I was diagnosed with Osteosporosis several years ago and have

[Cleita]

been taking the medication, Actonel for the last two years to stop the thinning of my bones. It has significantly reduced the pain as well. Last week my doctor refused to renew my prescription unless I made an office visit. Well, it isn't just the visit. We are talking about bone scans, lab work and ultra sounds that are very costly.

I can't pay this out of our income. My husband has many medical needs too, which we must pay for out of pocket. In fourteen months I will qualify for Medicare, but in the meantime I will have to risk my bones thinning even more since I can't have my medication until then. I hope I don't get collapsed vertebrae and broken hips because of this. Since I am retired I only have a bare bones insurance, which frankly is another bite out of our income. It involves a sizable deductible that I can't pay right now.

I am really disgusted that it has come to this. All the years that I was covered with insurance at work I didn't need it. Now that I need medical care it is out of my reach. Today's decision by the AARP to back the Republican plan that is one step towards privatizing Medicare is the beginning of reducing it to a meaningless cipher.

Well, I hope all of you for profit health care providers eventually rot in Hell where you belong because your profits are at the expense of elderly and sick like like me.

[jonoboy]

1. health care should be a right, not a priviledge

[ninkasi]

2. I'm so sorry...

I'm sorry to hear about all your health problems; ironically, I just finished writing a very, very scathing e-mail to AARP which tells them in no uncertain terms what I think of their sell-out of senior citizens and the disabled.

Many people will be in the same boat. This is a national disgrace. I suggest, from now on, that the loved ones of ANY PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES who dies needlessly due to inability to pay for drugs and/or medical treatment, consider publishing that information in the obituary.

Maybe Congress and the AARP would be less willing to sell us out if they were to receive a little more publicity about the effects of their actions. I pray you survive, and find a solution to your health problem.

[Red_Viking]

3. My dad is in a similar boat

He just turned 65 over the summer and was glad to finally qualify. When I was 12, he started his own business and has been self-employed ever since (I'm 37 now). His monthly expenses are very low but doctor visits always took a large chunk. Skin cancer runs in our family so the dermatologist is a necessary evil. He was relieved to have coverage again, but I feel your pain.

Turn your anger into a positive: Get out the vote! I became a deputy volunteer voter registrar for my county and plan to go speak at area high schools to encourage those who qualify to register to vote. There is much, much, much you can do. Don't give up!

Sending good vibes your way...

:dem:

RV

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. eat lots of almonds

[Mz Pip]

5. Can you talk the Dr

out of running all those tests? Seems kind of pointless since you've already been diagnosed and have successful treatment.

This is nuts. Why AARP backed the Repugs is beyond me. I work part time and have medical coverage through work, but will probably lose my job at the end of the school year. I'm really worried about losing my medical coverage because my husband and I are of the age where things start going wrong. I'm 10 years away from getting Medicare so it's pretty scary.

I can just imagine applying for private HMO and getting denied for some pre existing condition like osteo arthritis. I'm with you. I hope the creeps who put this together rot.

MzPip
:dem:

[SoCalDem]

6. See if you can get into a study..

Loma Linda Hospital near me has a womens clinic adjacent to the hospital, and I participated in two or three of their osteoporosis/menopause studies.. A free top to toe physical every 6 months.. free meds, a monthly labs check up and they even paid me $700 one time for a 4 month study..

Bone scans are free too.. If there is a teaching hospital near you, check into it..

The meds were al approved , and the studies were simply to see what the minimum dosage could be, and still achieve the maximum benefit..

They were the nicest people too.. All the ones running the studies were doctors and RNs.

[Wwagsthedog]

7. If you can afford it, consume at least 1500 mg of calcium/day

Also, consume 800 IU of vitamin D/day. You probably have heard this before but these will at least help you keep your bone density stable.

[MissMarple]

8. Are you doing any bone building exercise?

Weight lifting is often recommended. There is a book called "Strong Women Stay Young". I've had it for a couple of years and do some weight lifting with hand held weights and ankle weights that wrap around the ankle. That is basically the only expense. The book was mentioned in the Denver Post last week in an article on women's health. Lifting weights actually helps grow new bone. You just start at a weight you can lift and gradually add to it. The exercises are quite easy. I do it while watching TV.

The program was developed at Tufts. It was primarily focused on the elderly, like 80 year old women. They all benefited.

If you aren't doing something like this you should look into it.

Good luck with getting the meds and the tests. Have you discussed this with the doctor? Maybe he can help. :hug:

[Cleita]

11. Thanks.

I'll look into the book. I was told to do exercises but couldn't afford to go to a gym and I wasn't sure what I should do. Thanks again.

[brook]

9. Family and Women's...

Health Center in SLO. 781-5542. Try them. The line's busy right now. Email me if you strike out there. I'll talk to my doc in the am. This is ridiculous! Frigging ninth-world country!

[Cleita]

10. Hi Brook.

I will call the number today, when I get a moment. Thanks for your help.

[Cleita]

12. Thanks all for your kind comments and helpful suggestions.

[amazona]

13. where do you live?

Would it be possible for you to visit Mexico and see a doctor and buy the drugs there? It is legal to bring in 3 months of Rx for any non-scheduled drug (scheduled drugs are drugs that can be used for recreation and abuse), and your Osteoporosis medicine should qualify.

I would not necessarily advise anyone to bend the law but I would add when I crossed the border a few times at Tijuana/San Ysidro recently, they were not concerned with checking middle-aged or elders for how much medicine they were taking back. Selling Rx medicine is an important industry for Mexico, and the docs, dentists, and stores are right there. So I guess what I'm saying is, if I felt life or limb was at risk, I might take more than a 3 month supply if I could not afford to visit that often.

I think your doctor has to give you the copy of your old bone density scans and other information in your medical report. If you have this information, bring it with you to your Mexican doctor. Also, some Mexican doctors and dentists do take U.S. insurance. So if you think you will be covered, bring that information. It may be that your treatment there is much lower than your co-pay.



thinking of you and hoping you will find a way

[Cleita]

14. I'm about three hundred and fifty miles from the border.

I'm my husband's caregiver and he needs kidney dialysis every four to six hours, so I could not leave him to do that. It is an idea though if I could get someone to pick some medication up for me. Thanks for the suggestion.

[SOteric]

15. Is there any possibility of getting a second opinion?

Could you have your physician send your medical files to another doctor, explain your difficulty and ask if they might not be willing to make some arrangements with you to continue the prescription without ordering procedures you're unable to afford?

[Cleita]

16. I'm going to try to look into those possibilities today.

I have a call into my physician right now to see if I can get some different response. She hasn't called back yet.