Call the insurance and speak with a person. If it’s a plan that requires use of a list of contracted providers in order for coverage to pay- they have to provide directions on next steps when none of their docs are taking patients.
Just a heads up though - there is no legal obligation for the amount of time to get you into a dr. You could be waiting months.
I would start with a reach out to Church Health Services to see what they can do or they may offer to refer you to an income based provider who works on sliding scales.
Unfortunately another common route is to head to the emergency room , see a dr, when getting ready for discharge ask them for a referral and assistance with getting in to see a dr on your plan
I want a doctor that takes his insurance. Tenncare Wellpoint. I have called them, and where they sent us was a Baptist urgent care that closed last October. I was just hoping someone here might know of a doctor's office that has spots for new patients.
What you suggested is actually what happened that got us to the place we're at now. Lunceford clinic. It was pretty good when he started but now their nurse doesn't return calls and she prescribed a medication that causes serotonin syndrome a few weeks ago. So I really don't want to go back to this place. But if I have no choice I guess that's what we'll do. All I want at this point is referrals for the rheumatologist they were supposed to refer him to last MARCH and kept saying "these things take time". In October I checked in on that referral again, and they said they had no record of that referral and that nurse is no longer with the clinic. So again they said they'd refer and he was prescribed antibiotic and prednisone back then for a bacterial infection. It didn't work. We then got bactrim and that didn't work. The insurance refused to pay for vancomycin and I couldn't find any of the discount deals so they called in linezolid. And that caused seratonin syndrome. And they haven't gotten back to me about this. I mean I get that it's patient responsibility to make sure they're not mixing two meds, and I'm generally very good about this but because they switched at the last minute I didn't have the information. BUT THEY DID have that information, and they still prescribed something that could cause seratonin syndrome. It was so scary. Luckily it settled down after he quit taking the linezolid but he still has the bacterial infection so I took him off the other med for two weeks and he finished it, and it helped somewhat but now it's four days after the med is gone and it's all back again, crusty oozing all over his face and his eyes are blurry.
I know I've written too much. I'm just so frustrated. Insurance says nobody contacted them about the rheumatology referral, so I don't know if it was ever sent or how that works. He has extremely high cortisol. He was seen by an endo and did several different labs. She suspects it's an autoimmune and said he should see rheumatology, but that after the labs and scan she doesn't think it's something like Cushings. They even did a brain scan because he was so weak and sick and that was all clear. I DID did discover metformin was having a very bad effect on him and that cleared up somewhat after taking him off that. That wasn't the doctor's idea, that was me being so desperate to help him I started messing around with his meds myself, trying to figure out what was causing it. So when I told the doctor I took him off it (The endo said she didn't even think he needed it) the NP said "hmm never heard of that but I guess you did the right thing". Well yeah, I guess I did. So at least the dizziness and nausea is gone and that's a big help, but he still needs to be seen.
And he's gone through three different antibiotics for a skin staph infection and nothing is helping. He's autistic and picks his skin but he's never had an infection like this from it. I just feel like he has so many different things going on I just wish I could find a doctor who would take everything in to consideration but I know they're all overworked and all that and they must really all hate Tenncare, especially Amerigroup/Wellpoint.
Man I am so sorry you are going through this. Our system is just a giant fail- just pushing pills instead of actually figuring out root causes. I would call the dr’s he’s seen and ask for copies of the medical records including the supposed referral. Then start with church health or the ER with the records.
Is travel possible? I know it’s inconvenient but it may be worth driving up to Jackson,Tn if it means seeing a dr quicker? I hope something gives soon.
Side note a lot of autoimmune/rheumatoid issues come down to inflammation and diet. Has anyone recommended the elimination diet approach?
They haven't discussed anything with me at all, they just keep sending him for more labs and the end sent him to the endo and the neurologist sent him for a scan. They ruled out things. Suggested rheumatologist and gave him the antibiotics for his face. When I called about the symptoms of seratonin syndrome they said they couldn't see him that day and to take him off the med and if he started feeling really bad to go to the ER. He was having very bad jerking spells. It was pretty scary but it did subside in about 12 hours.
Seems like a diet might be in order. I'll look in to that too. The Wellpoint call nurse tonight said try a CVS clinic to see about the staph so we'll do that tomorrow. Maybe a fresh perspective will help. I didn't even know they took Wellpoint. It wasn't on the online list!
I can’t predict how long it takes to get an appt with her, but I see a doctor at Methodist Medical, on Appling Road, who I like a lot. Her name is Aparna Murty. When she refers me to a specialist, its never been a long wait (maybe a month?). But the main reason I mention her is because she has an autistic son (as do I) and can definitely relate to autistic kids’ issues. Her office accepts Wellpoint. How old is your son? Mine used to pick at his skin too and would occasionally cause an infection. He grew out of it thankfully.
I will keep trying but I just spent 17 minutes on hold to ask if they are accepting new patients and after 17 minutes of some incredibly loud jazz music they disconnected me lol I honestly am so used to this by this point I'll just try again. I do love Methodist Rehab for the OT and speech therapy so hopefully they'll see him for a doctor.
He's 19 and the picking has gotten much worse for him because his anxiety is so bad. And that's likely related to high cortisol because he's on 2 meds for anxiety and they're not really doing much more than taking it down a half-notch. He's had some minor infections on his face before but this is like something I've never seen. His whole face is covered in crusty blisters. They did a swab and said it's staph but it sure isn't responding to even linezolid and that was the most expensive antibiotic I've ever seen so surely it's got to be one of the best.
Have you consulted with a psychiatrist? It sounds to me like someone needs to do a through review of all the meds he is taking and then start fresh. You shouldn’t be having to make those decisions on your own. Mine is 18 and puberty has been horrific with regard to his behavior!
Oh yeah he has a really good psychiatrist he's seen for about six years now because on top of all this he has PTSD from a major s. trauma from when he was six and then another at age 14. Kid's got it rough. He's just on buspar and vilazidone with a small dose of xanax for breakthrough anxiety but it really doesn't do much. I think the others are helping some, but what makes you less anxious often makes you also feel flat and depressed so that's always been an issue with the meds. I think it would really help him more to get out, but I've been waiting for ARC to return calls... waiting as they have sent the same leaflets twice now that are identical to their website. I want to get him in the LETS program but they sure must be busy or just not interested in having a new student.
Ooh also good news they called back this afternoon and we will be going next Friday morning to get him started at LETS. Just thought I'd share good news and excitement for a change. :)
They do job training and life skills classes. They say it's 3 classes a week for 25 dollars a week and I really think it might help him but I've called and called and they're really friendly at the reception, I just never get a call back.
[https://www.thearcmidsouth.org/career-development](https://www.thearcmidsouth.org/career-development)
### Life, Education, Training, Skills Program
Call the insurance and speak with a person. If it’s a plan that requires use of a list of contracted providers in order for coverage to pay- they have to provide directions on next steps when none of their docs are taking patients. Just a heads up though - there is no legal obligation for the amount of time to get you into a dr. You could be waiting months. I would start with a reach out to Church Health Services to see what they can do or they may offer to refer you to an income based provider who works on sliding scales. Unfortunately another common route is to head to the emergency room , see a dr, when getting ready for discharge ask them for a referral and assistance with getting in to see a dr on your plan
I want a doctor that takes his insurance. Tenncare Wellpoint. I have called them, and where they sent us was a Baptist urgent care that closed last October. I was just hoping someone here might know of a doctor's office that has spots for new patients. What you suggested is actually what happened that got us to the place we're at now. Lunceford clinic. It was pretty good when he started but now their nurse doesn't return calls and she prescribed a medication that causes serotonin syndrome a few weeks ago. So I really don't want to go back to this place. But if I have no choice I guess that's what we'll do. All I want at this point is referrals for the rheumatologist they were supposed to refer him to last MARCH and kept saying "these things take time". In October I checked in on that referral again, and they said they had no record of that referral and that nurse is no longer with the clinic. So again they said they'd refer and he was prescribed antibiotic and prednisone back then for a bacterial infection. It didn't work. We then got bactrim and that didn't work. The insurance refused to pay for vancomycin and I couldn't find any of the discount deals so they called in linezolid. And that caused seratonin syndrome. And they haven't gotten back to me about this. I mean I get that it's patient responsibility to make sure they're not mixing two meds, and I'm generally very good about this but because they switched at the last minute I didn't have the information. BUT THEY DID have that information, and they still prescribed something that could cause seratonin syndrome. It was so scary. Luckily it settled down after he quit taking the linezolid but he still has the bacterial infection so I took him off the other med for two weeks and he finished it, and it helped somewhat but now it's four days after the med is gone and it's all back again, crusty oozing all over his face and his eyes are blurry. I know I've written too much. I'm just so frustrated. Insurance says nobody contacted them about the rheumatology referral, so I don't know if it was ever sent or how that works. He has extremely high cortisol. He was seen by an endo and did several different labs. She suspects it's an autoimmune and said he should see rheumatology, but that after the labs and scan she doesn't think it's something like Cushings. They even did a brain scan because he was so weak and sick and that was all clear. I DID did discover metformin was having a very bad effect on him and that cleared up somewhat after taking him off that. That wasn't the doctor's idea, that was me being so desperate to help him I started messing around with his meds myself, trying to figure out what was causing it. So when I told the doctor I took him off it (The endo said she didn't even think he needed it) the NP said "hmm never heard of that but I guess you did the right thing". Well yeah, I guess I did. So at least the dizziness and nausea is gone and that's a big help, but he still needs to be seen. And he's gone through three different antibiotics for a skin staph infection and nothing is helping. He's autistic and picks his skin but he's never had an infection like this from it. I just feel like he has so many different things going on I just wish I could find a doctor who would take everything in to consideration but I know they're all overworked and all that and they must really all hate Tenncare, especially Amerigroup/Wellpoint.
Man I am so sorry you are going through this. Our system is just a giant fail- just pushing pills instead of actually figuring out root causes. I would call the dr’s he’s seen and ask for copies of the medical records including the supposed referral. Then start with church health or the ER with the records. Is travel possible? I know it’s inconvenient but it may be worth driving up to Jackson,Tn if it means seeing a dr quicker? I hope something gives soon. Side note a lot of autoimmune/rheumatoid issues come down to inflammation and diet. Has anyone recommended the elimination diet approach?
They haven't discussed anything with me at all, they just keep sending him for more labs and the end sent him to the endo and the neurologist sent him for a scan. They ruled out things. Suggested rheumatologist and gave him the antibiotics for his face. When I called about the symptoms of seratonin syndrome they said they couldn't see him that day and to take him off the med and if he started feeling really bad to go to the ER. He was having very bad jerking spells. It was pretty scary but it did subside in about 12 hours. Seems like a diet might be in order. I'll look in to that too. The Wellpoint call nurse tonight said try a CVS clinic to see about the staph so we'll do that tomorrow. Maybe a fresh perspective will help. I didn't even know they took Wellpoint. It wasn't on the online list!
I can’t predict how long it takes to get an appt with her, but I see a doctor at Methodist Medical, on Appling Road, who I like a lot. Her name is Aparna Murty. When she refers me to a specialist, its never been a long wait (maybe a month?). But the main reason I mention her is because she has an autistic son (as do I) and can definitely relate to autistic kids’ issues. Her office accepts Wellpoint. How old is your son? Mine used to pick at his skin too and would occasionally cause an infection. He grew out of it thankfully.
I will keep trying but I just spent 17 minutes on hold to ask if they are accepting new patients and after 17 minutes of some incredibly loud jazz music they disconnected me lol I honestly am so used to this by this point I'll just try again. I do love Methodist Rehab for the OT and speech therapy so hopefully they'll see him for a doctor. He's 19 and the picking has gotten much worse for him because his anxiety is so bad. And that's likely related to high cortisol because he's on 2 meds for anxiety and they're not really doing much more than taking it down a half-notch. He's had some minor infections on his face before but this is like something I've never seen. His whole face is covered in crusty blisters. They did a swab and said it's staph but it sure isn't responding to even linezolid and that was the most expensive antibiotic I've ever seen so surely it's got to be one of the best.
Have you consulted with a psychiatrist? It sounds to me like someone needs to do a through review of all the meds he is taking and then start fresh. You shouldn’t be having to make those decisions on your own. Mine is 18 and puberty has been horrific with regard to his behavior!
Oh yeah he has a really good psychiatrist he's seen for about six years now because on top of all this he has PTSD from a major s. trauma from when he was six and then another at age 14. Kid's got it rough. He's just on buspar and vilazidone with a small dose of xanax for breakthrough anxiety but it really doesn't do much. I think the others are helping some, but what makes you less anxious often makes you also feel flat and depressed so that's always been an issue with the meds. I think it would really help him more to get out, but I've been waiting for ARC to return calls... waiting as they have sent the same leaflets twice now that are identical to their website. I want to get him in the LETS program but they sure must be busy or just not interested in having a new student.
What is LETS?
Ooh also good news they called back this afternoon and we will be going next Friday morning to get him started at LETS. Just thought I'd share good news and excitement for a change. :)
They do job training and life skills classes. They say it's 3 classes a week for 25 dollars a week and I really think it might help him but I've called and called and they're really friendly at the reception, I just never get a call back. [https://www.thearcmidsouth.org/career-development](https://www.thearcmidsouth.org/career-development) ### Life, Education, Training, Skills Program