what's cooking?

For the last two months I have been battling the government, exorbitant prices of drugs and the frustrating work of trying to get anyone and everyone to listen to my words.

I have severe osteoporosis.  Why not?  I've had it for years.  It was diagnosed way back in 2006 after I broke my foot.  I was put on the typical first drug of choice.  You can read that as "cheap and hopefully works for you".

Problem was that it did NOT work for me!  Nope, went from plain old osteoporosis to "Don't let anyone hug you, do anything risky or be in crowds-you could break."  From there I was put on #2.  Took it for about 3 years when they realized that I was really BAD.  So on we went to expensive but last ditch effort drug #3.

This was okay until we changed insurance a couple of years ago.  New company is all for my taking this medication-and they'll let ME pay for the entire bill:  $1,522 a shot TWICE a year!

Here's the conundrum:  If my disability were first in medical insurance, medicare would pay 80%.  Still pretty darn high, but not literally thousands of dollars.  Trouble is my main insurance is through Steve's program and therefore medicare doesn't want to help.  I found this out after over 8 hours of phone calls to medicare, the company who makes the drug and the various "help" programs who informed me that they had allotted all the money for RA patients and none was left for me.

Can you spell FRUSTRATION?????

The rheumatologist's PA tried every which way (can be read as she covered exactly the same ground I did) and was told no one could help.

I am now two months overdue.  My latest bone scan actually said that my femur bone has improved, my hips are the same as 5 years ago and my back is slightly worse.  But that's still better than altogether worse.

Despite the ground I personally covered in time, frustration and, by the end, total anger the outcome was that the PA is calling up the drug company yet again and pleading my case.  There was mention of her telling them that of 3 drugs this was the one that at least wasn't making me worse and wasn't this a good thing to use in promoting its use?

I pointed out to her that this guilt trip had already used.  I wished her luck and said, "I'm not holding my breath.  Also, if you do talk to someone, ask them how long it will be before the little improvement that took 3 years to make is undone."

I'm not using any drug names but let's just say that if Blythe Danner were me, she'd probably not be any happier than I am and not touting how much better her osteoporosis is after only two shots a year.