|
|
Post by xenaswolf on Jul 12, 2006 23:04:20 GMT -5
To all those that have emailed me and PM'd me telling me I am missed, thank you.
I got my feelings hurt pretty bad and got pretty upset. I said some things that may have been harsh but I feel like they were appropriate at the time. That is water under the bridge.
I've been taking a break. I am under so much stress at work its not funny. On top of that my doctor has decided in her infinite wisdom <sarcasam on> not to refill my blood pressure medication until I go in and get blood work done. She cares not at all that I don't have $250 to get the work done. The lab, just like her, demands payment in full for tests and visits since I have no insurance. So, my blood pressure is getting into stroke out range.
Hence, I am taking a break from anything ( other than my job and spouse) that causes me undue stress.
Hopefully, I will be able to find another doc that is taking new patients that will work with me on the financial end of things so I can get my meds. Otherwise, my spouse will either be an early widow or a caretaker to a 40 year old vegetable.
Ya'll keep the barrels rolling, the saws whirling and the grinders grinding....
|
|
|
|
Post by stoner on Jul 12, 2006 23:11:59 GMT -5
Welcome back xenas. Blood pressure is nothing to fool around with, so just take it easy.
|
|
|
|
Post by joe on Jul 12, 2006 23:23:24 GMT -5
Hey Lesa, it's good to hear from you! I am sorry to hear of your medical setback. I gotta deal with a lot of doctors too and they live in a world where money is a lot freer than ours. A lot of times I ask my doctors for sample meds. Also ask the office staff as they don't get paid much and they understand the reality of money. I've had lots of months of meds doing that.
I do hope you feel better soon and can relax some. It's good to see you post and you can PM or public post anytime! Take care of yourself. As I told someone else recently, "fruits, veggies, and lots of water"!
|
|
|
|
Post by rockyraccoon on Jul 13, 2006 0:04:06 GMT -5
good to see you back on the board xena!
you have got to see about that blood pressure. what about a health dept where they should have a sliding fee scale?
kim
|
|
|
|
Post by Cher on Jul 13, 2006 11:39:52 GMT -5
Hi Xena *wave*
Remember one thing about blood pressure ... stay away from salt! Chips or anything like that are bad news ... don't eat them! I hope you find a doc soon that will help, don't any of the places out there give samples?
|
|
stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
|
Post by stefan on Jul 13, 2006 11:45:38 GMT -5
Good to see ya!!! Please don't mess around with that blood pressure thing- Too risky!!!!! also limit your salt intake (I was amazed what just a tiny bit of slat did to my BP!) My doctor told me that NO SALT is still way too much!!!! (then went on to explian the amount of salt in American FOODS!!!!!)
|
|
blarneystone
spending too much on rocks
Rocks in my head
Member since March 2010
Posts: 307
|
Post by blarneystone on Jul 13, 2006 11:45:56 GMT -5
Your health come first Xena... but good to see you back! We missed you!!  |
|
|
|
Post by deb193 on Jul 13, 2006 11:48:38 GMT -5
Samples are a good suggestion. I have gotten over $1000 in sample meds from my endocrinologist.
But that misses the point. Nobody is going to give samples (or prescribe) possibly toxic drugs w/o the blood work to show that it is not doing more harm than good. It does no good to lower blood pressure if you ruin you liver or thin blood to the point where you have a thalmic bleed. Remember you can stroke from too much pressure, but if the blood is too thin, you can bleed into tissue and cause as much pressure/damage as the stroke you were tyring to avoid.
IF you are off of the meds for a while, the doctor will likely prescribe a small amount to re-establish sufficient levels/history to make a blood test useful. Don't pay for the blood test unless you are on the meds, because it wont tell you as much.
When you can line up the blood test, talk to the doctor about a short course of meds to take prior to the test.
If the blood tests say that the drug is not toxic for you, then look into manafacturer plans for prescription assistance.
Good luck
|
|
|
|
Post by hermatite on Jul 13, 2006 11:48:58 GMT -5
Stress is a real killer Xena and not to be messed around with either. Hope you can find some affordable meds and take care of yourself. Thanks for checking in and my thoughts are with you.
|
|
|
|
Post by krazydiamond on Jul 13, 2006 15:28:13 GMT -5
good to see ya, Xena, thanks for checking in! yeh, doctors and insurance companies can be very indifferent to those of us with little or no insurance. my doctor also gives me free samples for meds and will write a generic instead of "DAW" (dispense as written) which helps. check with your local hospital or clinic for free screenings and other programs that offer services occasionally (health fairs, etc.).
good luck, breathe deep, let your worries be few.
KD
|
|
|
|
Post by BAZ on Jul 13, 2006 17:16:16 GMT -5
Good to see you back Xena, I missed the person who upset you otherwise I would've clobbered them! Nobody messes with Z! Coincidentally I just went to the doc today for a DOT physical, mine was at 150/100, I fear I won't be able to get my CDL renewed unless I get it down, arghh! Take care and hope to talk to you some more soon! |
|
Terry664
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2005
Posts: 1,146
|
Post by Terry664 on Jul 13, 2006 19:23:52 GMT -5
Hey Xena, real glad to hear from you. Check and see if you have a free clinic, sometimes they have blood labs working with them. Call your social service office or health dept. I don't have insurance either and was not aware we had a free clinic until I hurt my leg, and a worker at community mental health told me about it.
Terry
|
|
|
|
Post by xenaswolf on Jul 14, 2006 0:08:54 GMT -5
Thanks for all the info ya'll, I'll check into it. The main thing the doc wants to check is if I'm diabetic. Now I KNOW its possible to be diabetic with no symptoms, but that is usually not the case. I mean hell, prick my finger, stick it in one of those blood checking machines and be done with it for pity's sake LOL. I keep trying to explain that the diabetes that is in my family is my two older half brothers on THEIR father's side, not my mom's side. The HBP is the gift from MY parents LOL.
I'm gonna call the stubborn old biddy again and see if she will talk to the lab for me. Will let ya'll know soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by LCARS on Jul 14, 2006 3:53:04 GMT -5
XW, take 'er easy eh! Get those stress levels under control & don't let those quacks run you around too much K.  We want you to stick around here, no more tragic stories in the "life" thread please!  |
|
Shelbeeray
has rocks in the head
Member since January 2006
Posts: 688
|
Post by Shelbeeray on Jul 14, 2006 19:34:33 GMT -5
Xena, just move to Canada - medical is covered and we recognize same-sex marriage too!
I think it is awful that people have to do without appropriate medical care because of finances. I was in that situation when I was raising my son. I went to a teaching clinic when I lived in North Dakota. It was attached to one of the universities and they charged for exams, tests, meds according to a sliding scale based on income. Check it out - maybe there is a local teaching clinic near you.
Take care of yourself and come back soon. You are definitely missed.
|
|
|
|
Post by deb193 on Jul 17, 2006 8:27:10 GMT -5
I never understood why my endocrinologist did not have me take some finger-stick readings when I first complained of excessive thirst. He was not seeing me for diabetes, and wanted me to go back to the family med guy for the sugar blood test, and made it sound like only a precaution. Somehow I never got there for almost a year. Then, when it showed a problem, it was back to the endocrinologist - this time for diabetes - and the first thing he does is give me a meter. And he had lots of training units laying around. In two minutes, I could have had some sense of how urgent it was to go get the full blood test. Must be some insurance/liability reason they don't do it.
Still, Xena, find a friend with a machine and take a few readings. Wait 3-4 hours after eating, and/or get your level before breakfast. If you are much over the 90-110 range, there may be a problem. Why don't you do this for yourself. Just to be safe.
|
|
