Re: What does crow taste like?

[Guest guest]

> Happy new year to all of you. Missed being part of the

> conversations the past few days, but was out enjoying the 70 degree

> weather. Actually got outside and went JOGGING a few times. Yes,

> it's true. Thank you Xolair.

>

> Had my latest shot this morning and had some very interesting

> discussions with my Dr. I know I have been rather harsh on the

> medical profession lately, particularly about them not wanting to

> give up the gravy train of charging office visits for Xolair

shots.

>

> Anyway, to cut to the chase, he actually SUGGESTED that I might

> start giving the shots to myself! (I can hear the collective gasp

of

> doctors everywhere - no pun intended). He said that the next two

> times I come in, I will work directly with the nurse to learn how

to

> mix the Xolair and administer the injections.

>

> I am humbled and offer my sincere apologies to him and the rest of

> the ethical professionals working in the field of medicine.

>

> BTW - I was able to negotiate with my insurance company to get the

> copay for Xolair down to $35 / month. Giving myself the shots will

> certainly make the insurance company very happy.

>

> I also asked my Dr. about the asthma scores that were referred to

in

> previous posts. He was unfamiliar with them, but said that many

> doctors will develop scoring methods in order to determine if they

> are making progress with their patients. He also said that

> sometimes groups of doctors will develop scoring systems so that

> they can use the information gathered over a wide group of patients

> as a basis for research.

>

> Addy, I read Coping With Prednisone several years ago when I first

> started using pred in large doses (60 mg / day). It was helpful

> because it does list many of the potential side-effects of the

> drug. I re-read it every year because my memory is short, and it

> keeps me aware of what is happening to me. I'm now down to 15 mg

4x

> weekly, and want to cut it even further, but I am taking it slowly.

>

> Bill - glad to have you as part of the group. I have used the

nasal

> irrigation method you describe for years. It works, but my wife

> justifiably complains if the shower is not properly cleaned up.

> Sorry to be gross, but hey, it is what it is. I also use Astelin

> and Zyrtec when things are really bad. Unfortunately, nothing

> really works for me. I've tried Rhinocort, Flonase, Nasarel,

> NasalCrom, etc., and even had sinus surgery last year, but nothing

> has been truly effective. Even Xolair hasn't helped with the

> sinuses.

>

> My doctor told me some time ago that Singulair had been approved

for

> allergic rhinitis. Anyone have any experience with that? I have

> taken singulair, but had a problem that I believe was related to it

> several years ago, and even though I have tried twice to take it

> since, I get nervous if I start having symptoms like before.

>

> Doug, sounds like you are over your flu. Glad to hear that. Also

> glad you are able to reduce your prednisone, too.

>

> Again, happy new year. I hope everyone continues to make good

> progress this year.

>

> Greg

Greg,

Good to hear from you Crow?? Hmmmmmm, I've had quail and dove

before LOL!

With your news, I am going to ask my doctor next time I have a visit.

If you could, email me privately at uca79ii@... and tell me

where you live and your doctor's name. Maybe if my doctor knows him,

he might change his mind. I drive 24 miles round trip for all my

shots. They charge me 14.00 a shot which is covered after a 200.00

deductible but givin my own shots would save me time and money. This

week I am going mon, wed and friday for regular shots.

Next monday for my by weekly Xolair.

Congratulations on being able to exercise so well without symptoms.

The only way I can tell that the Xolair is working for me is by how

much less pred I am taking. My doc told me today to stay on the 10

mg till my next regular office visit. Congrats also for getting your

insurance to pay. That is a MIRACLE in itself.

I just got my first weekly paycheck of the new year today and it was

30.00 less. My church takes my medical insurance premiums off the top

of my gross salary, holds out the taxes and pays me the rest each

week. That is 90.00 a month or $1080.00 more this yearout of my

pocket for premiums. If they hadn't given me a slight raise this

year, to pay for part of the premium increase, I would have been in

really bad shape.

Next year, I turn 50. They say my premiums are going to go up 30%

just because of my new age group not to mention the regular yearsly

increases. About of 1/3rd of my salary goes to medical insurance.

Pretty soon, I will not be alble to pay for anything else. I sure am

glad my wife works.

I have a full year to dread. WHEW!

Change companies you ask? LOL! No one would take me with all my pre-

existing conditions. I am stuck with this company.

Doug

[Guest guest]

Greg, glad you are seeing such improvement in your quality of life.

That's terrific!

They put some sort of coating on the hallway floor outside my office

today - I don't know why they didn't do it at night or on the weekend

like they usually do - anyway, it triggered my asthma. Albuterol

inhaler did nothing so I had to come home and neb. That helped a

lot, but my lungs still hurt and I am needing to neb every 4 hours

now. I emailed the supervisor....Yes, I did my nasal irrigation to

try to keep my sinuses from reacting.

Doug, that is just depressing about your insurance. Do you serve a

church that belongs to a diocese or conference that could seek

medical insurance for all church employees? (Like the Episcopal

church). There's power in numbers.

Take care everyone,

Addy

[Guest guest]

> Greg, glad you are seeing such improvement in your quality of

life.

> That's terrific!

>

> They put some sort of coating on the hallway floor outside my

office

> today - I don't know why they didn't do it at night or on the

weekend

> like they usually do - anyway, it triggered my asthma. Albuterol

> inhaler did nothing so I had to come home and neb. That helped a

> lot, but my lungs still hurt and I am needing to neb every 4 hours

> now. I emailed the supervisor....Yes, I did my nasal irrigation to

> try to keep my sinuses from reacting.

>

> Doug, that is just depressing about your insurance. Do you serve a

> church that belongs to a diocese or conference that could seek

> medical insurance for all church employees? (Like the Episcopal

> church). There's power in numbers.

>

> Take care everyone,

>

> Addy

Addy,

My insurance is through the Annunity Board of the Southern Baptist

Convention and I have had it since 1985 when I was in much better

health and it was only 100.00 a month. It is the only thing I can

get. Well, at least I AM grateful that I HAVE coverage. Some people

cant get any at all.

Doug

[Guest guest]

Doug..

Did you know that there is a way to put aside money for medical

bills and the money isn't taxable? I was a teacher before I retired

and we had a plan where you could designate any sum, let's say for

example, $2000 which would be spent for medical premiums, drug and

doctor copays, dental braces..... I just estimated what I thought

my costs would be for the year and that amount went into a category

that was subtracted from my taxable amount for the IRS.

Your employer may be able to get into that program...why not ask?

You could save hundreds of dollars in income tax potentially.

Casey

[Guest guest]

>

> Bill - glad to have you as part of the group. I have used the

nasal

> irrigation method you describe for years. It works, but my wife

> justifiably complains if the shower is not properly cleaned up.

> Sorry to be gross, but hey, it is what it is. I also use Astelin

> and Zyrtec when things are really bad. Unfortunately, nothing

> really works for me. I've tried Rhinocort, Flonase, Nasarel,

> NasalCrom, etc., and even had sinus surgery last year, but nothing

> has been truly effective. Even Xolair hasn't helped with the

> sinuses.

>

> My doctor told me some time ago that Singulair had been approved

for

> allergic rhinitis. Anyone have any experience with that? I have

> taken singulair, but had a problem that I believe was related to

it

> several years ago, and even though I have tried twice to take it

> since, I get nervous if I start having symptoms like before.

>

> Doug, sounds like you are over your flu. Glad to hear that. Also

> glad you are able to reduce your prednisone, too.

>

> Again, happy new year. I hope everyone continues to make good

> progress this year.

>

> Greg

Greg..

My wife has done twice daily nasal washes for several years and they

help. Have you tried Nasonex? She has tried Flonase and many

others but nothing works as well as Nasonex. She also takes daily

doses of Pulmicort, Zyrtec, Protonix (for GERT) and Singulair. She

took Singulair for a while a couple of years ago and didn't think it

was helping, but started taking it again and it seems to be working

better now. Her OB/GYN put her on Effexor for non-asthama related

reasons and thought it might help her sleep better. After a week,

it has made her sleep worse. She will likely scrap that drug. Does

anyone else have problems sleeping (no doubt all the meds mixing

together do not help)? What would you recommend?

Casey

[Guest guest]

> Doug..

> Did you know that there is a way to put aside money for medical

> bills and the money isn't taxable? I was a teacher before I

retired

> and we had a plan where you could designate any sum, let's say for

> example, $2000 which would be spent for medical premiums, drug and

> doctor copays, dental braces..... I just estimated what I thought

> my costs would be for the year and that amount went into a category

> that was subtracted from my taxable amount for the IRS.

> Your employer may be able to get into that program...why not ask?

> You could save hundreds of dollars in income tax potentially.

>

> Casey

Thanks Casey As an ordained minister, I am allowed by law to

break down my salary package into categories: Medical insurance,

Housing allowlancce, Retirement and Tax witholding. The rest they

give me in weekly salary. My taxable salary is usually so low that I

can always take medical off quite easily. Needless to say, I have a

GREAT CPA who helps me.

Doug