Medical Lab Testing Dallas, TX

Question:  The lab tests I need are expensive and I have to get them regularly.  I do not have insurance.  How do I know I am getting the best price on a lab test?

Answer:  Healthcare is changing and I get asked this question all the time.  I have even had people try to barter with me for lab tests here in Dallas, TX.  The days of paying your doctor with a baby goat may be coming back.

Here is the answer to your question.  First to ensure that you are getting the best price for your lab tests you need to call around.  Quest Diagostics, LabCorp & Any Lab Test Now are three I will use in this example.  For the best price you will want to call your local store/lab.   If you call the national hotline you will get national pricing which may be higher than local prices. 

Next, get pricing not only for the tests individually, but also ask if those tests come in a panel.  A panel is a group of lab tests that are commonly ordered together.  Many times you get a large discount on lab tests by ordering the panel, even if you get more tests than you need. 

Finally, look for a coupon or discount/promo code online.  Lab testing is a competitive business and these guys really want you to use them.  If you can not find discounts online then you need to ask over the phone.  I know this may sound strange since we are often told what to pay by doctors/labs and pay without question.  Just last week a lady came into my lab and requested a discount for DNA paternity tests on her four children.  She was going through a divorce and the court ordered the tests.  A legal paternity test runs about $449 each so you can see why she was looking for a discount.  Needless to say, we gave her a buy 3 get one free discount and she was very happy.

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Question:  I get my thyroid tested regularly.  The test my doctor usually orders is called a Thyroid Panel and Quest Diagnostics costs about $279.   I do not have health insurance.  Is there a cheaper place to get a Thyroid Panel lab test? ~ Sherry L. Frisco, TX

Answer:  To get your answer I called Any Lab Test Now in Plano, TX and they sell the exact same thyroid panel for only $79.  They have locations nationwide so chances are there is one near you.  They do not accept insurance; however, you can pay with a credit card linked to a flexible spending account(FSA/HSA).

Speaking with Melodie at Any Lab Test Now, I discovered it is actually one of their most popular test panels.  The thyroid panel is often used to diagnose, treat and/or monitor thyroid diseases such as hypo-thyroidism and hyper-thyroidism.  The thyroid is a very important organ which regulates your metabolism. 

A underactive thyroid can be linked to a slow metabolism and weight gains.  If you feel this describes you then you can get your thyroid checked for $79 at Any Lab Test Now in Plano, TX.  The doctor’s order can be provided if needed.

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Question:  Do I need a doctor’s order for a lab test?  I don’t want to pay for a doctor’s visit if I already know what test I want.

Answer:  Yes.  However, some medical labs such as Any Lab Test Now will provide you a doctor’s order at no charge.  Additionally, they allow you to take a lab test anonymously.  This means that your insurance will never know your results.   Or your spouse if you desire.  With medical records going digital, Any Lab Test Now was first to market with providing lab tests that will not be linked to your name, social security number, insurance account, etc.

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Thrombocytopenia, what is that you ask? Its the condition known as low platelet count. What are platelets, they are blood cells that help your blood clot when you are bleeding. This means that platelets cause clumps to form in the blood vessels to stop bleeding.

Some of the signs or symptoms are easy bruising,bleeding into the skin that appears as it may be a rash, prolonged bleeding from cuts, and blood in urine or stools.

The causes of thrombocytopenia is usually marked by an underlying problem. Such problems are leukemia and some anemias may cause your overall platelet count to be low. Also ITP, could be a factor. This is where your immune system mistakenly attacks the platelets. Blood poisoning is another cause of this condition. As well as Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, these are autoimmune disorders that could destroy platelets as well.

You should see a doctor when you have abnormal bleeding or bruising. Also if you develop a rash of pin point sized spots on your body.

The tests for this disease are a blood test or a more extensive test called a bone marrow. They go in and pull a piece of bone and send it off to see where the platelets are going and to see if you are making enough of them.

Treatment of this disease vary, and here are a few of the solutions. They include the useof medications, but in the rare case that those dont work. then they remove the spleen.This is done of the meds dont respond or it gets worse. There is also the procedure of plasma transfusions. This is only done in the most severest of cases that have lost a great deal of blood.

In cases that your platelets are too low, they will ask that you stop taking any aspirins that you are taking. They will ask that you stay away from contact sports, this is done to reduce the risk of injury and or bleeding.

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Now this is not going to be about the disease and how it affects the person who is dealing with it. Rather it is going to be seen from the family and friend’s perspective.

When a loved one is diagnosed with this disease, it is devastating to hear those words and know that someone close to you is the biggest fight of their lives. I recently worked for an oncologist, this is a physician whose specialty is cancer. While working there you become attached to pts, like they are family. This is about my struggle with one special pts fight with this deadly battle.

Medical Lab Testing

In the summer of 2007, my best friend was killed in a horrible accident. I did my best go through the motions at work, but Ms. Maudie saw through the mask of deception and she knew something was wrong. When I explained to her what happened, she forgot about the pain that she was in and her maternal instincts took over. She helped me find answers, and not to question why God took him and focused on the things he did with his life. She gave me sense of direction after that tragedy. She became like a second mother to me, she always was checking in on me after that to see how things were going. She never complained about anything, she took all of the downfalls with the cancer in stride.

Even when she went into the hospital on several different occassions because she was having problems breathing, she was always asking her daughter who worked with me how I was doing. I have never seen someone be so strong when facing a battle like this. Most of the pts at one point or another give up. She never did, it hurt me like hell to go and see her in that hospital bed. I can remember times when we had to wheel in her into the office on a wheel chair because she didnt have the strength to walk.

The treatments began to take a bigger toll on her than what I was prepared for. There were days when she was so sick that she wouldnt get out of bed. We would have to carry her to the restroom, and have her daughter take over from there.We would have to go and eat with her at times to make sure that she did eat.

Now a couple of months ago we finally got her to agree to the surgery which could possibly have saved her life. It took some fighting because she was so determined to beat this disease on her own. We tried in vain for months to get her to see that she needed the surgery. Now after finally agreeing to it, I get the news today that she was given 4-6 months to live.This is a huge blow to me and the daughter because for the last 3 yrs she was always just a phone call away. Now I have to deal with the possibility that she could be gone in just a few months.

This story is designed to get those of you out there who are going through the same thing, to not wait until the last minute to try all of the medically possible scenarios. Had we gotten her to do the surgery when the doctor recommended it, who knows what we would be dealing with now. There is no guarantee that surgery would have cured her, but by it could have prolonged her life longer than what is being expected now. Like I said I pray that this helps any of you who are going through this to use every venue possible. Remember its not just your fight but that of those closest to you as well.

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Cancer

This is one of the scariest words a doctor can ever say to you or a loved one. When you first get the news, always get a second opinion. When and if its confirmed, always begin getting yourself aclimated with all of the knowledge that you can about your kind of cancer. There are just so many different ones that they all dont react the and they dont get treated the same.

Here are some of the most common cancers. They are breast,lung,colon,prostate, rectum, skin, ovarian, and pancreatic. Now the detection for these can be as follows. Always get regular check ups, its best to catch cancer early if possible. Men, check your testicles for lumps, pain, swelling or tenderness that is new or unusual. Women, check you breasts for lumps, swelling or tenderness as well. Women should also begin Pap Smears when they turn 18 or become sexually active. Have yearly mammograms, as well as checking yourself in between check ups. Men, are recommended that after 40 you should get prostate exams regularily. With skin cancer just keep an eye on warts or moles that change color or become sensitive to the touch. As always have them check out with your physician if yo notice a change. Possible signs of cancer could be as follows.Changes in your bowel or bladder movements, a sore that doesnt heal, unusual bleeding, lump in the breast, and or a difficulty swallowing or a persistent couch that wont go away. These are signs that you need to go and see your doctor. Now for treatments options. They are chemotherapy, radiation therapy and biological therapy. Now some people are participating in studies and this is helping benefit the cancer research.Now before starting any treatment its best to get a second opinion.

When you are getting ready for your initail treatment, always do your homework so you can go in with questions to ask the doctor. This also helps you be better prepared so you are not caught in a state of shock when they explain to you how things are going to proceed from that point. When receiving treatment keep in mind that the treatment doesnt treat everyone the same. Depending on how long and how much of the treatment will also determine how you react to it.Just know that during treatment there is a team that monitors your treatment. That way if there is a problem it can be handled right away. Some of the side effects are that you are tired for longer than normal periods. You have no appetite, you dont want to get out of bed. You just feel run down all the time, which is normal because the treatment is desgined to kill off the cancer cells. So in turn you are getting better but also being sick for a while.You can also lose your hair, be nauseated and could possibly have mouth sores. If you experience any if this during treatment ask your doctor how you are able to combat some of it.One of the most important things during treatment is the ability to eat, by eating you can get your energy back and start to improve the way you feel as well. Never be afraid to ask for help. You are not the only one going through this, even though at time it feels like. Remember there are groups out there that can help you as far as suppport and financial aid, as well as other needs.  The biggest thing to remember here is that always check yourself or get check ups regularly and that diagnosis isnt the end of the world. We have come a long way in research, also early detection is always great as well. Never give up on yourself and we wont stop working for a cure.

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Blood clots, its a scary word, you dont know what it means. Hearing these words can be very devastating, you think of a clog in the sink. You realize that it cuts off the water supply. A blood clot, is basically the same thing, just in your body and can be a lot worse than you may realize.

Blood Clots

The early signs of a possible blood clot are swelling in the area, being warm, red and or painful to the touch.Other signs are the tissue may be white, or cool, and may also have a loss of sensation and or movement.You may also be in considerable amount of pain as well.

The complications that go along with clots can be very serious. They could lead to heart attack and possible stroke.Another problem could be that the clot could break off and then begin to move around the body.If this happens, you could lose use of the limb or could have problems with the lungs per say.

For the first year or so, you would have to have a test called PT test. What this measures is the thickness of the blood. Its a simple test, most offices just prick the end of the finger and get the sample that way. In the beginning the tests for this disorder can be very extensive. It can be a little scary because there are several tests that need to be run to determine the severity if any of the issues with the blood flow. Another test is called a bleeding time, basically this test involves maing a small incision in the fore arm and then timing how long it takes you to stop bleeding. This test takes the longest because you are sitting there anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
 
By not smoking, keeping your cholesterol low, keeping your blood pressure under control, this could prevent blood clots from forming. Now this is no gaurantee, but its a beginning.The are other things that could be done as well. The doctor could put you on a blood thinning medication. If this is the case follow the instructions as directed. Remember blood clots is a blood disorder that can be cured. It can be life threatening, but it’s also something that can be controlled.

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Mobile Drug Testing

Employers have many reasons why they decide to drug screen their employees.  Some businesses only drug test to lower their insurance premiums, while others regularly drug test any employee that handles money or heavy equipment.  This post focus on reasons to have your employees drug tested, what to expect from a drug screening company and where to get drug screening in Dallas, TX. 

Cutting costs is always a motivator for employers.  Sadly, not all employers recognize the need to drug screen to lower liability.  Regardless of what common sense tells you, if your employee does anything neglectful or illegal while on the clock you may be liable.  For example, a McDonalds employee accidently spilled a cup of coffee on a customer and a jury awarded the 81-year old plaintiff $2.9 million dollars.  Could your business absorb this cost?  No matter how successful your business you are only one lawsuit away from declaring bankrupcy.  If you can prove that as an employer you have done “due diligence” in providing a drug-free workforce then you are laying a good foundation you may need one day in a courtroom. 

I hear from time to time that small business owners must way the cost of drug testing their workforce against the chance of something bad happening.  There are a few ways to look at this.  First, always perform a new employee drug screen.  Any Lab Test Now® North Dallas locations offer this service to employees at $49 per test.  If you setup an account you can get $29 per drug screen.  This cost is minimal compared to the cost to fully train most employees.  Secondly, once you have an account setup you may also setup a random drug testing program.  Any Lab Test Now® will handle creating this policy all you have to provide is employee information and how often you want to drug screen.  I suggest for a business with 25 employees to random drug test 5 employees on a quarterly basis.  In order to save time Any Lab Test Now® provides on-site drug screening for $29 per drug screen when there are at least 5 employees to test. 

If your business is new to on-site drug screening then you may be curious about what to expect.  You can expect Any Lab Test Now® to show up on time and be ready to start testing within minutes of arrival.  You can prefer a specific method of drug screening or allow them to perform their standard method which is held to the same standard as government-regulated DOT drug screens.  Any Lab Test Now® will use a bathroom at your location to collect urine samples.  Should the need arise there are capable of performing a drug screen via hair sample.  The entire process should take about 5-10 minutes per employee and can be very discreet if that is your preference.

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Sexuality involves both physical and emotional intimacy. A healthy sex life can positively affect all aspects of your life. It can improve your physical health, how you feel about yourself, how you work and play, and your dealing with family and friends. Certain things can negatively affect your sexuality. Having a satisfying sex life is a challenge in all relationships. The most common problem for women is dyspareunia, or painful intercourse. When sex becomes painful, it can cause problems in a sexual relationship, as well as having a negative emotional effect.

The most common cause of painful intercourse is an insufficient amount of vaginal lubrication. Of all the possible causes, it is also the easiest to resolve. It is common to have fears and concerns about sex and intimacy when you are in pain. The woman needs to focus on relaxing while her partner focuses on more foreplay, and take your time. If that doesn’t work, then you can move on to lubricant. Make sure it is water based. If the lack of vaginal lubrication is due to hormones or menopause, then you can try a water based lubricant. If that doesn’t help, then you will need to talk to your physician about using a prescription estrogen cream of hormone replacement therapy.

Another very common condition that can cause painful intercourse is vaginal infections, like a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. Both infections can irritate the vaginal walls and also cause inflammation inside the vagina. Once the vaginal walls become inflamed, the friction from intercourse can be extremely painful. You can use an over the counter treatment for a yeast infection, but you will need to get prescription antibiotics for bacterial vaginosis.

Many sexually transmitted diseases can be painful. Syphilis, Genital Herpes and Genital Warts can all cause sores in the vaginal area. These sores are extremely painful just to touch. If you have an STD or suspect that you have been exposed to an STD, you need to get tested immediately.

After giving birth, you should not have intercourse for at least 6 weeks. Your body needs time to heal. During delivery, you can experience an injury to the vulva or the vagina. If your doctor performed an episiotomy prior to delivery, it will require stitches, and having sex too soon may require you to need additional stitches.

Some women experience spasms of the vaginal muscles, called vaginismus. This is usually caused by a fear of being hurt. This is most common in women that have been sexually abused or raped. Her partner can try gentleness and patience, but more than likely you will need some sexual therapy. When looking for a counselor, make sure they are a certified sexual counselor.

You should seek immediate attention if intercourse suddenly becomes painful when it hasn’t been before, or if you suspect an STD or any other infection. You should also let your partner know immediately if you have an unusual reaction to sexual intercourse. An unusual reaction would be a headache, chest pain or pain throughout the body. If you experience painful intercourse, talk to your partner.

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PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests that test for the risk of prostate cancer in men are sensitive to many outside factors that can affect the results. Unfortunately, many physicians do not inform their patients of this fact. This may cause one to need several tests performed to get accurate results.

Get a PSA Test

Several factors may elevate the results of a PSA test. The higher the level, the more likely cancer is present. A result with high levels due to some other outside factor could cause a false positive result and a lot of unnecessary stress and fear. Many things can cause an elevated PSA level that should not be cause for concern. For example, age alone can cause a rise in levels. As a man ages, his PSA levels rise as well. Also, men should abstain from sex at least two days before being tested. Studies show that ejaculation within this period before a PSA test may increase PSA levels in the blood. Stimulation of the prostate from something such as a bike ride may also elevate the levels. Infections of the prostate that may produce no symptoms may also lead to elevated PSA levels. Also, a man with a larger than average prostate may get results with higher levels even if his prostate is healthy due to the fact that larger prostates produce more PSA in the blood.

On the other hand, some factors can artificially lower the PSA levels. This could lead a patient to believe they have no risk when in fact, they may have higher levels than the results show. Many medications can lower PSA levels in the blood. For example, over the counter herbal remedies such as saw palmetto can reduce levels by as much as 50%. Also, men who regularly use aspirin or other painkillers have levels 10% lower than those who do not.

One should always keep in mind that there is no “normal” number for PSA test results. Many different factors should be taken into account. Also, it is important to realize that one abnormal PSA test result does not necessarily mean one has cancer. It is important to be tested on a routine basis to watch the levels for fluctuations. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that all men, beginning at age 50 and those at an increased risk of prostate cancer have a PSA test performed annually.

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