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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / January 2008Rheumy Visit
I posted yesterday about my going, but didn't see it here...Anyways I saw the PA..OH she is young. But my joint in my thumb at the base by my wrist has really been swollen and hurting on the left hand. The right one hurts, but not like the left one. She put me in a brace...My question is...is the brace suppose to make it hurt worse for awhile, or am I just a big whiner or What... The knot is big enough that the brace presses on it which causes pain... Also, she changed my anti inflammatory to celebrex. I have to get that filled and also gave me Rememron for sleep. I asked about stronger pain meds, but she couldn't get it...I kept telling her that everything hurt. My feet hands knees, plus the FM..it is hard sometimes to figure out where one begins and the other starts... But she feels the celebrex will make the pain so much better that I won't need to take my lortabs... Well I hope she is right and I am keeping an open mind, but if I don't start feeling better in a couple of weeks, I will make an appointment with Dr. Willis. I missed mine on the 4th...duh...I usually have them in the middle of the month, so when I called to find out what day it was, I had already missed it... She did set me up for a bone density test in 3 months. The last one I had was 2003. She said you should get one every 2 years...so I am due... Also I was concerned about my blood pressure, it was 146/99. Now she wasn't concerned, but my blood pressure is NEVER high...it usually runs 120/65-75...all the time... So I stopped at the drug store and took it again...149/89...down a little, maybe I am worried about nothing... Enough whining... Cindy "Cindy" <Cindyl57nospam@nospamcox.net> wrote in message news:... >I posted yesterday about my going, but didn't see it here...Anyways I saw >the PA..OH she is young. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > Enough whining... > Cindy Hi Cindy, I have problems with my thumb joint at the base of my left hand as well. The splint, I believe, is to give that joint a rest so that the swelling and pain go down a bit. The splints I have, never really seemed to work all that well, but hopefully yours will work better. Also, hope the celebrex works for you. If not, can you just put a call in to your doc for something stronger or do you have to go back in for a visit? Hope your blood pressure is down the next time you are at the docs. Maybe it was up a bit because you were seeing someone new and because you were in so much discomfort? Anyways, hope you get some relief soon and get to feeling better!!! . . . . Donna . . . . 1.) ANGELS EXIST, but some times, since they don't all have wings, we call them FRIENDS...... 2.) J.K.M.A. >I posted yesterday about my going, but didn't see it here...Anyways I saw >the PA..OH she is young. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >But she feels the celebrex will make the pain so much better that I won't >need to take my lortabs... Don't bet on it. It didn't do a thing for me. >Well I hope she is right and I am keeping an open mind, but if I don't start >feeling better in a couple of weeks, I will make an appointment with Dr. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >concerned, but my blood pressure is NEVER high...it usually runs >120/65-75...all the time... It could have been high because of the pain. Thumper >So I stopped at the drug store and took it again...149/89...down a little, >maybe I am worried about nothing... > >Enough whining... >Cindy (((((((((((((Cindy)))))))))))))) 1) by the base of the thumb, I assume you mean where the skin of the thumb connects to the hand? (bone-wise, it's different, but that gets confusing) I've had trouble with those for close to 8 years now. Got splints, originally, around August 02. One thing we found when PT gave me the splints was that I couldn't tolerate most of them, the ones that put any kind of compression on the joint itself. With swelling and inflammation there, pressure on he joint is just too painful. Finally lucked onto the TeePee thumb protector which uses stays rather than compression. Still - I usually do better with a combined wrist/thumb splint now because that seems to hold the thumb in a less uncomfortable position. But.... all of that goes out the window if you have an inlammed knot that is irritated by the splint. It seems, if anything, you'd need a custom-made one to protect the joint. I find the splints really help by letting the joints rest and keeping me from using them too much. Sometimes having them on hurts more than it helps though, so don't assume you're being a wimp! I have days the braces are going on and off all day long depending on which way feels better at the moment. 2) As for the BP - I understand they rarely worry about a single high reading. Yours might have been elevated due to your current pain levels or the stress of seeing a new PA. As my PC's office pointed out that we rarely slow down and sit for a minute or two before taking our BPin stores so that is usually higher. I wouldn't worry about one day of it being higher, just watch it to see it if it's a trend. 3) i have real doubts about Celebrex doing enough to help pain levels as bad as you describe. Maybe you should go ahead and schedule an appt. with the doctor, just to get it on the books. You can always cancel should you impove and it would beat having to wait forever when you are ready to see him NOW. then again, improved sleep might help a lot.....  SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Cindy, Sorry you are hurting so much. I have had trouble with my hands and my thumbs. When I tried to use a splint I did hurt worse, I think because they weren't moving and became stiffer. I finally had surgery on both thumbs. One at a time. As for the pain meds the celebrex might be making your blood pressure go up. Anti-inflammatories can make it go up. Just a note you might want to check into. I have taken Ultram for pain and that has helped. Right now I have started Lyrica for my FM and so far so good. it seems to be helping some. I am sleeping w/o as much pain. I hope it keeps up. Hope you feel better soon. debbie m. >Cindy, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >debbie m. Have your doctor change your script to Tramadol, the generic for Ultram and save some money. In Massachusetts the law states that the pharmacy will automatically give you a generic unless your doctor specifies "No Substitutions" on the script. That way the individual doesn't have to research for generics. I just checked and there is no generic available for the 100mg Ultram but you could take 2 -50 mg tabs instead. For Ultram 100mg tabs 30 day supply at the pharmacy is $89.72 and a 90 day supply by mail under my plan is $80.00. A 30 day supply of Tramadol (2 per day) at the pharmacy is $8.05 and by mail a 90 day supply is $19.80. Quite a difference. Maybe you have a plan with little or no co-pays . Thumper >Have your doctor change your script to Tramadol, the generic for >Ultram and save some money. In Massachusetts the law states that the [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >Thumper If you have Rx insurance be sure and check the copay before you switch to a generic. I have been taking Protonix for GERD. My pharmacy asked if I wanted to switch to the generic. I said yes. My DH picked up the RX and didn't pay attention. With UHC the copay on the Protonix was $20, the copay for the "cheaper" generic is . . . $40. Some good deal wasn't it. -- BettyB -- www.flamingo-code.com "I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking I have never heard of the copay for a generic being higher than the brand name. I'm fortunate enough to have the military Tricare and it's $3 for any generic and $9 for brand, if on their formulary and a percentage if it is not. Nexium was not on their formulary for a while but I didn't want to change to another one as other things were going on right then. Then all at once, it seems they considered Nexium a generic drug and so it went from $22 to $3. Whoopee. Hope you find a drug that works. It's awful taking a bunch and the one you really need doesn't do anything. SignatureNavy Take out the FISH to email me. > >>Have your doctor change your script to Tramadol, the generic for [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, > look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking >I have never heard of the copay for a generic being higher than the brand >name. I'm fortunate enough to have the military Tricare and it's $3 for any [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >to $3. Whoopee. Hope you find a drug that works. It's awful taking a >bunch and the one you really need doesn't do anything. Yes, Nexium isn't on my formulary but Prilosec is so I'm going to switch. Thumper I wish they would reconsider Detrol. I can't function well without it, but $22 a month is steep. DeeTee >I have never heard of the copay for a generic being higher than the brand >name. I'm fortunate enough to have the military Tricare and it's $3 for [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >> predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, >> look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking >I wish they would reconsider Detrol. I can't function well without it, but >$22 a month is steep. > > DeeTee This is what is going to drive us to use mail order. Then you can get 90 days for $22 instead of 30 days. Also, most of the $22 drugs have an option where you can get them for $9 if your doctor sends in some sort of form where you basically prove its the only drug in its class that works for you. Charlie got his Provigil approved. I'm working on my Paxil-CR. Since I really need it most at night for pain control and I sleep a lot better with the CR. I'm not sure what happens on drugs they don't want to write for 90 days though. Jo > I wish they would reconsider Detrol. I can't function well without it, but > $22 a month is steep. > > DeeTee speaking as one who pays $10/month for generics and $60/month for brand names and was quite happy to get that after years of lousy to non-existent Rx coverage - $22/month doesn't sound too bad for something that helps you function a lot better! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare I know....I'm just complaining cuz I can. :-D DeeTee >> I wish they would reconsider Detrol. I can't function well without it, >> but [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > coverage - $22/month doesn't sound too bad for something that helps you > function a lot better! >>Have your doctor change your script to Tramadol, the generic for >>Ultram and save some money. In Massachusetts the law states that the [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >$20, the copay for the "cheaper" generic is . . . $40. Some good deal >wasn't it. That sounds like a mistake to me. I have never heard of a co=pay being more for a generic. Indeed, most health plans go out of their way to have you go to generics because it's cheaper. The law in Massachusetts would run into a great deal of trouble if they were making people take prescriptions with higher costs. My wife picked up a prescription that was higher once but it was because in my plan you only get 2 refills at the local pharmacy before you must start 90 day prescriptions by mail and I had already gotten my 2. Therefore my plan didn't cover it at all. THumper >>If you have Rx insurance be sure and check the copay before you switch >>to a generic. I have been taking Protonix for GERD. My pharmacy asked [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >my 2. Therefore my plan didn't cover it at all. >THumper I called *&^%* UHC and was told that it was not a mistake, the generic was third tier and the name brand was second tier. He would not answer my question as to how this made any sense at all. But I think he was reading from a script and couldn't think at all. -- BettyB -- www.flamingo-code.com "I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking >>>If you have Rx insurance be sure and check the copay before you switch >>>to a generic. I have been taking Protonix for GERD. My pharmacy asked [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >my question as to how this made any sense at all. But I think he was >reading from a script and couldn't think at all. Probably. I wonder if a written inquiry would do any better. Luckily my union has a national health care representative that can cut through some of the red tape and get to someone with clout in the insurance company. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. Thumper >> I called *&^%* UHC and was told that it was not a mistake, the generic >> was third tier and the name brand was second tier. He would not answer [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > insurance company. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. > Thumper Or if you call again, you might get someone who knows more - or you can just insist on speaking to a supervisor! That is so totally opposite any policy I've encountered before. I certainly would be switching to the brand name under those circumstances, if it really is the way of it! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare >>> I called *&^%* UHC and was told that it was not a mistake, the generic >>> was third tier and the name brand was second tier. He would not answer [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >I've encountered before. I certainly would be switching to the brand name >under those circumstances, if it really is the way of it! I should do that but I'm so sick of trying to talk to these idiots! Before I deal with UHC again I'm going to check into the low cost generics at Walgreens and Walmart. I don't know what the rules are or which drugs are covered. -- BettyB -- www.flamingo-code.com "I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking That's when you ask for their supervisor. I've had pretty good luck getting some straight talk when I do that. SignatureNavy Take out the FISH to email me. > >>>If you have Rx insurance be sure and check the copay before you switch [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, > look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking Loujean wrote: > I have never heard of the copay for a generic being higher > than the brand name. I have to agree. It would be inane. > I'm fortunate enough to have the military Tricare and it's $3 > for any generic and $9 for brand, if on their formulary and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > seems they considered Nexium a generic drug and so it went > from $22 to $3. Whoopee. Between August and November, 4 of my brand name drugs jumped from $9 to $22. Tricare never explained "why" in the letters I received. Mary and I have been wondering if it's an attempt to get everyone on the mail-order program - receiving a 3 months supply for the price of 1 month. ... Does your chewing gum really lose it's flavor on the bed post overnigh ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 Cindy, I hope the braces help you out. I am not sure about the pain while wearing them though. I hope you get some help soon for all this. I don't like it when you see a new dr and they immediately want to change all your meds around. How would they know what is helping etc when this is the first time they seen you. BP can go up because of nerves and or pain or both. SignatureLove and Hugs to all Jo the squirrely one I am nuts about you. >I posted yesterday about my going, but didn't see it here...Anyways I saw >the PA..OH she is young. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > Enough whining... > Cindy >I posted yesterday about my going, but didn't see it here...Anyways I saw >the PA..OH she is young. [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > Enough whining... > Cindy Since you didn't see your last post here is what I said in it. Cindy, Dr Willis is great and I dont think he would let someone practice with him that has a different opinion and belifs as he does. I think it will be ok. What happened to Don Flynn??? Did he leave? What is her name? I haven't seen Dr Willis in over a year and will be getting an appointment soon now that I have almost saved enough money to go. Let me know how your appointment went and try to relax. RhondaM I have taken celebrex and I like it . Wish I could afford it. She sounds like she is really trying to help you. I dont blame you I would follow up with Dr Willis.. he is sooo good. I know what you mean about you tell a doc that you need a higher dose of pain med or something stronger and its like it goes over their heads..I would ask Dr Willis when you see him in a few weeks. |
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