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Originally Posted by Rose76
Wow, it does sound like you have a worrisome situation that is going to keep you involved with doctors, until it's better understood. I hope they come up with a definitive diagnosis soon, but that can take years sometimes. I'm sorry you are going through all that. You do have very real worries.
You can't beat student health at a University for a great shot a cheap excellent care. Off campus, it's a whole different thing.
All you can do is the best you can. If you have insurance, try to keep it. I can see where your anxiety is coming from. To be so young and already having serious symptoms that something major and chronic might be wrong is very troubling. Medicare and medicaid will most certainly exist in the years to come. The most important thing to do is get the medical care you need however you have to do that. If you need to go to an emergency room for care, just go.
I certainly understand your worries about debt. One of the principal reasons for bankruptcy is medical bills. If the day ever comes where you have a ton of medical bills that would keep you in debt for a long time, then that is the day to start thinking of using the bankruptcy laws for your advantage. They exist to help people in that kind of a jam. Since you are so young, you can come out of a bankruptcy (if you ever need to) with plenty of time ahead to rebuild your life financially. There is nothing wrong with doing that.
What you've describing is a perfect example of why we need to change how healthcare is financed in this country. I think you are someone who will be better off in the system that is now being created than in the one that has been in existence. Try not to let people scare you. You have a right to healthcare.
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The problem is that medical research hasn't advanced enough to figure out what's wrong and the doctors purposely put a close (but wrong) diagnosis on my charts so they're justified to give me the medication that supposedly works. It just doesn't work for me because I'm allergic to one of the pills I'm supposed to take and the only other medicine option to lower DHEA is brutal. My mom had a similar problem and had to take the second option (because she couldn't take any of the pills in the first option) and it was horrible. I wouldn't be able to work or do anything. As it is now, the only thing caused by this "condition" (I have no idea what to call it really) is chronic pain and weakness and I can get over most of it with over-the-counter painkillers and wearing braces on whatever joints are bothering me the most at the moment. Physical therapy helped and I got to keep some of the tools I was using, but strengthening muscles isn't going to be enough for this to go completely away. It has to have to do with the high DHEA, but most doctors wouldn't believe that because there's no research in the area. And a lot of the time the doctors don't even believe I'm really in pain or that my joints pop in and out (and tend to stay out) more than they should because it's not "medically possible" to have, for example, multiple ribs out without an actual injury. It happens when I roll over in bed or breathe or something. Or for what happened to my wrist...and eventually to both of them...
I play trumpet and the motion of fingering the valves knocked my wrist out and because I didn't realize and I don't really feel pain to the extent of the average person and by the time I couldn't move my hand anymore, I went to a chiropractor who had to reset my wrist back into place. And even though he wrote a note, people at school didn't believe me. I mean, my problems are "medically impossible", so...I don't know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by messedinthehead
When you do see your doctors, do let them know you are paying out of pocket for your medications. Some will write prescriptions for a little longer or allow you to see a nurse or PA between visits and charge less for those visits.
I would imagine the 30 day limit on your clonazepam is related to your drug abuse history, but again, if you have been on it for awhile without problems, perhaps your doc would allow you to get a refill if you explain your financial concerns.
With my previous insurance which was terrible I discovered I could also cut costs by calling around to different pharmacies. With some medications it isn't very significant, but I did save a lot with a couple of them.
Pdocs should be able to write prescriptions for psych meds. I'm not sure what you are on, but they do have the ability, it's a matter of finding one that is comfortable with managing mental health meds. Some refuse as it is not their forte, but I know like in my area where there is a 3 month wait list to get a psychiatrist appt., many Pdocs and nurses will prescribe psych meds.
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I've been getting only 30 day prescriptions for at least two years and I didn't have an problems with drugs until the last two months, so I don't think that's it. Unless being a self-harmer causes you to not be able to have more than 30 days of Clonazepam.