Where should I go when I'm sick?

Project Mayhem

Hey guys, I just recently moved, and I don't have a "regular" doctor yet, nor do I really know what I'm looking for. Right now I have some sinus pressure, and I feel a little bit sick to my stomach. I had just the sinus pressure yesterday, and I was really hot all night and wasn't sweating, so I'm assuming fever.

So I want to go to a doctor to see if I need a prescription, but I really don't know how to go about it. I don't get sick very often, and I think I've had to go to the doctor like once because of it when I was little and had a pediatrician.

I can't find the right terms to use in google, so I'm asking here. If it helps I live in Chesterfield, Mo. Which is close to saint louis.

strakha_7

A walk-in medical clinic is what you need. Doctors on call, no appointments are usually taken so you might have to wait up to an hour for the previous patients to get through the place but it's where you need to go.

Might be busy, it being a Saturday. Plan your time accordingly.

Richard_Dastardly

If you have insurance, then you'll probably need a referral from a internal med doctor to see an ENT specialist. If you don't have insurance, then just look up local ENT doctors in the Googlespace. ENT = Ear, Nose and Throat.

RUNN1NGMAN

You want to look for something called a "walk-in clinic." I was going to recommend the CVS Minute Clinic, because I got a flu shot at one and it was the easiest thing ever, but it looks like the only one near you is in downtown St. Louis. You won't get to see a doctor most likely, unless the nurse practitioner thinks that you're really bad, but in most cases they are a good bet.

OremLK

If your symptoms are only as bad as what you describe, you could probably wait another day or so, drink lots of fluids, take some ibuprofen, and see if it gets any worse.

But yeah, what strakha_7 and runn1ngman said.

matt has a problem

There's really no reason to go right to a doctor for something this mild. Take some Sudafed Cold & Sinus, or Dayquil, and wait a day or three. If you don't get any better, then go to the doctor.

VisionOfClarity

Any Primary Care Physician can write you a script for a sinus infection but I'm not sure you have a full infection. If you're certain it's your sinuses try Advil Cold & Sinus or Sudafed but make sure you get the ones from behind the counter, the ones in the aisle do jack shit. Take that, some Advil, drink hot tea and personally I like using a heating pad on my face to ease the sinus pain. If it doesn't clear up in a day or two I'd visit the doctor but don't see a reason to rush out today to one.

Project Mayhem

Thanks guys, I am insured through work, so if this doesn't clear up tomorrow I'll see about visiting urgent care since it's only like 15 dollars on my plan. I didn't think about getting sudafed behind the counter, I had used some generic in the aisle kind yesterday and it didn't work too well. I'll try that today.

OremLK

Yeah, the Sudafed PE (Phenylephrine) doesn't work that well for a lot of people. The behind the counter stuff (Pseudoephedrine) is typically more effective.

Deathwing

Yeah, the Sudafed PE (Phenylephrine) doesn't work that well for a lot of people. The behind the counter stuff (Pseudoephedrine) is typically more effective.

Yeah, as someone who suffers from very frequent sinus congestion (allergies), I may as well be eating M&Ms for all the good the Sudafed PE seems to do.

Do be careful though of the regular Sudafed's stimulant effects if you have high blood pressure issues, or so my doctor's advised me anyway.

joshofalltrades

DayQuil used to help before they changed the formula, too.

You might try chlorpheniramine, it's a good decongestant that works well for me when I feel a sinus infection coming on. Ask the pharmacist for some. Other than that, I agree; there's no reason to see a doctor when your symptoms sound so mild. They'll just tell you to get some rest and hand you a prescription for Motrin.

cyphr

For future reference, if you're insured through work, your insurance should have a list of in-network doctors. I have United Healthcare through work, and they have a really easy-to-use site at my.uhc.com where I just registered, typed in my address, and got a list of in-network physicians near me.