Flu shot saga
Nov. 10th, 2006 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpThis is so silly. So silly.
I called the Department of Public Health's Flu Information Line (or something like that) from their website and you know it was one of those menus. So I press 3 (or whatever) to "speak to a representative" and a nice young woman answers the phone. I tell her my doctor's office told me to call DPH and ask where I can get a thimerosol-free flu shot. She says, "I think you need to call the Department of Public Health." I say, "I thought I /did/ call the Dept. of Public Health." And she says, "Well, we're affiliated with them." WTF? So she gives me a number for the local office, which thankfully is a real number (not 800) that goes to a real place.
So someone answers THAT phone and I say the same thing and she tells me I should talk to the State Labs. And she gives me another number.
So I call the State Labs and a man answers. I tell him my saga and he says, "Okay! I will transfer you to vaccines!" And I get put on hold and then a woman answers and HALLELUJAH she at least knows what I'm talking about. I tell her my doctor told me to call DPH about where to get a thimerosol-free flu shot. She asks, "Are you pregnant?" and I say yes and she asks me where I get my OB care. So I tell her I'm in the process of moving and don't have an OB yet, that I'm followed by a fertility clinic right now and haven't been released to an OB. She asks which fertility clinic and I tell her.
She tells me that DPH does have some thimerosol-free flu shots that they give to certain clinics "as a courtesy" but my fertility clinic is not one of them. And that you can only get them through doctors offices. She asks where I get my primary care and asks if I get my GYN care at a primary care clinic and I say yes, and tell here where I go to the doctor. She says that my clinic (Fenway) IS on their list and for a minute I get a little excited. She puts me on hold and comes back and tells me that DPH gave 30 thimerosol-free flu shots to Fenway and she asks me if they ran out already. At this point I remind her that I am not a Fenway employee, and all I know is that I went for a physical last night, saw a doctor, doctor told me they only had the multi-dose shots and encouraged me to find a thimerosol-free shot. So she says that Fenway has the special shots, and that I should check it out... but then also gives me this woman's phone number.
She says, "Tell your doctor to call this woman. She can give a thimerosol-free shot to your doctor on request. But she is not working today. And we may have run out already. I don't know." I ask what happens if they are out and she tells me blah blah blah, regular shot is fine, blah blah blah, no proof of mercury problems.
So I call my doctor's office and leave a message for a nurse for my doctor that I don't see anymore, and I tell her that DPH told me to call and find out where they have their special flu shots so I can get one. And I wait. And she calls back and tells me that she doesn't know what I'm talking about, that DPH never gave Fenway any flu shots. I ask if she is sure and if maybe OB has them, and she says she's never heard of DPH giving thimerosol-free flu shots.
So I gave her that woman's name and phone number (the woman who won't be in until Monday) and told her to call that woman and see what's up, that I don't have answers I am just trying to secure my own medical care. She says, "Well, I'll call them and let you know if I hear anything. Have a nice weekend!" Which really just makes me think I will never hear from her again.
Lack of resolution is so frustrating to me.
ETA: So I caved and did whatever I usually do when I get no resolution at the doctor's office and called my beloved Nurse Amy, who no longer is a regular nurse there and has been promoted to something like Clinical Nurse Supervisor or something and probably is way too busy to deal with all of my drama but is always nice to me because she used to be my nurse. After a little flattery I explained the drama and she said she would make some calls and check into the whole mess for me and call me back. And even though she might not be able to help or change the situation AT ALL, I know she will try to get info and call me back. Because she is the best. And I love her so much I let her give me HepB shots. So there's that.
I called the Department of Public Health's Flu Information Line (or something like that) from their website and you know it was one of those menus. So I press 3 (or whatever) to "speak to a representative" and a nice young woman answers the phone. I tell her my doctor's office told me to call DPH and ask where I can get a thimerosol-free flu shot. She says, "I think you need to call the Department of Public Health." I say, "I thought I /did/ call the Dept. of Public Health." And she says, "Well, we're affiliated with them." WTF? So she gives me a number for the local office, which thankfully is a real number (not 800) that goes to a real place.
So someone answers THAT phone and I say the same thing and she tells me I should talk to the State Labs. And she gives me another number.
So I call the State Labs and a man answers. I tell him my saga and he says, "Okay! I will transfer you to vaccines!" And I get put on hold and then a woman answers and HALLELUJAH she at least knows what I'm talking about. I tell her my doctor told me to call DPH about where to get a thimerosol-free flu shot. She asks, "Are you pregnant?" and I say yes and she asks me where I get my OB care. So I tell her I'm in the process of moving and don't have an OB yet, that I'm followed by a fertility clinic right now and haven't been released to an OB. She asks which fertility clinic and I tell her.
She tells me that DPH does have some thimerosol-free flu shots that they give to certain clinics "as a courtesy" but my fertility clinic is not one of them. And that you can only get them through doctors offices. She asks where I get my primary care and asks if I get my GYN care at a primary care clinic and I say yes, and tell here where I go to the doctor. She says that my clinic (Fenway) IS on their list and for a minute I get a little excited. She puts me on hold and comes back and tells me that DPH gave 30 thimerosol-free flu shots to Fenway and she asks me if they ran out already. At this point I remind her that I am not a Fenway employee, and all I know is that I went for a physical last night, saw a doctor, doctor told me they only had the multi-dose shots and encouraged me to find a thimerosol-free shot. So she says that Fenway has the special shots, and that I should check it out... but then also gives me this woman's phone number.
She says, "Tell your doctor to call this woman. She can give a thimerosol-free shot to your doctor on request. But she is not working today. And we may have run out already. I don't know." I ask what happens if they are out and she tells me blah blah blah, regular shot is fine, blah blah blah, no proof of mercury problems.
So I call my doctor's office and leave a message for a nurse for my doctor that I don't see anymore, and I tell her that DPH told me to call and find out where they have their special flu shots so I can get one. And I wait. And she calls back and tells me that she doesn't know what I'm talking about, that DPH never gave Fenway any flu shots. I ask if she is sure and if maybe OB has them, and she says she's never heard of DPH giving thimerosol-free flu shots.
So I gave her that woman's name and phone number (the woman who won't be in until Monday) and told her to call that woman and see what's up, that I don't have answers I am just trying to secure my own medical care. She says, "Well, I'll call them and let you know if I hear anything. Have a nice weekend!" Which really just makes me think I will never hear from her again.
Lack of resolution is so frustrating to me.
ETA: So I caved and did whatever I usually do when I get no resolution at the doctor's office and called my beloved Nurse Amy, who no longer is a regular nurse there and has been promoted to something like Clinical Nurse Supervisor or something and probably is way too busy to deal with all of my drama but is always nice to me because she used to be my nurse. After a little flattery I explained the drama and she said she would make some calls and check into the whole mess for me and call me back. And even though she might not be able to help or change the situation AT ALL, I know she will try to get info and call me back. Because she is the best. And I love her so much I let her give me HepB shots. So there's that.
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no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 05:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 05:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 05:56 pm (UTC)She actually called back within about 30 minutes. She said they did not have any mercury-free vaccines but that she talked to one of the medical providers who said there was not a lot of mercury and there was no proof of risks like birth defects and autism and all of that. I told her I was still concerned and she said she knew that, but she was more concerned of what would happen if I got the flu.
Jen and I need to talk about what to do. I think what I will do is call DPH back on Monday morning when that one woman is there and see if I can get her to send a mercury-free shot to Amy. *crosses fingers*
Amy is the best ever.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 05:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 06:02 pm (UTC)any way you'd consider just skipping the flu shot?
no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 06:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 07:41 pm (UTC)I called the hospital that my health clinic is affiliated with (the doctor from my physical gave me their number last night) to see if they had mercury-free shots. I asked the OB clinic there and the woman said yes, they had the mercury-free shots but that they wouldn't give me one because I wasn't their patient. I explained that I was moving in 2 weeks and my clinic doctor, who is affiliated with their hospital, told me to call them. And she said, "We can only give them to our patients." When I asked her what I should do, she said, "I don't know what to tell you."
By this point I was getting really upset, so I called Jen at work like a crazed pregnant lady. Jen called my new midwife's office in western mass (first appointment is 12-12!) and I can go there to get a flu shot when we go up there for our house closing on 11-20.
My hero!
no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 07:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-10 07:49 pm (UTC)sorry. :-)
Flu Shot Drama
Date: 2006-11-12 07:34 pm (UTC)Re: Flu Shot Drama
Date: 2006-11-12 10:18 pm (UTC)So Jen came to my rescue and called my new OB clinic in western Mass. She explained the sitch to them and I can go there on 11-20 (my first appt with them isn't until 12-12) when we close on our house and get a flu shot!
Good luck to you.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-12 11:29 pm (UTC)