Getting Dr on board…

[Anonymous]

Any suggestions for getting my doctor on board with the correct dosage for Prevacid? According to MARCI-kids, my LO should be on 24-33 mg of Prevacid, and that is a conservative measure because that’s calculated at 15lbs and she was 15lbs about a month ago, so I bet she’s closer to 18lbs which would put her at 30-39 mg a day. 2 weeks ago (after our UpperGI which she actually refluxed on!) I was supposed to get an Rx and they office closed Wed afternoon due to the Thanksgiving holiday so instead of waiting 5 more days for them to call it in, I called on Saturday to the Doctor-on-call and told him the situation and he went ahead and called in something. Turns out he only prescribed 7.5mg ONCE A DAY! I had to fight with the pharmacy to get it refilled because my insurance said I was trying to refill too soon because I had been giving her 7.5mg TWICE a day. So when I told my doctor I wanted her to be on 15mg twice a day they called it in as 7.5 2x a day (total of 15 per day). According to marci kids I need to be giving twice that. So I WILL give her a 15mg solutab twice a day, but I know that the insurance company is going to be upset with that when I try to refi’l it so I have to call the doctor’s office back and I want to be able to break it to my doctor nicely. Don’t get me wrong, she’s very nice and a good doctor, and she has been great so far about getting the meds I’ve asked, I just don’t want to step on any toes. I feel like if I go in prepared with paperwork and stuff to back up my findings she’d feel more comfortable. So, back to my original question, are there any tips/suggestions as to how to get your doctor on board without coming off condescending?
lilqhgal2008-12-15 00:02:16

[Anonymous]

What I would do and what I think many of us have done is try the higher dose and when it helps then you can just tell the doc that the 15mg/day helped, but that you/she was still having some breakthrough pain and so out of “desperation” you tried the higher dose for a few days and ended up with a different baby. usually they can’t knock you for trying to help your child. You could also print some of the marci-kids stuff off and let her know that that is what gave you the thought to try a higher dose etc. Best of Luck.

[hellbennt]

FAX FAX FAX the dr

dont wait for a call…

start off w/ a THANK YOU

keep it short & sweet

stick to the facts (no feelings and no rambling emotions)

state current meds, doses, symptoms

make request- flat out- short & sweet

THANK AGAIN

follow up by calling office to say fax was sent

call again later to discuss requests in fax, ie: have you called in the increased prescription yet? THANK YOU

sample fax: https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10633&PID=90325#90325

About faxing the doctor (& more):

https://www.infantreflux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2841&TPN=1

[Anonymous]

I printed every.single.thing from the marci-kids website (from the ‘for physicians’ section + the dosing calculator). I highlighted what I thought was key thing. I also made sure to note on the printout that what I had printed was from the “for physicians” section. I think I also printed the studies info.

Anyway, then I typed up a fax & explained that while the prevacid was most certainly helping there were still times when he was in extreme pain, crying out, etc. I sent that (w/a coversheet w/ ds’s info + pharm #) w/ ALL the marci-kids printout. Then, called to follow-up a couple hours later!

Although I did not tell my dr. I upped the dose (b/c he called in the higher script after reading all the marci-kids info) I WAS prepared to go that route!!!

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Most insurance companies that I know of don’t reallyhave an issue of when you refill a prescription, its when a prescription doesnt have any refills on it, and you have to get several new RX’s for the same meds….then they get a bit suspecious. I told my insurance that I wanted to *Stock* up on the meds as much as I could, because their co-pay was to expensive and hubby and we only live off his disability.

I too decided to give the Marci-kids dosage to my son on the Prevacid and it so far had worked miracles for him. At first my GI wasn’t on board, despite what I had faxed/mailed or let him research himself. I just flat out said, your a doctor for babies, doctors are supposed to help babies get better, if the higher dose works with no adverse reactions, why bring the dose down and make him suffer?

I wanted to make sure that he fully understood that I was not about to sit in his office and argue about what I as my sons mother and advocate felt was best for my baby, and that IF we happened to have an argument I was fully ready and willing to take my business else where. I didn’t beat around the bush nor did I sugar coat my feelings, I made it loud, clear and very direct of my wishes, and I finally got what I wanted.

Sometimes us moms just have to whip out a can of worms, and let crap hit the fan, and be as rude and blunt as we can to get what our babies need. And don’t feel bad for being rude or direct to your childs doctor, you have every right to be as forward as you need to be to get what your baby needs.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Conner’s mom. If you don’t have success take your business else where.

[Anonymous]

I know you don’t want to step on toes, or be condecending, but honestly sometimes we have to. You can try the nice route which works with some doctors, BUT if they know your going toust *flow* with what THEY THINK is right for your baby, then the *nasty* route doesnt always work. Firt impressions are very important in these situations, your not making a new friend with your doctor, your trying to get what you feel is right for your LO.

Us moms know whats best for our children reguardless of what doctors, GI’s, neighbors, family, and spouses think. Doctors just do what they are supposed to do, they don’t like taking risks because it can bounce back on them in a negative way. You need to make your doctor well aware, that despite how he/she feels your willing to take the risks to help your baby. There isnt many risks to the dosages that Marci-Kids recomends, but doctors don’t see it that way.

DO NOT EVER feel bad for having to be a little snippy, step on toes, or down right rude….YOU don’t work for the doctor….the doctor works for you, YOU give that doctor his paycheck, and if they dont want to work for you, then they dont get paid! Simple as that.

[Anonymous]

Conners_Mommy wrote: I know you don’t want to step on toes, or be condecending, but honestly sometimes we have to. You can try the nice route which works with some doctors, BUT if they know your going toust *flow* with what THEY THINK is right for your baby, then the *nasty* route doesnt always work. Firt impressions are very important in these situations, your not making a new friend with your doctor, your trying to get what you feel is right for your LO.

Us moms know whats best for our children reguardless of what doctors, GI’s, neighbors, family, and spouses think. Doctors just do what they are supposed to do, they don’t like taking risks because it can bounce back on them in a negative way. You need to make your doctor well aware, that despite how he/she feels your willing to take the risks to help your baby. There isnt many risks to the dosages that Marci-Kids recomends, but doctors don’t see it that way.

DO NOT EVER feel bad for having to be a little snippy, step on toes, or down right rude….YOU don’t work for the doctor….the doctor works for you, YOU give that doctor his paycheck, and if they dont want to work for you, then they dont get paid! Simple as that.

AMEN to that. I yelled at soo many peopel it was not funny.

I got one jurse practitioner who listened and I finally roke down on the phoen with her crying and apoligized….she gave me golden advice that I will pass on to you she said:

Mom, don’t you apologize it is your JOB to get upset, yell and do anything you can to get your baby better. Don’t ever let anyone else tell you otherwise. YOU are your childs BEST advocate.

I never looked back and never apoligized again, I got rude, snippy and yelled and didn’t feel bad in the least about it.

One of THE BEST pieces of avice I got, ever, period.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everybody!

I finally heard back from the doctor’s office. (I’d called and left a message.) The nurse called me and will be relaying my information over to the doctor. She did mention though that the reason the prescription was 7.5mg 2x a day was because that was the recommended high end for babies “under 1 year” from the FDA. Anybody ever heard of this? I gave the nurse the MARCI-kids website for her to give the doc. I guess if she comes back to say that she won’t go over the FDA approved levels then I’ll be shopping for a new doc. Its a shame too because I really like her, and she’s close (every other office would be 30+ minute drive or more).

Will let you all know what I hear!

Ramsey

[Anonymous]

Connors Mommy,

The problem I’m having is that when I went to refill the Rx, the Pharmacy said that my Ins. company wasn’t going to cover it because it was “too soon”. So I had a 1 month supply of 7.5mg 2x/day and I was giving 15mg 2x/day I exhausted my supply a whole 2 weeks early. So they wanted to charge me full price and I can’t afford $90-something a month. Other than getting the doctor to up the dosage to the correct amount, I don’t know how to get her the meds she needs! Thanks!

Ramsey

[Anonymous]

Ramsey

You could always ask him to send an RX of either a higher dosage OR ask him to put more pills in the bottle, because your having problems with your insurance. Doctors can ferniggle stuff like that. Tell him your co-pay his really high, and to save money you need a supply that will last you 2 times longer.

IF your doctor doesn’t give you what you need….switch docs. I have 1 benefit to my issue. I have a family doc(not Pediatrician) and a PED GI, if the GI refused me the meds I wanted Id go to my family doc, tell him the GI is out of office, and personally tell him the dosage….well of course the dosage would be what I WANT IT….but he will think it’s what the PED GI prescribed and call it in for me.

I play them vice versa lol. My PED GI would give me prevacid….but not zantac. So My family doc gave me the zantac so I have both now.

Just don’t be scared to do what you have to inorder to get what you want!

[Anonymous]

lilqhgal wrote: Connors Mommy,

The problem I’m having is that when I went to refill the Rx, the Pharmacy said that my Ins. company wasn’t going to cover it because it was “too soon”. So I had a 1 month supply of 7.5mg 2x/day and I was giving 15mg 2x/day I exhausted my supply a whole 2 weeks early. So they wanted to charge me full price and I can’t afford $90-something a month. Other than getting the doctor to up the dosage to the correct amount, I don’t know how to get her the meds she needs! Thanks!

Ramsey

If you have a new RX the ins co should cave and fill it……can you call them and see if you can get it pushed through. Ask them for an advocate if need be.

Also hit them in the pocket. Explain what will happen IF the meds don’t get filled. I.E…..a hospitalization for dehydration because they ahve stopped eating ect…..

I have been lucky as my pharmacy normal does this for me. If they have any BIG issues they callme and I call the ins co and get the ball rolling.

And yes, we’ve had LOTS of issues with them covering Jedd’s meds. They have been stinky about it. They only want to fill 90 days on any GERD med and then your child is supposed to be “CURED” HAHA We have to jump through hoops after that time frame to get Jedd’s meds. IT’s balogna if you ask me…

Jedd’s been on GERD meds for well over 2 full years NOW!!!!!

I hope they can get it filled for you though.

The only hitch I can think of is the fact that you upped the meds withotu DR supervision….that may cause you to have to go without meds unitl the time frame is up. That’s one of the reasons we never decided to up meds on our own ever….

[Anonymous]

Oh for heaven’s sake. I finally got off the phone with the office and my doctor “doesn’t feel safe” giving LO the higher dose. I really didn’t want to have to play Find A New Doctor. GRRR.

[Anonymous]

Well sometimes we have to play the *find a new doctor* even when we don’t want to, but we have to do what we need to do for our children. It sucks, I know it does, I have been through 5-6 doctors in less than a month because no one would give me what I wanted, and I was willing to play the *find a new doctor* game because thats the only option I had to get Conner help.

[Anonymous]

Yup! Just such a shame that even the doctors don’t know what’s best in this case. I have an appointment with another doctor but it’s not until after the 1st of Jan, and in the meantime, I’m going to run out of Prevacid, so I don’t know what to do. Any suggestions?

[Author]

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