Telehealth Appointments?

Has anyone here tried Telehealth before? I saw someone mention it on a post and also my nurse practitioner mentioned it last week for a counselor. I just said no and didn't ask questions about it. At the time I was mostly saying no to the counseling because I can't leave home very often and their office is a 40 minute drive. I am wondering what Telehealth is like? Do you have to be on video or is it just a phone call? Are the appointments like being in the office?

It's like face time, zoom, or Skype. Your on your computer, tablet, or if you have no other option your phone (which the screen size makes it harder to see the other person). I use it for all my appointments so I don't have to drive 2hrs there and 2hrs back. You video chat and it's private, find a quiet place in your home, and I love the convenience. Not much different then seeing them in person. Just have a list of questions or concerns you have and be prepared to take notes.

I so appreciate you sharing your experience with me. Thank you for your advice too.

I've been having all my follow up appts (plus some other doctor's appts too that don't require me to be there - like for lab work or something) via telehealth ever since the pandemic started. I'm totally fine with it. For some types of appts, they really don't need to see you in person - plus it saves commuting time.

mine have been on Zoom or other Zoom-like programs. You could do it on the phone, too - although I like seeing the person on my screen.

Thank you so very much for sharing your insight with me. Telehealth sounds like the answer for me.

I had one for a sore throat. I used my phone so he could see the back of my throat and he prescribed some medicine that helped. There are a few funny memes around showing Telehealth gynecologist appointments. It should be a perfect solution for your therapy appointments.

Lol! OMG a zoom gynecologist.... I would seriously die ! ( but perhaps it's better than a rubber glove and a cold pinching speculum lol

IMHO, it's a joke and just a new way for docs to make the same $$ w/o having to do as much work as before. As I told my doc (of 20+ years, btw), I need to be physically EXAMINED .. to listen to my heart and lungs, take my pulse (and not just the rate ) .. You can't do that over a T.V. monitor (or a "phone conference", like I'm set up for ) .. And I"m having disturbing symptoms in those areas, inc. a fast heart rate (may be related to my a-fib? ~~~^v~~~^v~~~ ) Still, we're at a proverbial Mexican standoff - if I don't let him do the phone thing (and pay him his usual office $$ fee, of course - I don't have ins., btw) then he's not going to renew my meds (for high b.p., mild diabetes and depression). So, when my meds ran out, they ran out .. Have been off them for many months now, and in some ways actually feel better (although not so good in others) .. In the meantime I have also discovered online places (e.g. Ultalabs) that I can get not only my usual blood tests ordered from but any others I feel I need w/o a doctor's prescription, and at less $$ than I was charged by having the draws done in his clinic. I then fax the results over to my doc's to be put in my chart for future reference (i.e. when he finally is wiling to see patients again in person). In that regard, so far so good .. (although my Ferritin level is very low, but then it has been that way since almost the beginning of my DS, despite heavy supplementation for it ). One thing I discovered is that, w/o the gram of Metformin a day in my "diet", my A1c only increased from 6.1 to 6.6, still well below the 7.0 important "marker". Sounds like there was no need for me to even be on it the past dozen or so years, and no telling what damage it may have done to my liver and in those other ways that are coming out in the media now about that medication. If I jus****ched my carb intake I could probably drop it below 6.0 once again, like it was right out of WLS. So, if I develop some new, disturbing symptoms or my blood tests show something new going askew, I'll head to the county hospital's ambulatory care clinic (although it's packed of late with Covid patients ) .. Otherwise, I'm O.K..