Re: Bad news and good news

[Guest guest]

--- In , " lurkitty117 " <scruffy@...>

wrote:

>

> I haven't posted here in some time, but I thought I'd share what's

> been happening with me.

>

> I had been unemployed for two years. I finally lost my insurance in

> January because I just didn't have the $1000 per month to pay

COBRA. I

> was on Xolair for four years with dramatically positive results. I

> also failed to put in an application for Xolair assistance for a

> number of reasons. Happily. I got a job in April, but have had to

wait

> under the pre-existing condition clause the extra couple of months

to

> make up for the time I was not covered. It was one month for every

> month you were not covered in the last six.

>

> My asthma has deteriorated from using my rescue inhaler once a week

> with no evil candy or even inhaled steroids under Xolair to being on

> 30 mgs of prednisone daily and having to take my neb to work. I was

> afraid I might have to go to the hospital this weekend. The pollen

> count is very high now, and my asthma is very brittle. This was

what

> life was like before Xolair for me. We even got to the point of

> discussing supplemental oxygen. My lung capacity isn't great after

> forty-nine years of asthma.

>

> After a lengthy battle to get pre-approved with my new insurance

> company (even with the stunning success I had on the drug before,

they

> still rejected it until my doctor actually talked directly to their

> doctor), I am happy to say it has been approved. No news on whether

> they will deliver it to me directly or if I'll have to have them

> deliver it to the doctor. My doc is a maverick and knows that,

being a

> pharmaceutical chemist, I am probably better at mixing the drug than

> his staff (Hmmm, I'm wondering if I can sneak my vials onto one of

> the mixing platforms at work...). I have self inject ever since the

> first six months and have had no adverse episodes, so as long as I

> have my trusty epi-pen, Doc trusts me to self-inject.

>

> Meanwhile, I hope I can hold out until the drug takes hold. Who

knows

> if I will see results quicker since I was on it before. Anyone else

> gone off and come back on it? It originally took four months to see

> any difference.

>

> Fran - you are an inspirational and wonderful person, and you are in

> my prayers that you come through this latest trial quickly and

easily.

>

> --Kitty

>

Hi Kitty!

I have not had to go off the xolair as you have, but I just wanted

to say to you that I feel for everything you have gone through.Im

happy that you are getting the xolair back.I have a friend who took

the xolair for almost a year and lost her insurance.She hasn't had

any major side effects from going off of it.And she was in the

hospital every month before going on xolair.I guess since we are

individuals, we will each react differently if given the same

circumstances. Good Luck with your situation!