Re: Specialist in Atlanta or Bend oregon-KIM -- LUPRON PETITION
From: Anonymo (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Jan 10 23:44:45 2003
Dear Michele,
I am sorry for your frustrating and painful experience.
But I'm glad to hear that you are considering going to Dr. R. -- I have
heard such good things about him.
I would encourage you to report your experience with Lupron to the FDA
--
there is an online petition for the thousands of women who have
experienced
bad side effects from this drug, in order to help other women.
Here's the site: http://www.planetkc.com/lupronsurvivor/
I wish you the best of luck. I hope things turn around soon for you.
At Fri, 10 Jan 2003, Michele wrote:
>
>Hi all! It has been awhile since I have been to this terrific support
>group. I still battle the endo and have been on Lupron on and off for
>over 1 year! I still also have the terrible back pain daily and exsist
>on a drug called Kadian (time-release morphine). The pain specialist
>that I saw also gave me some great books to read on pain management that
>included many relaxation techniques as well as distraction techniques! I
>do not know if I can type the name of the book here, so I won't.
>
>I finally got tired of all this and got in with another endo specialist
>in my area, WA state for a second opinion. Guess what this specialist
>said?!? He stated that in his opinion that I should go off all drugs and
>try to concieve. If I cannot concieve or if the pain is unbearable when
>I go off the drugs I should try to get in with Dr. R. in Bend, OR
>ASAP!!!!
>
>My husband and I had a long talk. We are seriously considering taking
>that trip down to Bend, OR. I am at the end of my rope!
>
>Since I was last here I took a temp job at a country club where a friend
>of mine works. I worked for a wonderful woman who also had endo (she
>had a hyst). She was so understanding! She is the Controller there and
>I was the Acccounting Asst. while her full-time Asst. was out on med
>leave. It really helped me going back to work. It took my mind off
>some of the pain and gave me back my self-confidence that I lost due to
>the fact that I was "layed-off" from the job I had before the temp job.
>(I should have nailed them for discrimination). But that is a different
>story.
>
>My last injection of Lupron will be tomorrow. I have tapered from my
>pain meds by 50% + in 2 weeks. (I am down to 1 - 50 mg cap per day. I
>am following the 2nd opinion docs orders.
>
>I have come to find out that the first specialist that I was seeing is
>so busy that the employee's hardly can remember your case or read the
>chart to find out before they call you with orders for ANOTHER patient,
>have forgotten to call in medication for my Lupron injections and
>everytime I go in for discussions w/ the doc after a few months of
>Lupron he just keeps putting me back on it. The longer that I see this
>doc the more mistakes his staff makes. They are so busy that they
>cannot remember who you are or bother to read your chart before
>contacting you?!? I now have developed bone density loss. I am done
>with that doc.
>
>Off to Bend I go!
>
>At Sat, 28 Sep 2002, Mindy wrote:
>>
>>I will try and remember how it worked. I believe that he charged me
>>approximately $3300 (his fee excluding all other charges ie hospital,
>>anesthesiologist, etc), 75% was required as a down payment (approx
>>$2500) and the record review fee was applied to the cost of the surgery.
>>I charged the down payment and made arrangements to make payments on the
>>balance of $75/month. I was lucky that I had 2 PPO plans so my
>>hospital, anesthesiologist (SP??), hospital bills, etc were all paid by
>>my insurance companies since St. Charles was on my plans. I couple of
>>months after my surgery I got a check back from Blue Shield for approx
>>$600.00 and Cigna gave me a whopping $100 and something bucks.
>>
>>My advice to you is to call your insurance company and find out what
>>they would pay? Dr. R's office will bill your insurance for you and
>>refund you any monies owed to you or they will aplly it to your balance.
>>Make sure you write down who you talk to at your insurance company, when
>>and what they said. If I were to do it all over again I would ask for a
>>manager or someone in charge. You can negotiate with them! Let them
>>know that you are seeing a specialist who can help you....otherwise they
>>can continue to pay for procedures and medicines that don't work.
>>
>>I was fortunate enough that my Dad lived in Bend at the time....so
>>lodging was free. Dr. R's office can put you in touch with some local
>>hotels that they refer their patients to. My airfare for my hubby and I
>>was about $600.00 and a rental car for about $200.00. We had to charge
>>it all and pay it off later, but it was well worth it.
>>
>>I am not sure why Dr. R doesn't work with insurance comapnie. I am
>>sure they can tell you. But I am noticing that many of the specialists
>>don't and I gather it is b-cuz the contracted amount for this type of
>>surgery is low.
>>
>>I don't think you were being argumentative at all! Your questions are
>>some of the same I had before I saw him. If you have any other
>>questions, or if I missed any, please let me know and i would be happy
>>to answer them as best as possible.
>>
>>Mindy :-)
>
>--
>Sick Near Seattle
>
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