Have you had one?

[SueBeDoo]

A chest xray, just wondering how many here have actually gone and had a chest xray since quitting, I think it is soo important for ex /smokers to have one done.

I had one last year when I was a couple of months quit because of chest pain, I was absolutely terrified sitting in A&E waiting for the results, I had convinced myself I had all sorts lol but thankfully for now it came back all clear.

I would love to get one every year for my sanity after 20 years of smoking but is that too often or is it ok?

So have you got your lungs checked since quitting and how often should it be done??

[Leanna]

I think once a year is totally acceptable.

 

I had one because I get a lot of chest pain. My lungs (thankfully) came back clear. I was convinced I had some disease, so I was sweating buckets when I got my results.

 

I have a condition called Costochondritis. Basically, it causes the cartilage between your ribs to become swollen. That's why I get chest pains. Thankfully it's nothing serious, but unfortunately, there's not much they can do for the pain.

[Devil Doll]

I have to get one done before my pulmonologist appointment. I have to have a chest xray and the breathing tests done because I am having surgery in a few months. 

[action]

I had one after I quit, because I had a cough for about 10 weeks - I posted about it here. I'd never had one before so didn't know what to expect... I took off my top, and had the x-ray... She told me to go ahead and put my top back on, which I did... I was about to leave the X-ray theatre, when she called me back and asked me if I could take my top off again to have another one so she could check something - my heart nearly stopped, lol. Turns out she just chopped a bit off the top or something, and needed to do it again (silly mare) - I wish she had just bloody said that in the first place! (maybe she just wanted another look at my hot bod, who knows ROFL) ;)

 

But yeah, was pretty terrifying, but so worth it for peace if mind! I would totally get it done once a year, just in case.

[MarylandQuitter]

I haven't but I'm going to along with a body scan or MRI or whatever they need to do.  All my blood work came back normal but I really want to know if there are any other issues that are just starting.

[sgt.barney]

Unnecessary radiation exposure.

 

 

 

 

Easy Peasu

[Dentalfloss]

I had one a year ago because of shortness of breath and it was all clear but I was still smoking then too. It took me a year to actually quit. That was the point where I really started to consider quitting but it took me a year to build up the courage to do it and I have the quitting boards to thank for giving me the knowledge and courage to go for it.

[SanDar]

I had one a couple months ago. It came back clear. Whew....

[Leanna]

I had one after I quit, because I had a cough for about 10 weeks - I posted about it here. I'd never had one before so didn't know what to expect... I took off my top, and had the x-ray... She told me to go ahead and put my top back on, which I did... I was about to leave the X-ray theatre, when she called me back and asked me if I could take my top off again to have another one so she could check something - my heart nearly stopped, lol. Turns out she just chopped a bit off the top or something, and needed to do it again (silly mare) - I wish she had just bloody said that in the first place! (maybe she just wanted another look at my hot bod, who knows ROFL) ;)

 

But yeah, was pretty terrifying, but so worth it for peace if mind! I would totally get it done once a year, just in case.

This happened to me!

 

I had to stand there half naked while three of them looked at the screen. They asked me to go through the whole procedure again because they didn't get a clear picture or something.

 

The guy who was putting the x-ray vest on me was a young college student. It was all very awkward. I felt like he should have bought me a drink afterwards because he saw my boobs. 

[action]

This happened to me!

 

I had to stand there half naked while three of them looked at the screen. They asked me to go through the whole procedure again because they didn't get a clear picture or something.

 

The guy who was putting the x-ray vest on me was a young college student. It was all very awkward. I felt like he should have bought me a drink afterwards because he saw my boobs.

 

Lol... What's an x-Ray vest? I think I just stood in front of a machine?

[Leanna]

One of these for protection. This guy looks incredibly creepy:

 

[Still winning]

I had one because of a repeat cough from quitting.

 

I'm not sure if you could go private here but they wouldn't do an x ray without a reason here. 

 

Also as sarge said, what about radiation exposure?

 

I think we all panic about the damage we have done too, all we can do is try and make our lifestyles healthier now. xx

[SueBeDoo]

Unnecessary radiation exposure.

Easy Peasu

That's what I was wondering.

[SueBeDoo]

Yeah I was concerned about radiation damage, if it was going to cause more damage then good, would blood tests be enough or not ?

[action]

One of these for protection. This guy looks incredibly creepy:

 

Now you have me confused... If you are wearing that vest... How can they preform the X-ray?!

[sharonsiff]

It must be able to see through I bet Action, mind you I have absolutely no idea and just guessing.

 

It never occurred to me to have one, didn't realise you could. I will leave it I think as my chest and lungs feel fabulous and have not so much as coughed since last June.

 

I can understand it being useful though if you are worried, if the worry is causing mental unrest.

[Devil Doll]

This happened to me!

 

I had to stand there half naked while three of them looked at the screen. They asked me to go through the whole procedure again because they didn't get a clear picture or something.

 

The guy who was putting the x-ray vest on me was a young college student. It was all very awkward. I felt like he should have bought me a drink afterwards because he saw my boobs. 

Oh gosh! lmao

When I went in for my cardiac episode last winter the intake nurse was trying to find a room to do the ekg on me. The only spot available was the xray lab, so he had me laid out shirt off with sensors all over my chest when an xray tech and another patient comes walking in. The two proceeded to argue about using the xray lab as a room while my boobs were on display for all to see. thank goodness I have nice boobs.... but I really wanted to crawl into a hole at that moment in time. 

[Leanna]

Hahaha, that's exactly how I felt. Four people in the x-ray room and my boobs are exposed.

 

The college student was shaking a bit. I felt kind of bad for him.

 

I swear, some people go into these professions to see boobs. I've always thought that about male gynos. 

[Chrysalis]

Now you have me confused... If you are wearing that vest... How can they preform the X-ray?!

You're right action, the lead apron is impervious to X-rays. The only time that I, as a patient, have worn a lead apron was when I was getting dental X-rays. They wanted to make sure the rest of my body was protected.

 

As for chest X-rays to look for lung cancer, I've heard it said that by the time a tumor shows up on an X-ray it's too late to do anything about it. Blood tests are even worse. CT scans or PET/CT scans are the best technique for finding tumors in soft tissue. They are expensive and are not ordered unless you have some type of symptom. If having a chest X-ray would put your mind at ease, fine. But to get one every year would be unnecessary exposure to radiation that wouldn't find very small tumors, anyway.

[Leanna]

The x-ray happened quite some time ago, but I do remember them putting a heavy jacket-type thing across me. 

 

I don't know why they did it that way. I just assumed that was the proper way?

[action]

You're right action, the lead apron is impervious to X-rays. The only time that I, as a patient, have worn a lead apron was when I was getting dental X-rays. They wanted to make sure the rest of my body was protected.

 

As for chest X-rays to look for lung cancer, I've heard it said that by the time a tumor shows up on an X-ray it's too late to do anything about it. Blood tests are even worse. CT scans or PET/CT scans are the best technique for finding tumors in soft tissue. They are expensive and are not ordered unless you have some type of symptom. If having a chest X-ray would put your mind at ease, fine. But to get one every year would be unnecessary exposure to radiation that wouldn't find very small tumors, anyway.

 

I only had one because my doctor ordered me to have one as I had been coughing for more than 8 weeks... otherwise, I would not have had one.  Of course, this type of thing is covered by the NHS, so we don't have to 'pay' for it (sort of).

[Chrysalis]

Actually, this reminds me of a valuable lesson I learned some years ago.

 

I had a chronic cough. My doctor ordered a chest X-ray. The radiology clinic said that the doctor's office would call me if there was anything of concern. I hadn't heard anything after 10 days so (being a control freak) I called the doctor's office. After the typical, "If we didn't call there's no problem." speech I insisted on them reading the radiology report to me. They looked. They couldn't find it. The doctor's office claimed that they never got the X-rays or the report (yeah, right, blame the X-ray clinic). 

 

The lesson for me from then on is to NEVER allow a doctor's office to say, "We will call you only if something is wrong." If they don't call, maybe something IS wrong but they lost the report. I always require that they call me and tell me the report results. Most of the time I make them send me a copy of the report (which is my legal right). 

[SueBeDoo]

Actually, this reminds me of a valuable lesson I learned some years ago.

 

I had a chronic cough. My doctor ordered a chest X-ray. The radiology clinic said that the doctor's office would call me if there was anything of concern. I hadn't heard anything after 10 days so (being a control freak) I called the doctor's office. After the typical, "If we didn't call there's no problem." speech I insisted on them reading the radiology report to me. They looked. They couldn't find it. The doctor's office claimed that they never got the X-rays or the report (yeah, right, blame the X-ray clinic). 

 

The lesson for me from then on is to NEVER allow a doctor's office to say, "We will call you only if something is wrong." If they don't call, maybe something IS wrong but they lost the report. I always require that they call me and tell me the report results. Most of the time I make them send me a copy of the report (which is my legal right).

 

When I had bloods taken to help diagnose something, I asked for the results but he wouldn't give me them, so can I go back and demand them ?

[Chrysalis]

When I had bloods taken to help diagnose something, I asked for the results but he wouldn't give me them, so can I go back and demand them ?

Absolutely! HIPPA gave patients the right to get copies of all of their test results, X-rays, etc (although you may have to pay a small fee to have documents or films copied). And in February, the Department of Health and Human Services gave patients the right to get their test results directly from the company that does the analysis (see: HHS Adopts Rule Expanding Patient Access to Laboratory Test Results ).

 

More and more healthcare organizations are creating a "patient portal" website so you can log on and see your test results. Some places just automatically put all results there, others wait until after the doctor has seen the data before they post it to the portal. But yes, you absolutely do have a right to ALL of your test results (except pre-employment tests) and you would be very, very smart to get copies of everything. I do.

 

I need to add that some (not all) doctors' offices require that I sign a HIPPA release form before they will send me test results. They have to mail me the form and I have to mail it back and then they mail me the results. But, really, that is not a legal requirement if they are sending the test results to the address of record; they're just being a pain in the ass. But that does happen sometimes.

 

Tell the receptionist that you have a right under HIPPA to all of your test results. If they continue to balk, ask to talk to the office manager. 

 

 

EDITED TO ADD: I usually just ask for copies of lab test results and reports (like radiology reports) and a CD of images (like X-ray and CT images). One time I had a minor surgical procedure done and I had to go to the hospital records office to get the copies. It turns out that they copied every single document in the file although I wasn't expecting that (about 25 pages, which cost me $5.00) but it turned out to be fortunate. Weeks later my insurance company would not pay $800 for an assistant surgeon because they said that an assistant surgeon was not normal and usual practice for this procedure. So the surgeon's office sent me a bill for $800. I read every page of my file inclulding the surgical report. Every single thing was written down including the anesthetist and the type of anesthesia. There was no mention of an assistant surgeon. The doctor never told me that there would be an assistant involved. Bottom line-- the surgeon was lying. There WAS no assistant involved. They were trying to defraud the insurance company and when that didn't work they were trying to defraud me. I called the practice manager, told her what I knew, and told her if they kept hounding me for $800 I would report them to the insurance company. They stopped asking me for the money. Oh, and I did tell the insurance company, too.  :angry:  So, yes, medical records can be very helpful for a number of reasons. 

[SueBeDoo]

This was a consultant in Ireland rheumatologist and neurologist that I had to pay €240 for the first visit and €140 for each visit after, total rip off and the so and so wouldn't give me the blood results, he's based in a hospital so not sure who I could go to above him to get them,I'm going to check if the HIPPA rule is in Ireland aswell.

Thanks for your help Chryslis x