Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Saw My Doctor Today

I decided to call my doctor today since my throat is still super sore and I still have a fever.  Turns out I have strep throat, so it's a good thing I went.  He said he's seen several patients today alone with strep throat.  He asked if I'd been around anyone sick lately, and I haven't that I know of, but I guess I was around someone with strep, because I had to catch it somewhere.

I'm just glad to have a diagnosis and even happier to have antibiotics.  He told me I will be contagious for 48 hours after beginning the antibiotics, which I started immediately, so I guess I will be staying close to home for the next couple days because I don't want to spread my germs around.  Not that I feel like going anywhere anyway.  I am exhausted and feel crappy.

I feel relieved to have an actual diagnosis, though.  I'm probably weird this way, but I hate going to the doctor and being told nothing is wrong with me.  It's not that I want something to be wrong with me, but if I am feeling sick, I like to know that something actually is wrong and what it is.  If I go to the doctor and say I feel sick and they can't find anything wrong, I feel like they are saying it's all in my head or that they don't believe me that I don't feel well.  I know a lot of that has to do with my PTSD stuff, but I still hate that feeling.

My doctor had some trouble figuring out what antibiotic to prescribe because I am allergic to a couple antibiotics and a couple of the antibiotics I can take, and usually do take for infections, apparently are not effective against strep.  So he finally decided one, which I told him I've had before, but he was a bit hesitant because he said some people that are sensitive to one of the antibiotics I am allergic to have problems with this one as well.  But I am certain I've taken this before without any issues.

I went to the pharmacy to pick it up, and thank the goddess for good health insurance.  I paid my $2.65 copy, which I think is really, really reasonable and affordable, and according to my receipt, my insurance paid the other $105.99.  This is for 14 pills, one week's worth.  Who could possibly afford that without insurance?  Yes, there are many antibiotics that are much cheaper, but those are ones I can't take because I am allergic to them and they could literally kill me if I took them.  If I didn't have insurance, there is no way I could pay over $100 for antibiotics.  I would just have to go without.  And how ridiculous is it that someone could have strep throat and not be able to get antibiotics?

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