Why can't things be

[Dave's Not Here Man]

At least somewhat like they used to be?

This morning I get a voicemail from Walmart Pharmacy saying "your provider has denied your refill request and you'll have to contact them...".

Okay. So I call the JOhNsON hEaLTh CEnTEr to find out wtf is going on. "The provider put in the notes that you need to be seen in order to get refills".

One of the scripts is Ativan. The other is Lisinopril (for my HBP). She denied both. 

I told the person, probably nothing more than a phone person, that was unacceptable and needed to speak to someone that hands unacceptable. So she transferred me to a person who took my info for a complaint. 15 minutes after I hung up with her, another person called to schedule an appointment with a new provider and told me "we are pretty booked up right now" and said "someone" could see me on the 21st. 10 days from now. I asked if that was the MD. No, it's a PA. I said that I don't want to see another PA, I want to see an MD. Now I'm going to phrase this in the way the minimally competent person I was talking to probably meant to say it but couldn't find a phrase that wasn't on the computer screen; "We don't have an MD". Well, they do. It was just that the ONLY MD THEY HAVE ON STAFF is booked through the end of June, and is leaving after that, and they have not hired one ONE to replace her.

After all of this, I agreed to see the new PA on the 21st but was told that's not a new patient visit and if I wanted to get ALL of my scripts refilled, I would have to set up that type of visit with a new PA, not an MD because they don't have one......... which was where I started to get the feeling of being given the old "go somewhere else if you don't like it" vibe.

So I'm going to be searching this fucking shithole town for another PCP today. Because USA= Best Health Care.

[minx]

Clearly they can't find a new MD willing to take the job because of those plush extended unemployment benefits (sorry, couldn't help myself there)

But WTF? So, the PA won't refill your meds until you're seen. While I know how much you rely on the Ativan, okay, I'll accept that since they don't know you well yet. But not refilling a blood pressure med? And then saying no appointments for the next 10 days? Do they seriously want you to have a stroke? Jesus H Christ!

My blood is boiling - I can't imagine what your BP is right now. You shouldn't have to deal with this. In fact, NO ONE should have to deal with this.

[k9krap]

🖐 Me. I was taking 3 meds for blood pressure and my internist said she wouldn’t refill them 3 months ago. I feel your pain.

[minx]

Again, WTF? Did she say why at least?

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Well. My BP was 198/125 when I got to the er at 0700 this morning.

[minx]

Not good John. Did they give you a refill? Probably not, but I can hope.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

20 tablets. Hopefully enough to hold me until I get this all straightened out. They put me in psych and I felt so goddamn terrible it didn't even matter to me. Still, kind of off-putting to think about.

The doc was super though and they took pretty good care of me. Much better than SRMC in fxbg.

[minx]

Glad they gave you something and the doc was good. Sucks that you have to do this though.

[k9krap]

I haven’t been to see her in 2 years. I know that’s a long time but I wasn’t going until I was vaccinated. Still haven’t been. The headaches have subsided somewhat. Every once in a while the headache gets really bad and I think, “This is it!” I just don’t know why I’m still hanging around here.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Called in this morning and asked if they had any openings today. "What do you need to be seen for?"

"Emergency Room Follow up."

Can you come in at 11?

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Funny how that works. I saw the only MD they have and she's a temp leaving at the end of June. She supposedly worked it all out for me, meds-wise. You'd think my mind would be at ease and things would go back to norman but I'm still having aftershocks even this morning. I thought I had let it go but maybe it just doesn't work that way. Maybe once the cortisol pipeline starts pumping, it takes a few days for the engineers to shut it down completely.

[minx]

Isn't it amazing? Wonder if the ER called them and ripped them a new one for refusing to fill your meds. God, I hope so.

[bobathon]

When I've been at work and had BP checked, if I had that reading they'd call an ambulance for me. They really don't like that "/125" bit. Good luck maintaining.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Thanks.

They called me again yesterday to "follow up on my complaint" and make 20 apologies, assuring me that I didn't do anything wrong to get my refills denied in the first place (FUCKING DUH) blah blah blah, and offering to set up a team consisting of their psychiatrist, psychotherapist, medical doctor/s (at least as long as they have one, and MD) and someone that will be in charge of coordinating it all.

They know I have a case for Allen Allen Allen Allen Allen Allen Allen Allen, and Allen.

[minx]

FINALLY! And 1000% do you have a case. Don't let them forget it either....

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Saturday was a decent day. I felt well enough to get dressed and take her out for a while. We rode around a bit and made it to where the sign said Natural Bridge 19 M... but decided that was going to be more than we wanted to/ or were prepared to/ carry on with. Got home early enough and I felt well enough to go to the DDI, FOR A COKE. Let my better judgement slip and wound up drinking one beer. Well let me tell you. I truly don't know if that had anything to do with it or not but I spent yesterday in a benzodiapene induced coma in between attacks. Slept most of the day and most of last night. Woke up feeling better for a while this morning and then started feeling it creep up. Trying to work with what I've got until Friday. Haven't wanted to eat much.

I might need to see if I can get a full workup and maybe even some outside-the-box tests. This area is apparently a waste of time when it comes to fast, efficient, and above average accumen for diagnosing rare/unusual/hard to diagnose ailments. If I felt well enough to travel to UVA or one of the better places like Duke or Gtown... I'm just about at that point. I don't think all the psych and behavioral health in the world is going to explain away these symptoms and the conditions under which they present.

[minx]

Ugh - sorry you feel like shit, but I agree that further workup is needed.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Finally got to see someone yesterday. Not sure if she was an MD or another PA. But she seemed to have the tools she was going to need to deal with me. So it was a very productive visit and said she will not withhold my meds unless there's an obvious problem, and even then it would be a gradual correction.

She's probably sorry she asked me "what brings you here to see me today" when she knew damn well what brought me there. So I was glad to oblige her nonetheless and recount the missteps and incompetence of her colleagues over here in the city.

I'm not sure how many very high functioning people the psychs see around here but she handled it pretty well all things considered. I left feeling much better about my mental health care.

[minx]

You don't know how happy I am to read this!

And beyond happy that she she did listen to what you had to say about all the incompetence - when you're dealing with a serious illness, your doctor needs to know that you've had the run-around. IMO, when you get a good doctor, they do take that into account when explaining stuff to you, and aren't as quick to dismiss your concerns.

Also glad that she understands that cutting someone off cold turkey is not a good idea!

Hoping you're in a better place now.

[Dave's Not Here Man]

Thanks. Sometimes just having things go right/done right, foster positivity. I need all the positivity I can get right now.