> But I can't think of any other area in healthcare where your care is held hostage unless you pay them for some unrelated diagnostics you don't want.
Happens to women too for birth control.
Happens to women too for birth control.
I asked what about all the rest of the bones in my body?
I skipped it.
Large doses of xrays aren't without risk. Apparently the comprehensive xray uses 4-6x the exposure of a normal xray.
But there was no point. The only Dr I could afford became terrified of prescribing opioids (thanks DEA. yes it was the DEA). No matter that I had, for years and years, taken opioids responsibly.
However it's no longer a problem. That only Dr - that countless thousands of us could afford to visit - just closed up shop.
Am I willing? Sure. Able, no. Not in any way.
Mind you it's covered by my dental insurance so it's fine.
Luckily there is a loophole when you donate blood.
Or you can do your own lab, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
A quick Google search returns this, for example: https://questdirect.questdiagnostics.com/products/blood-type...
And btw there is a good reason to know. Look up for example Rh sensitivity, for pregnancy reasons. A woman who had a miscarriage and was Rh negative may be sensitized and won’t be able to have children with someone that has Rh positive blood. At least - it isn’t advisable!
It's not like your bloodtype changes over time...
If there is a major haemorrhage the patient will receive the universal donor (O-) while the test for definitive blood type is performed.
Is that not the case?
Had they asked, I would have given the wrong answer. My blood was typed when I was born. 25 years later when I started donating blood, I was typed again -- and told a different type.
My physicians and phlebotomists assure me blood type cannot change, and old blood tests were simply not very accurate. I don't know any lab or clinic that trusts what someone else claims about blood type.