What Goes Up

I've been raving about how good things have been going for me lately. After many years of nothing but bad things happening, I finally had hit a good patch and everything was coming up roses. Well, of course as soon as I let my guard down and give in to the goodness and let myself feel good and happy, it all comes crashing down around me.


After nearly eight years of not being able to see an endocrinologist, and over a year of actually trying and fighting to see an endocrinologist, I finally got an appointment. I was so happy, relieved, and excited to see this doctor after so long without care. I had a month long blood sugar profile ready to hand over, I was eager to request a CGM, I was eager to talk to someone who knew my condition and could help me to better care for my diabetes. I was ready.


I went to the doctor’s office this morning, I signed in and sat to wait for my appointment. After 45 minutes of waiting, the desk person called me up. I thought she was just going to ask about my new address or something; nope, she informed me that the endocrinologist doesn’t accept my insurance…

This particular office isn’t his, he only comes here once a month to help out. If I want to see him and have my insurance accepted, I have to travel to his private office, in Hanford! That’s like a half hour drive from me and in a direction I rarely go. I don’t have a valid driver license (diabetic retinopathy), I rely on rides from others. I’m screwed.

So, I didn’t get to see the endocrinologist. I need to search for another in my area and get my primary to send in a referral…and wait god knows how much longer. I’m sobbing as I type this. I’m so fed up with insurance and rules and everything working against us diabetics! Why can’t we get help even from those who are supposed to be here to help us?!

As if that wasn’t enough to ruin my day, I headed over to the pharmacy to refill my test strips and lancets. What do you think I ran into when I got there? My primary, who gave me the prescription for test strips, put on the order to test once…ONCE… a day. So the pharmacy refused to fill my request because “It’s too early”. I test no less than four times a day! I need my strips…NOW!

So I have to call my doctor’s office on Monday and have him correct the order so I can actually do what I need to to stay healthy.

This all makes me want to give up and head on over to the Italian restaurant down the street and fill up on bread, pasta, and calzone!


Of course I may not do that, because no matter how insurance, doctor’s, and prescription regulations work, I can still, for the most part, take care of myself! I just need to cool off, gather my self control, and not give up!

Sorry to hear of your troubles. If it helps any, around here, a half an hour is about normal for travel to a doctor's appointment. Especially a specialist. My retina specialist is an hour and fifteen minute ride with traffic.

I spent 3 weeks trying to get test strips recently. I called the prescription line twice, never heard back. Had the pharmacy fax the request twice, they never heard anything. Finally started calling and asking for a nurse on the phone, the third time I did that they informed me that the office I see her at isn't her primary office, and doesn't handle filling prescriptions. I had to call her main office. I did, and they called it in to the pharmacy, but insurance wouldn't authorize the number of times I test a day, which was written for up to six. The pharmacy had to wait on a call from the doctor to the insurance company, and then an authorization from the insurance company. In the mean time, I was on my last bottle of strips, with less than five left. I ended up having to buy a box to get through. It took me calling the insurance company and them telling me they had the doctor's reply, and just had to put it in, and then me insisting I wait on the phone while it was done for me to get my strips. No one makes this easy for us.

Hope you get it all sorted out.
Ryan

I personally have found a good PCP and do everything through him(Pump,CGM,etc…). I have gone to several endocrinologist and always came away disappointed and not happy. I guess I wouldn’t pin all my hopes on a endo, you might be better off finding a good PCP. If your PCP is prescribing one test strip per day, that indicates they are clueless and you need someone we else.

Thanks guys, as for the test strips, I was talking to a friend of mine last night who is also type I, and telling him about my hard day. He informed me that he had similar problems with prescription strips and found a meter and strips CVS brand at CVS Pharmacy that is very inexpensive and the meter is accurate. I went there this morning and found the meter for $17.99 and a bottle of 100 strips for only $23.00! That is a fraction of the cost I pay for only 50 strips ($50) with insurance! So now just to find a good doctor who can help me with my diabetes care.