“Can’t you just take a pill”?
“Yeah, right.”
We all hear this. But for me, there’s no cure. The best I can hope for is a combination of treatments that might help. I’ve made a lot of dietary changes. Thankfully, I can do those on my own. I’m also fortunate to be able to research medications and supplements. If I just listened to my old doctors, I’d be much worse off. Instead, I’ve seen a lot of improvement. Unfortunately, I still have a long way to go.
Because of my research, I know what I want to try next. I just don’t know how to get it. Sound familiar? Figuring out what to try was hard enough, but this is even more frustrating. I want to try adding another medication to my current one. It’s a very common combination in some areas, but unfortunately not a lot of doctors around here do it. Actually, that’s not true. Plenty do it, but they don’t take insurance and they cost a lot of money. The doctors that take insurance instead tend to prescribe med X, which is more profitable to the pharmaceutical companies. They buy into the hype from the pharma reps, and that’s all they offer. It took me ages to get med A, and now I’m stuck trying to get med B.
Dr. P prescribes med A a lot, actually. I was lucky to find him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t usually work with med B and he hasn’t been returning my emails. Dr. D could potentially be helpful with this, but he hasn’t returned my last three phone calls about a different, simpler matter, so I can’t really trust him with this. Dr. H works with med B a bit, and has been willing to prescribe it in the past. Unfortunately, he doesn’t believe in med A, and would want to combine med B with that with med X, which I’d rather avoid. I was on med X for 9 years and was very sick. I don’t want to go back. Dr. S thinks I should try something else first, but she understands my reasoning for this, and is willing to support me. Unfortunately, in Massachusetts naturopaths aren’t allowed to prescribe medications, so her support only goes so far.
I’m so lucky to have this many medical professionals to turn to, and yet none of them are able to help me! I can’t see spending thousands of dollars per year for a doctor who isn’t covered by insurance, but I’m feeling like I’m running out of options. The doctors all seem to be clustered together and I’m circling them, unable to find a way to make contact and have a reasonable conversation where we all speak the same language.
My friends try to listen sympathetically when I talk about this bullshit, but the truth is that they don’t really understand, and I don’t blame them. After all, who could possible understand such an absurd system if they don’t have to deal with it directly? I wouldn’t either. But in my current situation, I have no choice. So I’ll spend the weekend feeling annoyed and pissed off and frustrated, and on Monday I’ll go back to making phone calls and trying to get in touch with these moving planets that I’m forced to deal with. Grrr.
Chronic Rants 
That’s so frustrating! I am sorry. the endless maze is exhausting.
Thanks Jess. And yes, it is.
I am still here! Just been dealing with a few health issues.
I think I would have to have someone campaign for office if I lived in the US. I don’t know how you stay strong through this crap. You are amazing! If I want to try something I toddle along to my Family Dr. and say I saw this and have this research and I probably will get to try it. She says I am a pain in the ass but a nice pain. Lol!
I am sending you love, hugs and tolerance over the waves so you can carry on with your renewed effort to get what you deserve.
Take care
Lorna x
Thanks for your support, Lorna. How does it work where you are? If your doctor chooses to ignore the research you bring in, what can you do? Can you switch doctors? Can you file an appeal with someone?
In my Dr practice there are another eight Dr I could see who would have different views. ( one is a homeopathy specialist, another specialises in rheumatology ) They are managed by a practice manager who I could talk to if I felt concerned they weren’t listening. I could find another Dr in my area who might treat me. There is also my pain team and rheumy and orthopedics, I can ring and speak to someone and get an appointment with them. At my Dr there is also the option of asking to be treated by other consultants at nearby hospitals. When we are referred we have a choice of where to go. Small hospital, local hospital or forty miles away large renowned teaching hospital. After thinking about this realised I am so fortunate to have so many options open to me. Oh and I forgot I could always go private and pay to see someone.
Hugs x
Wow, that’s amazing Lorna! Where are you again? Australia? Whereever it is, I want to move there 🙂
The UK. I know people knock our national health service but it is amazing. When you work you pay national insurance so if you earned £1500 a month you would pay about £80 national insurance this goes towards your benefits ( I am on disability) if you need them and towards hospitals, dr etc. everybody pays who works. We also pay tax but that’s another story.
Hugs x
Wow, I didn’t know the UK system could be that great! I’m glad it’s working so well for you. As for me, I’m slowly trying to work things out in my system. I’ll write out an update one day soon.
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