Visiting a dermatologist without insurance?

[arrfep]

So the other day i noticed a splotch of irritated skin (looked like 7 zits grouped together, pinkish skin underneath) on the side of my chest which looks like it could be impetigo or something. Stopped by a Walgreen's Take Care clinic today and the doc there said it might be Shingles, but she couldn't make an accurate diagnosis with just a visual inspection. Referred me to a dermatologist.

I'm currently w/o insurance, and wondering what it might cost for a doc to figure out what I've got and prescribe an antibiotic/antiviral. I'd just throw some bacitracin or calomine on it, but I'm slightly worried that it could be MRSA or something with potential long-term effects. Also, anyone that's had similar symptoms want to divulge what it ended up being?

 

[HeXen]

i'd give it time first and see if it goes away on its own. Derm would likely give you some testosterone cream of some sort. crap didn't do anything for me...have dermatitis

 

[TridenT]

How about you call some places and ask?

You know, you can do that...

Note: It's my experience that every place will rape you. ($280 for a 30 minute visit)

 

[arrfep]

i'd give it time first and see if it goes away on its own. Derm would likely give you some testosterone cream of some sort. crap didn't do anything for me...have dermatitis

That's my normal M.O. I haven't been to a doctor in as long as I can remember. I'm playing a bit of a hypochondriac right now though, again, worried about the MRSA thing.

How about you call some places and ask?

You know, you can do that...

Note: It's my experience that every place will rape you. ($280 for a 30 minute visit)

All places are closed right now, just trying to get an idea. Though your quote is about twice what I was hoping.

 

[Kadarin]

If it was impetigo, you'd know it. That shit gets nasty, is quite painful, spreads fast, is highly contagious, and requires a strong antibiotic to kill it.

 

[Texashiker]

Bottle of whiskey + 2 liter of coke + sharp knife, and cut it out.

Man up and take care of business yourself, who needs a doctor for some zits.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Hopefully, they only have to perform a skin scrape but if they have to draw blood and/or culture it, expect things to add up quickly.

Why don't you have insurance?

 

[arrfep]

If it was impetigo, you'd know it. That shit gets nasty, is quite painful, spreads fast, is highly contagious, and requires a strong antibiotic to kill it.

That's my other thought. I remember guys getting it in HS wrestling, but that was way back when. This looks a bit like it could be impetigo, or a million other things, according to a cursory, unprofessional internet diagnosis.

Bottle of whiskey + 2 liter of coke + sharp knife, and cut it out.

Man up and take care of business yourself, who needs a doctor for some zits.

Hahaha...I've actually done that with some kind of wart thing before.

 

[arrfep]

Why don't you have insurance?

I work an hourly job, and went part-time while I finished school last fall. No longer a student, but haven't been able to get back to full-time because my position was filled. Company doesn't offer insurance for part-timers. Decided to take my chances while I look for a real job.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

watch out...I went once and it cost me $400 with insurance. Gave me a scrip for a 0.7 OUNCE tube of cream that was $120.

 

[Texashiker]

Hahaha...I've actually done that with some kind of wart thing before.

Heck yea, I have a buddy, who when we were like 15 years old cut a large wart off his elbow. It came back, and he cut it off again. He would just watch the blood drain down his arm and drip off the tips of his fingers.

I always wondered his something was wrong with him.

We are now 43 and 44 years old, and my buddy is developing something like schizophrenia.

Ok OP, its time to man up.

 

[Anubis]

if you had shingles you would know it as you would be in pain

 

[moshquerade]

So the other day i noticed a splotch of irritated skin (looked like 7 zits grouped together, pinkish skin underneath) on the side of my chest which looks like it could be impetigo or something. Stopped by a Walgreen's Take Care clinic today and the doc there said it might be Shingles, but she couldn't make an accurate diagnosis with just a visual inspection. Referred me to a dermatologist.

I'm currently w/o insurance, and wondering what it might cost for a doc to figure out what I've got and prescribe an antibiotic/antiviral. I'd just throw some bacitracin or calomine on it, but I'm slightly worried that it could be MRSA or something with potential long-term effects. Also, anyone that's had similar symptoms want to divulge what it ended up being?

Was it a doc there or PA? A general doctor knows what shingles looks like. Just go to your physician. It doesn't sound like you need to go to a specialist, a dermatologist, to me.

 

[Mo0o]

Take a picture and show us. Chances are you should jsut go to a free urgent care clinic to get it looked at. You dont need a dermatologist

 

[Corporate Thug]

my derm used to charge $120 per visit but of course YMMV...(then there was the wallet rape known as acutance of course).

Either way, call around. Derms are more likely than any other docs to give you a deal because the visits usually last under 5 minutes so its worth it for them to stick another patient in somewhere even if they are not getting paid as much as they would like.

 

[amicold]

i'd give it time first and see if it goes away on its own. Derm would likely give you some testosterone cream of some sort. crap didn't do anything for me...have dermatitis

Testosterone cream doesn't cure dermatological issues in fact it often causes dermatitis. It is also a highly regulated controlled substance. You must mean hydrocortisone cream which is a corticosteroid and commonly referred to as steroids which gives people the wrong idea.

 

[arrfep]

Was it a doc there or PA? A general doctor knows what shingles looks like. Just go to your physician. It doesn't sound like you need to go to a specialist, a dermatologist, to me.

Was the Doc. Saw a PA first, then the Doc. Of course, this <b>was</b> inside a Walgreens, and she Google Image searched Impetigo when I brought it up, so... I haven't had a doctor since I was in grade school, so I don't really have any MD's that I have an established relationship with.

Either way, call around.

Yeah, that's the plan tomorrow morning.

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I appreciate it.

 

[HeXen]

Testosterone cream doesn't cure dermatological issues in fact it often causes dermatitis. It is also a highly regulated controlled substance. You must mean hydrocortisone cream which is a corticosteroid and commonly referred to as steroids which gives people the wrong idea.

Desoximetasone a class of primarily synthetic steroids used as anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic agents. any kind of steroids is regulated but can be had with a script of course.

 

[blackdogdeek]

during the winter for a few years, the dry weather caused me to break out in a rash similar sounding to yours. my doctor said he could prescribe a cream but it would also just go away when then weather got warmer and more humid. this is what eventually happened every time.

i still however did get professional medical advice.