God Bless America

[timvp]

... but what the hell has happened to common sense in the health care industry? The government has bent over so far for the big drug companies and the health care industry in general that I can't even get a got damn pair of contacts.

I lost my glasses in Vegas during all-star weekend (:drunk) and since then have been wearing the same one-month contacts. I try to order new contacts or glasses but my prescription is expired. Okay, that's understandable.

I go to the eye doctor and he looks at my eyes and says that he can't get an accurate reading on my new prescription because I've worn those contacts too long and my eyes are messed up. He tells me that I have to keep my contacts off for three to four days and then come back in. I tell him that I can't because I'm literally legally blind without my contacts on and I can't just disappear for four days and it's not like I have glasses that I can wear in the meantime. He insists that I keep my contacts off for four days. I tell him to just give me the same prescription I had last time. He says he can't. I leave.

I go to another eye doctor. Same ish.

So I come home and did what any blue blooded American would do -- I get on the internets and order my contacts from Canada. They'll be here in the morning.

But WTF? How can a system be so F'ed with restrictions and rules aimed at keeping these peeps rich that I'm forced to put the health of my eyes in my own hands ... or some Canadians hands or whatever. Whatever happened to common sense?

:pctoss

[Shelly]

I am ready to join you on the Canada thing. My oldest has GERD and after months of trying different medications, we finally found one that helps him...Nexium. We're still waiting for my insurance to approve it.

Insurance companies suck.

[SequSpur]

Dude, just leave your contacts out. sit close to the tv, stay home, tell kori to get her ass in the kitchen and make you some pie.

[duncan228]

I am ready to join you on the Canada thing. My oldest has GERD and after months of trying different medications, we finally found one that helps him...Nexium. We're still waiting for my insurance to approve it.

Insurance companies suck.

Good luck. There's no generic for Nexium, is there?
We had the same problem with Protonix.
No generic and our insurance company doesn't want to cover it.
They'd rather we use a different class of drug that has a generic...but guess what? That one doesn't work. :wtf

[Solid D]

:lol @ Sequ

America and timvp are both resourceful. If you can't get it here, bring it here.

[timvp]

Dude, just leave your contacts out. sit close to the tv, stay home, tell kori to get her ass in the kitchen and make you some pie.Dude, I can't see ish. I can put my face to the screen and barely see.

And I'm eating my pie already.

[E20]

God Bless E20.

[Solid D]

If Helen Keller could do it blind and unable to hear, and maybe even bake a pie to boot, I'd say you better man-up!

[SpursWoman]

If I were an alcoholic or a heroin addict I could go check myself into rehab and my insurance would pick up most of the tab. I want a prescription for something that has been proven to help people get off nicotine, and I'm shit out of luck.

Actually, now that I think about it ... I'm pretty sure that extra tax money being raked in on the latest sin tax on cigarettes could fund a great program to assist people financially with an aid to quit smoking. Bastards.

[Shelly]

Good luck. There's no generic for Nexium, is there?
We had the same problem with Protonix.
No generic and our insurance company doesn't want to cover it.
They'd rather we use a different class of drug that has a generic...but guess what? That one doesn't work. :wtf

Nope. And if I buy it outright, it's like $165 for a months supply.

We tried Protonix, Zantac + some other acid reducer. He also has gastritis. The Zantac, etc worked pretty much during the day, but he has woken up pretty much every night since May. I then took him to a Gastroenternologist, who did an endoscopy (he also had an upper GI and was tested for H. pylori). After that, he was put on Prevacid (which took a while for my insurance to approve), which didn't help, so then we tried Zegerid, which is, I think, the same thing as Prilosec only with added baking soda. That made EVERYTHING worse. So we decided to try Nexium and if that didn't work, they were gonna do a CAT scan of his stomach. Luckily, it worked and he's finally been able to sleep through the night. Knock wood.

Luckily, I was able to get more samples from his doctor until they approve, but if they don't I'm gonna either have to pay outright or go the Canadian route.

[timvp]

If Helen Keller could do it blind and unable to hear, and maybe even bake a pie to boot, I'd say you better man-up!Back then, she could have gotten glasses without jumping through a hoop.

And I'm sure with the right instructions Helen Keller could learn how to make a pie.

:smokin

[leemajors]

you don't have even an old pair of glasses just in case you ever need them?

[duncan228]

Nope. And if I buy it outright, it's like $165 for a months supply.

We tried Protonix, Zantac + some other acid reducer. He also has gastritis. The Zantac, etc worked pretty much during the day, but he has woken up pretty much every night since May. I then took him to a Gastroenternologist, who did an endoscopy (he also had an upper GI and was tested for H. pylori). After that, he was put on Prevacid (which took a while for my insurance to approve), which didn't help, so then we tried Zegerid, which is, I think, the same thing as Prilosec only with added baking soda. That made EVERYTHING worse. So we decided to try Nexium and if that didn't work, they were gonna do a CAT scan of his stomach. Luckily, it worked and he's finally been able to sleep through the night. Knock wood.

Luckily, I was able to get more samples from his doctor until they approve, but if they don't I'm gonna either have to pay outright or go the Canadian route.

My God Shelly, what hell you've gone through and the insurance companies make it worse.
I assume they paid their portion for the tests, why can't they pay for the medicine? :bang

[timvp]

you don't have even an old pair of glasses just in case you ever need them?My backup pair of glasses got shattered playing basketball and my main glasses are somewhere in Vegas.

So I gotta sit here in my contacts that hurt my eyes when I blink ... until Canada can come to my rescue.

[leemajors]

My backup pair of glasses got shattered playing basketball and my main glasses are somewhere in Vegas.

So I gotta sit here in my contacts that hurt my eyes when I blink ... until Canada can come to my rescue.
ahh ok. perservere. maybe you should look into some prescription kareem style rec specs.

[T Park]

Sounds more like a medical issue, than an availability issue.


I don't see how having your eyes get back to normal, equals bending over for drug companies and the health care industry being screwed up.

[timvp]

ahh ok. perservere. maybe you should look into some prescription kareem style rec specs.Yeah, let me see what else Canada has to offer....

[Shelly]

My God Shelly, what hell you've gone through and the insurance companies make it worse.
I assume they paid their portion for the tests, why can't they pay for the medicine? :bang

Exactly!! That doesn't even make sense.

And for the endoscopy, what the doctor billed and what they paid was a slap in the face to the doctor. I expect them to knock it down, but this was ridiculous. But my husband's in the same boat...you're at the mercy of the insurance companies. He can bill whatever, but he can't fight what they pay because he wants to keep the contract with them.

[Melmart1]

Eye doctors suck. I have a small mole on one of my eyes since birth and they all tell me to get it removed even though it's not hurting anything. Why the fuck am I going to go through eye surgery that doesn't correct my vision and can cause permanent blindness to remove something that doesn't need removing?!?! :pctoss

[Shelly]

you don't have even an old pair of glasses just in case you ever need them?


I've worn contacts for 20 years and I never got glasses until probably 5 years ago.

[timvp]

Sounds more like a medical issue, than an availability issue.Sounds like a common sense issue to me.


I don't see how having your eyes get back to normal, equals bending over for drug companies and the health care industry being screwed up.You don't see how regulations that force both drug companies and doctors to profit has anything to do with this?

[Holt's Cat]

The answer, of course, is greater governmental involvement.

[mrsmaalox]

Sounds like a common sense issue to me.

You don't see how regulations that force both drug companies and doctors to profit has anything to do with this?
Well there is a medical issue. Soft (hydrophilic) contacts are full of water, so oxygen cannot circulate to the iris. This causes more capillaries to grow to try to get more oxygen to the eye (ancillary circulation). What results is a flattened iris from which no accurate readings can be taken. Everyone who wears soft contacts for a long time will have this; sleeping in contacts makes it much worse faster. Eventually the capillaries can grow enough to affect your vision. The solution is to keep the contacts out or wear hard contacts (they can circulate oxygen) until the capillaries shrink. You can't really blame the doctor----he doesn't want to take your money for something he can't do AND he doesn't want to be responsible for a loss of vision. I guess if you need to place a blame somewhere it should go the high cost of malpractice insurance.

[T Park]

I guess if you need to place a blame somewhere it should go the high cost of malpractice insurance


Tort reform, loser pays, make it harder to pull off bullshit lawsuits and it will go down.



You don't see how regulations that force both drug companies and doctors to profit has anything to do with this?

if he wants to wait 3 days for an eye to correct itself, i doubt theres some paper pusher in DC writing that up.

Sounds more medical.



The answer, of course, is greater governmental involvement.


Get Hillary, Barack, or Guiliani involved, and I'm sure thats their solution.

[SequSpur]

kori still needs to get her azz in the kitchen and make you some pie.

[ShoogarBear]

Part of the reason he can't just write your old prescription is because technically he's legally liable for saying that's a current assessment of your vision. Theoretically, if you left the office with a renewal of your old lenses, and then got into a car accident, someone might dig that up and claim that the old prescription was partially responsible. This is not completely unreasonable. It's like when people want to get Viagra off the internet without seeing a doctor, but then if they have a heart attack they want to sue somebody.

It seems there should be some middle ground whereby he can write an order for your old glasses prescription, but document that you cannot drive or operate heavy machinery, etc. while wearing those (like we do with sedatives).

Buuuut, as I said in a previous thread on contacts, don't dick around with your eyes. If you get neovascularization or any kind of chronic inflammation or infection from wearing old contacts, that could be lifelong problems with your vision.

As for prescription drugs, the price difference between US and Canada is definitely a scam. It's had even gone so far that the former FDA commissioner (who was in the pocket of Big Pharma) went on 60 Minutes and spouted some jaw-dropping BS about how the FDA was concerned about the quality of Canadian drugs. :lmao

[T Park]

Part of the problem, you want to fix things with drugs, what do you do, regulate how much they can make?

Yeah that worked wonders when Clinton regulated prices on the Flu Vaccine.

[TheSanityAnnex]

Couldn't you have just given your prescription to 1800Contacts?

[TheSanityAnnex]

DQ





... but what the hell has happened to common sense in the health care industry? The government has bent over so far for the big drug companies and the health care industry in general that I can't even get a got damn pair of contacts.

I lost my glasses in Vegas during all-star weekend (:drunk) and since then have been wearing the same one-month contacts. I try to order new contacts or glasses but my prescription is expired. Okay, that's understandable.

I go to the eye doctor and he looks at my eyes and says that he can't get an accurate reading on my new prescription because I've worn those contacts too long and my eyes are messed up. He tells me that I have to keep my contacts off for three to four days and then come back in. I tell him that I can't because I'm literally legally blind without my contacts on and I can't just disappear for four days and it's not like I have glasses that I can wear in the meantime. He insists that I keep my contacts off for four days. I tell him to just give me the same prescription I had last time. He says he can't. I leave.

I go to another eye doctor. Same ish.

So I come home and did what any blue blooded American would do -- I get on the internets and order my contacts from Canada. They'll be here in the morning.

But WTF? How can a system be so F'ed with restrictions and rules aimed at keeping these peeps rich that I'm forced to put the health of my eyes in my own hands ... or some Canadians hands or whatever. Whatever happened to common sense?

:pctoss

[mrsmaalox]

They need to let all companies make any drug they want and just let the FDA enforce the quality standards (their original purpose). It's the FDA that is screwing everything up--it is a total racket!!!

[mrsmaalox]

Couldn't you have just given your prescription to 1800Contacts?
They also require a current prescription.

[ShoogarBear]

Part of the problem, you want to fix things with drugs, what do you do, regulate how much they can make?

Yeah that worked wonders when Clinton regulated prices on the Flu Vaccine.What the hell are you talking about? Your standard cuttapasta answers aren't cutting it here. :dizzy

[Fillmoe]

I see a bunch of :cry :cry :cry :cry going on in this thread.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I admit a timvp, Shoog and TPark discussion outside the Spurs forum does have its entertainment factor.

[Fillmoe]

You could always move to Canada.

[Fillmoe]

Just go to Mexico to get your prescription drugs. It's the same shit and you can get a whole years worth at a time.

[T Park]

Your standard cuttapasta answers aren't cutting it here.


what the hell is cuttapasta?

[T Park]

You could always move to Canada

yeah but theres only one road in canada, and youve got the whole people can only talk by moving the tops of their heads.

[ShoogarBear]

what the hell is cuttapasta?Whatever the argument, cut-and-paste something about Clinton/liberals/communists

How did Clinton cause those Flu Vaccine shortages in 2004 again?

[ShoogarBear]

I admit a timvp, Shoog and TPark discussion outside the Spurs forum does have its entertainment factor.Well, we've established one thing which will have future value.


I'm blind.
whottt's been telling us that for years.

[T Park]

How did Clinton cause those Flu Vaccine shortages in 2004 again?


Regulated how much the drug companies could charge for the medicine. Company has no reason to produce products when they aren't making a profit.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

i think you just went to 2 stupid ass eye doctors. i have a friend that's worn the same contacts for the past 3 years. no BS. she got new contacts that day. this happened about a month ago.

[Melmart1]

Just go to Mexico to get your prescription drugs. It's the same shit and you can get a whole years worth at a time.
Actually, last I heard it was something like a three months supply. Anything else can get confiscated if you get caught.

And I laughed my ass off when during the debates last Presidential election, Bush said "well we are concerned with the quality of drugs from Canada." WTF!??!! Like Canada is some 3rd world country with absolutely no pharmaceutical standards? :lmao

In upper New England, they have actual bus tours that are nothing but seniors going to Canada to buy the prescription drugs they can't afford here or that insurance won't cover. How fucking sad is that?

[samikeyp]

And I laughed my ass off when during the debates last Presidential election, Bush said "well we are concerned with the quality of drugs from Canada." WTF!??!! Like Canada is some 3rd world country with absolutely no pharmaceutical standards?

I'm next door now...ya'll need anything? :lol

[Das Texan]

Clinton had nothing to do with the flu vaccine shortage in 2004.


Neither did the liberals.


I should know, i was working in the fucking healthcare industry at the time. But typical TPark bullshit.

:lol

[T Park]

But typical TPark bullshit


Of course.

Heaven forbid.

[SequSpur]

tpark,

cuttapasta means your answers are fucking retarded in a nice way.

[SequSpur]

Part of the reason he can't just write your old prescription is because technically he's legally liable for saying that's a current assessment of your vision. Theoretically, if you left the office with a renewal of your old lenses, and then got into a car accident, someone might dig that up and claim that the old prescription was partially responsible. This is not completely unreasonable. It's like when people want to get Viagra off the internet without seeing a doctor, but then if they have a heart attack they want to sue somebody.

It seems there should be some middle ground whereby he can write an order for your old glasses prescription, but document that you cannot drive or operate heavy machinery, etc. while wearing those (like we do with sedatives).

Buuuut, as I said in a previous thread on contacts, don't dick around with your eyes. If you get neovascularization or any kind of chronic inflammation or infection from wearing old contacts, that could be lifelong problems with your vision.

As for prescription drugs, the price difference between US and Canada is definitely a scam. It's had even gone so far that the former FDA commissioner (who was in the pocket of Big Pharma) went on 60 Minutes and spouted some jaw-dropping BS about how the FDA was concerned about the quality of Canadian drugs. :lmao

Thanks Dr. Phil.

[zekes]

Nope. And if I buy it outright, it's like $165 for a months supply.

We tried Protonix, Zantac + some other acid reducer. He also has gastritis. The Zantac, etc worked pretty much during the day, but he has woken up pretty much every night since May. I then took him to a Gastroenternologist, who did an endoscopy (he also had an upper GI and was tested for H. pylori). After that, he was put on Prevacid (which took a while for my insurance to approve), which didn't help, so then we tried Zegerid, which is, I think, the same thing as Prilosec only with added baking soda. That made EVERYTHING worse. So we decided to try Nexium and if that didn't work, they were gonna do a CAT scan of his stomach. Luckily, it worked and he's finally been able to sleep through the night. Knock wood.

Luckily, I was able to get more samples from his doctor until they approve, but if they don't I'm gonna either have to pay outright or go the Canadian route.

In addition to the medications, try aloe vera juice (2 ounces per day).

[Shelly]

In addition to the medications, try aloe vera juice (2 ounces per day).

Aloe Vera juice tastes like shit. You think a 14 year old will drink that? I do have him take Papaya enzymes, but alas, it's the Nexium that works.

[MoSpur]

Aloe Vera juice tastes like shit. You think a 14 year old will drink that? I do have him take Papaya enzymes, but alas, it's the Nexium that works.

I was just diagnosed with gastritis. I am on Aciphex. Does your son have bad chest pain or what? I have pressure around the center of my chest.

[Shelly]

I was just diagnosed with gastritis. I am on Aciphex. Does your son have bad chest pain or what? I have pressure around the center of my chest.

He was orignally diagnosed with Gastritis, and yes, the upper abdominal pain was the main symptom. They gave him Donnatal (generic Belladonna), which helped that...along with the acid reducers. He would also get a cough from it. Then he'd wake up every night with pain and/or nausea. After the endoscopy is when we found out that he still had gastritis, GERD, and is lactose intolerant, which threw me since he never had a reaction to dairy. It wasn't until he started taking Nexium that he started sleeping through the night.

[Dr.Phil]

Thanks Dr. Phil.

Please leave me out of this.

[Shelly]

Annnnd...my insurance company denied it. So now I have to call them and plead my case

[MoSpur]

Annnnd...my insurance company denied it. So now I have to call them and plead my case

I work for in the area of hlth ins and I too agree its a huge scam. I feel bad that your son had his med denied. I don't have a serious gastritis problem like your son, but that pressure in my upper chest freaked me out one time. I thought I was having a heart attack. Thank God it wasn't that serious. I'll pray for your son.

[Bigzax]

i hope your son gets better shelly, and timvp, i hope you get your eyes taken care of brah...why no lasik?

[MoSpur]

TIMVP, I couldn't get my same prescription from last year as well. I had a new priscription. As much as I wanted to get contacts with my old presciption, but I knew my eyes had gotten a little weaker over the year. I want to get Lasik, but the $$$ situation is not right for me right now.

[ShoogarBear]

Clinton had nothing to do with the flu vaccine shortage in 2004.


Neither did the liberals.
I was thinking maybe there was some unrevealed information about how they sabotaged the British supply. I'm sure Rush and O'Reilly would be all over that.

[timvp]

Update:

Got those contacts in the mail from Canada on time and they were perfectly fine. Eventually went to eye doctor and got updated prescription and new glasses.

However, before I got my updated prescription, I placed orders on a number of different sites just to see how possible it is to order contacts/glasses without a prescription. I found two American companies that sell without a prescription. One of them sells contacts for pretty cheap (about 80% of the price I paid at the eye doctor). The other company sells glasses at amazingly cheap prices. I got two pairs shipped to my door for a total of $24. No prescription verification process and the company was based in California.

I won't post the links in public because I don't want to out them, but I'll provide information via PM if requested.

:smokin


P.S.

America always finds a way. :king

[Fillmoe]

timvp does not dry snitch.





































:smokin

[ShoogarBear]

Perhaps now that you can see you'll be able to check your math.

[timvp]

Perhaps now that you can see you'll be able to check your math.

pwnt :depressed

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

It'd really be owning if LJ somehow changed his opinion on the Spurs and other recent decisions.

Elson = MVP 2008
No way should they retire Avery's number.
Crack is good.

[timvp]

It'd really be owning if LJ somehow changed his opinion on the Spurs and other recent decisions.

Elson = MVP 2008
No way should they retire Avery's number.
Crack is good.

Wait ... since when did you have that avatar?

:wtf