YAAARG! Why is it so difficult

[SulaBlue]

To get doctors to write prescriptions right?!

I went to my Internist and asked for my Tizinadine and Naproxen to be in 3-month prescriptions so that I can take advantage of a discount plan. We TALKED about it, and I gave it to her IN WRITING. She got the naproxen right, but wrote the tizinadine for 30 days only.

My Endo had screwed up my insulin prescription. Instead of 4 boxes of pens with 4 refills he's messed it up and written it for 1 box, only a little over a week's worth of insulin. The last time I was in the pharmacist looked at the dosage he'd written (vs. the number of boxes listed) and went ahead and gave me 4 boxes for the month. I've called the doctor's office and the pharmacy has called the doctor's office. THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED IT after /3/ phone calls, nor have they called me back. This is after my last visit where I asked him to fill out a simple 2-page check box/short answer form and he sent me down the hall to the PA where I had to wait /an hour and a half/ for the PA to fill it out and then /wait some more/ because the PA had to take it back to the doctor to be signed! GAAARARARAR! SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW.

 

[mudrock]

They should have fixed this by now. I would be upset to and I understand your frustration. They are showing you how much they don't care. Personally, I would look to another place that is a little more professional.

 

[SulaBlue]

Yeah, pretty much as soon as I see if my SSD needs to go to a hearing or if it makes it through on the first appeal, I'll be looking for a new Endo. I don't want to change docs and make things more difficult right now if I can avoid it.

 

[SulaBlue]

Got my meds sorted out.

Now, however, the spine and pain specialist wants a CT Scan. Price tag (with insurance, due to having not yet met my deductible) - $920+

 

[1sweed]

SulaBlue,
I don't think your done screaming YAAARG! yet with prices like that being thrown at you. I think I would hold off a bit before paying full price for that one test. Wait for a few more doctor visits to roll through and eat up some of that cost. That is a huge chunk to take a bite out of someones income.

Glad you got your medication problem straightened out.

 

[SulaBlue]

I called my lawyers. For now they've put a note in the file that my doctor is wanting a CT scan, but that it's out of my financial ability what with all the other money I've laid out this month: 2 doctor's visits, $90 copays. 30 X-rays: $400. Plus whatever it's going to be when I get the bill for all of my blood tests ($90+ back on 2/22 for my regular diabetes checkup - not sure I even want to know what the one at the Rheumatologist is going to be!).

They seem to think that if it comes down to another consultative exam this round, that maybe SSD/DARS will send me for a CT Scan. Not sure, but it's worth a try.

 

[1sweed]

That was a good move, lots of times they did pay for tests for me in determining my disability case. The only problem I had with that was they would not give me any of the reports from those doctors. If I wanted them I would have to pay some huge price for them. So I was told I would get them from my lawyers after my case was settled. Nope! Those were classified government records. But just getting the disability has made my life a bit easier, not much as my income is tiny. I don't have anyone to help me at this time.

But this is about you and I hope your bills stay in a range you can afford to pay. With every other monthly bill we get these extra ones are a real pain to manage. Good luck with it.

 

[SulaBlue]

There's a form you can fill out requesting that they send them to your doctors, but yeah, getting your hands on them for YOURSELF are difficult. Unfortunately my case is so backwards. I talked to the person at DARS on the phone ahead of time and she told me when my appointment was scheduled, so I already knew when I was going. I didn't actually get the "please confirm that you are ging to this appointment" stuff until a day before I went. I sent in my requests -after- the appointments, but they managed to come to the decision to deny me within about 5 days of my consultative exams, at which point I hired a lawyer. The lawyer had my contract to me by Monday morning when I'd talked to them on Friday and apparently they got it the very next day when I mailed it back (They're in town), and I don't know if they electronically filed it with the SSD or what, because by the time I called to see about seeing why my doc hadn't gotten my x-rays taken at the consultative exam, it was all tied up because it was in appeals and hadn't been assigned to a new case worker yet.

 

[SulaBlue]

Now I got a packet from my lawyers with paperwork that they would like my doctors to fill out, basically detailing my functionality. My Internist "doesn't do social security paperwork" (Probably just as well, she charge me $25 to do a 1 page form and an Rx for disabled parking tags). So now I'll be getting that done and seeing my endo's nurse practitioner at the same time, so at least that's 2 birds with one stone.

The other problem is that the client package talks about having a presence on the web, Twitter, Facebook, etc. could be detrimental as it proves that I'm able to use a computer which would mean that I can work doing data entry, etc.. What are we supposed to do, sit and do nothing but watch TV all day?! Yes, I can use a computer, but only in 15-20 minute spurts, and only while sitting in a recliner, often with my legs propped up. Even the very best of desk chairs (I have a Steelcase Criterion which retails for around $850-$900 and is adjustable in just about every way possible that I got from a used furniture liquidator for less than $100) has me in near-screaming pain within 30 minutes due to the degenerative disks in my back.

 

[1sweed]

I am like you trying to keep up with any typing is hard and data entry would be hard for me because most involves using your telephone and taking orders for companies. My spelling is not good when it comes to names and writing numbers. I would have people repeating things over and over to get it right. My double vision really makes everything worse in hitting the right keys. I get confused really easy when dealing with other people, so I would not be able to do something where detail is so very important.

As much as they make it hard, it comes down to phyical abilities and mental health. So just keep plugging away and it will hopeful work out for you.

 

[SulaBlue]

UGH! Now SSD is wanting me to fill out the same exact paperwork that I did before for the first round. Do they not have the paperwork anymore? Are the thinking I'll slip up and have different answers? To some extent, I will, but it's going to be MORE symptoms and issues, not less! I've developed numbness in my left hand - it started just when I woke up and now it's 24/7, likely just an irritated nerve from sleeping on it wrong. I've also developed positional tremors - and those tremors just happen to be the position for holding a fork/spoon/pen, or making an "OK" sign, or holding a bit of food to slice it. I suspect it may be in part from the gabapentin, but I'm not real willing to give it up just to find out for sure and the numbness had started before I started the gaba. So this time around I'm going to end up having someone else fill the form in as writing out that many pages worth of stuff was making my hand cramp bad enough last time that it took me a couple of days.

 

[1sweed]

SulaBlue, I don't think it is the medication, but people react differently to things. It might be carpel tunnel syndrome from writing or typing to much. Go to your local drug store and get wrist hand fabric velcro braces. Wear them for a few days and at night when sleeping. They can give extra support to your lower arm and wrist, and hand ligaments and often cure the problem.

We often jump to the wrong conclusion wanting to blame everything on fibro or our medication, forgetting that we can get other aliments too. As far as the forms go that is the only forum they have, so when you fill one out make copies of your answers. That way when you fill it out each time you will remember what is the same and what is worse. I do think they are hoping you goof up. I had to do it over and over, until I was almost sick of the whole process. Lots of folks do quit because of this and denials. If you have someone else fill out the forum for you, be sure to make a note of that in a space on forms provided so they know about it. Don't give up!

 

[SulaBlue]

1sweed - the tremor thing started just after I started the Lyrica, and continued with gabapentin. It's a listed side effect The numbness in the left hand, however, started before that. I know THAT is related to irritation of the nerve while sleeping because at first it was only when I first woke up in the morning. I think it's called ulnar or radial nerve entrapment or impingement? Usually it can be solved by sleeping differently, but due to my back I can only sleep in a couple of positions, so it's quite frustrating!

I did make a photocopy of the first set, yup yup! I'm thinking of taking it in to my lawyer for them to fill it out this time, maybe see if they can word it more strongly. Or, at the very least, have my husband fill it out as you suggest. Or maybe start filling it out so they can see how shaky my handwriting has gotten since the last time, then let my husband fill it out.

 

[1sweed]

SulaBlue,
That nerve irritation is what I was talking about and the brace is an easy thing to wear at night as it is just fabric and velcro. I have had to wear my once in a while on my right arm & hand, in regards to nerve irritation. It helps keep your hand from going numb if you sleep on it. I never was on Lyrica, so I don't know the side effects from it, but I had hand tremors long before taking the gabapentin, which I have been on since 1995, and I have not seen an increase in the tremors in fact they are not as bad as before. But you and I know it is different for different folks.

As far as the paperwork goes, I think some of the questions in the back ask you if you filled it out yourself or had someone help you. That is the place to say hubby filled out form for me. Good luck with those ugh forms.

 

[SulaBlue]

1sweed - the problem is it doesn't seem to be starting in my hand, at least not on the left. I'm rather overweight, and the pain and stiffness starts in my shoulder, though only my hand is numb.

And yeah, there's a slot for that on the form.

Thanks