ISO new pediatrician in Flatbush- I'm so fed up!

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 2:20 pm

I'm getting really fed up with my kids' pediatrician and his office. Even though we have some personal connection (not directly but through parents), I think it's time for a change.

Tell me if you think this is normal: first, my 6-week-old daughter was very cranky and showing signs of reflux, so I took her to the doctor. The doctor put her on a certain dosage of ranitidine/Zantac. A week later, I didn't see any change, so I called the doctor back. He made me come in again, only to say the same exact thing and change her dosage to 3 times a day. I really needed to bring her in again just so he could tell me there was no change?!

Now, my son has an ear infection. They asked me if he was allergic to amoxicillin, I said not that I know of. Today, when I gave him his medicine, he immediately broke out in hives--so he clearly is allergic to amoxicillin. My husband calls the doctor--they're making him come in again! He was literally just seen, he had an immediate reaction to the medication. Why are they milking my time and money for no good reason?!

By the way, the wait time in this pediatrician's office is terrible. I wasn't thrilled to begin with, but I stuck it out. Now I'm just completely done.

Anyone has suggestions of pediatricians in Flatbush (preferably lower numbers somewhere near Avenue P...) that have evening and Sunday hours?

ra_mom

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 2:28 pm

I know you're looking for a new doctor, but just thought I'd point out that if you're back at the office for the same unresolved issue within 2 weeks, you should tell them it's a follow up visit from x date and ask them to waive the copay.

And the reason they want to see the patient again is because they don't want to be negligent and miss anything.

It sounds like you need a more convenient location/hours doctor's office if going back is such a hassle.

I'm so sorry for your frustration.

nchr

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 2:34 pm

Just an FYI hives immediately after amoxicillin do not indicate a definite allergy. You'll have to do more testing to confirm this. It could also mean he has a virus, or is just a side effect rather than an allergic reaction to the medicine. Also, it's reasonable and responsible for the doctor to call you back into the office to see things first hand and evaluate. As for upping the dosage for the infant, that may have been able to be done over the phone, but is not unheard of to be done with a visit.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 3:03 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Thanks, I will ask my dh to do that (he just took my son to the doctor). I'm not optimistic, though--they've been doing this to me for a while.

I don't mind them seeing the patient again IF I didn't have to wait for 1.5 hours and pay another copay. The location itself isn't too bad-- if the office weren't calling me every other second "can you come now?" when I had an appointment for later, then telling me the doctor isn't available at that time... it's a circus.

Going back is a hassle because of the time investment, not necessarily the location.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 3:05 pm

nchr wrote:

The hives mostly faded a few hours later. There is also an amoxicillin allergy in my dh's family, so it makes sense. From what I've seen online, a skin rash alone would be a side effect, but hives would indicate an allergy.

Don't call me back to the office when you're going to charge me another copay and make me wait for who-knows-how-long, just to tell me what I already knew! Btw, my dh and I also use this doctor, since he is also an internist--and he does the same thing to us all the time. I'm not going back to him even though I think I have a sinus infection. I'm so fed up...

nchr

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 3:32 pm

amother wrote:

IME hives from an allergic reaction last days/weeks; however, they move around every 20-24 hours or so. Also, most people who think they are allergic to amoxicillin are not because people blame it on hives. You can be tested. The doctor may also have wanted to check it out.

thunderstorm

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 3:54 pm

Usually an allergic reaction to antibiotics that show up as hives or an itchy rash only show up 3-4 days after being on the antibiotics. It would not show up right away. If a child has breathing difficulty or vomits immediately after taking antibiotic is a definite allergic reaction to the meds.
It's very normal for a doctor not to diagnose hives over the phone. It can be the cause of so many different things.
Also in regard to the reflux, the doctor may have rechecked your baby for stomache tenderness etc also to rule out other gastric issues. I understand the inconvenience , frusteration and financial issue. But my doctor would have done the same and would have followed he same protocol. I think most pediatricians would.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 4:07 pm

thunderstorm wrote:

Today is the 3rd day of his being on the antibiotics- hence the hives.

The doctor had previously checked the baby for stomach tenderness, and had ruled out other gastric issues. He said it was reflux. And you know what? One week later, when nothing changed, it was still -- reflux!

nchr

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 4:16 pm

thunderstorm wrote:

Usually an allergic reaction to antibiotics that show up as hives or an itchy rash only show up 3-4 days after being on the antibiotics. It would not show up right away.

That's if it is the first time the child has been exposed to the allergen, but not if it has been previously given; however, hives are not indicative of an allergic reaction, especially with regards to medicine and virus. It needs to be investigated further though.

thunderstorm

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 4:45 pm

amother wrote:

I hear you. One of my babies had a rash/hives as an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. This was 16 years ago . So they diagnosed it over the phone. Every time the doctor checks the chart and sees he allergy warning they say it should have never been diagnosed over the phone. They usually write notes with exact details of how the rash looked and where it was on the body etc and his chart doesn't have that info.
The extra co pay is the part that really is not right. But everything became so difficult with insurances lately , and they use that as the excuse why they can't charge less or not charge at all etc

amother

Purple

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 4:50 pm

amother wrote:

You know what?? It might have been something he missed the first time, when his mind, prejudiced by probability, concluded reflux.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 6:01 pm

amother wrote:

please realize also that zantec is extremely weight sensitive. did doctor reweigh him to adjust his dosage?

Actually, he put her on 3 times a day at a lower cumulative dose than she had been on at 2 times a day.

Yes, he reweighed her- she was a few ounces more. It didn't change his mind. The only thing he did change was putting her on 3 times a day at a lower dose, and as I said, the cumulative dose was lower than it had been before. I can understand why he did that- Zantac doesn't have such a long-lasting effect, so it needs to be taken more frequently. What I don't understand was why I had to come in for that adjustment to be made.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 6:08 pm

amother wrote:

You know what?? It might have been something he missed the first time, when his mind, prejudiced by probability, concluded reflux.

It's funny, but as much as Google is not a doctor, it does give information. Past experience also gives info. Dr. Google says that her symptoms are classic reflux. Dr. Imamother also says so. My son had reflux when he was an infant, and she presents with similar symptoms. So when real Dr. So-and-So says so, it's not a shock to anyone. I don't think it was prejudiced by probability, I think it made sense--as he concluded when he evaluated her the second time.

(Now, Dr. Imamother also asked if it's possible that she is tongue-tied, and that is causing reflux. Real Dr. So-and-So poo-pooed it, since he doesn't know what posterior tongue tie is. Midwife Sara Dvorkes, who has experience with these things, said otherwise-although she didn't want to clip it. Real Dr. So-and-So also laughed me off when I said I think my baby might have mild torticollis. Well, guess what? Other people also see it, and notice that her head is slightly flatter on one side from the impact.)

amother

Purple

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 6:09 pm

amother wrote:

Because doctors don’t treat 6 week old babies over the phone.

amother

Slateblue

Tue, Sep 04 2018, 6:12 pm

amother wrote:

Because doctors don’t treat 6 week old babies over the phone.

This would not have been treating a 6-week-old baby over the phone, but simply adjusting dosages in the absence of change. It's not the same thing.

Again, if I had called the doctor and said "my baby has these symptoms, please prescribe medication" -- of course he wouldn't do that. But he saw her, gave her meds, they're not working. He can't prescribe a different med until she's 3 months old. So if he's going to adjust the dosage, why is another visit necessary?