This year's budget buster...strep throat

[Vacation Lover]

Is this the year of the Strep Throat, or what?! Strep has hit my house 16 times in the last 6 months!!!!! Check out this breakdown... (Yeah, our insurance stinks.)
Our out of pocket expenses, after insurance has been filed:
Me: 3 times...$220
DH: 3 times...$180
DS12: 3 times...$500
DD11: 6 times...$600
DD6: 1 time...$100 (I think she's the carrier...never shows any symptoms, but I've noticed some grouchiness and/or minor upset stomach every time someone else gets it. Finally decided to get her tested last time DD11 got it and, sure enough, she had it!)

16 times, for a grand total of about $1,600 out of pocket...not to mention cost for antibiotic, which has ranged from $7 to $100 for all the various kinds!

 

[Coll0610]

OMG, that's awful! Both the money and being sick so much!

Maybe you should look into trying one of the clinics in Walgreens or Meijer. The one in Meijer charges $39 for the visit. I don't know how much extra the strep test is. I've seen them once and DH has seen them a couple times for sinus infections, sore throats, etc. We've been happy. They even call the next day and make sure we're doing okay.

 

[estherhead]

I'm sooooo sorry. I'm a strep carrier. Here's the truth. If it continues, she might need to have her tonsils out. I had them out twice, they grew back, and we (I had 2 kids at the time) simply could not live with me with tonsils.

It's not a risk free surgery and people should think deeply about it and get more than one doctor opinion. But if strep persists, it's the only way I know. Get the carrier's tonsils out.

It's been 7 years now and none of us have had it once. For two years we had it every month. And for one of those years I was on low grade antibiotics for 8 entire months (talk about ripping your insides apart!) to try and keep it in check but my family got it anyway.

Again, I'm sooooo sorry. No one understands how debilitating it can be to a family because it's "just" strep throat. But like you said, it takes money. For my family it became a chronic disease just as difficult to deal with as any other chronic disease.

I'd go to a ENT (ear nose throat) specialist and explain your situation. Let him/her fix it for good. When I switched to an ENT my life totally changed for the better.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I'm suprised your doctor isn't shouting off the rooftops about ya'll have strep so much. I would also be upset because to have it that often you never really got rid of it previously.

Make sure you throw away all your tooth brushes and lysol the door knobs, remote controls, car door handles, and anything else you all touch.

I had strep several times in one year and my doctor was freaking out because it would get to the point I could barely talk or breathe from the infection. Apparently long term strep can cause alot of issues. I did have my tonsils out finally to help with the strep and the constant sinus infections.

I do hope ya'll feel better. I'm sorry to hear about the money issues.

 

[Lees3rwe]

bless your heart... we think DS is a carrier too... no symptoms, but will get weird things like red eyes, or a rash, and boom... he has it.

 

[Mickey527]

You might think i am crazy but I have seen this before when I worked for a pediatrician.
Hve your dog checked for strep. If you have a dog or cat and they lick or kiss your kids faces they can pass strep on to them. Dogs can get strep and will carry it and pass it on and on....

 

[dwfanatic]

Sorry about all of the expenses. Just wanted to remind you to make sure you get rid of the toothbrushes after a case of strep...just wanted to mention in case you didn't do so already- DS used to get strep often, and someone told me to do this- thought it was a good suggestion!

 

[Leajess99]

Is this the year of the Strep Throat, or what?! Strep has hit my house 16 times in the last 6 months!!!!! Check out this breakdown... (Yeah, our insurance stinks.)
Our out of pocket expenses, after insurance has been filed:
Me: 3 times...$220
DH: 3 times...$180
DS12: 3 times...$500
DD11: 6 times...$600
DD6: 1 time...$100 (I think she's the carrier...never shows any symptoms, but I've noticed some grouchiness and/or minor upset stomach every time someone else gets it. Finally decided to get her tested last time DD11 got it and, sure enough, she had it!)

16 times, for a grand total of about $1,600 out of pocket...not to mention cost for antibiotic, which has ranged from $7 to $100 for all the various kinds!

Have they referred your 11 year old to an ENT??? I would seriously be getting a referral as 6 times in a year is a lot (we are there with my 8 year old and tonsils are coming out in 2 weeks). Our doctor said they do the referral at 6 times but I don't need a referral so called the ENT myself when she was on the 5th time. So glad I did as she still had it a week later. I am ready to hopefully be done with it.


Hoping your family gets over it for good soon. Maybe the next time one has it you could ask for antibiotics for all to knock it out at once.

 

[Brer Shay]

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. The actualy sickness, the antibiotic, the new toothbrushes, the replaced pillows, the missed work, and the missed school - it's so frustrating and expensive.

Our family was in the same place a few years ago. In 10 weeks, we had it 10 times! As PP mentioned, after I got it the second time, our family doc suggested having my DH checked out as a carrier (he never caught it), and low and behold we had our answer. He did the low dose antibiotics for a while, but it wrecked his stomach (and the kids still got strep). Another candidate for a tonsilectomy - we've only had one case of strep since then.

The surgery poses many more risks for an adult than a child. It's worth investigating.

 

[krcit]

Ughh. I second the suggestion to go to an ENT. My oldest dd had strep 13 times in 12 months. She obviously never got rid of it, it was living in her tonsils. She had her tonsils out 10 years ago and has had strep once since. My middle dd was following in her sisters footsteps and got it about 8 times and then had her tonsils out. That was 6 years ago and I think she's had it maybe 2 times since. You really need to all get checked out. It's not good to be on all those antibiotics

 

[disfan07]

I'm shocked that your DD11 has not been referred to an ENT. If she still has her tonsils and your doctor really thinks it's okay to have strep that often, I would be looking for a new doctor.

When I was 12, I had strep 4 times in 3 months. After that 4th time I was referred to the ENT and a week later I had my tonsils out. In the past 9 years, I have had strep maybe 5 or 6 times total.

Medical is a huge budget buster for us every year. We pay about $3000 in copays alone every year along with about $4000 in prescriptions!

 

[Vacation Lover]

OP here. Thanks for all the kind words. Some interesting responses...I had no idea you could get strep from your dog!! Like some PPs, our doctor also said that the ENT referral comes at 6 times, so we got the referral for DD11 today. Her tonsils are HUGE--the nurses always comment on them when they swab her, so it's easy for the strep to "hide" in there. We plan to get her tonsils out this summer. She also has Psoriasis, and strep tends to bring it out. Her dermatologist also recommended getting them out for that reason. This is definitely the year do do it because it's the first time we've come close to our deductible since I had DD6. Anyway, thanks again for the kind words. The recurring strep is frustrating, but things could be so much worse so I prefer to count my blessings instead.

 

[santa's surpriz]

I totally feel your pain! I realized that my mom did not take me doctor beacuse she did not care but she did want to throw up at the pharmacy counter! It is a total budget killer. I like it when amoxocilin does the trick bc it is so cheap. There is a period I feel like I might lose my job. After reading the OP, I am thankful I only have one child. I don't know how I would do it x3. I give you lots of credit!

My dd is a carrier, every year she breaks out in rash. It's called guttate psorasis. The cream for her body (which has no generic formula) is $300/$175 with insurance. We need to get a different formula for her face which not as bad. We go thru 2-3 jars every winter. Throat cultures don't work with her condition, so we need to do blood tests which costs more. It stinks, bc she does not show symptoms. We only know she had a contagious period after the rash shows up usually 3-4 weeks afterward. It takes 2 office visits to get a prescription bc the dermatologist does not do the blood work and the pediatrician does not prescribe the cream. She is rarely sick. She never has a sore throat or fever associated with her contagious period so it practically unidentifiable. Now it took a few seasons to figure this out and did not start until she began kindergarten. It just takes us forever to get rid of the rash. Everytime their is a new/subsitute nurse at the school they freak out until they read my daughter's file. First word of a case in her class and off to the doctor we go. I just cross my fingers that she will grow out of it.

 

[CTdiznymom]

Never thought about animals being carriers. We also suffered from bouts of strep being passed around the house. DD had to have her tonsils out in her 20's because of it. Not fun. We found that another germ carrier are refillable water bottles. The kids would just keep refilling them and not throw them in the dishwasher. Also travel coffee mugs that just get a rinse and not a good wash.

 

[santa's surpriz]

OMG, that's awful! Both the money and being sick so much!

Maybe you should look into trying one of the clinics in Walgreens or Meijer. The one in Meijer charges $39 for the visit. I don't know how much extra the strep test is. I've seen them once and DH has seen them a couple times for sinus infections, sore throats, etc. We've been happy. They even call the next day and make sure we're doing okay.

I have heard horror stories from the minute clinics. Myself included. A few years ago when our issues began with strep they misdiagnosed my daughter's psorasis for ring worm. She nurse looked every thing up online on the web md website. I could have done that!

 

[deva]

After several bouts of strep, our ped said we needed to get dog on antibiotics. Our vet insisted that doggie strep cannot carry over to humans. So who knows who's right there. DD ended up getting tonsils out and she has not had it since.

Also make sure you dispose of toothpaste tubes. If everyone is swabbing those infected toothbrushes over the toothpaste, it is living in the cap and the tube, so just getting new toothbrushes won't do it

 

[CC12005]

Also, not to be a buzz kill. But some types of Strep are the same strain that causes cavities. Which may add to the expense.

 

[cbg1027]

How much are your co-pays on surgery?

Looks like someone needs a tonsillectomy!

I had chronic (like once a month for six months of the year) strep throats for about 15 years before someone finally said..."Hey! you have really enormous cryptic tonsils! Maybe they should be removed?"

Unfortunately I was 21 at the time. The surgery REALLY sucked and I had a long recovery (3 weeks) but you know what? Five years later and knock on wood I haven't had a single strep throat since! Also, when I do get sick, it's not as severe as it used to be.

The younger someone is when they have a tonsillectomy, the easier the recovery is. I would get DD6 to the Ear Nose and Throat Dr ASAP!!!!!!

The OOP costs to you on 1 tonsillectomy will probably be cheaper than paying to cure every family members strep infection for years to come....

 

[cbg1027]

OP here. Thanks for all the kind words. Some interesting responses...I had no idea you could get strep from your dog!! Like some PPs, our doctor also said that the ENT referral comes at 6 times, so we got the referral for DD11 today. Her tonsils are HUGE--the nurses always comment on them when they swab her, so it's easy for the strep to "hide" in there. We plan to get her tonsils out this summer. She also has Psoriasis, and strep tends to bring it out. Her dermatologist also recommended getting them out for that reason. This is definitely the year do do it because it's the first time we've come close to our deductible since I had DD6. Anyway, thanks again for the kind words. The recurring strep is frustrating, but things could be so much worse so I prefer to count my blessings instead.

Do count your blessings that the issue is being addressed now!

I went through a period of a lot of anger towards my childhood pediatrician for not ever suggesting a tonsillectomy. I mean...it was like clockwork...Abby's coming again? Break out the strep test....oh heck just write her a prescription now...

 

[lpandorf]

I used to get strep several times a year as a child. Never had my tonsils out. I eventually outgrew it and only time I had it as an adult is right after my 2nd child was born. Caught it when he was 3 weeks old and did not get rid of it for weeks. It took 3 rounds of antiobioticss to get rid of it.

Good luck!