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@blessedwildapplegirl

I hear you on doctors handing out prescriptions! May I ask what the symptoms of your hiatal hernia were, and how they diagnosed it? Last night I had such terrible stomach distress, and when I pressed on the very top of my stomach, where I think my esophagus ends, it really hurt. My mom had one of those. Plus, she had colon cancer when she was about 65. She lived through it though.
I’m sorry you have to deal with all that. I’m lucky I have a primary care physician who is understanding and doesn’t get angry with me when I don’t take the things he suggests. But I know I frustrate him. But I’ve had some doctors walk out on me. It’s terrible. I like the way you put it: (although it’s sad, of course.) you have to choose the hill you want to die on. I get it! It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. I suppose there are pluses and minuses to having government supplied healthcare. It sounds good, but I have heard there are long waiting lists. Although to get into my doctor now is about a six month wait. It didn’t used to be that way.
Take care of yourself and thanks for sharing. 💕

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Replies to "I hear you on doctors handing out prescriptions! May I ask what the symptoms of your..."

@blessedwildapplegirl oh wow … do you mean you sometimes have to wait a month to see your primary care physician?? The longest I have had to wait is about ten days, but if the receptionist thinks my problem needs to be taken care of sooner (they always ask what you want to see the doctor about) she will fit me in sooner - or I can ask her (and any specialist office) to put me on their cancellation list if they have one, to get an earlier appointment.

For specialists however, there can be anywhere from three to six months’ wait - if one is interested in taking on your case because of their full patient load! I suspect they are not interested in those who don’t warrant surgery or extensive treatment (read: if the government health plan does not think it is necessary or it is too expensive so will not pay for it) - but that’s just my take on it. One prime example is a woman who needed a specific medication to combat the rare cancer she had. She was refused the payment for it, and she certainly couldn’t pay for it. End result, she died. Then then the government made an about turn on the need for the medication but it was too late for her. Her months long fight, however, has benefitted future sufferers of that cancer - but at what cost to her!?

My GERD is caused by a hiatal hernia. The reflux I get can be severe enough to make it feel like I am having a heart attack because I can get chest pains that radiate into my jaw and back. After several cardiac tests a cardiologist prescribed nitroglycerin spray as needed because he thought I might have angina. The tablets did ease the pain. One day I went out without my spray and one of those attacks. Desperate, I went into a store and asked for a glass of water. Within minutes the pain subsided! The next time I got the pain I took a few sips of water and again the pain eased off, so that’s what I decided to do each time. I told my physician about it and she was okay with my stopping the spray. It finally turned out to be not angina, but acid reflux!

Here is a link that explains GERD:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17019-acid-reflux-gerd