Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Yes, frustrated again. Someday my subject line is gonna be 'overjoyed " and you'll all go in to shock! I know there really isn't any advice for what I'm about to write but I'm writing anyways. For the last 3 months we have been trying to get me on a depression med or the right dose of medsso that I can feel like a human. This depression stuff is getting old! So, my therapist recomended a new med today to take in combination with the one i'm currently trying that's helping the depression and increasing the anxiety. So I looked up this med and it has a side effect of raising blood sugar. So, probably not a good plan. It may be possible to just up my diabetes meds I don't know and won't until I talk to my dr. on Thursday. But I'm just so frustrated because if we do decide to give this a try I have no way to monitor my blood sugar because the splendid medicade is fighting me over getting the prodigy. I really really don't get this! Its less than 100 bucks. They just bought my friend a brand new electric high power fancy wheelchair that I'm sorry but she really didn't need. That thing was like mega money, but you can't get me a Prodigy! And if and when I do get it I do not know if I can reliably test as I'm still having trouble getting the blood on the strip! And I don't know what to try if she decides that I can't take this med. I feel like I'm running out of options. Screw this! I'm going to eat some icecream! Oh, but one positive bit of news. I took a little trip to the ER last week due to chest pains which turned out to be nothing serious, thank God, but while there I learned I've lost eight pounds since late September! Go me! Ok its not much, but go me anyways. I need my little successes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 , The balance between diabetic meds and antidepressants is an ongoing one and it will probably never be completely resolved, for reasons I can't really explain. An added wrinkle to this is that doctors often don't look at the whole picture of what a particular medication will do before prescribing it, which then only makes treatment worse. If your doctor were more " diabetes-aware " he would look at all the possible side-effects of a given medication before prescribing it and realize that there might be too much risk for a diabetic patient for a certain med. That's nice when it happens, but sadly it's only a rare occasion with a doctor picks up on that issue about diabetic interactions. The sad fact is, we pretty much have to become self-educated on the medications prescribed for us and then report our findings back to the doctor, who should then look at alternatives to a med that might do a diabetic more harm than good. If the doc won't work with you on that, then time to switch docs to someone who will take your concerns to heart. My own doc has been very good about looking at the diabetic and blood pressure picture of anything he has prescribed and has purposely not prescribed certain meds that he felt would not work, but again, he's been the exception. With respect to your friend who got the wheelchair, Medicaid and Medicare are very inconsistent in what they will and will not pay for. You would think that paying for a talking glucose monitor for a blind person would be much cheaper than the alternative of a lifetime of hospital trips, but for the most part they are the ones who are blind to the subject. I guess they must figure if you already lost your sight it's just tough. We as a blind group have to fight really hard to get equity with the sighted world on this issue so that those who are totally blind can do their own sugars just like sighted people. The wheelchair industry has a very big lobby and has thrown lots of money in the right places so it's much easier these days to get a wheelchair than it is to get a glucose meter. that's ludicrous since diabetes is so very rampant and will causes a LOT of people to lose their vision. In time, the glucose meter lobby will have a bigger base and political pressure will probably force the issue to get appropriate attention, but for now that is not the case. Big pharma is focused on keeping people on pills and isn't yet concerned with making sure that blind people have workable monitors, it's just not a priority for them until we blind force them to make it a priority. Don't knock yourself for losing those 8 pounds. It's a good start and something you want to continue working on. It's a hard hand you've been dealt, but I can only tell you to continue working on this and never give up. You WANT to get better, and that's the biggest asset you have on your side, your will to improve, so keep that up! Good luck! Bill Powers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 , This is how I handle my medications in order to minimize drug interaction problems. I do not espouse this for everyone, but it works for me. I have three doctors who prescribe medications for me. I have selected my internist as my drug gate keeper. I take a list of all my medications to every doctor visit. All of my prescription renewals come from my internist. I see my internist every two months. I may receive sample medications from another doctor, but I will not have taken it very long before I see my internist. If I have any doubts, I call my internist before I start any new prescriptions. I also ask the prescribing doctor if this medication will impact my diabetes. While it would be nice if every doctor understood the side effects of every medication, that is not a realistic expectation. This works for me. It is submitted for your review. Marvin RE: frustrated > , > > > > The balance between diabetic meds and antidepressants is an ongoing one > and > it will probably never be completely resolved, for reasons I can't really > explain. An added wrinkle to this is that doctors often don't look at the > whole picture of what a particular medication will do before prescribing > it, > which then only makes treatment worse. If your doctor were more > " diabetes-aware " he would look at all the possible side-effects of a given > medication before prescribing it and realize that there might be too much > risk for a diabetic patient for a certain med. That's nice when it > happens, > but sadly it's only a rare occasion with a doctor picks up on that issue > about diabetic interactions. The sad fact is, we pretty much have to > become > self-educated on the medications prescribed for us and then report our > findings back to the doctor, who should then look at alternatives to a med > that might do a diabetic more harm than good. If the doc won't work with > you > on that, then time to switch docs to someone who will take your concerns > to > heart. My own doc has been very good about looking at the diabetic and > blood > pressure picture of anything he has prescribed and has purposely not > prescribed certain meds that he felt would not work, but again, he's been > the exception. > > > > With respect to your friend who got the wheelchair, Medicaid and Medicare > are very inconsistent in what they will and will not pay for. You would > think that paying for a talking glucose monitor for a blind person would > be > much cheaper than the alternative of a lifetime of hospital trips, but for > the most part they are the ones who are blind to the subject. I guess they > must figure if you already lost your sight it's just tough. We as a blind > group have to fight really hard to get equity with the sighted world on > this > issue so that those who are totally blind can do their own sugars just > like > sighted people. The wheelchair industry has a very big lobby and has > thrown > lots of money in the right places so it's much easier these days to get a > wheelchair than it is to get a glucose meter. that's ludicrous since > diabetes is so very rampant and will causes a LOT of people to lose their > vision. In time, the glucose meter lobby will have a bigger base and > political pressure will probably force the issue to get appropriate > attention, but for now that is not the case. Big pharma is focused on > keeping people on pills and isn't yet concerned with making sure that > blind > people have workable monitors, it's just not a priority for them until we > blind force them to make it a priority. > > > > Don't knock yourself for losing those 8 pounds. It's a good start and > something you want to continue working on. It's a hard hand you've been > dealt, but I can only tell you to continue working on this and never give > up. You WANT to get better, and that's the biggest asset you have on your > side, your will to improve, so keep that up! Good luck! > > > > Bill Powers > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 , This is how I handle my medications in order to minimize drug interaction problems. I do not espouse this for everyone, but it works for me. I have three doctors who prescribe medications for me. I have selected my internist as my drug gate keeper. I take a list of all my medications to every doctor visit. All of my prescription renewals come from my internist. I see my internist every two months. I may receive sample medications from another doctor, but I will not have taken it very long before I see my internist. If I have any doubts, I call my internist before I start any new prescriptions. I also ask the prescribing doctor if this medication will impact my diabetes. While it would be nice if every doctor understood the side effects of every medication, that is not a realistic expectation. This works for me. It is submitted for your review. Marvin RE: frustrated > , > > > > The balance between diabetic meds and antidepressants is an ongoing one > and > it will probably never be completely resolved, for reasons I can't really > explain. An added wrinkle to this is that doctors often don't look at the > whole picture of what a particular medication will do before prescribing > it, > which then only makes treatment worse. If your doctor were more > " diabetes-aware " he would look at all the possible side-effects of a given > medication before prescribing it and realize that there might be too much > risk for a diabetic patient for a certain med. That's nice when it > happens, > but sadly it's only a rare occasion with a doctor picks up on that issue > about diabetic interactions. The sad fact is, we pretty much have to > become > self-educated on the medications prescribed for us and then report our > findings back to the doctor, who should then look at alternatives to a med > that might do a diabetic more harm than good. If the doc won't work with > you > on that, then time to switch docs to someone who will take your concerns > to > heart. My own doc has been very good about looking at the diabetic and > blood > pressure picture of anything he has prescribed and has purposely not > prescribed certain meds that he felt would not work, but again, he's been > the exception. > > > > With respect to your friend who got the wheelchair, Medicaid and Medicare > are very inconsistent in what they will and will not pay for. You would > think that paying for a talking glucose monitor for a blind person would > be > much cheaper than the alternative of a lifetime of hospital trips, but for > the most part they are the ones who are blind to the subject. I guess they > must figure if you already lost your sight it's just tough. We as a blind > group have to fight really hard to get equity with the sighted world on > this > issue so that those who are totally blind can do their own sugars just > like > sighted people. The wheelchair industry has a very big lobby and has > thrown > lots of money in the right places so it's much easier these days to get a > wheelchair than it is to get a glucose meter. that's ludicrous since > diabetes is so very rampant and will causes a LOT of people to lose their > vision. In time, the glucose meter lobby will have a bigger base and > political pressure will probably force the issue to get appropriate > attention, but for now that is not the case. Big pharma is focused on > keeping people on pills and isn't yet concerned with making sure that > blind > people have workable monitors, it's just not a priority for them until we > blind force them to make it a priority. > > > > Don't knock yourself for losing those 8 pounds. It's a good start and > something you want to continue working on. It's a hard hand you've been > dealt, but I can only tell you to continue working on this and never give > up. You WANT to get better, and that's the biggest asset you have on your > side, your will to improve, so keep that up! Good luck! > > > > Bill Powers > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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