Infectious disease Specialist?

[Marianne Welch]

So the internal dr. did not want to deal with me on the presentation of the possible mycoplasma bacterium which I want to be tested for. She was not open to let me even try antiobiotics at all since I don't have a fever.     So….she is sending me to an infectious disease specialist.  

I am tired of getting no where with conventional drs.  Are infectious disease specialists any better?   Anyone have experience on this?   I am just about ready to give up on all drs.  

I am struggling with how ins. won't cover any of these AP drs.   I called one today and found out how much they cost.  If I knew it would be worth every penny, I would go.  

I don't have a dianosis yet, but I have a lot of symptoms suggesting mycoplasma and I have had them for a few years.  They are getting worse now and hand swelling and respiratory problems are creeping in as well as too many others to write here.

I took a course of zithromax because I got a fever about 3 months ago and after that I had the best 2.5 months ever….symptom free.  Now they are back again.

Marianne

[richie]

Hi

Insurance covers many of these doctors -just as insurance covers any doctor –just as insurance generally covers the cost of the antibiotic —again –many of these doctors are rheumatologists or DO.s or holistic and depending on your individual insurance it could well be covered —

richie

[Parisa]

Marianne,

There's a very slim chance the infectious doctor will be any help.  They're the ones who should be helping.  Maybe someday things will turn around.

Do you have an HMO or PPO?  If you have an HMO, is there a doctor on the list that you know is more alternative minded.  Sometimes if you can find a primary who is more openminded you can get them to prescribe the treatment or else work with one of the more experienced AP doctors.

[nspiker]

Marianne,

I saw an Infectious Disease Specialist, after being referred by my Rheumatologist, because he was convinced I had some kind of systemic infection.  The Infectious Disease doctor basically blew me off, saying “you don't need any more antibiotics”. 

Just like you, I had been on an antibiotic for three weeks, amoxicillin, and all my symptoms disappeared. 

I did convince my PCP to give me antibiotics for up to six months, without uncovering the source of the infection.  Do you have a doctor that knows you, who might just support AP? 

[Kim]

Marianne,

An infectious disease doctor would be the last doctor I would go see.  They are the group that denies the existence of chronic Lyme which is one of the most complicated infection(s) to treat.

If you had improvements on Zith then you clearly have an infection that is responding to antibiotics.  An AP doc sure makes life easier, but many of us have started basically on our own with the help of a doctor just writing scripts.  I did.

Take care…..kim

[MMW]

Thanks Kim,

I went back to my original primary and told him the internal medicine dr. couldn't help me and wanted me to go to an infectious disease dr.     He was surprised.

Based on response by you all,  I will NOT do this.

I convinced my primary to let me have zithromycin again and see if I get better  (since it worked 3 months ago).   I told him if it works, I would come back to keep him posted.  He agreed but only after a long lecture on “how all these symptoms could be anxiety”.    All I could say was……would anxiety happen at night when you are asleep and you wake up with swollen hands?   He didn't say much to that.   So if I get better, I will go back and ask for minocin or doxcycline.     We will see.   

You all probably saved me alot of time on a useless run to the infectious disease dr.   Thank you,

Marianne

[Kim]

Marianne,

Sadly, sometimes it's just easier to suck it up and play the game to get the prescriptions.  I've done it.  In a perfect world we'd have an AP doc on every corner, but for now just do what you have to do.

Take care…..kim

[nspiker]

Good for you Marianne…that's the spirit you have to have to get things done!  Good luck, and hope you're feeling better soon.

[Lizz]

I got sent to an infectious disease doctor after the sinus doc found bowel fungus in my sinuses. he didn't know what to do, so passed me off to the infectious disease specialist. This “specialist” did nothing, just tried to ask me questions about my personal life which had nothing to do with anything. I would NEVER go back to him.

[Author]

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