Re: productive Endo or just plain Endo?
From: anonymous@obgyn.net
Thu, 4 Sep 2003 11:39:35 -0500 (CDT)
It depends on your insurance, you can call them and ask if you need a
referral to see a specialist.
I have a choice between HMO and PPO at my work and to save money I had
chosen HMO when I first started my job. I quickly changed over to PPO
after I discovered I had PCOS. With HMO you need a referral from your
family doctor, the referral is usually dated so you have to keep going
back for a new one every so often and you can only see the doctors that
the insurance company lists. In the area where I live it is hard enough
to get an appointment with any specialist but when my doctor list was
limited by my insurance I would have had to wait eight or nine months
for an opening at one of the allowable dr's. Now that I have switched I
do not need a referral and I can choose my own doctors.
At Wed, 3 Sep 2003, Liza wrote:
>
>Thanks for the infomation. Does anyone know if you HAVE to have a
>referral from your family doctor to go an Endo? Is that generally the
>doctors requirement or is that normally an isurance requirement? I think
>that my family doctor won't givr be a referral but I also have a PPO so
>that may not be necessary if its just for insurance purposes.
>
>At Wed, 3 Sep 2003, Janet wrote:
>>
>>Regular endo is fine. Most likely a reproductive endo wont even see you
>>unless you are planning to get pregnant right now. You are going to
>>have to get a referal from you family doctor. IF your insurance gives
>>you a hassle, "for diabetic testing" will solve that. It's not untrue
>>because they are going to be testing you blodsugar as well as you
>>insulin. A good endo will do a physical exam (no biggie, they are just
>>looking for some of the outward symptoms), as well as have you fill out
>>a questionaire that has family history, ect.. on it. Call ahead to see
>>if they want you to fast for the visit or not. Speaking of fasting,
>>that means 8-12 hours (8 is best) and nothing to eat, no coffee or gum
>>or tooth paste. Carb up fpr 2-3 days prior to testing. This will put
>>stress on your system and it will show up in the bloodwork. Because so
>>many of us low carb our numbers can be altered by that.
>>
>>Good Luck
>>Janet Heller
>>
>>At Wed, 3 Sep 2003, Liza wrote:
>>>
>>>I was diagnosed with probable PCOS 5 years ago (at 24) but was only put
>>>on BCP. Since then I have started to get other symptoms, so I've
>>>thought about skipping my regular family practioner and going straight
>>>to an Endo and Reproductive Endo based on things that I've read here. I
>>>am not TTC and won't be for a few years at least, but I would like to
>>>get to the bottom of all of this, and get treatment. Can anyone give me
>>>an opinion on whether I should go to an Endo or Reproductive Endo, and
>>>when I get there what to expect? Thanks!
>>
>>--
>>Email always welcome
>>Janet at JanetHeller@msn.com
>>
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