Grrr.

I mentioned before that my mom's been diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension, which is bad and rare. Back in January, they thought that the PH was a result of sleep apnea, so they put her on a CPAP machine and told her come back in six months.

So she went back in June, had an ECG, and they found that her pressure hadn't improved at all.

So the cardiologist decided to send her to a pulmonologist. The best pulmonologist in the area wasn't on her insurance. She had to search and search to find one who would take Blue Cross/Blue Shield. She finally did, but then, of course, it took several weeks to get an appointment.

So she finally sees the pulmonologist and he says, "Hey, you have pulmonary hypertension!" Big help, guy. Thanks.

So they do a heart catheterization, and tell her to make an appointment with the pulmonologist -- 3 weeks later.

Argh.

So it's three weeks later and she goes to the pulmonologist. He tells her again, "Yep, you have it." But he doesn't know how to treat it, doesn't even start her on drugs.

She went back to the cardiologist the next week (yesterday, actually). God bless the woman, she finally admitted defeat, admitted that no one knew what to do.

So they're sending her to a special clinic. In Denver. In October. Because they don't have any appointments until then.

And the cardiologist/pulmonologist won't start her on treatment, because they're afraid any treatment they give her may make her ineligible for a clinical trial. In October.

Jesus fucking christ, people! Just give her some drugs already!!!

[Postscript: The incredible liaison at the Denver clinic just called her back and told her that she should insist that the docs start her on some meds, that it wouldn't affect the clinic's willingness or ability to treat her.]

[But she couldn't get an appointment with the cardiologist for another 3 weeks.]

God, pup, that's such a mess. This is why people who are sick need someone to be an energetic advocate for them. Somebody's got to ride herd on the M.E. when the sick person hasn't got the wherewithal. Yeesh!

I'm sorry to hear all this and hope she gets treatment that works, and fast.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that my mom actually had to correct the cardiologist on an issue about some of the drugs they might use. She (the doc) kept mentioning the wrong drug.

Sorry to hear this.

(I'm hearing stories like this more and more. And stories about how docs are getting screwed by HMOs and insurance comanies. Strangely, I have yet to hear about a CEO of a health insurance comapny having to give up his second and third homes. But thank god we don't have socialized medicine in America.)

mudpuppie, that just sucks rocks through a straw. No way should anyone have to fight that hard to get effective, competent treatment, especially for something like that. And the doc's drug mix-up is downright scary, especially since she had such a hard time finding one that accepted her insurance in the first place.

*thanks her forebears for setting up socialized medicine, shakes her fist at current leaders doing their best to destroy it, points at this post screaming "see? see?!?!?!"*

I have nothing but complaints about my insurance. Can you believe they dropped the closest HOSPITAL to my house!!!???? I have four kids, thank you, I don't need the closest hospital to be off limits. And no matter what I have done (such as blood work and the discovery of an enlarged lymph node) I get questioned by my insurance company on whether or not it was necessary and/or work related. I'd rather put up with the pain than have to fill out forms and hold my breath until the company pays what it's supposed to.

But she couldn't get an appointment with the cardiologist for another 3 weeks.

my mom actually had to correct the cardiologist on an issue about some of the drugs they might use.

For fuck's sake!

It's the suck, pups. I totally understand. The pediatrician misdiagnosed my kid's appendicitis as a freakin' EAR INFECTION based on the fact that she said "Ow!" when he shoved the otoscope in her ear without warning.

I'm surprised that you had a problem with Blue Cross, though. Around here, it's the golden ticket.

Blue Cross blows. I'm not surprised in the least that people are having issues with them -- apparently they are going through similar convulsions to what Cigna had three or four years ago where they suddenly can't figure out how to pay claims in a timely manner.

My mom had to be LIFE FLIGHTED last month and they're giving her grief about it because . . .wait for it . . . the LARGEST HELICOPTER SERVICE IN THE STATE IS "OUT OF NETWORK."

Everyone there must be smoking crack. How the fuck is my mom, who wasn't in any condition to ask such a fucking question, supposed to be held accountable for this? It ridiculous. I mean, what? "Yes, I'm so sorry I had a bad accident and needed life flight to a trauma center and that I spent three days in a neurosurgical ICU."

SCREW the bastards. Every damn one of them.

That's awful, Medieval Maven. Is she OK?

Yeah, she's a lot better, now. She's actually incredibly lucky - anyone else probably would have had a broken neck and the whole nine yards.

Sorry for going off like that - I can't exactly yell all that during my conversations with my mom about this stuff. I mean, a helicopter ride? 10 grand. Seriously. And BCBS thinks that it's kosher to cover $1800.00 of that -- I honestly don't know how it's not illegal for them not to cover services with this provider. They are THE provider of life flight around here. You're on a bird, you're on their bird. Period. The whole experience has convinced even my father that socialized medicine is the way to go, and he would rather eat dirt than pay taxes.

What a pain in the fucking ass.

I talked to 7 people today at my own insurance company just to try to find out how to open an HSA.

I'm sorry you're going through this, mudpuppie - the data on PH is out there, yes it's not easy to treat but it is possible, and the doctors are simply lazy if they're not on the internet doing a pubmed search.

And yes, the specialist clinics are very busy :(

Last month, I cornered my doctor about the excessive side effects of my heart medication. Her response was "You don't have to take it if you don't want to." This regarding a medication that is covered with warnings of fatal consequences of discontinuing without close medical supervision (some people stop taking it and drop dead of a stroke a few days later.)

Her comment on the side effects was "those are rare side effects." A total misunderstanding of Baysian probabilities. Rarity only matters before the probable event occurs, once it has occured, it's probability is unity. Stupid bitch.

So she very ungraciously agrees to a two-week regimen of tapering off the dosage. And then she DOUBLES the dosage of another medication prescribed solely to deal with side-effects of the medication being discontinued. This second medication being a prime suspects in the hell-broth of side-effects. Stupid bitch.

So I tapered off the first medication (a variant of metaprolol) and some of the side effects went away AND --- wait for it --- my blood pressure DECREASED. Yup, overdosing on metprolol causes hypertension -- and a raft of really ugly side effects including a depressive mood disorder that was making me subject to violent rages.

However, some of the other side-effects did not diminish, they increased. So I discontinued the SSRI prescribed to deal with the metaprolol side effects. AND LO AND FUCKING BEHOLD, I NO LONGER FELL ASLEEP AT MY DESK IN THE AFTERNOON. STUPID BITCH.

*BEGIN SHOUTING THREAD*

THIS STUPID, INCOMPETENT, IGNORANT, CALLOUS TOOL OF BIG PHARMA (DR. JANINE SHAW MD) HAS WRECKED MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN FORCED INTO POVERTY BY THIS MALIGNANT TUMOR ON THE AMA'S ASS. AT THE PEAK OF THE IATROGENIC DISEASE, MY WORKING HOURS SLIPPED TO 15 PER WEEK AND I WAS THINKING I WAS GOING TO BE FORCED ONTO DISABILITY BECAUSE I WAS LOOSING THE ABILITY TO WORK.

IT HAS TAKEN WEEKS FOR THE SIDE-EFFECTS TO DIMINISH (THIS POISONOUS MUCK HAS A VERY LONG HALF-LIFE IN THE BODY). NOW I AM FEELING BETTER, I'M LOOKING FOR A PREDATORY, VISCIOUS, KILLER-ELITE MALPRACTICE ATTORNEY. THIS STUPID BITCH RUINED MY LIVELYHOOD AND STOLE TWO YEARS OF MY LIFE.

THE BITCH GOES DOWN. I'M FUCKING PISSED AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MORE CRAP.

THE ONLY DIFFERNCE BETWEEN SHYSTERS AND QUACKS IS THE QUACKS GET A FREE PASS WHEN THEY BURY THEIR MISTAKES.