Yuck- Neurologist visit

[coyote]

Be sure that you are well hydrated before your test. That will help with the IV insertion.

+1 on that. Drink a lot of water the night before....like a gallon if you can. If you are the least bit dehydrated your viens are harder to find.

I got that tip the first time I tried to donate blood while living in the desert.

[OakLeaf]

+2 - only time they've ever had trouble finding a vein on me is when I needed the IV because of dehydration. That was no fun.


Edit - missed your last post, Aggie. That stinks Can you schedule it for the first week of the year, and have it done through a hospital where they would bill you? That way you wouldn't be "wasting" your 2008 deductible, but the results would still be ready for your neuro appointment on the 19th.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am going to ask my neuro if there is another imaging center to use since it is stupid this one knows it is a hefty fee and want you to pay up front. My insurance renews in July, so our deductibles actually carry over. I really want to discuss the test with my neuro since I went 4.5 years without one. I would like to know what we might learn and go from there. I will probably be on a 3 month schedule with the neurologist until we get my meds in check since it went into remission and then came back. We are trying completely new medicine and I have constant leg tremors now which was not the case in 2004.

I have to call my doctor to adjust the dose of my meds, I will ask them to see if there is another center. Edited: There is but they are going to see if he is okay with me waiting until after the next appointment. I think the one they use will take 1/2 up front instead of the full amount but $300 at Christmas is more than I can really swing this year. I know the imaging center has bills to pay but it is really a lot of money for us "to do the i's and cross the t's".

[Tuckervill]

I see you've canceled, but the IV...here's a tip. If you have any doubts about the person who is doing it, ask for a phlebotomist. I've been in a situation where the person didn't know what they were really doing, and I had to be stuck at least 4 times and and they still didn't get it! They finally called in a phlebotomist (which is the person in the hospital who just does blood draws) and I didn't even feel the darn thing!

Since then, they only get one chance with me, and then they have to swallow their pride and call someone who is better at it!

It really doesn't hurt that much, and it's only a very short time that it hurts. Once it's in, it doesn't hurt. I take a really deep cleansing breath and I don't look, either.

Karen