I think!) music on my phone so that will ease the boredom.  No photos yet, but not forgotten...

Let us know what happens.

Cheers

Steve 

[gotgyne]

The biggest concern as that it is limited to just one leg. If it was diet related it would be both legs. I also have a history of blood clots in the effected leg (DVT's).

The "nurse" is convinced since I already take blood thinners it can't possibly be a blood clot. I have yet to be seen by a doctor. Perhaps today my cardiologist will take a peek.

The nurse is not well informed. I take an anticoagulant since 10 years and wear medical compression thigh highs or pantyhose and have developed three DVTs since this time nevertheless. I have the Factor V Leiden.

Quite a few people (5 to 7 per cent of the white population in Central Europe and the U.S.) have the most common thrombophilia, the Factor V Leiden, a mutation which increases the risk for blood clots. Besides there are some other thrombophilias too, but they're rare. Nevertheless everyone with a history of blood clots in the family (parents, siblings) or after an own DVT should be checked on thrombophilias, especially the Factor V Leiden!

John

[Justagirl💃]

I had a doppler ultrasound yesterday. Negative for blood clots, the tech did however state that the colour and warmth denoted some type of infection.

I doubt my 17th century doctor shall move much more on the issue. 😐

[gotgyne]

I had a doppler ultrasound yesterday. Negative for blood clots, the tech did however state that the colour and warmth denoted some type of infection.

I doubt my 17th century doctor shall move much more on the issue. 😐

He should. It could be life-saving. Thank god there was no new DVT.

My experience even with phlebologists is, that they are very different. I had one far away (125 miles) who was very thoroughly during his work. He not only made a doppler of both legs from calf to groin but even did the examination called "Stemmer sign" for lymphedema and made a doppler of both my neck arteries to see if they are narrowed with the risk for a stroke. This lasted 30 minutes.

At the moment I have a phlebologist who only makes a doppler of one leg (the one with my last DVT in fall of 2022) and only on the calf and knee region. After 5 minutes I'm out of his examination room. And not only this. I have developed varicose veins in my knee regions after the DVTs as collaterals and need either thigh high medical compression stockings or pantyhose but he thinks that knee highs are enough. This is nonsense. Thus for some years I get my prescriptions from my female GP without any problems.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31624689/

[Justagirl💃]

My GP also prescribes my compression 'stockings'. 

I'm allowed any style or colour available at the outlet. 

[gotgyne]

My GP also prescribes my compression 'stockings'.

I'm allowed any style or colour available at the outlet.

I'm allowed all styles and colors too, but I stick with normal colors like tan or black. For thigh highs I choose only the ones for garters but not with the silicone topband as these tend to slide down even on my shaved legs. And of course pantyhose which I prefer to shorts in summer. My supplier (female) wanted persuade me to choose the color "magenta" as in the pic below. I refused. But I often wear my pantyhose with the inside out for much more glossy appearance. Especially with skin and tan colors this is an eyecatcher. Some women have asked me and are astonished if I explain my trick and that I wear medical compression hosiery.

[Justagirl💃]

My GP also prescribes my compression 'stockings'.

I'm allowed any style or colour available at the outlet.

I'm allowed all styles and colors too, but I stick with normal colors like tan or black. For thigh highs I choose only the ones for garters but not with the silicone topband as these tend to slide down even on my shaved legs. And of course pantyhose which I prefer to shorts in summer. My supplier (female) wanted persuade me to choose the color "magenta" as in the pic below. I refused. But I often wear my pantyhose with the inside out for much more glossy appearance. Especially with skin and tan colors this is an eyecatcher. Some women have asked me and are astonished if I explain my trick and that I wear medical compression hosiery.

I don't think magenta is my colour either. Black, nude, and black prints are good.