Guest guest Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Jerry, I've just got to take a minute to hand it to you. Through the months that you've kept us apprised of your situation you really demonstrate what persistence and the strong drive to take care of yourself is all about. Your story is also a study in the brick wall we sometime face in what the HMO's and the insurance companies and the whole medical bureaucracy tries to hand us. If you're this assertive now there's no telling what kind of powerhouse you'll be once you get your T levels up to a normal level. If you ever visit Chicago look me up; I want to shake the hand of a man with this amount of determination. In Jesus Irrational Love, Tom An update on me. > Hi Guys, > > Since my last Testosterone test came out 271 (260-1000) some > interesting things have happened. > > -My HMO, Kaiser sent me for an Endo second opinion, in which they > still indicated no treatment was indicated. > > -I called the Oregon Health Sciences University and talked to a > Pituitary Specialist. He painted a very different picture. Called > a T level of 271 and LH 2, " Clearly Secondary " Said I needed > extensive testing and possibly an MRI. > > -I filed a formal grievance with my HMO and also filed a complaint > with the state. I requested that my HMO send me to OHSU for > evaluation and treatment. > > -Kaiser responded by declining my request for refferal, but now want > me to see yet another Endocrinologist. This will be my third. Of > course I can and probably will continue with the process and appeal > it until I get an outside review. > > So now I have to go back to Kaiser yet again, and probably listen to > the same crap I've already heard them say. " 271 is normal, no > treatment is indicated...blah blah blah " . > I'm going to follow up with Kaiser, and allow them to formally deny > treatment to me. Because when they do, I'm going to go to OHSU and > pay for testing. If the testing confirms some type of pituitary > insufficiency (secondary hypogonadism), I will go after them. > > Jerry > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Thanks for the compliment Tom, I appreciate it very much. Today I have another appointment with the fine compassionate staff of the Kaiser Permanente Endocrinology Department. The doctor at OHSU coached me on what to tell them: -I have a testosterone level of 271, which is probably low, especially for my age. -I have an LH of 2, which is certainly not elevated. -I have lack of libido. -I have fatigue and depression. -I have other symptoms consistent with low Testosterone. Yep, a testosterone level of 271 is within the normal range...however I also coincidentally have all these other issues. That's simply too many coincidental things happening at once for it not to deserver further investigation. I deserve an MRI and further investigation. Does Kaiser really want to take the chance that I don't have a large pituitary tumor? So that's it...after today, I'll be pretty much done with Kaiser, other than to follow up with the grievance process and make their administrator's life a living hell, until I can change insurance plans at the beginning of the year. I'm to the point now, where I really want this to just go away. I want really badly to think about anything else, but the principle of the thing really is pissing me off. I'll keep you all posted. Jerry > Jerry, > > I've just got to take a minute to hand it to you. Through the months that > you've kept us apprised of your situation you really demonstrate what > persistence and the strong drive to take care of yourself is all about. > Your story is also a study in the brick wall we sometime face in what the > HMO's and the insurance companies and the whole medical bureaucracy tries to > hand us. If you're this assertive now there's no telling what kind of > powerhouse you'll be once you get your T levels up to a normal level. > > If you ever visit Chicago look me up; I want to shake the hand of a man with > this amount of determination. > > In Jesus Irrational Love, > > Tom > > An update on me. > > > > Hi Guys, > > > > Since my last Testosterone test came out 271 (260-1000) some > > interesting things have happened. > > > > -My HMO, Kaiser sent me for an Endo second opinion, in which they > > still indicated no treatment was indicated. > > > > -I called the Oregon Health Sciences University and talked to a > > Pituitary Specialist. He painted a very different picture. Called > > a T level of 271 and LH 2, " Clearly Secondary " Said I needed > > extensive testing and possibly an MRI. > > > > -I filed a formal grievance with my HMO and also filed a complaint > > with the state. I requested that my HMO send me to OHSU for > > evaluation and treatment. > > > > -Kaiser responded by declining my request for refferal, but now want > > me to see yet another Endocrinologist. This will be my third. Of > > course I can and probably will continue with the process and appeal > > it until I get an outside review. > > > > So now I have to go back to Kaiser yet again, and probably listen to > > the same crap I've already heard them say. " 271 is normal, no > > treatment is indicated...blah blah blah " . > > I'm going to follow up with Kaiser, and allow them to formally deny > > treatment to me. Because when they do, I'm going to go to OHSU and > > pay for testing. If the testing confirms some type of pituitary > > insufficiency (secondary hypogonadism), I will go after them. > > > > Jerry > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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