Petronies Disease (bent Member)

[Toposurveyor]

To all,

This has been discussed at this forum before. I have mentioned that I am seeing the VA about this problem and a suitable remedy for it. I have finally fallen into that void where I can get no solution following the instructions given!!!

My local VA referred me to the Portland VAMC. I had 3 appts. Started with a PA, then resident MD, then staff physician. The last agreed that I was a good candidate for a type of surgery that included a skin graft and he would reccommend it for outsourcing to a Dr. at OHSU.

After several weeks of no reply, I called the Dr and was told that funds were not available. BUT, he had talked to a Dr at Spokane VA and I was to call him and discuss the surgery. So I called and had to have a message. Time passes and I call again and leave a message. And more time passes and I call again. This time I am told that I was never refered to Spokane from the Portland VA and this would have to happen before I could talk to anyone!!!!

Called Portland VA to advise Dr and have not heard another thing. I then called my original referring VA and had to leave a message as the PA was on vacation until the end of September. So I will wait.....!

I must say that I have had nothing but good service from the VA since being service connected a few years ago. But, this is enough to make me yel!!!

Ed

[Toposurveyor]

To all,

First, the subject should be "Peyronies Disease".

Now, an update. Because the proposed surgery could not be done at Portland VAMC, I was reffered to Spokane VAMC. This is well and good as I may finally be able to have something done. I had an appointment this last Saturday Oct 18th with the URO Dept. Now comes the problem. They do not do the surgery that was recommended for me. The only thing they can do to correct my problem is the implant! This sure "deflated" my hopes. I am not complaining as this will certainly correct what ails me. But, it is a much more drastic course to follow.

Unfortunately, this is not sc'd and is considered elective. As I am sure most know, funding for the VA is really a problem right now. So, I'll have to wait until Dec or Jan, when funds are available, to consider this and make plans.

Ed :P

[hotcoffee2]

fee out for services should always be an option if nobody inhouse can perform the medically best recommended surgery or medical follow-up. ive been fee'd about eight times throughout my medical care. one time i got so freaking fed up with west haven va, i jumped ship and got on state medicaid which was ideal....no limitations whatsoever to the number of times i could see someone in same specialty. you just have to be poor to be eligible for state medicaid. as i recall, i went on a spend down program that allowed me to pay a fee for 3 months medicaid service.

uote name='Toposurveyor' date='Sep 21 2008, 08:32 PM' post='107020']

To all,

This has been discussed at this forum before. I have mentioned that I am seeing the VA about this problem and a suitable remedy for it. I have finally fallen into that void where I can get no solution following the instructions given!!!

My local VA referred me to the Portland VAMC. I had 3 appts. Started with a PA, then resident MD, then staff physician. The last agreed that I was a good candidate for a type of surgery that included a skin graft and he would reccommend it for outsourcing to a Dr. at OHSU.

After several weeks of no reply, I called the Dr and was told that funds were not available. BUT, he had talked to a Dr at Spokane VA and I was to call him and discuss the surgery. So I called and had to have a message. Time passes and I call again and leave a message. And more time passes and I call again. This time I am told that I was never refered to Spokane from the Portland VA and this would have to happen before I could talk to anyone!!!!

Called Portland VA to advise Dr and have not heard another thing. I then called my original referring VA and had to leave a message as the PA was on vacation until the end of September. So I will wait.....!

I must say that I have had nothing but good service from the VA since being service connected a few years ago. But, this is enough to make me yel!!!

Ed

[Toposurveyor]

pattik,

This is what I was talking about. The head of the Urology Dept at Portland Va was asking that I be allowed the surgery on a "fee basis" to an outside hospital and it was turned down. Perhaps I was not clear on that in my last post.

One thing for me to consider is that I am sc'd for DMII, and I am on several meds because of this. Some of the meds "could" lead to ED. There are no side effects of meds at this time! The implant surgery could be required in the case of ED! So, I could be skipping one step in the progression of DMII, and the meds associated with it, by having the implant surgery.

My current thought is to go ahead and have the implant, thus assuring the sexual use of my organ for the foreseable future. (The VA doc said that I was still a young man.)

This will be a decision to be made by myself, with the help of my wife. It falls on my (our) shoulders to make the final decision. I will be 64 in a few days, and know that I can have an active and pleasing future. It all depends on my attitude and my self worth!!!

Ed

Edited October 27, 2008 by Toposurveyor

[JON]

Toposurveyor,

I believe I would have tried to get the patient advocate to interevene because of all your runaround. I am on a waiting list at Portland Urology to have SC scar tissue removed from my urethrea. The doc there saya she is really upset about the length of the waiting list (probably 9 months to a year-has already been 6 months). She said Portland is inundated with urological cancer surgeries that take precidence.

I have used Spokane VA urological and am not pleased with them. I had an implant done 4 years ago ($30,000) by a private doc. The implant was suppose to be sc. Spokane urology said they didn't know of any va that would do the surgery. Come to find out if he'd asked around Portland had been doing the surgery for 7 years. I was so mad. Luckily I had private insurance that picked up most of the surgery. I stil have little confidense in Spokane. Good luck.

[Toposurveyor]

Jon and all,

I just had my annual physical last week at the Walla Walla VAMC. While talking about some of my health problems and symptoms, she told me about the log jam at Portland & Seattle VAMCs. Because of the back up at those two locations, all Urology, Cardio/Vascular and Orthopedic requests for our area will be refered to Spokane VAMC only.

Ed

[JON]

Good luck at Spokane. Ypu'll see either Dr. Heaton or PA Bob Bond.