Didn't want it to come t o this

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:56 am

Through the years that I've been a member of this forum you all have helped me so much that I hate to ask for anything of you but I really don't know where else to go. I have been diagnosed the what my physician is calling a severe case of Type II Diabetes. Four weeks ago my blood sugar level was 422 (normal is around 100-120). I have to take insulin injections 3 times a day and with the testing supplies, were are having a hard time surviving. Cell phones have been disconnected as well as cable tv. I've been walking on a treadmill and am on a 1500 calorie a day diet. I've lost 14 pounds this month and my doctor says that if this continues, I may be able to get off the insulin one day. I have tried to get help from other sources but all I hear is that I make too much money, well that $40,000 a year that I earn goes towards my pain medication that cost $700 a month. They all keep telling me to go on disability and that all my medication and dr. visits will be paid for but I don't feel that it's right because I'm still able to do my job which is sedentary and I'm able to work from home so that is a blessing in itself. Our medical system in the US is a joke. The same medication that I need cost over $300 here in the US and cost $75.00 in Canada, it's just called a different name and my physician can't guarantee that it's the same thing and will arrive refrigerated, making it useless so he will not write the script for it. It is my understanding that you don't need a prescription for this type of insulin in Canada. Could some of my Canadian friends check on this for me? The medication is: NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPens So, as much as I hate to ask, if anyone knows of where I can get help, please send me a pm. If someone knows of someone that get free testing strips, insulin, needles ect and doesn't use them please see what you can do. Pushing the SUBMIT button on this thread will be a very difficult thing to do for me because a man is supposed to be able to sustain his family but I just can't go out and get a 2nd job in my condition or I would. So, again, I'm not looking and will not accept money but if someone knows of a way for me to get this mediation, please let me know. As a last result, I will have several guns for sale on the trading post in a few weeks. God Bless you all.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 11:14 am

i will look here for you ray and if i can get them i will for you

xhunter · Post by **xhunter** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:34 pm

just finished the fund raise for Juvenile diabetes research foundation.

fogducker · Post by **fogducker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:43 pm

as im just on the way out to pick my own supplies of metformin and diamicron..
i,ll ask the pharmacist while im there for you

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:46 pm

You are having a rough year Ray, sorry to hear that. After writing a cheque for brand new truck and almost having to send your kid to private school over a T shirt it has come down to expensive medication.
Are there any legalities to sending prescription meds over the border? Lots of Canadian members over here who may be able to help you save a few dollars, I can only assume it is legal because it would be very unlike you and your beliefs to ask someone to break a law.
Lets see what we can't dig up for you..

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:57 pm

David, any senior gets that stuff for free but if caught taking it under your name and sending it to another person in another country will probably result in a pretty bad time. So if anyone is going to do it don't get caught!

fogducker · Post by **fogducker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:36 pm

It is my understanding that you don't need a prescription for this type of insulin in Canada. Could some of my Canadian friends check on this for me? The medication is: NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPens

Ray..that is correct,a presciption is not needed. as i asked in the store i was in a while ago..
i asked for a price.and i was told it was 39.93 for 5 complete units

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:14 pm

fogducker wrote:
It is my understanding that you don't need a prescription for this type of insulin in Canada. Could some of my Canadian friends check on this for me? The medication is: NovoLog Mix 70/30 FlexPens
Ray..that is correct,a presciption is not needed. as i asked in the store i was in a while ago..
i asked for a price.and i was told it was 39.93 for 5 complete units

Maybe someone can work something out, then. So long as it's legal!

There certainly is a willingness to help on this forum.

At the least, we can all sympathize with Ray and keep him in our thoughts and prayers!

Skarek · Post by **Skarek** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:48 pm

This makes me sad to hear. As a medical student I'm ashamed by the US-medical system. It goes against the principles that doctors around the world has agreed upon. We are there to serve our patients, not to make money for the medical companies.

The Prima facie of medicin
# Beneficence - a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient. (Salus aegroti suprema lex.)
# Non-maleficence - "first, do no harm" (primum non nocere).
# Autonomy - the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment. (Voluntas aegroti suprema lex.)
# Justice - concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment (fairness and equality).
# Dignity - the patient (and the person treating the patient) have the right to dignity.
# Truthfulness and honesty

I hope that you can find a way of getting cheaper insulin. There must be a lot of different brands out there that are all the same. If you asked your doctor he should be able to give names on different brands of insulin that are the same. It's part of his work to know different ways to treat a decease as common as diabetes.

I guess by your post that your system doesn't have a roof on the expenses of medicine. In Sweden there is a roof on about 200$/year, after this the government pays for it (but you will get the cheapest "clone" of the product with the same effect, concentration and active substances). Sad to hear about the effects of the US medical system, it makes me shake my head and shames the entire profession around the world.

N8tr Boy · Post by **N8tr Boy** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:36 pm

Ray
Sorry to hear of your difficulties

. I had a rough spring with lack of work and stacking bills. But God came through as HE always does. With God, family and friends like this forum, you know you will get through this " bump"

in the road and be a better person for it ( not that you aren't a great guy already)

.
Remember the "Foot Prints" poem. He's always carrying you when trouble arises and beside you when things are smooth.
God Bless.
Mark

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:42 pm

Ray, isn't there anywhere else you can go? The church? My mother has diabetes but she can't loose any weight to control it, just pills.
One thing I don't understand, how does a treadmill help or loosing weight help??? If my mother lost weight she's be hard to find the grass!

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:47 pm

http://www.diabetes.org/weightloss-and- ... htloss.jsp

mchurch · Post by **mchurch** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:50 pm

Ray, I am a Pharmacist and see your situation all too often. When I was in Washington State I worked at a small clinic that had a pharmacy. It was called a 340-B pharmacy. If patients used our doctors and our pharmacy they would be able to buy their meds at extremely low prices. For instance most other pharmacies bought a bottle of Lipitor for 100 dollars, we could get it for like 10 bucks and pass the savings onto the patient. The clinic also had a sliding scale for doctor visits. Keep in mind that if you use your insurance you will get the same co-payment at any pharmacy you go to. We had situations where a person could get an inhaler for 20 dollars cash or pay 70 if they used their insurance. We also had a program called "Share the Care" where Pfizer drug company would give 3 months of meds at a time through the pharmacy to the patient for 5 dollars. We also had a medication assistant program(MAP) It would be mailed directly to the patient. I think the MAP program had various insulins on it. I believe these 340-B pharmacies are all over the nation. Contact your state board of pharmacy for info. I currently work a pain management pharmacy and know how expensive pain meds for diabetic peripheral neuropathy nad other forms of pain can be. I hope this helps senior.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:20 pm

Ray,
Sorry to hear about your troubles!
I'm in a similar situation (no health care insurance) but luckily we have a network of health clinics that base rates on income. Just got a letter that I need to do the paperwork again, but I have been on a 25% sliding fee. All visits and medicines are billed at regular rate, but then it's adjusted and I only pay 25% out of my pocket.
Thankfully I've only had to use their services once in the past year, and it cost me less than $50 to get a bad cut closed and a perscription for pain meds and antibiotics.

munch · Post by **munch** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:22 pm

ray i have type 2 and have been fighting with it for 10 years trying to diet and going up and down this year i made up my mind to have gastric bypass i don,t know if thats an option for you but i was on 6 pills a day for sugar 1 for high blood pres. and1 for colesterol on june 18th and my wieght was 322 lbs today is sept21st and i,m 245lbs and takeing no pills at all .it's easy for people who are thin to say just stop eating but it,s not that easy i stopped smoking and drinking and that was easy but i could not walk by the fridge without looking inside please pm me if by chance your tester is one that holds the drum with 17 strips i,m sure i have a 100