Your med stash--persuading your DGI doctor to prescribe more

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

I'm relating the following in hopes it will help to prepare others who haven't yet seen their doctors for extra meds.

I broached the subject of stockpiling diabetes med by saying I was under terrible stress and had had to increase the dose from 2 to 3 tabs/day to keep things in control. Not QUITE true, but true enough so I didn't feel guilty about lying. Then I said I would feel much more comfortable having a little on hand and could he increase my prescription.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Y2K, does it?" he asked sternly, practically wagging a finger at me.

"Er, well. . ."

"Because I have patients who are stockpiling food and fuel and even buying weapons and ammunition!!! And I tell them, it's going to be all right, we're going to be here on January 2nd, open for business. We may not have phones and we may not have lights (ha-ha) but we'll be here."

"But I understand from watching a Senate Committee that 80% of prescription ingredients come from Third World countries and 70% of actual meds come from there, so I'm a bit nervous about that."

"Well, we mustn't panic, you know, take our money out of the banks and cause bank runs, that sort of thing."

"Oh I know, but it's those crazy people I'm worried about! They're likely to get extra prescriptions from their doctors and cause shortages in prescription drugs even without any Y2K, and I've never been dependent on anything in my life before, and I'm really nervous about running out of glucophage and I'm already under all this stress and. . ." [Sweetie said later I'm going straight to Hell.]

Long story short--the doc doubled my prescription, so I'm a month ahead already. Next month, I'll be two months ahead. That was the best I could do. I was aiming for three months, but it was hard to get THAT much. Incidentally, my insurance company permits only one month of meds at a time.

Stockpiling a little extra on your essential medications is prudent even without Y2K or "those crazy people" (among whom, I happily add, I number myself) running down stocks! If I had been at the end of a prescription when Fran came through and caused problems, I would have been batting on a very sticky wicket. If you increase your prescription now, the system, will have time to compensate and adjust and there will be no shortages of medication towards the end of the year. Another reason you shouldn't procrastinate over extra meds is because your doctor just might refuse to go along and you'll have to look for someone more compliant (pun intended).

-- A Much-Relieved Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 01, 1999

Answers

Old Git' My Dad (semi-retired MD, will NEVER completely retire, you know the type), from a big city Mid-Atlantic state hospital, called this past week. He asked if we would like a visit from him this upcoming Christmass/New Year (we live in Florida). I had mentioned y2k offhandedly to him several months ago (gently, just testing the waters). It seems that he already knew about it, or he took the hint and did his own research, and came to his own conlusions. Anyway, the point of this story is that there are a lot of physicians who GI, if you are willing to shop around, and aren't afraid to speak your mind. There are alternatives.

Cheers,

Spindoc'

-- spindoctor (spindoc_99-2000@yahoo.com), May 01, 1999.


Apparently, not that many GI docs around here. Best friend is an RN at a very large hospital here and has yet to find a doc who GI. I think I'll be okay with mine (from Duke Med Center); I bet when I see him again in about three months I can talk him out of some other stuff! I've been wondering if the professional associations have been impressing upon their members that they need to calm the hoi polloi to cut down on the possibility of bank runs and mass panic of other sorts. Maybe your Dad knows.

By the way, I remember reading your Navy call-sign was Spindoc'. Do you remember any Animal (my Sweetie), Ranger Rick or Footlong?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 01, 1999.


Ragnar Benson has a great book on survival medicine.It covers what over the counter vet meds are chemicaly the same as the one's marketed to people(it's the same industry)paladin press or Loomponics sells it.check 'em out on web.they have the best survival books(VERY HARCORE)

-- zoobie (zoobie@zoob.zab), May 01, 1999.

I have yet to read about anyone on this forum going to Mexico for script meds such as antibiotics. Anyone have a story to tell?

Anyway, the wife is on a plane to the Yucatan Peninsula as I write this. I compiled a list of meds for her. I'll report back in about a week as to what she could & couldn't purchase.

Sorry to jump in on your thread Git, but I just HATE to create yet another thread when there are far too many already.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), May 01, 1999.


My wife bought some antibotics at the fish store, for our medicine cabinet. Ditch Medicine by Hugh Coffee is a good resource. Let's Play Doctor by Dr. Wallach (Dead Doctors Don't Lie fame)has a good section on self treating diabetes as well as other conditions including artherits. My wife used the advice on this book with success to successfully treat me for the following conditions (I was a mess when she married me) : distressed bowel syndrome, hemroids, enlarged postrate gland. Basically this book tells how to treat medical conditions with massive vitamin, mineral and herbal therapy. I can say that yes, my conditions were treated and I no longer suffer.

Greg

-- Greg (brothergregory@hotmail.com), May 01, 1999.



OG, I ran into a related problem. Tried to refill one of my prescriptions a bit early, figuring I'd do that several times betweeen now and the end of the year....and found that when the pharmacy ran it through the computer, my medical plan refused to pay for it, claiming that it was premature and excessive. So I was forced to either wait until I met their allowed usage schedule, or pay for it myself...which was a real blow, as it was expensive and absolutely necessary medicine. This could get to be a serious problem!

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@tymewyse.com), May 01, 1999.

For myself, I would prefer to use the prescription drug I'm taking now rather than rely on supplements. It works very well and I suffer no side effects. I can sometimes get by with one/day (but don't tell anybody!). Sure, there are "natural" supplements available for diabetes--and I take several--but will they be any more easily available than my prescription after Y2K? Which reminds me, I'm finding some new disturbing reports about chromium picolinate, one of the supplements I've been taking.

Norm, I hope the info about my visit to the doc gives you some ideas on how to get your prescription doubled. If not, maybe go to another doctor.

Bingo, thanks for apologizing for adding to the thread--not necessary, not at all--what you posted is entirely relevant. From what I understand about Mexican pharmaceuticals, US Customs will confiscate them if you don't provide evidence of a prescription. I think a Mexican doc's prescription is okay, but not sure.

Zoobie and Greg, thanks for the info. Am going to order some fish antibiotics from Drs. Foster & Smith (on the Net somewhere).

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 01, 1999.


Old Git:

Thanks for bringing this up. I have a medication that I take seasonally and was wondering how to 'get ahead' with my meds. Thankfully, when I made an extra trip to the doc early this year, I remembered to tell him that I was going to stay on the meds a little longer and would he rewrite my script? He obliged and I have gotten two refills (and not used any of the meds) so far. I think I will get two more refills before I say 'enough'. Checked with the pharmacist on the shelf life, he said one year from dispensing so I'm ahead of the game, at least in that area.

I'm glad to see that your doc is co-operating, albeit against his better judgement. Diabetes is nothing to mess around with.

Thanks for all the great info you post; it's appreciated. Linda

PS I still have a problem addressing you as Old Git (remember when I tried to call you 'Girly Git', oh, the indignance I heard through your reply!) My mother would have slapped me if I ever called an older (or shall I say, more experienced) lady anything other than Mrs. ___. How about a compromise? Mrs. Old Git? More Experienced Git? O, most wise Git? Like anything so far?

-- newbiebutnodummy (linda@home.com), May 01, 1999.


My vote goes to: OMW Git (O Most Wise). It's the best fit! Your other question: No, I don't recall a gentleman with those callsigns, although he might NOT want to remember me. Sorry to sound mysterious, just ask ChucK, the Night Driver; he understands.

Spindoc'

-- Spindoc' (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), May 01, 1999.


Miss Manners says one addresses people the way they wish to be addressed! Old Git is fine with me. Besides, I like to fool the newbies.

Wise? Opinionated's more like it. Not wise, just can't stand a load of codswallop cluttering things up. It's difficult here in the South, where people spend ten minutes wishing you good morning and asking about your health and family, then happen to mention your house is on fire.

I'm really glad that people are finding useful information in these posts. If it saves somebody a lot of trouble or merely a bit of inconvenience, then it's a Good Thing, as Martha would say.

Spindoc, you might not want to remember my Animal, either, particularly if you were ashore at the same time or doing the conga through that Admiral's daughter's wedding in Rosy Roads. . .

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 01, 1999.



Regarding Mexico - I have a friend who regularly goes to Tijuana by shuttle bus from San Diego for her supplies, mostly antibiotics. She has never been checked on the way back and has never had to show anything. Narcotics are not available without a prescription. The best buys are generics, especially Merck and Eli Lilly. You are expected to barter. If you have a good insurance plan, then Mexico could be more expensive. However, if you have no local option (e.g., if your DGI doctor won't cooperate, then Mexico is a very viable option. I do not know if Tijuana is typical of other sources in Mexico.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), May 01, 1999.

Old Git,I went thru this just last week trying to get at least one month ahead on my meds,too...since my husband writes my prescriptions for me,convincing him wasn't the problem,but the insurance companies wouldn't approve it,unless I paid for it myself... The M.D. tagged on my husband stands for Medical Doctor,not Many Dollars,in our case...it was going to cost us over $600 for the 3 meds I need extras of...not an affordable thing this month... Our plan is to make the meds one of those Big Ticket Items,like our water filter(which still isn't here)or the woodstove we hope to get...if the meds are truly needful to sustain your life/health,it needs to have priority money allocated for it...all the supplies in the world won't help if you're not going to survive to use them,right? I hope the people who answered earlier let us know what happened in Mexico,especially for the antibiotics,my kids go thru a ton of them every winter...Cynthia (old git,I'm emailing you seperate from this tonight...Cyn)

-- Cynthia Yanicko (yanicko@infonline.net), May 02, 1999.

As promised, here's my report on the wife's attempt to purchase medications, without a prescription, on her trip to Mexico. She stopped at pharmacies in a major tourist destination. No bribes were offered to anyone.

Valium 10 mg. - no se problema. Erythromycin 250 mg. also easy to buy & cheap to boot. Cough med. with codeine - expensive but easily acquired. Tylenol #3 (with codeine) - expensive but easily acquired.

Clearing customs was no problem coming back to the U.S.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), May 07, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ