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  1. #1
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Default Damn Liquid Meds! (And Assorted Sundry Medical-Related Complaints)

    So, we broke in the new insurance on January 14th with a trip to the doc because DD woke up with gross, gummy, teary, inflamed eyelids and I suspected pinkeye (oh hooray for Mama) which she did have.

    The doc also took a peek at DD's ears and diagnosed an ear infection.

    So, a 5-day course of eyedrops and a 10-day course of liquid amoxy. I was not optimistic about either, but gave it my best efforts.

    DD managed the eyedrops fine, but the liquid meds ... I screamed, I begged, I let her hold the dosing spoon. She gagged, she clammed her mouth shut and she spilled the meds on the kitchen floor. I cried - this had just cost me $13 ($10 for the base; $3 for flavoring) - and then I yelled.

    Not that it did much good because DD had amoxy in her hair, all over the front of her fleece and on her dress.

    Forcing it into her just caused her to gag & vomit, giving me more laundry to do.

    We mixed it into yogurt & applesauce for the next 4 days.

    On the 5th day, she turned up her nose at them.

    I begged, I pleaded, I cajoled.

    Nope.

    DH was laid up with back spasms, so I had no backup.

    I paid for 10 days of antibiotics and got maybe 4 into her.

    Well, shoot.

    She starts pulling on her ear last Monday, so off to the doc we go because I am freaking TERRIFIED of "superbugs" - you know, antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria - and admitted to the nurse that there was no way I was able to force my almost 3-year-old kid to take liquid meds. I am bigger and stronger, but that's not always the best leverage when I'm annoyed and feeling put-upon.

    No infection, but a ton of waxy buildup. OK, so we cleaned out her ears and the doc sent us home.

    On FRIDAY, however, we got a call from her daycare asking us to pick her up - she'd napped in 10-20 minute bursts, waking up crying hysterically, and she was running a temperature (100.4 - their send-home threshold is 100.1)

    OK, fine. Logged out of work, made an appointment with the ped, picked DD up from school and ran a quick errand before heading back to the pediatrician.

    Where I am presented with a bill for $85 for our visit on the 14th.

    "Were you aware that you had a balance?"
    Yes, but I hadn't received a bill yet.
    "Now you have."

    OK, I think, this shouldn't be so bad. After all, her sick visits last year (under a different insurance policy/company) were only about $17 each ... nope.

    $85.

    Insurance didn't pay a cent.

    "Well, you have an 80-20 plan, so you should only have to pay 20%"

    Um, well, it doesn't look that way. It looks like I am paying 80% of the total bill because insurance doesn't pay out until we meet our $500 deductible.

    Effing highway robbery.

    But my child is ill and I need her to get well, so I smile sweetly and tell the receptionist that I need to speak with my insurance company on Monday and I'll pay the bill when I figure out if that's the actual amount I actually owe.

    Anyway, DD is seen by the doc and has another (recurred?) ear infection. Oh joy.

    I told the doc flat-out I wasn't dealing with the liquid amoxy again. No way, no how. It's too much work for me and I already had a sick patient at home (DH, who, after clearing up his backache, promptly came down with flu-like symptoms, including a nasty cough that makes him vomit. Greaaat.)

    So, we get DD injected antibiotics. 2 shots on Friday; 2 more on Saturday ... and she's back to her old self. Running around like a lunatic and driving me crazy. (It's a short trip.)

    But ... each freaking sick visit is $85 until we meet our deductible???

    Ugh. I think I'm going to strangle someone now.
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  2. #2
    KrisM is offline Clean Sweep forum moderator
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    Ugh. I'm sorry. I'm glad she's feeling better!

    We have a $3000 deductible and we pay about $80 for a sick visit as well. We do have an HRA that helps. And, we put some in an FSA. Do you have an FSA you can get reimbursed from?

    I've done the wrestling of drugs into kids as well. It gets slightly easier as they get older and can understand why they have to have it. But, it sure isn't fun!
    Kris

  3. #3
    trales's Avatar
    trales is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    we have a $3500 deductible. We get 3 $35.00 sick visits per year and then pay 100% until we reach $3500 and then it becomes 80/20. I feel your pain.
    Tracey

    DD1 3/07 Itching to take over the universe.
    DD2 1/14 My mellow little snuggler.

  4. #4
    elektra's Avatar
    elektra is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    That sucks- so sorry.
    My DD has to take meds everyday and I taught her to swallow a pill instead of doing the liquid. Someone here suggested practicing with mini m&ms and it totally worked. Just a thought for next time. It makes things SO much easier.
    DD
    DS

  5. #5
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    I'm sorry. It sucks trying to force medicine down kids.

    We have a $2500 deductible and then it's 90/10 until we hit $4000, after which everything is covered.
    Mommy to 2 DS's (2003 and 2007)

  6. #6
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    I feel your pain on both issues. All three DS's have autism and won't take pills plus we fight them to take liquid meds. I swear they spit out more than they take. We also have a $7,500 deductible that we reach every year due to their weekly therapies. It sucks to know every Jan 1st we owe $7,500. There are many, many things we would like to do around the house or even take a vacation but that money goes to medical bills.

  7. #7
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    We have a high deductible, too ($3700). We had an ER visit a couple of weeks ago, so we've already blown through it. So now things are covered 90/10, but we'll be making payments on our hospital bill until our HSA gets funded more. The most frustrating part was the pedi visit where they did nothing for us and we still have to pay $161 for. OUCH!!

  8. #8
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Thank you all for the virtual tea & sympathy!

    I swear I would rather give a cat a bath than try to get my almost-3-year-old to take liquid meds.

    Chewables, on the other hand, are no problem.

    I do empathize with my DD. When I was a kid, I didn't like either the chewables - my dad had to hide chewable Tylenol in blueberries to get me to take it - or the liquid amoxy - you know, the nasty pink stuff that they said was "bubblegum" flavored, but was really a bunch of dye and crap? - so I actually started to BEG at 4 or 5 years old to take a "swallowable" pill instead.

    I couldn't articulate that I didn't want to taste it ... and my parents had probably shelled out quite a lot of money for my meds themselves, so I took the meds in tears.
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  9. #9
    dogmom is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Lots of sympathy, it sucks.

    I've had great luck with syringes vs. spoons for liquid meds. In fact I had to put my foot down for my 4'10" 10 year old DS and say, "I am not filling up this stupid syringe 3 times and paying $2 a dose for your meds because you are too large, swallow the pill!"

    Yes, never went to the ED with my kids until this year when my copay went from $35 to $100, it is waived if you are admitted. Of course it is to discourage ED visits. However, my DD got a laceration that needed stitches, you sort of have to go to the ED, the pediatrician isn't going to do it. You don't need admitted, that is only option. They wanted to know if I wanted to pay the co-pay, I was, "Oh, please bill me so I have proof."

  10. #10
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by dogmom View Post
    Lots of sympathy, it sucks.

    I've had great luck with syringes vs. spoons for liquid meds. ...
    Oh, I swear by the syringes, but she yacked that up, too. I fired it right down her gullet ... and she threw it right up.

    And have I mentioned that vomit is my parenting kryptonite? (That might be a fun poll sometime...)
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

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