@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