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How do you get MRI Results from VA?

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    How do you get MRI Results from VA?

    I had my first VA MRI on 9/22, and I have only used the VA for my meds so far. The costs, co-pays and other expenses for neuro visits, testing and other procedures have grown impossible as I now find myself with multiple organ problems - kidney, heart, lung, spine - I am overwhelmed. So I have been trying to use the VA system.

    Neuro doc at VA wrote order for radiologist to count lesions and I brought in CD's of last 2, because I have had several flares - last put me in a wheelchair with blurred vision for months - and may need medication change. Get to VA radiology and they said radiologist does not do that (had that order for weeks and ignored it until I showed up). So I brought my CD's to neuro office and dropped them off.

    I do not have another neuro appt scheduled until Feb and I have called 3 or 4 times and left messages and have not heard. Went to VA for pulmonary testing and went back to the neuro office to check on MRI's and they can't find them, don't know if doc read the new MRI or checked it against old ones.

    Civilian employees I am dealing with appear to be as sorry as I remember when I was an active duty nurse in the ICU unit of a military hospital. My experience was the main reason I did not use the VA when I had private insurance.

    What is reasonable here?

    #2
    Do you have an over-all GP Doc as a Primary with the VA?
    Each state seems to be different but I'm thinking the VA Neuro should be able to read an MRI for themselves. In some cases they seem to trust their own machine. Try asking your Primary what's going on.

    Do you have "outside" representation? Who handes your Service Officer stuff? They might be able to get the ball rolling or they might know why things are stalled. You could also try contacting the offices of your congressman and/or senator. Sometimes they have staffers who can rattle some cages.

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      #3
      go to w w w.disabledveterans.com and there is an article there that tells you how you can get all of your medical records. also tells you how you can get benefits that are rightfully yours

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        #4
        Thanks for the replies. I needed to verify that I was not wanting something that was generally not provided to most - a speedy response for instance. It takes so long to get a referral appointment and this MRI has been my first glitch.

        I doubt the neurologist knows the stonewalling of the civilian employees, and probably couldn't do anything about it anyway.

        BTW, we would put tiny pieces of paper with the date on them around unit when I worked at an Army hospital, the cleaning staff was that bad. The head of housekeeping was later admitted to my unit when he fell out at a store and his blood alcohol limit was over three times the legal limit. This is pretty much the caliber of civilian employee I was used to and the type of attitude towards customer service I found myself experiencing as a patient.

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          #5
          wow, when i was at letterman in sf for almost 3 months i had outstanding care, a room that looked over the goldengate bridge, and had doc's and nurses that would do whatever it took, as far as cleanlness it was spotless of course that was back in the early 80's.

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            #6
            Finally!! Spoke with neurologist who reviewed by old MRI CD's and compared it to the new one - substantially the same and changes not enough for medication change.

            He did not know about all the times I was brushed off by various staff members, but he's heard the story before. He said he has been trying to improve communications for 3 years.

            I actually got a call from the radiation tech who said (he was trying to make me think that it was the doctor's fault) that the neurologist should have sent a consult to the radiologist. I told him he was ridiculous, instead of calling me to tell me, he should have sent an email to my doctor. I can't send an email to my doctor, but he can. I also told the neuro about the phone call and what I told the tech.

            Although the MRI did not appear to have changed much, my symptoms are worse. Weakness, unbearable foot pain keeping me awake at night, vision and cognitive functions seem significantly worse to me recently. My hands are always dropping things and I can hardly recognize my handwriting any more - cooking is a real challenge, especially trying to get the food on a plate.

            I will be returning in Feb. and will discuss the changes. I plan on writing my problems down because my biggest worst symptom is inability to remember the necessary words for things. I use a Thesaurus on line to help.

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