larkasaur Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 NOW, this same allergist, Dr. S, is giving me further trouble. He's the doctor who overcharged me a lot on Xolair shots earlier, and has refused to adjust the charge despite 3 quotes for Xolair shots from other allergists' offices that were much less. I haven't been getting Xolair shots from him any more - $262 per shot is too much - but I'm getting allergy shots from him and trying to find another allergist. I hope he doesn't raise the price on the allergy shots behind my back! I went in for my allergy shot today. I have been getting allergy shots on Monday and Friday from a vial with dog allergen in it. On Wednesdays I get shots with mold and pollens. This is because my dog allergy has severely interfered with my life, and in the past I've been able to increase the shots with dog allergen faster than shots with mold and pollens. So I separated out the vial with dog allergen, and I've been increasing the dose with each shot, to get to the maintenance dose as quickly as possible. Dr. S is doing shots prescribed by another allergist, Dr. T. Dr. S told me this morning that Dr. T's office had said they wanted me to get all the shots together on the same day. I told him I had a phone appt. with Dr. T where we discussed my allergy shots, and Dr. T said it's OK to get the shots the way I've been doing it, with shots from the dog vial separated out and twice a week. Dr. S agreed to give me a shot just from the dog vial today, but said he'd have to talk with Dr. T's office. After the shot, I called Dr. T's office. I talked to Nicole, the office manager there. She told me she told the nurse at Dr. S's office that my shots were NOT all on the same day, the dog vial is separated out as I agreed on with Dr. T. There was a separate issue about the pollens vial, where the nurse also seemed to have not understood what Nicole said. It's not all that complicated, and Dr. S's nurses should be fine with different allergy shots separated out. Other allergists sometimes do this, to help patients progress with their allergy shots. Most patients get all their allergy shots on the same day, but not everyone has an easy or straightforward time with allergy shots. It seems like Dr. S's nurse is trying to make things very simple for herself - regardless of what works for me. And I'm the patient, the one they're supposedly trying to help! I was "flunked out" of allergy shots in 2005. I was getting sick for several days after each shot, so I never progressed in the concentration of the shots. The doctor(s) then, who included Dr. S, never made any effort to try to help me with reactions to the shots. H1 and H2 antihistamines can help people tolerate allergy shots. They also never tried separating out shots from the different vials - maybe some of the shots were making me sick and others weren't. I felt at the time that these doctors were trying to make everything very easy for themselves, by doing allergy shots in a cookbook style. They had a simple moneymaking machine, with patients getting allergy shots like clockwork. One nurse even described how they made it all very simple. She told me this happily - she thought it was great. I thought it was shoddy treatment. Their cookbook methods eventually made them "flunk" me out of allergy shots. I have a new patient appt. with a new allergist next week. This office is the same place that was doing shots like clockwork in 2005. I hope the new allergist is OK with what I've been doing, with shots from different vials on different days. I think Dr. S's office isn't used to doing allergy shots for other doctors, that's part of the problem. Dr. T said their records of the shots were confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 That all sucks to have to go through! What a PITA. IMO I don't see how having all the shots on one day will make things better. If you had a reaction to one, you wouldn't know which one because they'd be administered at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 IMO I don't see how having all the shots on one day will make things better. If you had a reaction to one, you wouldn't know which one because they'd be administered at the same time. Having all the shots on one day makes things easier for the nurses. So this nurse apparently told this Dr. S that she was told Dr. T's office wanted me to have all the shots on one day. This Dr. S has a very dysfunctional office. "Dysfunctional" is putting it very politely. They mess up their billing. He outsources his billing, and each bill has had several mistakes on it. AND, the weirdness of giving me a placebo shot, AND the overcharge on a Xolair injection, which he should have taken care of without a fuss. This doctor is a psychological mess, and his office and his behavior and his nurses' behavior and his staff's behavior shows it. Yes, it is a real pain, because I NEED my allergy shots. I NEED to get desensitized to dogs as soon as I can, and when the staff gets in the way of that, it is really aggravating. It's not all that complicated!! And they're making it out to be a big pain. One good thing: I have been taking 15 mg loratadine (antihistamine) before the shots, and I think it does help. I'm trying Zantac also before the shots. That's an H2 antihistamine, and Dr. T said H2 antihistamines can also help with reactions to the shots. If I have less of a reaction to the shots, I could drive out of town to a better allergist if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 ^^ That whole placebo shot situation was totally fucked up. I hope everything works out ok for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 (edited) A common theme is that Dr. S makes MANY different things into more of a problem than they have to be. When I complained to him about the price of the Xolair shots being increased without telling me, he should have given me the old price for those shots, without a fuss. Instead of resolving a legitimate complaint, he came out with endless bullshit. As a result I had to get price quotes from 3 other allergists. And Nicole at Dr. T's office said she couldn't understand why Dr. S's staff was having such problems with the allergy shot record sheet. It is not all that complicated. A little bit of effort would resolve it. I have to go there on Monday again, for a shot from the dog vial. I hope there aren't further complications. Sometimes people cultivate conflicts with others because of their unresolved psychological conflicts. But Dr. S is the first doctor who I've noticed doing this in his professional life. Usually doctors take care of little problems quickly. I really hope things work out with this new allergist I'm seeing on July 3rd. Enough at least that I can get away from Dr. S. It's become urgent to get away from him. Edited June 29, 2014 by larkasaur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 I agree. I hope the new allergist works out for you this week. I agree, usually DRs take care of little problems quickly. On Monday (today) can you call the office ahead of time to see how much the shot will cost? (I'd just say you want to make sure you bring enough money, or something). Then at least it won't be a shock (if it is) when you get there. And you can think ahead of anything you'd like to say to them or whatever. Anything. Just so you know what to expect when you get there. Idk, but that is what I would do if I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 (edited) On Monday (today) can you call the office ahead of time to see how much the shot will cost? (I'd just say you want to make sure you bring enough money, or something). Then at least it won't be a shock (if it is) when you get there. And you can think ahead of anything you'd like to say to them or whatever. Anything. Just so you know what to expect when you get there. Idk, but that is what I would do if I could. I'm not sure which allergist you mean, but I checked out the prices the new allergist will charge. I went to Dr. S's office on Monday and to my surprise, got the shots I asked for without a problem! I felt very threatened by this nurse and maybe Dr. S trying to dictate what doses of what shots are given ... so I went there all geared up to request they ask for faxed authorization from Dr. T's office, etc. But there was no problem. So I'm not feeling quite as desperate to get away from Dr. S. I still plan to though, unless something goes wrong with the new allergist. What gets to me is that Dr. S IS the main bad allergist I had years ago! He's *the* doctor who was managing my allergy shots in 2005 - in a totally cookbook way, so that I never was able to increase the dose. He's the one who kicked me out of allergy shots in 2005. He did that same trick with a placebo shot back then, and because I told the nurse I'd had a reaction to the placebo shot, he stopped my allergy shots. I've noticed this same pattern of "blaming it on the patient" in my recent interactions with him. So I ended up going back to the same allergist who messed me over so badly, 9 years ago! I didn't realize I was doing this when I first saw him. I'm wondering if I somehow arranged for myself to be re-victimized. It's true that there really aren't many choices in this small town, and Dr. S has, at least, given me the allergy shots I need so much. Edited July 1, 2014 by larkasaur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I was referring to the allergist that kept increasing the price of the shots. I was hoping that the price wouldn't go up again behind your back. I'm glad it wasn't! And I am glad it all worked out, and hope it continues to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 I was referring to the allergist that kept increasing the price of the shots. I was hoping that the price wouldn't go up again behind your back. I'm glad it wasn't! And I am glad it all worked out, and hope it continues to I haven't gotten any more Xolair shots there. That was the price that was raised so much without notice. Yes, I was afraid they would increase the price of allergy shots also without notice. Since the allergist thinks he can charge whatever he likes, and people are obligated to pay it. But I was relieved to find with the latest bill that the allergy shot prices haven't changed. The trouble with raising the price on allergy shots without notice would be that it takes awhile to find a new doctor. And one can't just quit getting the shots, because quitting would mean losing months of building up tolerance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 (edited) It looks like the new allergist's office will work out just fine, for my allergy shots and Xolair shots too. And their prices are much more reasonable, for both kinds of shots. I had a new-patient appt. with Dr. F, an allergist there, and he gave me no weird vibes that he might have psychological problems. I have a radar for certain kinds of psychological stuff, having grown up in an abusive family. Dr. S set off that radar. Just one more shot at Dr. S's office and I'll be on my way Edited July 3, 2014 by larkasaur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Glad to hear things are better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larkasaur Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 I'm very happy with the new allergists' office where I've been getting allergy shots. They are MUCH better organized. I'm so glad I switched. And they cost a lot less! The doctor I saw for my initial visit, charged me only $125. My initial visit with Dr. S cost me $325. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Holy shit that is a HUGE difference in price! I'm so glad you switched also and it is all going well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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