This year's budget buster...strep throat

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Make sure to throughly clean everything when someone is sick. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash your dishes in a 1/2 cup of bleach.

The other thing we do is to take 1000 mg of cinnamon in a pill form. You can get this at any pharmacy. It is great a fighting of viruses. We take this daily and have not had a cold or strep in our house for over 2 years now.
Here is some good info.

http://www.bing.com/health/article/naturalstandard-124799/Cinnamon-Cinnamomum-spp?q=cinnamon

 

[wendylovesdisney]

Just curious... how do you know your kid has it? I dont understand how our elementary school has so much strep - we get constant recorded calls from the school nurse saying someone in class has it - it has been going on since Halloween! I know the nurse told me one day 45 kids had it!

My kids always seem okay but one daughter aged 8 always seems to have sinus issues ....

 

[noahynav]

I too am very curious about how you can tell if someone is just a carrier? My husband is having his tonsils out next week after getting strep 5 times in the past 6 months. During that time frame I got it once, our daughter got it once, our oldest son got it once and our youngest son never got it. Is it really possible to carry it around and be symptom free? Isn't it dangerous to be walking around with strep and not treat it? I have heard that it can travel to your heart and or kidneys? I am so worried now that even if he has his tonsils out one of us will still be harboring it......

 

[MrsPete]

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!

Or run them through the dishwasher or boil them. But one of these is a must-do.

 

[labdogs42]

Just curious... how do you know your kid has it? I dont understand how our elementary school has so much strep - we get constant recorded calls from the school nurse saying someone in class has it - it has been going on since Halloween! I know the nurse told me one day 45 kids had it!

My kids always seem okay but one daughter aged 8 always seems to have sinus issues ....

Generally, they have a fever and an incredibly sore throat. And if you look at their throat with a flashlight, it will be flaming red with white spots or streaks. My family gets strep quite a bit, too. I get it and it isn't fun. I know I have it when my throat starts to feel like I'm swallowing glass. It is horrible. My DS had it 5 times in one year, we never made it to the magical 6 times to have to get his tonsils out! But, he's only 6, so we might be headed down that road some day. This year was a little better than others, we all only had it twice this time.

The year he had it six times, we actually had our dogs tested and they weren't the cause. Also, a carrier always tests positive for strep, whether they have symptoms or not. If you have had a negative strep test at some point, you aren't a carrier.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Does any grocery stores in you area have a free antibiotic program? In my area Stop and Shop has free antibiotics (many prescriptions, but not all; not in available in all states).

http://www.stopandshop.com/antibiotics

When DD is sick, along with the Stop and Shop list I bring a list of the $4 Walmart and Target prescriptions to the appointment so I can see if any prescription the doctor writes is on the list.

http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf

http://sites.target.com/site/en/health/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-040589

 

[vsimeone]

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.

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.

Another strep / psoriasis sufferer here. I had my first "outbreak" at 22 and thankfully have only had a handful of REALLY bad outbreaks but everyone of them was related to step. I still have my tonsils BUT I worked in schools for 20 years so one of the first dermatologists that I went to gave me a prescription for an ointment called Bactroban (I have a generic version now). Every time there would be a strep outbreak in one of the buildings that I worked in, I would swab the inside of my nose every night with the Bactroban until the strep outbreak went away. I haven't worked in the schools now for almost 3 years but now I travel frequently for business so I use it any time I'm feeling run down or before I get on a plane. It's supposed to kill the strep germs in your nose before they can infect you.

It's worth asking your doctor about. Saves the doctor's visits and the money and ordeal that you have to go through if you get a psoriasis outbreak!

 

[Vacation Lover]

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!

The EXACT thing happened with DD...Minute Clinic had us rubbing ringworm ointment all over her body and in her scalp while the psoriasis kept getting worse and worse.

Another strep / psoriasis sufferer here. I had my first "outbreak" at 22 and thankfully have only had a handful of REALLY bad outbreaks but everyone of them was related to step. I still have my tonsils BUT I worked in schools for 20 years so one of the first dermatologists that I went to gave me a prescription for an ointment called Bactroban (I have a generic version now). Every time there would be a strep outbreak in one of the buildings that I worked in, I would swab the inside of my nose every night with the Bactroban until the strep outbreak went away. I haven't worked in the schools now for almost 3 years but now I travel frequently for business so I use it any time I'm feeling run down or before I get on a plane. It's supposed to kill the strep germs in your nose before they can infect you.

Intersting...I'll have to look into that. Thanks!

Just curious... how do you know your kid has it? I dont understand how our elementary school has so much strep - we get constant recorded calls from the school nurse saying someone in class has it - it has been going on since Halloween! I know the nurse told me one day 45 kids had it!

My kids always seem okay but one daughter aged 8 always seems to have sinus issues ....

The funny thing about strep is that it has a lot of different symptoms, not necessarily even a sore throat! Typically it's a painfully sore throat, that may or may not be accompanied by fever and/or upset stomach. I think the real problem is that the strains are becoming more resistant to antibiotic, which is why it's harder to get rid of these days!

I too am very curious about how you can tell if someone is just a carrier? My husband is having his tonsils out next week after getting strep 5 times in the past 6 months. During that time frame I got it once, our daughter got it once, our oldest son got it once and our youngest son never got it. Is it really possible to carry it around and be symptom free? Isn't it dangerous to be walking around with strep and not treat it? I have heard that it can travel to your heart and or kidneys? I am so worried now that even if he has his tonsils out one of us will still be harboring it......

I think someone's a carrier if they test positive for strep even though they don't show any symptoms. My DD6 came to the appointment last month when DD11 had it and I had them test her too. She came back positive even though she had no fever or sore throat. That's why I think she's a carrier.

 

[tink fan]

My son always gets a bad headache and sometimes an upset stomach when he has strep. In fact, if he has had a headache and any kind of sore throat or fever, I take him in the dr. office and have him tested, even though his throat "doesn't look bad."

 

[pigletto]

Some people (and in your case many people) seem to be more prone to strep. I had Strep throat every year, several times a year as a kid. If I took my antibiotics improperly (forgetting a few) back it would come.. but stronger. It was miserable.

Then I hit about 19 and never ever had it again. Not once in almost 20 years now! My mom is an MD. She said that will happen. People especially prone to it all of a sudden stop getting it in adulthood.

My children still get it often. DD twice this winter. DS once, and last year he had full blown Scarlett Fever with the rash and all. It's not fun, very very painful and I hope your family is better soon.
Please Please make sure nobody is missing any of their antibiotics. For any other sore throat I would say you guys need to stop antibiotics and let your immune systems recover but Strep is bacterial and it can be dangerous.. it needs to be treated properly.

 

[Leajess99]

Just curious... how do you know your kid has it? I dont understand how our elementary school has so much strep - we get constant recorded calls from the school nurse saying someone in class has it - it has been going on since Halloween! I know the nurse told me one day 45 kids had it!

My kids always seem okay but one daughter aged 8 always seems to have sinus issues ....

I found when my youngest has it one tonsil swells pretty bad and she has red sponts on her tongue. Of course after her having it probably 7 or 8 times now (I have so lost count) you pay attention to the signs. She was diagnosed with it yesterday again and has only been off antibiotics for a week.

 

[Leajess99]

Generally, they have a fever and an incredibly sore throat. And if you look at their throat with a flashlight, it will be flaming red with white spots or streaks. My family gets strep quite a bit, too. I get it and it isn't fun. I know I have it when my throat starts to feel like I'm swallowing glass. It is horrible. My DS had it 5 times in one year, we never made it to the magical 6 times to have to get his tonsils out! But, he's only 6, so we might be headed down that road some day. This year was a little better than others, we all only had it twice this time.

The year he had it six times, we actually had our dogs tested and they weren't the cause. Also, a carrier always tests positive for strep, whether they have symptoms or not. If you have had a negative strep test at some point, you aren't a carrier.

There are many different symptons that can show as strep. So far we have dealt with chest pain which was diagnosed as strep, headaches, stomachs, and a few other things. None of these times did she complain of her throat hurting and she NEVER ran a fever.

There are kids at the doctor's office that had unexplained leg pain that were their sympton of strep. They did not have a sore throat or anything else either.

Also, not all kids end up with white spots or streaks in their throats. The only thing that concerned parents can do is take their child to the doctor for a strep test.

 

[santa's surpriz]

Just curious... how do you know your kid has it? I dont understand how our elementary school has so much strep - we get constant recorded calls from the school nurse saying someone in class has it - it has been going on since Halloween! I know the nurse told me one day 45 kids had it!

My kids always seem okay but one daughter aged 8 always seems to have sinus issues ....

Yes it is possible to carry it and be sympton free. My DD can have a throat culture done 365 days a year it would be positive. The bac is not always active, and unfortunately it is very hard to pinpoint when she is active bc of the lack of symptoms. I just communicate with the her teacher to let me know when a case is reported. The ped sends out an isos test to the lab rather than the in office throat culture. Now this is total pia, bc every time a kid gets it we have a doctor's visit.

This was discovered bc the unexplainable rash which turned out to be the guttate psorasis was diagnosed by the dermatologist, it was our dermatologist that recommended our pediatrician do an isos test. We did go back to the pediatrician to have it done. It came back postive.

Honestly, I am glad I know now. Now I can combat the over usage of antiboitics. I would through fits when DD would go in for totally unrelated symptons like a sprained ankle and get a diagnosis of strep throat. It really made me want to pull my hair out.

 

[lulu2]

So, let me tell yo a little about our battle with strep (and our future budget buster). We were at the Dr office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Wednesday they said pack your bags your going to the childrens hospital in Milwaukee, right now. Our DD had been diagnosed with strep and it has affected her kidneys. Looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg story short. She has high blood pressure and very angry kidneys. She is also now on her third antibiodic becasue she has reactions to the previous two. On the plus side, everyone here at the Childrens hospital is sooooooooooo nice. Hopefully, we will be going home soon.

 

[JamesMom]

So, let me tell yo a little about our battle with strep (and our future budget buster). We were at the Dr office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Wednesday they said pack your bags your going to the childrens hospital in Milwaukee, right now. Our DD had been diagnosed with strep and it has affected her kidneys. Looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg story short. She has high blood pressure and very angry kidneys. She is also now on her third antibiodic becasue she has reactions to the previous two. On the plus side, everyone here at the Childrens hospital is sooooooooooo nice. Hopefully, we will be going home soon.

I so feel your pain. My DS8 had what we thought was a crick in his neck on Monday of his spring break. Two days, two pediatrician appointments, two ER visits, rapid strep test (neg), rapid flu test (neg), strep culture (positive), head and neck CTs, lumbar puncture (neg for menigistis), my son was finally diagnosised with a paraphalengeal absess (puss pocket in his throat) and admitted him to the hospital. He was in such pain that they gave him a morphine-like drug every six hours. He was asking for more after 4 or 5. After six day long hospital stay including surgery to relieve the pressure and an MRI to rule out blood clots and a few days resting at home, he is back at school like nothing happened. Our little battle with strep will probably result in $40,000 in medical charges. Still waiting on all the bills, but just 1 ER visit was $5,000 by itself! And each specialist (of which he had several - Infectious disease, ENT, neurosurgeon, hemotology and the general practication) cost $$ everytime that they walked through that door, which was daily at $120 a pop on our insurance Our High Deductible plan will max out our OOP this year. The ENT did not recommend his tonsils being removed as he rarely has strep, but my nurse mother-in-law suspects that this is what cause his infection. Lovely...

 

[Vacation Lover]

So, let me tell yo a little about our battle with strep (and our future budget buster). We were at the Dr office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Wednesday they said pack your bags your going to the childrens hospital in Milwaukee, right now. Our DD had been diagnosed with strep and it has affected her kidneys. Looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg story short. She has high blood pressure and very angry kidneys. She is also now on her third antibiodic becasue she has reactions to the previous two. On the plus side, everyone here at the Childrens hospital is sooooooooooo nice. Hopefully, we will be going home soon.

I so feel your pain. My DS8 had what we thought was a crick in his neck on Monday of his spring break. Two days, two pediatrician appointments, two ER visits, rapid strep test (neg), rapid flu test (neg), strep culture (positive), head and neck CTs, lumbar puncture (neg for menigistis), my son was finally diagnosised with a paraphalengeal absess (puss pocket in his throat) and admitted him to the hospital. He was in such pain that they gave him a morphine-like drug every six hours. He was asking for more after 4 or 5. After six day long hospital stay including surgery to relieve the pressure and an MRI to rule out blood clots and a few days resting at home, he is back at school like nothing happened. Our little battle with strep will probably result in $30-40,000 in medical charges. Still waiting on all the bills, but just 1 ER visit was $5,000 by itself! And each specialist (of which he had several - Infectious disease, ENT, neurosurgeon, hemotology and the general practication) cost $$ everytime that walked through that door - daily at $120 a pop on our insurance Our High Deductible plan will max out our OOP this year. The ENT did not recommend his tonsils being removed as he rarely has strep, but my nurse mother-in-law suspects that this is what cause his infection. Lovely...

Ugh...hugs to both of you!

 

[MEM]

There are many different symptons that can show as strep. So far we have dealt with chest pain which was diagnosed as strep, headaches, stomachs, and a few other things. None of these times did she complain of her throat hurting and she NEVER ran a fever.

There are kids at the doctor's office that had unexplained leg pain that were their sympton of strep. They did not have a sore throat or anything else either.

Also, not all kids end up with white spots or streaks in their throats. The only thing that concerned parents can do is take their child to the doctor for a strep test.[/QUOTE]

That's very true. I have heard from specialists and GPs alike that a viral sore throat and a strep throat look exactly the same - with or without white spots - and you cannot tell just by looking.

 

[Leajess99]

So, let me tell yo a little about our battle with strep (and our future budget buster). We were at the Dr office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and on Wednesday they said pack your bags your going to the childrens hospital in Milwaukee, right now. Our DD had been diagnosed with strep and it has affected her kidneys. Looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg story short. She has high blood pressure and very angry kidneys. She is also now on her third antibiodic becasue she has reactions to the previous two. On the plus side, everyone here at the Childrens hospital is sooooooooooo nice. Hopefully, we will be going home soon.

Hoping your DD is better and home from the hospital very soon.

 

[Leajess99]

I so feel your pain. My DS8 had what we thought was a crick in his neck on Monday of his spring break. Two days, two pediatrician appointments, two ER visits, rapid strep test (neg), rapid flu test (neg), strep culture (positive), head and neck CTs, lumbar puncture (neg for menigistis), my son was finally diagnosised with a paraphalengeal absess (puss pocket in his throat) and admitted him to the hospital. He was in such pain that they gave him a morphine-like drug every six hours. He was asking for more after 4 or 5. After six day long hospital stay including surgery to relieve the pressure and an MRI to rule out blood clots and a few days resting at home, he is back at school like nothing happened. Our little battle with strep will probably result in $40,000 in medical charges. Still waiting on all the bills, but just 1 ER visit was $5,000 by itself! And each specialist (of which he had several - Infectious disease, ENT, neurosurgeon, hemotology and the general practication) cost $$ everytime that they walked through that door, which was daily at $120 a pop on our insurance Our High Deductible plan will max out our OOP this year. The ENT did not recommend his tonsils being removed as he rarely has strep, but my nurse mother-in-law suspects that this is what cause his infection. Lovely...

Sorry you and your son had to go through so much but I am glad that he is better now.

 

[juliebean]

I'd get the tonsils out - strep can damage your heart valves and really needs to be treated seriously, particularly for people who can walk around and not feel ill. Although there is clearly a wide range of symptoms, by far the most common is a really bad sore throat that doesn't resolve in a day or two.

It's hard to be a carrier, we were talking the other day in nursing classes about how hospitals handle a nurse who is a carrier. If they are accidently and frequently infecting patients they sometimes have to switch to positions that do not involve caring for immune compromised patients.