too old to still see a pediatrician?

[~invisible~girl~]

I've had a bad cough for a few days, cause cause a few years ago I had a bad cough that I kind of ignored and ended up getting really sick, now my mom worries whenever I get sick, and she's making me go to the doctor. Well, I'm at school most of the year and just go to the health center there, so the only doctor I have here is my pediatrician, which is who my mom wanted me to go to. So I begged my mom to make an appointment with her doctor instead, and she agreed, but since I'm not a regular patient there, they weren't sure if they could see me right away, and said they'd call back. They haven't, and I have an appointment with the pediatrician in an hour, so it looks like I'll have to go. I know the pediatrician will still see me, and it's normal for pediatricians to keep seeing their patients up to about 21, especially in college, and my pediatrician has said that they're willing to see people up to 22 before I have to find a regular adult doctor. And I look young for my age, so people don't think it's that odd that I'd be there when I'm in the waiting room or whatever, but still, it's so f***ing embarrassing to have to go there. I mean, I'm 22 years old, and I'll have to wait in the "sick child waiting room" (as opposed to the "well child waiting room" -- but either way it's even f***ing labeled as being specifically for children!).

So now I basically have to see the pediatrician unless I want to wait until whenever my mom's doctor can see me, and there's no guarantee he'd even see me tomorrow let alone today, but I really don't want to have to go to the pediatrician. But I guess did/does anyone else still go to their pediatrician at 22 or know anyone who does? Cause at least then I'd feel a little less ridiculous knowing I'm not the only one. Or does anyone know how I can get in to see a regular doctor on short notice (as in, today) without already being a patient there?

[IceBerg]

Well i went the other day, (im nearly 16) and there was noone in there, it was just me and my mum.
So yeah, not a lot of help..
But the nurse said that all the appointments were 'big kids' which i found a bit patronising but anywho, so tehre is definatly people who are older (no offence) that go to the child dr. (:

[one lie at a time]

Better to get well soon and see a Pediatrician you don't want to see than to be sick longer and wait for another doctor. You won't know anyone there, and once it's over, it'll be done with and no one will think anything of it. I know this is a bit late, so I hope your appointment went alright. xx

[Sigma]

a doctor is a doctor! I'm 35 and would see a paedictrician if an 'adult' doctor couldn't fit me in... anyway, for all anyone else in the waiting room knows you might be there to discuss your child's care with the doctor...

I hope it went OK and you're better soon...

[~invisible~girl~]

I ended up getting to see my parents' doctor after all, cause I got my mom to call again, and he could see me this afternoon. And I'm really glad of that, cause beside it not being humiliating, he gave me prescription cough syrup, and basically told me that if it didn't work at the dose he prescribed, I could keep taking it until I started to get high off it, which definitely my pediatrician would never even consider telling me to take more than the standard dose of anything (although he gave me the kind that tastes really nasty, so taking another teaspoon every 15-20 minutes or so isn't so fun, and I've already had 5 teaspoons and it's still not helped at all...). Although the downside to being treated as an adult is that the doctor wanted to explain at a really basic level how respiratory infections work, and he didn't seem to get the hint when I kept finishing his explanations for him.

And Alice, you're supposed to still go to a pediatrician at 15 (or 16) as pediatricians treat adolescents, not just young children, because your body is still changing so from the medical perspective you're not an adult until about 18-20, and it's better for teenagers to be seen by a doctor that knows more about adolescent medicine than a regular GP.

[Mrs Sam]

see in the UK this isnt such a big deal as a GP generally just treats all ages from babies to the elderly. a child would only really see a paediatrician if they were referred there fore specialist treatment.

I'm glad you got to see an adult doctor in the end but i would think treatment wise it wouldnt make a massive different. Unless in the US they can prescribe different treatment.

Glad you got sorted anyhoo!

xxxx

[Alegria]

Glad you got things worked out. <3 I saw a pediatrician up until I was 18, nothing wrong with it at all. Especially since I'd usually go directly after school- it was before the elementary and middle schools got out, so I was usually only the only person there.