Doctors (rant) - updated

[disneychrista]

Not trying to argue; just saying that was my situation with my son. That son is now a healthy thriving almost 33 year old with wife and daughter.

Oh I totally understand, not trying to say you can't have strep without a fever. I think I DO have strep without the fever.

Your Covid test was probably too early. That being said, DS7 tested positive within 16 hours and I just tested positive today with symptoms only starting last night.

Urgent Cares here are like 4+ hour waits AND you can’t just walk in anymore, you have to have an appointment. Might want to check on that.

I agree. That is why I went to retest yesterday and ended up getting the PCR since the rapid site was closed. My older daughter has been testing every 3 days because there are so many positives in her office, so far they have all been negative. We are both are just waiting for one of us to test positive.

The urgent care I was looking at you can make appointments in the evening only, which I will. My younger daughter was seen there on Monday for a finger infection. She was in & out within 20 minutes.

 

[Kitty 34]

Oh I totally understand, not trying to say you can't have strep without a fever. I think I DO have strep without the fever.



I agree. That is why I went to retest yesterday and ended up getting the PCR since the rapid site was closed. My older daughter has been testing every 3 days because there are so many positives in her office, so far they have all been negative. We are both are just waiting for one of us to test positive.

The urgent care I was looking at you can make appointments in the evening only, which I will. My younger daughter was seen there on Monday for a finger infection. She was in & out within 20 minutes.

I just hope whatever you might have, you get the meds you need and get on the mend soon. Being sick with "whatever" is soooooo not fun. Take care.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Feel better. I had the same thing, the Urgent Care owner I went to was really smart and operated like urgent care with regular copay so we went all the time to the point he knew us all nearly as well as our regular GP. I liked it because they managed low touch stuff like UTI, strep and ear infections, they weren't equipped for so didn't draw serious sorts of things which I preferred.

 

[DLgal]

My son had this last week. It was not Covid OR strep. He had the same symptoms as you, including a BAD sore throat for several days. Had 3 negative rapid tests and then a PCR that was also negative. He was sick for a total of 6 days. It was just "some virus." It's going around. He never had a fever either.

 

[kerry1379]

My son sounds similar to you. When he got COVID he just had a mild sore throat and mild congestion. We went in primarily to get a strep test as we didn't really think it was COVID. Nope-negative strep, positive PCR test after a negative at home test. Our at home tests didn't show positive until he had shown symptoms for several days and was pretty much over it.

Not saying you have COVID but I wouldn't rule it out without a negative PCR.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I hope you find out what it is. Strep is definitely going around although people I knew it was in December that it seemed like a lot were getting it. Also check that your urgent care can do the covid tests. Our Children's Mercy hospital system advised they've basically run out of tests (didn't get their shipment) and have to reallocate what they have to very specific situations, I'd imagine others can be in the same boat at some point.

Hope you get to feeling better

 

[disneychrista]

I was able to get an at home COVID test and it was negative but still without the negative PCR can’t completely rule it out.

 

[Christine]

My son had the very same symptoms about 2 weeks ago. He managed to get a teledoc appointment on a Sunday. Based on my son's symptoms they then scheduled him for the next day to come to the clinic and get an outdoor COVID and STREP culture test. COVID test came back 24 hours later, negative, STREP culture 3 days later was positive. He didn't really have a fever. He lives in a very populated area. I think in the rural areas, as you've said OP, options are really limited.

 

[tcufrog]

My sons were prone to strep when they were young. They got very good a knowing when a sore throat felt like strep. Once, they both complained of very sore throats but neither had a fever. The doctor took a strep test for both but said she would "eat her hat" if they tested positive for strep because they had no fever. Well, they both tested positive for strep and are still waiting to watch their doctor eat her hat!

OMG! That happened to DS10 too. He is prone to strep but usually doesn't get a fever and quite often his throat looks fine. His rapid strep test comes back positive though. Once, his pediatrician told us he would eat his hat if our son had strep because he didn't have a fever and his throat looked fine.

 

[lulu2]

Strep can be dangerous, untreated. Daughter had it with only 1 day of not feeling well (no fever) she ended up throwing up 4 days later which turned into so many other things, 3 trips to the DR and then to the pediatric hospital where she spent 5 days and diagnosed with post streptococcal glomerulonephritis. A fluke but I can understand your frustration.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Remember, the worst thing you can do is rely on Dr. Google. He'll just freak you out.

For Covid, you should have access to testing kits. I'm not sure how it works in the US, but here they're free and readily available.

You might have the option of a distance consultation - costs, say, $40, but you get a 20 minute chat over the phone or 'net with a professional. Next best thing.

I can only reiterate how things have gone for me.

 

[disneychrista]

Strep can be dangerous, untreated. Daughter had it with only 1 day of not feeling well (no fever) she ended up throwing up 4 days later which turned into so many other things, 3 trips to the DR and then to the pediatric hospital where she spent 5 days and diagnosed with post streptococcal glomerulonephritis. A fluke but I can understand your frustration.

Had really bad strep when I was in elementary school. I think I missed 3 weeks of school because of it. They even tested me for Mono because I just wasn't getting better. I wasn't hospitalized but I remember feeling like crud for a long time, even after I was cleared to go back to school.

 

[prairie_girl]

White spots on the tonsils sounds like tonsillitis.

 

[disneychrista]

My woman's health doctor wouldn't look at my throat. Not surprising. So I guess I'll have to go to the Urgent Care tomorrow. UGH!

 

[sasywtch]

The week before Christmas, I had the same type of infection. Throat, sinus. Negative covid-got my test back Christmas Eve (but was feeling better by that time). Christmas Eve, DD2 and her bf get same sore throat/sinus covid negative. Christmas night, DIL came down sick-covid +, 2 days later my ds2 covid+, 3 days later dd1-covid + I live with ds and dd1 and was around dd1 all the time changing her wound care, etc. Did not get covid. There is definitely some throat/sinus thing going around. The other possibility which I'm still ????? I read in a journal that with this latest covid, it's harder to detect up the sinus and instead should be done via throat swab. Who knows. My symptoms were almost exactly what my dd1 had but according to my tests, I did not have covid.

Re: my doctor. Since I have Kaiser, if it's something that needs immediate (today or tomorrow) attention, they have me talk to the advice nurse. If they feel it needs testing or more info, they will contact the doctor. The doctor's office either makes an appointment for that day or sends you into a walk in strep test, order you meds or have you talk to your doctor or one on call. Since I have a lot of UTI's, I've noticed the difference in doctor's contacting you. It's a lot more, order meds without being seen, do a walk in test at a remote location vs going to the doctor's office to talk to them in person.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My woman's health doctor wouldn't look at my throat. Not surprising. So I guess I'll have to go to the Urgent Care tomorrow. UGH!

You would really need a throat culture, which is something that type of doctor wouldn’t have.

It’s really a primary care issue.

Remember to change out your toothbrushes, people, or run them through the dishwasher and sterilize the holder!

 

[PollyannaMom]

My sons were prone to strep when they were young. They got very good a knowing when a sore throat felt like strep. Once, they both complained of very sore throats but neither had a fever. The doctor took a strep test for both but said she would "eat her hat" if they tested positive for strep because they had no fever. Well, they both tested positive for strep and are still waiting to watch their doctor eat her hat!

When my dd was about 2 or 3 she got strep with no fever. The only reason I got her tested is cause the rest of us came down with it the next couple of days. She was patient 0.

Strep can be weird. - DS's first symptom when he was little was always an upset stomach! (Then he'd usually "crash" sleep and wake up with a fever and sore throat.)

I remember a similar experience to what someone else posted of asking a doctor for a culture when his throat looked fine, and her being surprised it was strep. (Thankfully, she was also a big proponent of mother's intuition, and didn't hesitate to do the test!)

Hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[SharonZ]

I never have a fever with strep, always tested positive with both the rapid test and the one that they send out.

 

[disneychrista]

You would really need a throat culture, which is something that type of doctor wouldn’t have.

I know and I wasn’t surprised. I was just hoping. I just want to get over this and get on with my life.

 

[DLgal]

Strep can be weird. - DS's first symptom when he was little was always an upset stomach! (Then he'd usually "crash" sleep and wake up with a fever and sore throat.)

I remember a similar experience to what someone else posted of asking a doctor for a culture when his throat looked fine, and her being surprised it was strep. (Thankfully, she was also a big proponent of mother's intuition, and didn't hesitate to do the test!)

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Some people (1 in 5) are colonized with strep and will always test positive on a rapid test, even without an active infection. My son is one of these people. He was once on 3 back to back courses of antibiotics for strep before the doctor realized he was simply a carrier, and the antibiotics would not do anything. Now whenever he gets a sore throat, it gets treated like a virus, and it always resolves on its own.