very upset!

[sweetcheeks]

Ok, I have a doctors appointment next friday on 4/27
my doc wants these tests done several days in advance, so i can do them on a walk in basis. However


I work third shift sunday's through thursday. doctors offices are only open mon thru friday from 830 to 5.

now im suppose to fast with these tests.

I called the doctors office today to try and find out if i could visit the hospital to take the tests instead of her office or to get instructions since i work third shift....my lunch time is 3am

you know what her answer was....


i have to fast 12 hours.......... that means that i have to go from 8 o clock the night before to 8 when i get off work and not eat! im sorry but i just cant do that.... there is no freaking way im gonna go without eating......

when i get home i go straight to sleep, so the only feasible time i can do these test is around 4pm..... which is going to interrupt my sleep and i wont be able to go back to sleep if i get up go to the office and come back.... my body dont work that way. if i dont slept continuous i wont be able to work


my job doesnt offer sick time, and i have no time off that i can take until may.



whats a girl to do....??help suggestions plz lol

[Funnygrl]

You can try asking if you can do a modified fast. Usually the test you need to fast for is cholesterol, so often foods very low in cholesterol, like salad and cherios are allowed.

[sweetcheeks]

she told me on the phone no food or drink except water for 12 hours..



but i talked to my supervisor and i have paid time off available but ill get an occurence if i miss a day

[Funnygrl]

Did you explain to your doctor the issue?

[jvetter18]

is there a lab you can go to on a weekend?

[sweetcheeks]

well i cannot speak directly to the doctor.... its always her nurse which then contacts the doctor and then the nurse calls me back


and that above was her answer.... fast the 12 hours awake!

nope they take my blood and send it to the lab... but they wont let me do it at the hospital. She said it had to be done at her office..


but im calling in tomarrow and will just take the occurence... as long as i get paid doesnt bother me i dont miss work much anyway

[cat_collector]

That seems crazy . You should be able to go to the hospital lab for your convienience .Most hospital labs are open 24/7 . You should ask your dr next time when he writes the order .

Tracy

[gettingby]

Hey Stacey. :)
I don't blame you one bit for being upset. It looks like the doctor would put forth a little effort to help you out. :mad:
Hang in there and I hope things go well for you.

[Harold]

Had the same problem last year working till 4 or 6 AM. Then having to go to the lab between 8 and 9AM after fasting all night while at work. In the afternoon they would take me only after everyone else that was sent in by the docs that afternoon. Which meant i could sit there for 3 or 4 hours and be late to work. The part that really got me was that my labs were supposed to reflect the same way after being physically active in the heat or cold as someone that slept all night and just woke up and came in. Think they have my respect?

[Rebecca]

I would deffinately have a problem with that doctor. Honestly have a problem. For her and her assistances attitude for one. 12 hours awake fasting, that is incomprehensable.
If it is a Lipid panel, which is normally a 12 hour fast to get accurate results. But it can be done with a 8 hour fast.
I personally would go to this apointment WITHOUT doing the test first. and Tell this doc that either you can do the labs at the lab itself, or you won't do them. I have had to stick to my guns on this one before. You are PAYING the doctor. No matter if you have insurance or not. You are still paying for the visit.
I am one of those people that will stand up to no matter who you are, and put my foot down.
If it is a lipid (cholesterol) test, I would fast for the 11 hours, say it was 12 hours.. and just get the darn test done. I have had to do that many times. 1 hour does not make a different in alot of tests. but 90 min or more, does.
Again, This doctor would be fired by me way before I got frustrated with him/her. Yes I am to the point and very opinionated, and have fired several doctors.. some I had scheduled a appt, and just never showed up and never rang them again, .. this was my last endocrinologist way back in 2002.
I will respect physicians only if and when they respect me in return.

[June91]

I would fast as long as possible and simply lie about the duration, but then it's me... ;)

[SueM]

When talking to my endo last week he said a fasting blood test was pref for the cholesterol,but the labs can quite easily work out the results if they are aware that it was not a fasting test.(they have ref points to work on)
I told him point blank I was not doing a fasting bs end of story.

[sweetcheeks]

lol

well i dont eat much with cholesterol in it anyway....

this is my 3 months check up... lipids, hba1c, fasting glucose, liver and kidney function..

ill just miss work... hehehe gives me an excuse to stay home.

they also said i could eat at my lunch and then come in in the after noon, BUT........


if i go to sleep at 9 when i get home, then wake up to go at 2pm, then i wont be able to go back to sleep and then in turn will make me very sleepy at work... i cant have that, cuase i could get fired if i sleep sooooo....

ill just take the easy way out.... and miss a day.... i need to clean house anyway...

my sup said that next time as soon as i know when my appnt is going to be just let her know in advance and i wont get an occurence for missing that day the week before the appointment.

[caswellhb]

Call me crazy but don't the Docs work for us rather than the other way around?????? Don't they get paid to see us when we need to be seen?:mad:

Heather.

[princesslinda]

Docs say the like all of your blood done at the same lab, because results can vary from lab to lab..and there is some truth to this. From experience, I know that they like them done in their own in-house labs so THEY can bill your insurance for them. I work in a docs office and I can have my labs drawn here and sent to a contract lab and get billed only for client pricing..ins. doesn't pay, but I can get my labs when I want them, not when the doc wants me to have them (he likes A1C every 6 months, I'd rather have them every 3 until they are stable). I then fax a copy to have in my chart.

An example of how overpriced the labs are, I had an A1C, lipid panel and comprehensive panel drawn and had to pay only $14 with my client discount....had these been done in my docs office, my insurance would have been billed at many times that amount.

I think if you get your labs drawn at the same place, wherever that place may be for convenience, you should have accurate, ongoing test results.

[ClaireZk]

well i cannot speak directly to the doctor.... its always her nurse which then contacts the doctor and then the nurse calls me back


and that above was her answer.... fast the 12 hours awake!



That is why I never listen to nurses :rolleyes:

[Funnygrl]

That is why I never listen to nurses :rolleyes:
Why, cause they told her to fast 12 hours for a lipid panel? That IS the gold standard.

[gnstriker]

I'm not sure about the specific provisions of the americans with disabilities act, but it seems legally they have to make some kind of exception for you ... have you explained the situation to your supervisor? And what kind of a job doesn't offer sick time? I thought that's a required standard these days ...

[princesslinda]

I work at a doctor's office no less, and we have no sick time...it's all lumped into a "paid time off," and you are penalized without giving appropriate advance notice for time off.