When I was 12 I was hit by a car. Though I suffered a mild concussion, I did not break any bones or even have a scratch on me. A year later I went in for the physical that was required for high school, and I was diagnosed with Arthritis. It was isolated to just my right hip, and they said it was most likely due to the car accident…
After a few months it got progressively worse, to the point where I could no longer walk without crutches.
After lots of treatments, and much debate, I had a total hip replacement when I was 16. I did all the necessary PT, and made a total recovery. I feel like a million bucks.
After college and working a bunch of corporate jobs, I decided I wanted something more fulfilling so I quit and now work for myself.
I’m 26, 5′10″ 135 lbs. No blood pressure issues, diabetes or absolutely anything. I consider myself to be in excellent health, yet I am denied health insurance across the board for a condition I don’t even have.
I cant get insurance that even excludes my hip. I am uninsurable.
It seems the only way I could get health insurance at this point would be to jump back into corporate america, or to marry someone and get on their plan (providing they have coverage).
This is disgustingly unreasonable.
What can I do?

I will not ‘out’ the member here.

But recently, one of our members has gone begging for money on social media in a quest to save her dog (and maybe, her marriage, as she and her husband are in disagreement on how to proceed with this dog).

The dog: 8 year old large breed dog.

The issues:

ACL tears and subsequent surgeries in both stifles.

Indeterminate masses in the abdominal cavity. Those tested to date have not been cancerous, but there is a new one to be tested.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Needs a home cooked diet.

Hypothryoid.

Dog has had more than 6 surgeries to date, another one scheduled for new abdominal mass. May also have a blood disorder.

The owners have spent more than 50K in vet bills and say that their home is falling apart around them and the car needs replacing. They PLAN to spend 2K per month on vet bills for many non-traditional treatments for her special diet, bowel issues and arthritis. Now the dog has a skin issue, too, which has apparently been the last straw.

One owner has said “enough is enough!” Time to put the dog down. It’s a large breed not expected to live many more years to begin with, and our family is suffering for want of treating this dog.

The other owner has resorted to begging for cash on social media. She will never let this dog go willingly.

What would you advise this couple do now?

At what point do you decide that “enough is enough” when it comes to your dog?

Would YOU beg on social media for help for a senior, ill dog?
I agree that it’s time. I don’t discount the emotional attachment here. But it’s time to let the dog go, and has been for a long time now.

And yes, I think the owner has a mental illness (likely depressive in nature) to continue putting the dog through these measures while her family suffers and the dog does as well. Apparently you can have Munchausen’s with a dog.

She’s in pain, owner is too. But the owner has lost sight of what’s good for the dog and of what’s good for her family. She’s failing them both now. It’s very sad no matter how you look at it.
I think the problem is that the husband cried ENOUGH on a minor problem–the skin infection. Wife says we can’t put the dog down over THIS, while failing to recognize the larger picture. She just doesn’t get it. It’s not about the skin infection. It’s about the expected longevity of this breed were it healthy (2-4 more years with a healthy dog, who knows what with THIS dog); the insane amount of money already spent; the annual 24K expected expenditures; the dog’s suffering; the distress to her family in spending this money to no avail.

This is gonna take awhile……I am a 25 year old female. My problems started in May of 2010. I woke up one morning with bad stomach pain and went to the Urgent Care Center. Also had diarrhea and vomiting. Doc said I had food poisoning. Doc did not take a feces sample or perform any tests. He prescribed Phenergan and sent me home. I laid in the bottom of my shower for about 4 or 5 hours that afternoon with hot water beating down on me due to the pain being so terrible. It was the only thing that helped. The next morning, I felt completely fine. Then about a month later I woke up with hip pain and started developing Erythema Nodosum that day and went to the ER that night and told I had EN and it should go away witout treatment within about 8 weeks. It lasted about 10 weeks and during that time I was in awful pain from arthralgia all day every day. Saw the Dr. a few times during this period, was told to take Ibuprofen. Was also tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Do not have RA. Then around the time the arthraligia and EN were resolving I woke up one morning with numb/tingling feet and Vertigo and gave it a few days to go away before I went back to the Dr. Instead of getting better it got worse and started going up my legs and made it to my knees. Went to the ER and the Dr. said I had Anxiety Issues and Parasthesia from the EN. Did not go to the Doc for about 2 months, jut dealt with it and drove myself crazy researching stuff that could be wrong. Brain Tumors, different forms of Cancer etc…….When I went back to the Dr. He referred me to a Cardiologist who tested me for Lyme Disease, Sarcoidosis, CBC, Diabetes, Thyroid. He also performed a Chest XRay, Stress Test and EKG. Chest XRay and EKG were normal. Stress Test wasn’t good. He advised that I take a medication called Lopressor to lower my heart rate since my resting rate was 132. I explained to him that I hadn’t been as scared as I was then since I was going into the OR for a C-Section. I asked the Dr. who referred me to him if I should take it or not. They said if my heart rate continued to be like that then yes. At this point I haven’t taken it. I also at times have difficulty speaking, my face starts feeling strange and then it’s like my words come out garbled cuz I can’t move my tongue right or something. The past few days I have had a strange numb/tingling/minty feeling in my lips, mouth area, gums and tongue. Not sure if this could be related to an abscess tooth I have had for quite some time. My lymph nodes in the right side of my neck have been swollen for about 4 or 5 months. I have pretty much gotten used to the numb tingly feet and hands, also my vertigo ony occurs when I move my head back, side to side, or sometims when I bend over so I try not to do those positions. Been freaked out for months and the new symptoms with the numbness in my face has me even more concerned. Any ideas guys? Thanks so much.

1. Your cat has recently briefly been in contact with a sick cat and you check its temperature just to be on the safe side. You are getting a reading of 102?F. On this information alone, with no outward symptoms of sickness, what would be the correct thing to do?

Give the cat an aspirin and take temperature again in an hour.
Wrap the cat in a warming blanket.
Immediately take the cat to your veterinarian.
Nothing – this is normal.

2. Which of the following is a hereditary disease having a high prevalence among Maine Coon cats?

cytauxzoonosis
toxoplasmosis
feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
feline panleukopenia

3. Which of the following statements about feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is false?

FIV is usually transmitted through bites.
FIV is diagnosed through a blood test.
FIV infected cats should not be adopted into a family with uninfected cats.
FIV can be successfully treated with antiviral medications.

4. The holidays often present special hazards to our feline friends. Many decorative plants common to Christmas, for example, are toxic to cats. Which of the following is the least toxic?

holly
amaryllis
mistletoe
poinsettia

5. Which one of the following is not a possible symptom of feline cancer?

lameness and stiffness
high activity and restlessness
abdominal swelling
weight loss and appetite loss

6. How do you treat a cat with frostbite?

firmly massage the area
dab the area with a sponge dipped in warm water
warm the area with warm, moist towels
give the cat a hot bath

7. Cats are carnivores. When selecting food for your cat it is important to make sure the main ingredient is:

carbohydrates
protein and carbohydrates from both plant and animal sources
protein from plant sources
protein from animal sources

8. What is the safest way to administer cortisone medication to an asthmatic cat?

monthly injections
inhaler
daily pills or syrups
not at all – asthmatic cats do not need cortisone

9. In a senior cat, what could be a symptom of arthritis?

enthusiastically playing with a fishing pole toy
reluctance to jump up or off of a couch or bed
restlessly racing up and down the stairs
obsessively licking the “poopy pants” region to clean

10. What is the most common type of allergy in cats?

Flea allergy
Food allergy
Inhalant allergy
Contact allergy

I have a knee problem in which my knee dislocates if my leg twists wrong or if too much pressure is added to it. There is a specialist I was referred to that is out of state that I wish to see in order to get an accurate diagnosis. I have had many issues with the doctors in my area. The insurance provider I have now is very local and simply refuses to cover seeing a doctor out of state. I recently switched insurances providers to something more national (Golden Rule through United Health Care) in hopes of finally being able to see a specialist about a questionable bone deformity that causes my knee to dislocate. However, upon being approved for a plan, the following rider was added:

This policy/certificate does not cover any loss incurred by Jenna ******* resulting from any injury to, disease or disorder of the musculoskeletal components (bones, muscles, bursae, cartilage, ligaments and tendons) of the left knee, treatment or operation therefor and complications therefrom. This rider does not exclude coverage for any form of cancer.

Is there ANY way to overcome this rider somehow? This was the whole point of switching insurers! I am already starting to get pain in my knee and, after speaking with the specialist I wish to see over the phone, was informed that it would only lead to intense arthritis if remained untreated. I was hoping to schedule the surgery to correct this after getting a diagnosis by this doctor next summer during my school break. I am 18 right now. Is there anything I can do, even have the specialist’s office contact my insurance, that might override this amendment to my policy. It is so important that I get this taken care of.

Thanks for any help!!
I will be going out of state for college also which was another reason for switching insurers.

I just looked at Obama’s health care bill – according to this, by 2014 insurers will be forced to rescind exclusionary riders for all adults to cover pre existing conditions. So apparently, I will just have to wait until 2014 to get surgery? Yes, it was placed with an indefinite length of time.

However, I have the same problem with my right knee (my left knee is just the worst off)…..so I can at least get a diagnosis for that knee and surgery for that one next summer and then just wait three more years for surgery on my other knee.

Do I have the right idea here?

Hubby was diagnosed with sarcoid and rheumatoid arthritis 2 years ago. He’s since left the chemical plant he worked at, but his weight is out of control. He’s 5′8 and weighs 275 pounds. His doctor explained he’s at risk for cancer, heart disease, etc. Hubby told the doctor “I really want to lose the weight but don’t like feeling hungry,” to which the horrible doc replied “you’re just fat; have some self control.”
It took alot of convincing just to get hubby to see a doctor, and the idiotic remark has only left him extremely discouraged. We’ve talked at length about ideas and have tried MANY diets, and I don’t want to nag but I’m out of ideas how to help! I know in the end only he can choose to help himself, but does anyone have ideas how I can help him or how he can help himself? I love him and want him with me for a long time (which I’ve told him, of course!) Thanks!

Heres my dilemma! I am disabled (bulging disc,severe lower back arthritis)The state finally gave me medical coverage (WA.)and I took advantage of those resources,getting a primary,seen a neursurgeon,lab work done. I am on a plan to go thru p/t for a few weeks and if that does not help I am going to get cortisone shots (epidural) and possible lumbar surgery.The problem lies here…the state told me that I cannot see my primary that I have been seeing for the last 8 weeks, they are saying that I have been placed in a different health program (Commuinty Health of WA.) I have looked into the clinic that they want me to go to,very limited primary docs,no specialists, back docs, etc. I am very upset on this matter as my primary doctor has me dialed in on pain management,blood pressure meds, cholestrol meds. here is one option my clinic told me..they said I do qualify for low income assittance and all my visits would be covered, if I do this I can retain my primary,the new program told me any specialists that you have previous seen can continue to treat you, but you need a new primary that we cover,confusing i know! I just dont want to juggle 2 doctors to get my treatment! but if I do I dont want to get in trouble or be refused treatment by the state. any advice on this red tape matter?

hi guys
i have a unique question regarding pre-existing condition coverage of health insurance. suppose i am from a country outside US (say India), and i have a pre-existing condition (say arthritis) for which i went to doctor in India and have been taking medicines prescribed by them, ever since i came to US about 3 years back. i never went to a doctor here for the disesase and got no treatment here. now if i go to a doctor here will it be considered a pre-existing condition, if i dont mention my disease history in India, and there is no history about the disease or treatment in USA during my last 3 years stay in this country?
kindly help a poor grad student.. )

LOOKING FOR PAIN RELIEF FROM ARTHRITIS, USING NATURAL GOODS VERSES PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. lOTS LESS SIDE EFFECTS, AND HEALTHIER RELIEF.

Looking for people who have health aliments such as arthritis, diabetes (type 2), depression, stress migrams, high blood pressure,etc.
I’M NOT SELLING NOTHING– JUST SHARING INFORMATION.