Hospital/Doctor

ergonomics

Don't know if there's somewhere better for this but feel free to move it if there is.

About 6 years ago I got knocked off my bike by a car. I really hurt my toe so after a couple of days I went to the doctor. He examined my toe and despite my screams he said there was nothing wrong. Being young and naive I figured I was being melodramatic. In the 6 years my toe has been sore on and off. I figured it was a trapped nerve but when it started getting sore again I finally snapped and went back to a different doctor last week. She thinks I broke it all those years ago and has sent me for an xray. I have to wait 2 weeks for the xray and then another week for results and then probably another 2 weeks for treatment.

So my question is, if I go to the hospital in 2 weeks and get my xray can I ask to get the results then and there if I don't mind waiting or do I absolutely have to wait? I ask because a) I've waited 6 years, b) I can't afford to keep taking time off work and c) I have holidays and festivals planned in August and I'd rather be sorted as soon as possible before them as I can. I don't want to be at Electric Picnic on crutches like, but I don't mind going on holiday with them.

Anyone know?

Naikon

I dont want to come off as rude but..........try the Biology and Medicine forums.
I dont think you will get any "real" responses here, not counting the fact the mods are gonna move this thread.

ergonomics

Well if mod's agree I have no problem with them moving it but I don't feel this is a biological or medical query. I just want to know if I'll be able to ask for the results of my xray on the day!

Dord

I've gotten them before on the same day.

Naikon

Well on second reading, If the hospital specify the waiting time then you might have to wait.
Just tell the staff that you are having trouble with the waiting times in relation to work etc, and it might take less time.
Sorry I am not much help:/

seamus

I had multiple xrays as a kid due to a broken kneecap, and we always got the results on the same day.

There was a bit of waiting though.

Slightly off topic, don't be surprised if they recommend re-breaking your toe to fix it.

ergonomics

seamus - I'm guessing you went out to A&E when it happened? I'm thinking they won't give me the results straight away as I was referred. Yeah, I've been told by a few people that it'll probably be re-broken which is why I want the results straight away. See I'm going to Paris at the beginning of August, and then Electric Picnic at the end of August. I'd much rather be on crutches in Paris then at Electric Picnic so I want to get it broken or whatever as soon as possible, if that makes sense! I'm afraid if I wait a couple of weeks for the results and then more time again for the treatment it'll be after Paris before I get treated so I'll most likely be on crutches for EP.

January

Which hospital are you going to? If you dont mind travelling to Dublin, then you can go to one of the VHI clinics (DCU and Dundrum) and get an xray, it will be expensive but you will get your xray there and then and can presumably take it back down to the doctors with you in Kilkenny.

ergonomics

No it will be the hospital in Kilkenny. I'm a student so I can't afford to go privately! I also can't afford to travel up and down to Dublin!

seamus

I was in A & E for a couple of them, but also in a private clinic (don't remember where, I was only 12) for another, and we got the results from that one quickly enough.

bandit*baby

i was in A&E recently and i got my x-ray results on the day but i know a friend of mine had an old back injury and he had to wait about a week for the results maybe it has something to do with the fact that the injury is old .... it might be more difficult to identify the exact injury or something ...
but then i'm no doctor i'm just speculating

sam34

because its an "elective" x ray rather than an emergency, you wont get the results on the day. the radiographer ( person who takes the xray) will probably have a quick look at it and tell u if they see anything obvious, but this isnt the official report - for that it will have to be looked at by a doctor (radiographer) and formally reported on, then this has to be typed up and sent to whoever referred you - hence the delay.

GhostInTheRuins

Just ask the radiographer that takes your xray if he/she can see anything wrong with it. That will give you a good idea until your doc checks it out

The Queen

Well, if prepared to endure a few hours of boredom, why not go into A&E? Tell them you have been referred but it's gotten really sore. Then they could do xrays and stuff there and then?

Or maybe not.. I dunno!

tallus

I was in and out of the Mater around 8 years back as an outpatient, and the first thing they do is send you for an x-ray so the doc can look at the state of the bone, so maybe common sense will prevail and they will send you to x-ray first so the doc can give a correct diagnosis.
If you think about it, you wont be able to get any kind of diagnosis *without* an x-ray. Going on my own experiences of course, but it was for a similar reason, motorcycle smash.

sam34

this would happen tallus if you were going to hospital for an outpatients appt, as you were. but from my reading of it the op was referred by his gp and is only going for an xray, not to see the orthopaedics crowd, so its likely he'll be sent home after the xray and told his gp will get in touch with results.

Zillah

seamus wrote:

Slightly off topic, don't be surprised if they recommend re-breaking your toe to fix it.

Thats what I was thinking...

m83

ouch!

ergonomics

sam34 wrote:

because its an "elective" x ray rather than an emergency, you wont get the results on the day. the radiographer ( person who takes the xray) will probably have a quick look at it and tell u if they see anything obvious, but this isnt the official report - for that it will have to be looked at by a doctor (radiographer) and formally reported on, then this has to be typed up and sent to whoever referred you - hence the delay.

OK, now I understand why there is a wait. I suppose there is still no harm in asking for the results on the day. And also, I've waited 6 years at this point, there's nothing stopping me waiting and getting treated after Electric Picnic. I am moving to Scotland then but being on crutches there is just as awkward as being on crutches here isn't it?! Anyway, they might not even have to re-break it. I haven't actually had it confirmed that it was broken in the first place.

FlutterinBantam

Where is Nurse baz when you need him????

ctc_celtic

D.T. Jesus wrote:

Just ask the radiographer that takes your xray if he/she can see anything wrong with it. That will give you a good idea until your doc checks it out

yeah, when i broke my leg, the radiographer told me straight away, but only cause i asked her what she though.

tallaght01

It sounds like you're being sent to the hospital for an xray, and nothing more. It's unlikely that there will be a doctor anywhere close by who can interpret the xray and give you a result on the same day. The radiographer will take the picture, and leave it in the pile for the consultant to look at. The consultant will then write a report on the xray and send it to your GP.

The radiographer can give you an opinion on the xray, if they are willing. However, they are experts at taking the pictures, but they aren't experts in interpreting the results. I'm doing a stint in A+E at the moment, and I often get people back from xray, where the radiographer has told them they have a broken bone, when they actually don't.

Also bear in mind that there probably won't be a huge fracture visible on the xray if it happened 6years ago. The changes that remain are likely to be very subtle, hence it will probably require the expert eye of a consultant to interpret accurately.