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How long do you wait to go into the doctor?

random_thought

random_thought

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 5, 2010
Messages
1,065
Hi fellow pricescopers!

I'm here to ask, when you are sick, how long do you wait until you go to see a doctor? I've gone in more times than I can count only to find out there's nothing they can do and I'll have wasted the 70 bucks or whatever it is (don't currently have health insurance at job but DH is eligible for it in 25 days at his new job). Anyways, I've had a sore throat, body aches, headache, congestion, and fatigue for 5 days now. I'm so congested it's hard to breathe at night :( Anyways, I've read online that if it lasts longer than 5 days to go get checked out, but maybe that is jumping the gun...What do you all think is the longest you can go without going in?

Thanks in advance!!
 
I usually go the day before I start to feel better. :confused:

In all honesty, are you coughing or blowing out greenish yellow mucous? :shock: Do you have a fever over 101? These would be my criteria.
 
It depends on what the problem is. Are you running a fever? how high and for how long. Also, is your nasal discharge clear, yellow, green? Those are clues as to whether or not you have a respiratory infection and may need antibiotics. Also, it you don't feel like you are getting even a little bit better or are feeling worse than before get yourself to a doctor. My DH once kept waiting until his upper respiratory turned into pleurisy and then it took much longer to treat.
 
Thanks for the responses! I've had a fever but have been able to keep it down with tylenol :confused: So I don't know if this counts? Mucus has been between clear and yellow (as gross as it is to think about it) but there's been a LOT and like I mean a LOT!!! Like I mentioned before it's been making it hard to breathe at night even with the humidifier and liquids and hot showers I've been taking. Sore throat is just staying the same.

I also have been in the boat of waiting too long to go in! I ended up having to take about 2 weeks off from work in the end and had to take pain relievers that knocked me out and made me sleep for about 2 weeks straight. This was in the first few weeks I started dating DH too, I must've looked a hot mess to him! Thank goodness he saw through all the snot and drugged up me!
 
do you have a history of colds and/or allergies? if so, that's what i'd treat at home for myself. [i have such a history and am just now getting over a bout].

try a neti pot to cleanse the sinuses....this has helped me lots this week. should have started it first.

try steams with some essential oil like tea tree and/or lavender.

decongestants.

lots of rest. also, more vitamin C.

if it went on for 2 weeks or more, i'd see a dr.

mz
 
Actually upon inspection of recent phlegm, it is now yellow...gross :(
 
Movie Zombie- what is a neti pot? My sister has mentioned that she uses this and from what I get, you flush water through your sinuses...is that correct? Does it hurt at all?
 
I hope you feel better soon!

I try to get on antibiotics (for frequent sinus infections) as soon as I start to feel sick, so I go to the doctor right away.
 
I would try Mucinex.
I got it from my doctor originally but it's now OTC
 
lots of info online re neti pot use. i put less salt in the water. it only hurts when you start....you get used to it. use less salt than recommended, you can add baking soda to help with the hurt, use warm not hot water and most important: breathe through your mouth! keep that head tilted and your mouth open! gently blow your nose afterwards. again, lots of info if you search the net.

the initial pain is only because you're not used to it. it cleans out the passages so you can breathe. it also cleans out the pollens, etc that get lodged in the nose and deep in the sinuses. eta: the "pain" is nothing compared to the panic of not being able to breathe at night or not being able to sleep.

gross: i have been able to move out the green mucous by doing this. i'm doing it twice a day as i want to sleep at night.

i get lazy and don't keep up with it once i'm done with the immediate sinus bout. however, many do it every day regardless.

the more you do it, the easier it is and you won't have any so-called pain.

mz

ps pay attention to the type of salt you use also: commercial salt has additives in it that are not necessarily good for your sinus passages. again, there will be info about that with the neti pot use info.
 
You are suppose to go to a doctor? :rodent: I wait until I have a high fever, massive bleeding, or am vomiting from pain so I am obviously not the one to ask. If I think I have a sinus infection I do go right away for antibiotics.
 
Tacori E-ring said:
You are suppose to go to a doctor? :rodent: I wait until I have a high fever, massive bleeding, or am vomiting from pain so I am obviously not the one to ask. If I think I have a sinus infection I do go right away for antibiotics.
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Same here.

I usually consult my #1 most favorite doctor: my mom ::) But in order for me to go in to the doctor, it has to be something serious. I will go in right away for anything that has to do with the ears.

Feel better soon RT! Have you tried honey and lemon for your sore throat? Also, you can tri a neti pot (think that's what it's called) for the congestion.
 
I usually consult my #1 most favorite doctor: my mom ::)
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Ahhh I have already consulted dr. mom and my sister who is a nurse. Here was her reply:

Well if its a st from drainage take benadryl and sudafed. If you had st with a fever or possibly headache and nausea its probably strep and you will need an antibiotic. If its a BAD st and you are super tired it could be mono which nothing can be done for. Viral st can last 5 days. TAke some benaadryl, sudAfed and tylenol

I'm of the wait until I feel like I'm going to fall over dead camp but that's never fun either...at least this is my only issue in life right now, could be much worse! It's just that my nephew is turning 5 next weekend and I have a pirate themed party to attend that day!! I want to be up to par :)
 
I've suffered thru too many nights to count of tossing back and forth to drain one side of my nose. I remember nights where the only way I could sleep was upright and that's uncomfortable. Usually my colds turn into sinus infections anymore, and they can get pretty bad. When my voice starts giving out and goes from normal to deep to shrill shrieking eel all in one sentence, I need meds. Mucinex works sometimes for me, but otherwise I have to get meds. If I have something coming up, like the pirate party, I'd just go to the Dr, especially w/the sore throat etc..you'd hate to be spreading strep or something around. Or, ask them to treat you over the phone.
 
I never go to the doctor for a cold. Basically if death doesn't appear immanent, then it's not worth the money or the hassle. I guess it's a habit i've formed from growing up with busy working parents who had the same beliefs, coupled with no time to take a sick kid to the doctor.
 
I never go to the doctor unless I am in terrible pain or think I have a terrible infection that is not clearing up on its own.

Medical care is free in my country, it is not an issue of money, I just don't like to abuse the system and waste the doctor's time.

Sounds like you have a cold or flu. With those symptoms I would not go to the doctor unless they persisted for 2-3 weeks!
 
Tacori E-ring said:
You are suppose to go to a doctor? :rodent: I wait until I have a high fever, massive bleeding, or am vomiting from pain so I am obviously not the one to ask. If I think I have a sinus infection I do go right away for antibiotics.
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LOL! I am totally like this... except to get a prescription renewed, I have not been to the doctor since my son was born 17 months ago!
 
I only go to a doctor if I fear that something is broken. However, I rarely get sick at all so I'm not one to give any advice on this matter. I can't actually remember the last time I went to a doctor because I was sick. Last time I went to a doctor at all was when I broke my elbow, and that was only to make sure that nothing needed to be set in a cast.
 
It really depends what's wrong.

I get sinus infections a lot, and I know the signs, so when I know I have one, and I've waited the standard 2 weeks after starting symptoms, I go in to get meds. I know myself and I know it won't go away on its own and can even get worse. I'm in my allergist's office once a month for shots (used to be far more frequent) so scheduling an appointment at the same time isn't a big deal.

For other things, I'm like anyone else - I wait until the last possible moment :bigsmile: I don't have any other health problems really, so if anything new comes along I tend to see if I can wait it out. I do get fairly good preventative care - I see the OBGYN once a year, dentist twice a year, and I get a physical once every 3-4 years usually.
 
Elrohwen said:
I get sinus infections a lot, and I know the signs, so when I know I have one, and I've waited the standard 2 weeks after starting symptoms, I go in to get meds. I know myself and I know it won't go away on its own and can even get worse. I'm in my allergist's office once a month for shots (used to be far more frequent) so scheduling an appointment at the same time isn't a big deal.
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I do the same thing. I get sinus infections fairly often, and if I don't go in to get medication, I know I'm just unnecessarily prolonging my suffering and risking the infection spreading to my upper sinuses and settling in for the long haul.

Otherwise, since I started my new (read: crazy) job, I don't go to the doctor. At all. I just don't have the time, even though I have some persistent issues that I should address. It's awful, but leaving work for appointments is really frowned upon in my office, which is silly since preventative care is often what stops people from being suddenly sidelined with a horrible illness. I feel like it's not okay to go receive medical care until you nearly drop dead. (End rant.)

Random_Thought, I'd go into the doctor if you hit the one week mark without seeing any improvement. That to me usually indicates that I need some sort of medical intervention.
 
I'm in the avoid going to the doctor unless I am near dead crowd. I've got to be in a ton of pain bleeding profusely before I'll go in.
 
One word: Afrin (available at drugstores). You have to be careful though because it's habit forming and you should not use more than three days.
 
I go into the doc asap if I have a UTI (I've been prone to get them ever since I was very very young). Despite meticulous prevention, I've had a handful as an adult, and the one time I tried to work through it I wound up in the ER with a kidney infection. :sick: So I've learned my lesson with that one!

Otherwise I'm pretty stubborn as well. Sinuses, colds, the flu, etc, will usually go away for me after a few days with lots of rest and fluids.

Listen to your body, it tends to tell you what it needs!
 
I'm saying this for your own good--if you took two weeks off for a sinus infection and used prescription painkillers you just need to get a neti pot and buck up. Don't start with the Afrin because it's addictive. I used it for a couple days and felt like a sinus junkie getting off it.
 
I'm saying this for your own good--if you took two weeks off for a sinus infection and used prescription painkillers you just need to get a neti pot and buck up. Don't start with the Afrin because it's addictive. I used it for a couple days and felt like a sinus junkie getting off it.
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Just thought I'd clear this up! I didn't have a sinus infection when this happened, I had a serious bacteria infection, lost my voice, had to drink only liquids for 2 weeks (no solid food) and it was one of the most painful 2 weeks of my life!! I had to miss work because I was in customer service and literally lost my voice for about 2 weeks and almost couldn't climb out of bed. I had burned my tongue and the bacteria got into my tongue as well and I couldn't taste anything for about 2 weeks! It started out as just the common cold symptoms which is why I get nervous whenever I get cold!!

I just thought I'd post an update. I ended up coughing up blood a bit last night (not enough to require an ER visit but enough to be concerned) so due to my mom and DH's prodding went into the walk in clinic. They told me I had a bacterial infection again and that I was coughing up blood because my throat was rubbed so raw and I broke a few blood vessels from coughing so hard. I got put on some horse pill sized antibiotics and am already starting to feel better. I'm really glad I went in sooner rather than later! And thank you again everyone for all of the wonderful advice. It really is a great community here :)
 
As far as going to the doctor, really depends on what it is. If it is a cold/fever/flu, even if I feel really bad not going to the doctor, because generally it is viral, can't do anything, will clear up on own. Same thing about broken toe, sprained ankle, etc, because even if it's painful, there's really nothing but time that can fix it.

I go to the doctor when I have scary (aka emergency) symptoms, or if I have an URI really just settled down deep, and can't get rid of it (3 weeks or so). There have been a couple times where in retrospect should have gone in sooner, where yes had the blood in the phlegm, heavy feeling chest. I ended up coughing so hard I pulled a muscle in my chest and went to the doctor because I was scared because of the pain. Anyways, bronchitis and needed antibiotics.
Also, if you have ever had an uti then you know you do not pass go, go straight to doctor because they are so uncomfortable and only antibiotics will clear it up. Same thing for corneal abrasion.
 
And thank you again everyoneJust thought I'd clear this up! I didn't have a sinus infection when this happened, I had a serious bacteria infection, lost my voice, had to drink only liquids for 2 weeks (no solid food) and it was one of the most painful 2 weeks of my life!! I had to miss work because I was in customer service and literally lost my voice for about 2 weeks and almost couldn't climb out of bed. I had burned my tongue and the bacteria got into my tongue as well and I couldn't taste anything for about 2 weeks! It started out as just the common cold symptoms which is why I get nervous whenever I get cold!!

Okay rd, I'm sorry,I'm always telling people to buck up.A few years ago my husband hurt his eye and I told him to put some Visine in it and buck up. He went to the eye dr. and came back with his whole head wrapped up like a mummy.Apparently it was serious. I felt as badly as I do now. Feel better!
 
coughing up blood TOTALLY warrants a visit to the docs! Glad you went and hope you feel better soon!
 
Hope you start to feel better soon. I know it's frustrating. Are you feeling any better today? Fortunately, I rarely get sick and something has to be seriously wrong for me to go to the doctor.

With that said, I saw a doctor (or 10) on Monday. I had an outpatient procedure for kidney stones Monday morning. I had the same procedure done a few weeks ago and was fine that same night. This time, I came home, took my percocet, and went to bed. Woke up around 5PM and was in pain. Took 2 more Percocet. Was in unimaginable pain. Screaming and yelling like a child. Was thinking/hoping the Percocet would kick in soon. No luck. Pain level was off the charts. Threw up a couple of times. I was in so much pain, I actually cried. ;( Wifey called the doctor's office and the on-call urologist said I was at my limit for Percocet and if I needed something stronger, I had to go to the ER. I was very reluctant but I was in so much pain that if I was a horse, I'd have been shot. Yelled and screamed all the way to the ER (longest ride of my life). Yelled and screamed in the ER. Needless to say, they saw me right away. They did lab work and sent me for a CT scan. The radiologist no sooner finished when she gave me a quick synopsis of the results. Big stone, uh... blocking my plumbing. They called in the on-call urologist from my doctor's office and she wanted me in surgery right away. They had to call in an OR team and they were putting me under by 1:30am Tuesday morning. I still have two 7mm stones but the pain is slightly better now... as long as I don't move. I'll need a few more procedures to break up the stones so I'm a long way from out of the woods. I really had no choice but to go to the hospital... and I'm glad I did. Now, if I can just find out how the heck the doctor missed a 7mm stone in his morning procedure! :angryfire:

So... it takes a lot for me to visit a doctor but this was beyond my threshold.

Treefrog
 
Oh gosh treefrog, that sounds absolutely miserable!! I hope you feel better soon!
I've been getting better with the antibiotics they gave me. Still a sore throat and what not but at least I can get out of bed in the morning! Still have about 20 horse sized to take though :(
 
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