Here's what I won today!

[graywarrior]

A $103.68 per month prescription for gallstones (which I cannot afford) that I must take for 2 years OR $17,000 bill for surgery which doesn't include payment toward the anesthesiologist.

And a diagnosis of osteoporosis


Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

:argh: :banghead:

[mainegreen]

1. The pills are cheaper.

And that sucks.

x(

[graywarrior]

2. I can afford them for 3 months.

I'm between a rock and a hard place right now. Can't work coz I feel like crap, can't afford meds if I don't work.

[mainegreen]

4. You tried making a hardship request to the pharmaceutical company yet?

My mom had to do that. They cut the price of one of her meds from $500 a month to $10 a month.

[graywarrior]

5. The generic brand does not supply the meds I need

Plus I have to make 200% below federal poverty level for state of NH...WTF?
I need to check on the name brand to see what they can do.

[Inchworm]

10. *hugs*

:hug::hug::hug:

[graywarrior]

13. Thank you, my love!

:loveya:

[Moondog]

3. I have a friend with a hot gall bladder.

That's bad stuff to deal with.

[graywarrior]

6. Yeah, it drains the energy.

[latebloomer]

7. I saw your other post

What happened to the Chinese doctor?

And do they want to put you on meds for the osteoporosis, too? They did with me but I'm trying the calcium/vitaminD/exercise route for now.

[graywarrior]

11. He's the one I saw today.

Says the safest treatment is the med that dissolves stones and diet change. Takes a year for meds to dissolve. I've already cut out oil, sugar, flour and salt which has helped tremendously. I cannot do surgery now because I have no insurance so I will try his recommendation.

He also prescribed a calcium supplement or TUMS 500 for bone density and said it will improve density by 50% so I will try that too.

[latebloomer]

14. Oh, OK

I didn't realize he did Western medicine- imagined him as a Chinese-medicine-only type.

Makes sense to me to try the safest route.

Hope you feel better soon. Sucks not having health insurance!

[Arugula Latte]

8. I can't even believe I'm suggesting this, but maybe it's worth a try.

Is it a common Rx? I wonder if it's one of Walmart's :hide: $4 prescriptions. (Probably not)

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Which drug?

Let me check the indigent program and see if there is an AB related generic.

[graywarrior]

12. Actigall

The generic is ursodial but I can't find a prescription assitance program that carries it. However, I can find one that provides Actigall...I just have to figure out the damn application process.

[vard28]

15. Hopefully you can get somethin' worked out soon

I don't need to tell you how miserable it is to be sick with gallstones. Glad the diet change is helping a bit!

HUGS from me 'cause I wish there was somethin' more I could do to help.

[graywarrior]

23. Thanks for the support

Gallstones are little monsters

[ThomCat]

16. Damn. :(

I wish one of us would win the lottery and share the bounty around so that all of us could collectively catch a break.

You definitely deserve a break, and I can think of a few other DUers who I think also absolutely deserve that break too. Somehow, I'm hoping for good news.
:hug:

:loveya:

I hope somehow this works out well.

[graywarrior]

19. I went to an AA meeting tonight and got a good dose of being grateful

And you, my friend, constantly remind me to stay grateful.

[Deja Q]

17. double damn

:( :(

:hug:

[SoxFan]

18. I reccomend an alternative treatment program

[graywarrior]

20. LOfuckingL!!!!!

[Jamastiene]

21. Gallstones damn near killed me.

They said I had "hundreds" of smaller ones and some bigger ones. They were making minced meat of my innards. I'm glad my gallbladder is gone. I'm still not totally without side effects from it, but I am much better off without it than I was with it. That's a pain I won't soon forget.

I lucked up though. They have a charity fund at the local hospital. Other than the anesthesiologists who threatened legal action even though I kept up my end of the payment plan faithfully without missing a payment (technically, it wasn't the original anesthesiologist, but another company bought them out and wouldn't honor the agreement), I was very very lucky.

All I can really offer you is :hug: I'm in shit shape when it comes to needing health care right now too.

[graywarrior]

22. I have free care from the hospital, but my doctor seems to think we can

make this work. I am not in pain like I was and am following the diet he suggested to a Tee. He told me if I have another attack, we will remove the gallbladder but in the meantime, try and treat it the way he recommended as long as it does not interfere with my lifestyle. Sounds reasonable to me. First minute I start feeling lousy, I'm on the way to the emergency ward for surgery.

Why is the anesthesiologists fees not covered under hospital care, did they tell you? It is the same here and I imagine the fee must be very high.

[Jamastiene]

24. It was $1500 just for him to put a stupid plastic cup

with gas coming out of it on my face for 2 seconds. I know that gas doesn't cost that much.

I guess that's just they way they do it. I got bills from every doctor who walked past my room while I was in there a grand total of 1 day and 1 night. Luckily, most of the doctor bills associated with the surgery weren't nearly as high as the anesthesiologist was. That's odd, isn't it? Doctors are cheaper than anesthesiologists.