MTRJ75 Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 I'm in a predicament. I have my yearly check up at UPenn tomorrow afternoon. It's an hour and a half drive. I have someone to take me, but I have not been feeling well at all. I've been frequently getting what feels like stomach bug symptoms every day (drenching sweats, shakiness, need to use the bathroom constantly, today included vomiting without even eating anything). If I had had these symptoms today while traveling, I would have been in a whole lot of trouble. However, I absolutely need to get there to see him or I lose my Sjogren's med. I know some others here have had to do some travel for doctors when not feeling well. How do you do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 @MTRJ75 - GO! I have been too sick to travel often, but always went to my specialists appointment ( 8 hours away ). This has resulted in me fainting at doctors offices a few times - but actually, this was a good thing each time. If they see you at your worst they can actually get what happens - if all we do is tell them what it is like they cannot get the whole picture. For me - I went, no matter what. If you are too sick to get back - you are in a hospital with a specialist, aren't you? Don't be scared - go! That has been what helped me get treatment in many cases. I would like to add that in my case I sometimes went to ER to get an infusion prior to the appointment - vomiting, diarrhea and feeling unwell certainly warrants an ER visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRJ75 Posted August 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 I get what you're saying and it's a great hospital, but getting stuck there would be problematic because: 1 - I have nobody to take care of my dog. 2 - The friend who is driving needs to be home by a certain time for something with his kid. He can't get stuck there. Also, this is not that type of doctor. He's oral medicine and deals specifically and only with my dry mouth symptoms from Sjogren's. Whenever I've asked him anything outside the realm of his expertise, he's simply referred me to other doctors. So being extra sick in front of him wouldn't help at all. It's just that he prescribes one of the few medications I couldn't get by without and no other doctor I've gone to even knows what it is. The one bright spot about COVID last year was that we were able to do a tele-med visit, which the doctor won't do anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallieAndToby Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 I just got back from Mayo for a brain MRI with contrast emergency and it was such a brutal trip. What I did was put my dog in a kennel but I've used it before for trips and I know that not everybody can afford that but some vet offices will watch over pets for boarding for nights. The other thing I use is something I found online which is a blow up mattress that you put in the back seat and is propped up and I just lay back there. I didn't have the mattress this time so I laid in the back of my grandfather's truck. I'm sorry he won't do telemedicine any more that has happened with some of my doctors and it feels so frustrating. And sadly sometimes I have missed appointments. The ER's here won't do anything unless an arm is falling off and they are crowded and nowhere to lay down so that is not an option for me or anyone with a chronic illness, however I found one of those hydration places that was open late and just paid for a saline infusion after the contrast made me sick and it did help raise my BP. There is no easy answer as I have friends with such severe conditions they cannot leave their beds for anything. I literally sighed out loud because of my frustration with doctors not acknowledging the severity of our disabilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 53 minutes ago, CallieAndToby22 said: What I did was put my dog in a kennel @MTRJ75 this may be a good idea for you as well! i know that my vet will board our dog if it comes down to an emergency, and having to go to this appointment in order for you to continue this important med IS an emergency. If I was in your shoes I would go to the appointment and have someone available to take the dog to a kennel if needed. Most likely that would not be needed but just in case, so you would not have to worry quite as much. If you need this med then it is very important for you to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRJ75 Posted August 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 I don't think he'd do well in a kennel. He's not small and a little bit crazy. However, I took that idea and just found a site that you can book people to come check in on your dog. It's kind of like an uber for dog sitting. I absolutely want to go, I just don't know how I could have possibly handled an hour and a half trip in the same condition I was in this morning/afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallieAndToby Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 28 minutes ago, MTRJ75 said: I don't think he'd do well in a kennel. He's not small and a little bit crazy. However, I took that idea and just found a site that you can book people to come check in on your dog. It's kind of like an uber for dog sitting. I absolutely want to go, I just don't know how I could have possibly handled an hour and a half trip in the same condition I was in this morning/afternoon. My dog is 115 lbs Rhodesian Ridgeback mix so where he goes it's not small space he's in a room with a large bed and space to move around and they let him out throughout the day. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeO Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Well i do not have a dog but this is my bird with the sitter while i had my 4x cabg. the two hit it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRJ75 Posted August 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 4 hours ago, CallieAndToby22 said: I just got back from Mayo for a brain MRI with contrast emergency and it was such a brutal trip. What I did was put my dog in a kennel but I've used it before for trips and I know that not everybody can afford that but some vet offices will watch over pets for boarding for nights. The other thing I use is something I found online which is a blow up mattress that you put in the back seat and is propped up and I just lay back there. I didn't have the mattress this time so I laid in the back of my grandfather's truck. I'm sorry he won't do telemedicine any more that has happened with some of my doctors and it feels so frustrating. And sadly sometimes I have missed appointments. The ER's here won't do anything unless an arm is falling off and they are crowded and nowhere to lay down so that is not an option for me or anyone with a chronic illness, however I found one of those hydration places that was open late and just paid for a saline infusion after the contrast made me sick and it did help raise my BP. There is no easy answer as I have friends with such severe conditions they cannot leave their beds for anything. I literally sighed out loud because of my frustration with doctors not acknowledging the severity of our disabilities. I forgot to ask: What is a "hydration place"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallieAndToby Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 7 minutes ago, MTRJ75 said: I forgot to ask: What is a "hydration place"? Is it okay if I send a private message b/c I don't think I can put a business name? If not there are these private places popping up that will do different infusions like vitamins but they also do saline and lactated ringers. I saw one by accident with my mom where we're moving and we have used it every time we've gone back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 @MikeO - I used to go to certain Urgent Care centers for an infusion, with a prescription from my PCP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRJ75 Posted August 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 12 hours ago, CallieAndToby22 said: Is it okay if I send a private message b/c I don't think I can put a business name? If not there are these private places popping up that will do different infusions like vitamins but they also do saline and lactated ringers. I saw one by accident with my mom where we're moving and we have used it every time we've gone back. Okay, I've heard of these before, but only in the setting of some kind of doctor's office. I'm surprised businesses are allowed to do this privately with the assumption that there are certain risks of doing it too often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallieAndToby Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, MTRJ75 said: Okay, I've heard of these before, but only in the setting of some kind of doctor's office. I'm surprised businesses are allowed to do this privately with the assumption that there are certain risks of doing it too often. You can only do it a certain amount of times a week, they won't let you come in as many times. And the woman administering it was a Nurse Practitioner. Most people are doing it for vitamins and stupid stuff that would make me ill but luckily I can do saline. I have no choice because my new PCP flipped out when I mentioned saline iv's and I still don't have a dysautonomia doctor. I had somebody good for like 6 months but he had severe HPOTS himself and had to retire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p8d Posted August 13, 2021 Report Share Posted August 13, 2021 @MTRJ75 how did you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRJ75 Posted August 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2021 On 8/13/2021 at 5:15 PM, p8d said: @MTRJ75 how did you do? Didn't make it. Worked out an arrangement with the doctor where I'm covered for the rest of the year, but need to find a way to get in to see him in the next few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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