So annoyed at pediatrician's office, and myself - vent

[ez]

I just got over influenza type b and what I had was not the stomach flu at all. I had high fever congestion and horrible cough which I still have almost 3 weeks later. I never heard of type B being stomach flu and the dr acted like it was regular flu and was most concerned with the cough. I didnt feel sick to my stomach or vomit once. My son also had it and same for him.

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Originally Posted by mikehn

And the doctor has the friggin nerve to charge patients a "missed appointment" fee. I never understood the logic in that

Not the most popular answer however you asked it is to make up for lost money they would have made off of you or some one else

[mikehn]

Originally Posted by tinkerbellandeeyor

Not the most popular answer however you asked it is to make up for lost money they would have made off of you or some one else

Rhetorical question - if doctor screws up the appointment, does patient get a free visit? If patient wastes the doctors time, patient gets penalized, but if doctor screws the patient, then tough luck. Got it.

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Originally Posted by mikehn

Rhetorical question - if doctor screws up the appointment, does patient get a free visit? If patient wastes the doctors time, patient gets penalized, but if doctor screws the patient, then tough luck. Got it.

Sorry I should have known better

[NikitaZee]

Originally Posted by jenben8426

I have been told that the flu shot you receive only protects you against influenza A. If you have Influenza B that is a virus and is also called the "stomach flu." Influenza B causes the throwing up and you can catch it regardless of the flu shot. They can test for both types of flu with rapid tests so ask or that when you go in!

Thanks, they did a flu swab and another rapid strep test - both negative, thank goodness. Just a stomach virus, made more difficult by a bad head cold. The cough is from drainage from the head - I wish I was able to distinguish between true chest-congestion type coughing and nasal drip/head congestion coughing! Also I mentioned to the doctor what had happened earlier with the mixed-up appointments, turns out the office manager hadn't said anything about it to him He apologized and told me he'd speak with his staff about how to handle something like that in the future - maybe it'll help someone else a similar aggravation!

[scrapquitler]

Originally Posted by NikitaZee

! Also I mentioned to the doctor what had happened earlier with the mixed-up appointments, turns out the office manager hadn't said anything about it to him He apologized and told me he'd speak with his staff about how to handle something like that in the future - maybe it'll help someone else a similar aggravation!

I'm glad you mentioned this to the doctor. I think that sometimes the doctor has absolutely NO idea about how the office staff handles things and can make things difficult for the patient. Hopefully he will be able to lessen the aggravation for someone else in the future.

[DaisyLynn]

Originally Posted by scrapquitler

I'm glad you mentioned this to the doctor. I think that sometimes the doctor has absolutely NO idea about how the office staff handles things and can make things difficult for the patient. Hopefully he will be able to lessen the aggravation for someone else in the future.

So true!

But then I've also heard of the doctor getting very angry at the office staff when they are trying to squeeze someone in. Behind closed doors, of course.

OP, I hope your daughter is feeling better soon!

[Betsy82]

Originally Posted by NikitaZee

Thanks, they did a flu swab and another rapid strep test - both negative, thank goodness. Just a stomach virus, made more difficult by a bad head cold. The cough is from drainage from the head - I wish I was able to distinguish between true chest-congestion type coughing and nasal drip/head congestion coughing! Also I mentioned to the doctor what had happened earlier with the mixed-up appointments, turns out the office manager hadn't said anything about it to him He apologized and told me he'd speak with his staff about how to handle something like that in the future - maybe it'll help someone else a similar aggravation!

Definitely a good call on telling the doctor. I have had a similarly poor experience with our pediatricians office staff. He hires a company to handle that portion of his practice and they're pretty rude. He's the most sought after pediatrician here, yet anyone who sees him will comment on how horrible they are.
I spoke up once and he fixed it and apologized to us several times. Often times he has no idea about the behind the scenes stuff. We have had other issues, with the on-call, and he took care of that as well after I brought it to his attention.

[Mermaid02]

Originally Posted by DaisyLynn

So true!

But then I've also heard of the doctor getting very angry at the office staff when they are trying to squeeze someone in. Behind closed doors, of course.

OP, I hope your daughter is feeling better soon!

I agree. I'd take what the doctor said with a grain of salt. Usually the staff are just following office procedure put in place by him.

In our office however, if it was our mistake, you would have been squeezed in. You drove all that way with your sick child for an appointment the staff told you that you had.

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally Posted by scrapquitler

I'm glad you mentioned this to the doctor. I think that sometimes the doctor has absolutely NO idea about how the office staff handles things and can make things difficult for the patient. Hopefully he will be able to lessen the aggravation for someone else in the future.

I got someone fired back in the day. It was at my dd's ped., many moons ago.

I was on bedrest with my youngest and my sister took my oldest for her Kindergarten shots.

The office worker (who was a witch) gave my sister so much crap, she was crying about the office visit. (This was 22yrs ago.)

My sister does not have kids and this was a stressful situation. Kids don't like shots, you know.

I called the office manager and told them what happened and frankly told them about this worker being hateful all the time when you checked out. She was mean.

Never asked about it again but never saw that woman there again.

I know she had to have more complaints than me but the incident with my sister crossed the line. I guess it was the final straw.

I still regret not calling my old doc and complaining about the neglience of a member of their office staff. It still bugs me. The office person is a witch and she put my dd's health at risk.

[punkin]

I don't trust those rapid tests. In my DD's case, they are almost always wrong. I went in last year with sick DD. They did a rapid strep which came back negative and sent our a culture. I specifically asked the Dr. if DD could go on a class trip the next day. He says "sure." she'll be fine. I send her on the trip and get a call from Dr.'s office: "it's strep!" Well DD is on a trip to Busch Gardens with her class getting everyone sick and feeling miserable and there is nothing I can do. She gave most of her class strep on top of everything. Now, if I suspect strep, I'll just have them do the culture and keep her home until it comes back.

[erincon23]

The office mixup happened to me once -- it was a specialist for DS (then 13). We arrived for our appointment, the office was not where the information board had it listed and nobody in the hospital knew where the office had moved to (it was on a different floor, subleasing space from another doctor -- in the three times we had to go to that office, they never changed the board nor put a sign on the incorrectly indicated office door); by the time we found it (after many phone calls), it had closed; and then we found out that they had scheduled it for an office more than 45 minutes away. I made a big stink, and they not only apologized, they sent me a beautiful flower arrangement.

I'd write a letter to the office manager explaining the incident and let them know that you expect them to review their procedures and their response (nothing they can really do for you now, but to prevent this from happening to someone else).

[Tigger&Belle]

Originally Posted by jenben8426

I have been told that the flu shot you receive only protects you against influenza A. If you have Influenza B that is a virus and is also called the "stomach flu." Influenza B causes the throwing up and you can catch it regardless of the flu shot. They can test for both types of flu with rapid tests so ask or that when you go in!

Not accurate information. BTW, both A and B influenza are viruses, which is why an antiviral can be prescribed if diagnosed early enough with the flu.

A stomach bug is not influenza, even though people often call it "the flu". Normally influenza does not cause vomiting, although it can, especially in children.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/symptoms.htm