Avoiding the Doctor’s Office…On Occasion, At Least!

Just what I like to see!

Food allergy Mama’s are well-familiar with having to test diapers for blood.  You give the diaper to the tech, they go away for a couple minutes, come back in and announce the verdict.

If you have ever witnessed the test, they swipe some stool onto two spots on a little cardboard test, drop some liquid on the spots, and watch to see if the color changes.

Simple, right?

Looking over the medical bills we’ve been getting in, I noticed that for every time we take a diaper in to the doctor to test for blood in stool, they charge our insurance company $28.00.

Seriously?

I’m no huge fan of insurance companies, but that just seems ridiculous! Especially when the Geek and I went online and bought a box of 34 tests that are nearly identical to the ones the doctor uses for a mere $55.26 (plus shipping).

While that may seem pricey, it’s actually a huge savings for us: it is approximately 30 miles one way to my pediatrician’s office, which means 60 miles of driving every time I need a diaper tested.  Gas runs about $3.65 these days.  I get 17 miles to the gallon.  (I know, I know, it’s terrible!)

So do the math!  $12.88 for each individual diaper I get tested (not counting the effort involved in sherpa-ing the two kids to the car, the time involved driving, and the wear and tear on the vehicle) or $1.89 per diaper to test them at home?

They’re also a sort of no-brainer: swipe the stool onto the front of the test, close the cover, open the back cover and drop the liquid (hydrogen peroxide!) on the two spots, and if the test field turns blue by 60 seconds, it’s positive.  If it doesn’t, it’s negative.  (Though, I did have a confusing moment when it once turned green – turns out that’s a signifier of bile in the stool.  Totally different problem!)

A little green, so I got confused for a minute! At least it isn’t blood!

So if a test is positive, THEN I will drive to the doctor to let her test it so she can note it in her handy little (thick) file for Mr. Happy and we can proceed, but at least I’m saving myself trips if it is negative.  

Not to mention the peace of mind involved in getting an instant answer, rather than having to wait til the next day!

So fellow food allergy Mama’s, that’s what I would recommend to you.  It may not be worth it if you live very close to your pediatrician, but run the numbers on gas costs and you may find buying the testing kit yourself to be well worth the expense!