anyone use home strep test kits?

[Ann280]

Just curious as I have heard of them?

[butterflymom]

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Edited October 5, 2015 by tampicc

[Haileymadison]

Just curious as I have heard of them?

 

Hi, I ordered the tests from docsavings.com. The brand that I like is the Acon twist device/ or test cassette. It's not the strips. They are around $32 for 25 tests, and with shipping I think it comes to $40.

 

Kbossman1 recommended this brand to me. She has used them several times and said they are reliable. I have only had to use it once, but it was relatively easy to use. My daughter does not get sore throats with strep infections or any other obvious signs for that matter. Behavior is her only symptom, usually urinary frequency is her first symptoms. The ones I ordered expire in 1.5 years, so I figure I can swab at any sign of odd behavior. It definitely gives me a piece of mind just knowing I have them.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited April 2, 2011 by Haileymadison

[Ann280]

Just curious as I have heard of them?

 

Hi, I ordered the tests from docsavings.com. The brand that I like is the Acon twist device/ or test cassette. It's not the strips. They are around $32 for 25 tests, and with shipping I think it comes to $40.

 

Kbossman1 recommended this brand to me. She has used them several times and said they are reliable. I have only had to use it once, but it was relatively easy to use. My daughter does not get sore throats with strep infections or any other obvious signs for that matter. Behavior is her only symptom, usually urinary frequency is her first symptoms. The ones I ordered expire in 1.5 years, so I figure I can swab at any sign of odd behavior. It definitely gives me a piece of mind just knowing I have them.

 

Hope this helps!

Thank You! So when you notice the symptoms and you do the test do they usually come up positive?

[Ann280]

Ann, I can't view your other post to reply. ..something is weird with the link or my computer, but I was able to go to your profile and read some of your responses. I think some families have yes, purchases home strep tests and used them at home. I asked about them at Walgreens once, but mine didn't carry them. I haven't really pursued it because my kids don't get "normal strep" throat. Once in 8 years, my non-PANDAS daughter has had it. My kids rarely get sore throats at all, and my PANDAS son has never had evidence of strep in any blood tests.

 

Yes, Antibiotics have helped my son temporarily (both Cefdinir and Augmentin), but he still exacerbates with viral illnesses and exposure to strep, though doesn't contract it himself. A short steroid burst helped return him to 100% (it was amazing) but only lasted a few days. Ibuprofen also takes the edge off of hyperactivity and rages for us, but isn't a cure. I just use it on really bad days.

 

So long story short, it took us about 5 months to decide to go for IVIG. I can't tell you how long the results will last, but at the moment (6 weeks after IVIG treatment), I am extremely happy we did it.

 

PANDAS symptoms do come and go, and change rapidly. This is a hallmark of it, and looks like bipolar, and Sue Swedo talks about this in some of her online talks (listen to the recent one on the Coffee klatch, I think).

 

Good luck to you!

 

Thank you! how do I get to the online talks? Also I know I'm stuck on this but why do you think it's not BP since it's seems like the exact same symptoms...doesn't BP come and go also? I fell like I am getting obsessed with all this because I just want to make it all go away..silly, I know.

[butterflymom]

=

Edited October 5, 2015 by tampicc

[Haileymadison]

Just curious as I have heard of them?

 

Hi, I ordered the tests from docsavings.com. The brand that I like is the Acon twist device/ or test cassette. It's not the strips. They are around $32 for 25 tests, and with shipping I think it comes to $40.

 

Kbossman1 recommended this brand to me. She has used them several times and said they are reliable. I have only had to use it once, but it was relatively easy to use. My daughter does not get sore throats with strep infections or any other obvious signs for that matter. Behavior is her only symptom, usually urinary frequency is her first symptoms. The ones I ordered expire in 1.5 years, so I figure I can swab at any sign of odd behavior. It definitely gives me a piece of mind just knowing I have them.

 

Hope this helps!

Thank You! So when you notice the symptoms and you do the test do they usually come up positive?

 

 

I have only used one and the results were negative, but I was just learning how to use the test kit, so I was expecting a negative.

 

That is my plan to swab at first sign of ANY odd behavior and if I get a positive, I can call my SIL/pediatrician to order me some antibiotics. (her office is 40 minute drive for me and a 3 hour ordeal just to get swabbed.)

 

I might want to mention that my daughter has only had one exacerbation with a positive strep culture. Her symptoms remitted after a 20 day course of antibiotics. We are not on prophylactic antibiotics. She is doing well, and hoping to catch the next strep infection much sooner.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Haileymadison

[airial95]

Hi Ann, well I don't know a lot about bipolar, but I just kinda doubt that diagnosis for a young child in general. And. . . if it is bipolar, what's the treatment? Probably anti-psychotic drugs and just living with it the rest of the child's life. . . a dead end. And anti-psychotic drugs are scary and tend to make PANDAS kids much worse.

 

 

This sounds terrible, but the fact that psych meds tend to make PANDAS kids worse can also be somewhat of a self-dx tool. My son is PANDAS - clear cut, classic case. Our dr was on the ball and he never went on psych meds. I have a cousin who is bi-polar. When I found out about PANDAS I immediately called my aunt and we talked all about it, turns out, her son didn't quite fit the PANDAS dx with his symptoms. They have him on a low dose medication (it slips my mind which one right now), and it worked immediately, with no side effects. He's been treated for bi-polar for about 3 years now, and they haven't even had to adjust his medication after they found the right dose a couple months into treatment.

 

The other inconsistencies of his case vs. PANDAS aside, whether or not psych meds work for you or not can be an idicator of what you may or may not be dealing with. No medical proof - just my opinion!

[Ann280]

Hi Ann, well I don't know a lot about bipolar, but I just kinda doubt that diagnosis for a young child in general. And. . . if it is bipolar, what's the treatment? Probably anti-psychotic drugs and just living with it the rest of the child's life. . . a dead end. And anti-psychotic drugs are scary and tend to make PANDAS kids much worse.

 

 

This sounds terrible, but the fact that psych meds tend to make PANDAS kids worse can also be somewhat of a self-dx tool. My son is PANDAS - clear cut, classic case. Our dr was on the ball and he never went on psych meds. I have a cousin who is bi-polar. When I found out about PANDAS I immediately called my aunt and we talked all about it, turns out, her son didn't quite fit the PANDAS dx with his symptoms. They have him on a low dose medication (it slips my mind which one right now), and it worked immediately, with no side effects. He's been treated for bi-polar for about 3 years now, and they haven't even had to adjust his medication after they found the right dose a couple months into treatment.

 

The other inconsistencies of his case vs. PANDAS aside, whether or not psych meds work for you or not can be an idicator of what you may or may not be dealing with. No medical proof - just my opinion!

Thank you for the great info. We had a very very bad weekend...the worst we have ever had...it has been so emotional for me watching my daughter go thru all this. The motrin protocol didn't work this time. As of now Scott prescribed 10 days zithromax and on the 4,5,6th day prednisone.

While still taking the zithromax. Today I found out the girl who my daughter car pools with has a family who gets strep like a family cAn get a cold. The mom was so helpful to me explaining that her entire family gets strep many times throuout the year. Whats crazy is the girls that drives with my daughters....n sister had strep 2 weeks ago and her mom thinks she may have strep as well. So here my daughter has had her worst symptoms yet Nd she has been driving in a car twice a day with a girl who most likely has strep... she even had her tonsils

Removed. Today Avas behavior was still not great in school. She has had two doses of antibiotics . I do feel however that tonight is a little easier..I hope tomorrow is better. I'm really glad there is a place to ask questions and get great help from other parents or people suffering from pandas.

[bigandtall]

I was wondering if this was available anywhere for purchase..seems like it would make life a lot easier..less doctor visits if the sore throat isn't really strep.

[Kbossman1]

I use the strep test kits.....I order them with docsavings.com I think that they are reliable....but I question my positive results. I don't always get a positive. But there have been several times that I got a positive result....so I then took that child to the dr and they said negative. I bought the tests b/c we have 4 kids and it was very expensive to take them all in to rule it out if I only noticed behavior with 1 or 2. My experience has been that I do a much better job at taking the test....and the nurses at the dr office don't give a damn and do a very crapy job. I will tell you that I took my box in with me in June. I had taken my 4 year old in who had the worst breath.....couldn't sleep and was telling me his throat hurt. OF course we had a positive result here at home. The nurse came in and told me he was negative. I showed her my tests and she said "wow....that is the exact test we use here" so I said....then do your test again....it's wrong. Have you ever noticed that they swab the child's throat and then stick the swab back into the stupid wrapper. I told her not to do that....sure enough 5 mins later she came back and his test was positive. This has happened more times that I can count.

 

Here's where it gets really hairy.....my pandas dd has tested positive many times even while on her antibiotics. It may be a very faint positive but it's there. I've read about the rapid test and it's testing or looking for antigens that your body makes when you have strep....I'm guessing the same thing as antibodies. Is this why I could get a faint positive on pandas dd almost 9 out of 10 times if we test her. Is it b/c she continually makes the antibodies....thus causing the PANDAS? She was doing great.....then symptoms started coming back so the other day I tested her and got a completely negative result.....I was actually glad to see a negative result b/c I sure do get alot of positives. If I didn't have these tests.....we would have been told no strep by the dr at least 5 times when they actually did have strep.