CDZ Question: If you had a possible meniscus tear, how long before you expected to get an ultrasound?

Good luck to your wife.
I don't like polls as they are too limiting for such a question. I will be back later and am interested in how Americans view their healthcare and expectations.

Long story short, my wife has a potential meniscus tear which she experienced at work. It happened last Tuesday, it will be a week tomorrow since the injury, she has finally been confirmed to have an ultra sound on Monday, which will be thirteen days since the original injury.

Question: would this type of healthcare meet your expectations in the U.S? If not, explain your expectations.
 
She needs an MRI not an ultrasound.
My husband has a torn meniscus.
Getting around without surgery.


Mine is torn also (left knee) . . . been torn for over 20 years now. Pain every day. Some days worse than others. Dr. still says he's seen worse and still doesn't see a need for surgery. That's with more than one second opinion too.

My brother had the surgery and had little wait at all.
 
She needs an MRI not an ultrasound.
My husband has a torn meniscus.
Getting around without surgery.


Mine is torn also (left knee) . . . been torn for over 20 years now. Pain every day. Some days worse than others. Dr. still says he's seen worse and still doesn't see a need for surgery. That's with more than one second opinion too.

My brother had the surgery and had little wait at all.

Go see your brother's doctor. Now.
 
If she had torn an ACL she would have had an MRI straight away. Ultrasound? Are you sure about that? I wouldn't think it has enough resolution for something as subtle as a meniscus tear.

Anyway I think it's terrible to keep your wife waiting 2 weeks. The recovery prospects for her injury are excellent but of course that doesn't help much now.
If they determine she needs surgery will they do it right away? That's what I would want to know.
 
If she had torn an ACL she would have had an MRI straight away. Ultrasound? Are you sure about that? I wouldn't think it has enough resolution for something as subtle as a meniscus tear.

Anyway I think it's terrible to keep your wife waiting 2 weeks. The recovery prospects for her injury are excellent but of course that doesn't help much now.
If they determine she needs surgery will they do it right away? That's what I would want to know.

Good question Mike, your guess is as good as mine. We were talking about that already and my wife is assuming it will take a multiple months if she needs surgery. Here is the kicker though, to Americans to fully understand how it works and why any sane nations avoids a one payer, socialist system.

My wife has to get the lab results, these results are then sent to her FAMILY DOCTOR. He will then decide if it is something beyond his scope or more serious, if so, he sends to a knee specialist who my wife then has to make an appointment with. He happens to also be a surgeon, so he can thankfully make the final say and schedule accordingly.

It's an arcane system of multiple contacts and "milking". On an issue that if serious enough probably gets worse in the meantime. I recall when I had a test done on my forearm for pain which I still have to this day as it was never dealt with fully (I have confirmed it is probably deep scar tissue), I asked the the lab technician if he saw anything and he acknowledged that he has the skillset to "read" the results per se, but he can't share an opinion, that had to be done by the doctor, who I was going to see a week later.

This is just how our healthcare works. Nevermind our government, lack of accountability of our security apparatus and the like. As I've said 1000 times, if I headed to America on a "don't become like Canada tour" it would open many eyes wide. I would focus on the Snowflakes first as they need to understand what they are being sold.

Here's a tip: DON'T buy it!
 
If she had torn an ACL she would have had an MRI straight away. Ultrasound? Are you sure about that? I wouldn't think it has enough resolution for something as subtle as a meniscus tear.

Anyway I think it's terrible to keep your wife waiting 2 weeks. The recovery prospects for her injury are excellent but of course that doesn't help much now.
If they determine she needs surgery will they do it right away? That's what I would want to know.
You are correct. My husband works in radiology.
When I read the initial question I asked him directly.
He said MRI.
Don't waste your time with an ultrasound.
 
hubby made same day appointment with ortho clinic...x rays that day
both knees replaced within 5 weeks of first appointment....major delay dental work..he needed a root canal and dental clearance
 
If she had torn an ACL she would have had an MRI straight away. Ultrasound? Are you sure about that? I wouldn't think it has enough resolution for something as subtle as a meniscus tear.

Anyway I think it's terrible to keep your wife waiting 2 weeks. The recovery prospects for her injury are excellent but of course that doesn't help much now.
If they determine she needs surgery will they do it right away? That's what I would want to know.
You are correct. My husband works in radiology.
When I read the initial question I asked him directly.
He said MRI.
Don't waste your time with an ultrasound.

Yes Scorpion, you are probably correct, however, due to the strain on the system the wait times for MRI's are so lengthy that the doctor sent her for an ultrasound as the wait is shorter.

Socialized healthcare. "You get something done", whether it is the right thing or not is another issue.
 
I don't like polls as they are too limiting for such a question. I will be back later and am interested in how Americans view their healthcare and expectations.

Long story short, my wife has a potential meniscus tear which she experienced at work. It happened last Tuesday, it will be a week tomorrow since the injury, she has finally been confirmed to have an ultra sound on Monday, which will be thirteen days since the original injury.

Question: would this type of healthcare meet your expectations in the U.S? If not, explain your expectations.

That would depend on where one was treated. If treated in the hospital, it would likely be done while still a patient there unless they were slammed with a huge backlog of priority patients needing an MRI, in which case she would be back as an outpatient in a few days. If one were being treated in the office of a doctor and referred out, I would expect it to take about a week in my area depending on whether the test was being done at the hospital or through an imaging center.
 
Spinal injuries normally fuse and fix themselves eventually by themselves.

So take 2 aspirin for pain, as needed.

Aspirin would never hurt you.

It is the oldest drug in history dating back to prehistoric times from chewing willow bark.

Spine? He's talking about a knee injury and no, spinal injuries should never be ignored or treated with aspirin.

Go visit a CNS rehab facility and see how little you know.


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If you are not already paralyzed by a back injury then there is no hurry with this.

it's not like an appendicitis where you only have about 10 hours to live if they don't take it out right away.

Anyone reading this - don't believe any of he has said about injuries to your back and/or spine.

What yiostheoy has written is not only wrong, it's very dangerous.

And, jeez, anyone who knows so little about very basic human anatomy is a danger to himself and others.


Sent from my iPad using USMessageBoard.com
 
I don't like polls as they are too limiting for such a question. I will be back later and am interested in how Americans view their healthcare and expectations.

Long story short, my wife has a potential meniscus tear which she experienced at work. It happened last Tuesday, it will be a week tomorrow since the injury, she has finally been confirmed to have an ultra sound on Monday, which will be thirteen days since the original injury.

Question: would this type of healthcare meet your expectations in the U.S? If not, explain your expectations.

7 years ago I tore my ACL. It was probably about the same wait until I had an MRI. That seemed about right.

First night I held out hope it would get better

Next day I made an appointment with my primary. My knee was swollen but if I recall I failed the "pulling it forward" test.

After that I saw a specialist. Failed the "pulling it forward" test again. Scheduled the MRI to see how bad my 95% certain ACL tear was.

They sent me to rehab before the surgery and after.

Meniscus tear repairs are a new. Seven years ago I recall my doc as being worried about mine being torn and there being nothing to be done. Recently a letter carrier acquaintance of mine had a meniscus repaired. His knee is more problematic than mine. ACL repairs are a virtual sure thing, I am not sure about the meniscus.

A couple things about my experience were interesting.

-During my presurgery "rehab" they made a point of showing me what all I could do with a torn ACL and made certain I really wanted the surgery. My insurance company would have benefited from that. I'm a pretty healthy fellow, I'd like to see them talk $$$ Sam Bradford out of ACL repair.

-The expensive MRI showed exactly what the two docs thought after yanking my knee about.

-The cost of the surgery was about 168 monthly insurance payments at the time.

-If Meniscus Tears were something doctors in Missouri fixed then that was another potential bill for the insurance company to pay.

I wish you and the Mrs luck with the injury.

Get a handle on how likely the surgery is to be successful or to what extent they think they can relieve the discomfort. Also find out if the situation will degrade if she tries to test it without the surgery.
 
If she had torn an ACL she would have had an MRI straight away. Ultrasound? Are you sure about that? I wouldn't think it has enough resolution for something as subtle as a meniscus tear.

Anyway I think it's terrible to keep your wife waiting 2 weeks. The recovery prospects for her injury are excellent but of course that doesn't help much now.
If they determine she needs surgery will they do it right away? That's what I would want to know.

Mike, I did not have an MRI straight away after my knee injury. With my medium / good quality insurance in America 7 years ago they had me wait a week or so.

A physical test showed with 95% certainty I had an ACL tear. The MRI was more for confirmation I suppose.
 
I'm surprised you had to wait a week. You did get the right test though, MRI not Ultra-Sound.

At first, me also I tell you. I was used to sports stars being tested the next day.

But alas, I am me not Adrian Peterson. Also there was no underlying emergency ($,$$$,$$$'s) compelling an ER or whoever to immediately get me back on the field or shorten my recovery by a couple of weeks.
 

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