I need some advice. In April I saw a urologist who said the floor of my bladder was inflamed and my bladder had dropped.The urine he told me to avoid caffeine, alcohol, citric foods and spicy foods. He prescribed macrodantin for ONE MONTH and something to soothe it (can't remember the name). Well it finally went away. Here is is mid October and it's back. I've been on the macrodantin for 3 weeks and it's not better. I do not want to live on antibiotics - I know how dangerous this is and have done a lot of reading on that.
He performed a test on me that, when the Explanation of Benefits from Blue Cross came, said Surgery and charged me $700. I think this is outrageous - I'm not sure what he did but I was in the stirrups and he was able to look in my bladder. Certainly nothing fancy or surgery. Is this price too much? I'm asking because I think I might want to switch doctors about this. My mom has the same condition and I'm interested in getting better. I don't want to fall in the same rut she has.
I need the advice of those that can empathize with what I have. What else can I do for myself? I am an acupuncture patient and she tells me my Water is Low - which means the energy in my kidneys and bladder is not what it should be.
I don't do the cranberry juice often or pills but will get some this weekend. Are the pills better? What else can I do to keep this from reoccuring? Would you call this same doctor back? I have a feeling he will just prescribe more meds. Would you switch doctors - sounds like he might just have a racket going.
It sounds like he did a cystoscopy - which can be pretty pricey. I think my last one was $450 about a year ago - and I'm in the NYC suburbs where everything is relatively expensive. So if that is all that was included (does the $700 include the exam also?), $700 does seem a little steep.
However, when it comes to the charges submitted to insurance companies, things can get a little crazy. Was $700 the amount actually paid, or just the amount billed? Sometimes the doctors will submit bills at "retail" prices (it has something to do with establishing "average" area prices with the insurance companies) though very few people actually pay that price.
Hello...fyi I think amny doctors are in the same racket. Since I have been more alert to the paper work I get from the office I have found I was being charged for proceedures I didnt have done. After calling them on telephone my bill was adjusted and had it not been i would have notified my insurance company and tell them what was going on....doctors for the most part ...well its just that they are employed ( by us) and have a job...they are very insensitive to our problem..and I am fed up too but what are we to do? Just sit and die?
Help 
