Tunaman 538 Posted July 2, 2020 My annual PET scan is 4400 bucks. Cost me 770 out of pocket. Better than being dead I guess... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Glock guy 1,125 Posted July 2, 2020 If you are willing to postpone surgery a little while longer, check out www.egoscue.com and the book Pain Free. I had similar pain over 10 years ago, and they worked wonders for me. While my back is tight at times, I have not had a recurrence of the acute pain that you are experiencing. If you want more info, feel free to pm me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panteramatt 27 Posted July 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Old Glock guy said: If you are willing to postpone surgery a little while longer, check out www.egoscue.com and the book Pain Free. I had similar pain over 10 years ago, and they worked wonders for me. While my back is tight at times, I have not had a recurrence of the acute pain that you are experiencing. If you want more info, feel free to pm me. Thanx bud but I just got done all my tests and xrays. Plus since the disc is ruptured Im not sure how anything but surgury will work at this point Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Glock guy 1,125 Posted July 2, 2020 Yeah, I'm not a medical doctor, so I don't the answer to that. But I wish you the best, and hope you make a speedy recovery, both from the surgery and from the medical bills. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panteramatt 27 Posted July 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, Old Glock guy said: Yeah, I'm not a medical doctor, so I don't the answer to that. But I wish you the best, and hope you make a speedy recovery, both from the surgery and from the medical bills. Thanx bud! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke 5,504 Posted July 2, 2020 1 minute ago, panteramatt said: Thanx bud! Graces number? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zabuca 158 Posted July 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Old Glock guy said: Yeah, I'm not a medical doctor, so I don't the answer to that. But I wish you the best, and hope you make a speedy recovery, both from the surgery and from the medical bills. Ruptured/slipped/herniated discs are the same. However the severity of pain depends on where the disc is and how much it is pressing against the nerve. As I said before, surgery should be the last option. However, @panteramatt seems to have chronic pain and has exhausted other options (presumptive). Typically, recovering from a herniated disc requires rest, modalities and corrective exercise. But how many of us have the time? His situation is exacerbated by his job. A mechanic puts themselves in precarious positions that don’t always allow the use of proper body mechanics. Very tough position to be in and choice to make. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
panteramatt 27 Posted July 2, 2020 25 minutes ago, Zabuca said: Ruptured/slipped/herniated discs are the same. However the severity of pain depends on where the disc is and how much it is pressing against the nerve. As I said before, surgery should be the last option. However, @panteramatt seems to have chronic pain and has exhausted other options (presumptive). Typically, recovering from a herniated disc requires rest, modalities and corrective exercise. But how many of us have the time? His situation is exacerbated by his job. A mechanic puts themselves in precarious positions that don’t always allow the use of proper body mechanics. Very tough position to be in and choice to make. couldnt have said it better myself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlDente99 2 Posted July 3, 2020 Check this story out....a few years back I started bleeding in the GI tract...like a bleeding ulcer that got really bad. Felt a little like I was coming down with a flu and had to run to the bathroom to vomit suddenlt. What came out was about a pint of blood (or more). It was like the Exorcist but red instead of green. Called 911 and got a ride to a big hospital in the area (not naming names). 3 weeks later I wake up from an induced coma. They had to cauterize the bleed. I was on an IV drip for liquid food and wasn't allowed to even chew on ice chips for another week. The entire thing was just out of a nightmare. Some of the blood wound up in my lungs, so i had a trach tube in my neck. The entire thing was just beyond comprehension. So eventually they released me and I went home to recover, now 40 pounds lighter from the IV food. Soon enough I was ok and went back to work as normal. Then the bills started arriving. Luckily I had insurance from my job, but it didn't cover the entire tab. List price...$575,000 for the hospital, and another $15,000 for specialist fees for people I had never even seen, being in a coma and all. My health insurance settled with the hospital for a grand total of $9000. That's some discount from 575k!!! But I was still on the hook for about $4000 left over from the deductible. So I call the billing department to ask about a payment plan of some sort. They immediately said if I gave them a credit card on the spot, they would let me slide for $2200, so ok, that's what I did. Then my sister in law, who is a big honcho in Accounting there, said "why did you pay anything?? Nobody pays our bills, we just send out fake invoices in the hopes that somebody falls for it". Yep, I felt really good after learning that factoid. Nice! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YankeeSC 1,204 Posted July 3, 2020 6 minutes ago, AlDente99 said: List price...$575,000 for the hospital, and another $15,000 for specialist fees for people I had never even seen, being in a coma and all. My health insurance settled with the hospital for a grand total of $9000. That's some discount from 575k!!! ... Then my sister in law, who is a big honcho in Accounting there, said "why did you pay anything?? Nobody pays our bills, we just send out fake invoices in the hopes that somebody falls for it". Yep, I felt really good after learning that factoid. Nice! Your story supports my earlier point: "The prices the system charges are arbitrary and highly inflated, basically made up." 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handyman 5,682 Posted July 3, 2020 51 minutes ago, AlDente99 said: Then my sister in law, who is a big honcho in Accounting there, said "why did you pay anything?? Nobody pays our bills, we just send out fake invoices in the hopes that somebody falls for it". Yep, I felt really good after learning that factoid. Nice! Summit Medical Group does this all the time, but it sends small bills, under $100. Most people probably just pay don't question it. Free money for dirtbags. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M4BGRINGO 139 Posted July 3, 2020 @AlDente99 I had an NG tube for about 2 weeks, I cheated daily with the ice cubes and drinking when the nurses weren't looking. I knew anything that went down my throat was going to be sucked right back out............. I had the white milkshake bag of food too through a PIC line. Wonderful times...................... And here we are, still alive and kicking! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishnut 2,358 Posted July 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Handyman said: Summit Medical Group does this all the time, but it sends small bills, under $100. Most people probably just pay don't question it. Free money for dirtbags. My daughter spent 17 days in the NICU after she was born. Im very thankful that a member of this forum warned me to keep a close eye on the bills. Good thing I did because sure enough they tried to double bill for several different things. Even after I called them out on it they tried it again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites