Sweet Migraines

I went to pick up my prescriptions today and let me tell you I think my local chain pharmacist is an idiot. First when I dropped them off yesterday I had a consult with him because Dr. B gave me two prescriptions one that he hoped my insurance would cover and one that he knew they would. The first one was for Sumavel DosePro. It is a needless injection of Imitrex or sumatriptan, the other was the Imitrex with the needle. I told the pharmacist that I did not want to fill the Sumavel if my insurance was not going to cover it because I had already been warned of how expensive it was going to be. He really acted like I was putting him out for even bringing in my prescriptions, or asking to have a consult with him. I had brought several other prescriptions in that I just wanted to put on file but did not want to fill at that time. And with prior experiences I did not want to leave there with meds that I did not need because of incompetent pharmacy techs. Well apparently he is just as incompetent.

The first thing that happened when I got home with my medicine was the label said to take by mouth, um ok I obviously have the wrong stuff, even though it looks just like what the nurse showed me in the office on Friday. The second thing is there is no needle to inject the medicine into my mouth or my thigh.  I asked my husband to get back in the car and drive me back up there so that I can find out what is going on. Shame on me for not looking before I left. No complaints from hubby, we were going to grab something to eat anyway.

The pharmacist tries to blame my doctor for not writing the prescription correctly when I get there and that is why I get a refill instead of the starter kit. I was livid right about then, because no one trashes my doctor. I read the prescription very clearly, and I even read it aloud with the stupid pharmacist yesterday. I made him go back and read it and it did clearly say, kit and refill x 6. I walked out of there with two the first time and a label that said by mouth! He couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough for why the label said by mouth and didn't even bother to apologize for the mistake.

I did walk out of there with 6 injections, but they tried to say my insurance would only cover two at first. Then the tech girl put in the computer that it was a two day supply and they covered 4 injections with one co-pay. I had to pay an additional co-pay for the starter kit that had two injections. I can only imagine what this ordeal is going to be like next month.

I really don't understand all this insurance crap, when I was taking Zomig I got a box of 6 and I could get it filled every 2 weeks. It was relieving knowing that when I had a migraine I did not have to hoard my medicine. I did not have to feel like I had to play the wait and see if it got worse game. On the onset of my aura it was time to take my medicine and not worry that I might run out, because I was not limited. I never ran out and I never had to refill more than once a month. But if I am limited to 4 a month and I have 6 migraines, which my migraine journal says I had 6 last month and 5 the month before that, then I am scared....

Since writing this post I came across this article over at MMC http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/support-446403-5.html at least it is a start in a good direction should I need it.

I saw Dr. B on Friday and honestly I really don't know where my life would be right now without that man. My migraines have been rough for the past couple months. He is so understanding and compassionate. He truly wants to help me get my migraines under control and there is nothing he wont do or try to give me a better quality of life.

My insurance sent me a letter saying they are no longer covering my Zomig as a tier 2 medication and that the price is going way up. They want me to switch to generic Imitrex in shot form. I tried the pill Imitrex before and I had some nasty mood swings on it, but I am going to give it a go again, just to appease the insurance. If I still have the side effects then Dr. B said that we can aggressively fight the insurance company to cover my Zomig again.

Work has been very stressful these last couple of months and I know I have been neglecting my fluids, eating properly, and getting quality sleep, which are all major triggers for me. I know what I need to do, but I find my self so wrapped up in my work that I have lost complete tract of time. I literately look down at the clock and hours have past, and I haven't eaten, drank, or even moved from my desk.  I really don't expect it to get much better, since we are still understaffed, and I am basically doing my job plus two others that have been out sick. One is coming back this week pending the outcome of several more tests, so my hopes are not set too high, and the other one is taking a stress leave after her 3 weeks of vacation time she just burned up....something I may need once this over and she is back in a couple of months.

I do have a game plan though. I am going set up reminders that will pop up on my computer that says get up, go to the bathroom, have a glass of water and a snack, set for every hour this week. I am going to start leaving the office during my lunch again, and I am not going to work over unless absolutely necessary! Maybe when the work starts piling up, and I stop being miss I can do everything I will get some help. Otherwise I am going to be back to where I started as if all good things I have done to control the frequency of my migraines was for nothing. I really don't want to be at that dark place in my life again.

I know I said this before, but I really was happier when I was blogging, so I absolutely must take some me time to de-stress and write. It was fun, and it really helped me wrap the day or week up. It also helped keep tract of how I was feeling when I had a really bad migraine. It is important to me and I must remember the important things.

A change is going to come.....

Insurance companies really know where to get ya. I left my doctors office to go get my prescriptions filled for the Topamax, Imitrex and the Vicodin that I was given at the ER. I paid a 10 dollar co-pay for the Topamax and 3 dollars for the 20 Vicodin. Then it came time for the Imitrix, which is not a narcotic. My insurance has classified this as a tier 3 drug so I had a 50 dollar co pay for 4, yes count them 4 pills! My RX said 9! Are they my doctor? Did they speak with me? Do they know the frequency of my migraines? NO NO and NO!!! Basically I have been getting really bad migraines about twice a week so when I left I am thinking I only have enough Imitrex for one migraine a week. Great let the suffering begin..I do know now that the Vicodin will help as my rescue drug when the Imitrex will not or I guess in this case when it runs out. But still what was the point in going to the doctor, having her help me and then having limitations set before me from my Insurance company? A company who has had made money from me in the past years. I know I should count my blessings that I do have insurance because without it..well I just cant put it into words. Constant Migraine is probably best fitting. I still felt the need to gripe though. Last time I checked and I am still not fully researched but Vicodin is addictive and Imitrex is not. So what gives insurance company?