Hi Everyone!

[Keepitpleasant]

I just wanted to sign on and say that I really missed everyone. I have been so down lately and have been trying desperately not to dwell on the negative feelings that are overwhelming me lately. It is so very difficult.

I am on countdown for my doctors appointment on February 18. Being without insurance and thus without my depression medication has caused some really horrible stress peaks!

Can you please help me out please? Keep me in your prayers! Like when someone goes to the hospital and we pray for Jehovah to guide the hands of the surgeons, doctors and nurses. Please help me to remain focused and maintain my integrity! Thanks!

[Brother_Bliss]

Dear sister Shelton,

I most certainly will keep you in my prayers. Hang in there, help is on they way. I too suffer from depression, but mine is seasonal and I do not take medication. I have seen brothers and sisters with severe cases who depend on medication. One sister in particular, had a med that worked well for her and then they quit manufacturing it. It took quite awhile for doctors to find another one that would work for her.

We all would do anything we could to lift you up! Take care!

Your brother,

- Bob

[Keepitpleasant]

The worse part about it is because I used to be the secretary in several different forms of medicine I know how the staff views those without insurance. We are considered the pests of the world. Like we only want to bum off the system. We are the good-for-nothings of society! Now that I am also in that category it is very difficult not to look at the staff with disgust.

I am one of those patients who fall in between the cracks. I am not chronic enough to warrant in-house treatment and because of my theocratic training I considered too coherent to actually need psychiatric treatment.

When I first loss my medical I did all the required applications and went to all the so called companies that give medication assistance. All to find out that I do not qualify due to my unemployment money is too much. The psychiatric hospital which is walking distance to my house told me that unless I was either suicidal or a danger to others they could not help me!

[Brother_Bliss]

The medical system is totally wacked. With the economy being what it is and my income sliced in half, I had to stop paying my insurance. This happened early in 2008. About mid 2008 I tried to file with the state to get them to pick up my kids, but they would not accept my profit and loss statements for the current year but insisted on using the tax return for the previous year, where I had made a killing. It was not fair at all.

So for the rest of the year I paid top dollar even though I could not afford it, and finally this last year with a sour tax return would they accept them. Even then, they tried to give me a hard time, trying to say that the business gross income was my gross income, ignoring the fact that the business pays for materials and employees and a zillion other things before I can even draw a cent. It was frustrating.

I wouldn't have thought they look at the uninsured as pests. I did think that they looked at the insured as FREE money though, cause the medical community abuses insurance and what they charge for services to a ridiculous degree.

[Keepitpleasant]

You hit it right on the head. I went to my psychiatrist once a month and to my therapist 3 times a week. At a co-payment of $15 per visit that worked out to $195 per month for my mental health. Now each doctor wants me to pay $50 per visit which is why I am unable to go to any of them. Can you imagine being on 8 medications? I was on everything... cholesterol, blood pressure, anxiety and depression! Now I cannot even afford to go to the doctor let alone afford the medication. I was burnt out! At 40 I had a cardiologist, therapist, psychiatrist, chiropractor, and psychologist on top of my regular doctor. Can you imagine all of whom I would see at least every other week!

[Brother_Bliss]

Man is that pretty scary.

My mom is worse off than you. She is the epitome of an unhealthy person. She breaks bones and suffers from several chronic illnesses. So when my dad wanted to retire, he did not see how he could. The union would carry his insurance until medicaid picked him up at 65. But then only carry my mom for another 3 years which would put her at 62, leaving a 3 year gap until she got on medicaid at 65. My dad figures he'll go broke in a week when that happens.

So he kept working another year, until this recession started affecting his job. The union accepted a $2 an hour pay cut, and stopped paying into his pension for the next 3 years, meaning that now he is working for nothing. It looks to him that the company may come crashing down, so he decided to get out while he can and not risk losing everything.

In regards to 5 years from now, he is either hoping the new system will be here, or at least a better system for health care put in place. But he wanted to stop worrying about tomorrow and live for today and seek first the kingdom as jesus said (matt 6:33).

[gloreeoreo]

with so many in this country without insurance, i would think that the medical field aren't really thinking of those as pests these days...altho of course i could be wrong.

i don't think it works for real bad depression, but i know many who have a milder depression and they take St. John's Wart...it is pretty inexpensive too.

texas seems to have some program for kids' insurance that is either really inexpensive or free...i know alot of friends have that.

we had to give our insurance up a few yrs ago when it costs over $600 for just my husband and me, and that was with a $5000 deductible!

yep, this system is a mess!

[albeniuk]

move to canada, it is free,

just remember, when you get a pay cheque from an employer, 50% goe to canada customs and revenue agency.

but all health care is free! MEDS to !

[Keepitpleasant]

When my husband died everyone assumed that I must be able to draw on his pension but I was only 35! Even if I could I always made more money then he did so his pension would have been minimal at best!

[Brother_Bliss]

yep, this system is a mess!

And that is why it has got to go! Come on new system!!

Last year I took overdoses of vitamin D and was exercising and eating right, none of which I am doing this year. They say seasonal affective depression is related to a lack of light causing a lack of vitamin D produced naturally by the body. Last year we had a terrible winter but I was not so bad.

This year we have had a light winter, but I have been a mess. But I have been having to face some issues this year that I have been able to keep somewhat boxed up over the last 16 years regarding my lost adopted daughter, and it has been killing me inside.

I should get back to that thread, actually.

[albeniuk]

yep, this system is a mess!

And that is why it has got to go! Come on new system!!

Last year I took overdoses of vitamin D and was exercising and eating right, none of which I am doing this year. They say seasonal affective depression is related to a lack of light causing a lack of vitamin D produced naturally by the body. Last year we had a terrible winter but I was not so bad.

This year we have had a light winter, but I have been a mess. But I have been having to face some issues this year that I have been able to keep somewhat boxed up over the last 16 years regarding my lost adopted daughter, and it has been killing me inside.

I should get back to that thread, actually.

need help tracking her movements?

friends of friends of russian friends, they find anyone, alive or dead.

[Brother_Bliss]

need help tracking her movements?

friends of friends of russian friends, they find anyone, alive or dead.

Let me exhaust all legal options first :-)

[Lela]

Hey Kim,

I wanted to let you know that I have been thinking about you. I will be praying for you . I know times are really hard.. I dont have insurance either. It is really hard when I get sick and cant go to the doc. The new system is almost here and we wont have to worry baout it no more. But until then. Stay focused on Jehovah and pour your heart out to him.. I will be thinking about you still and praying.. Love you sis...((((((((GREAT BIG HUGS))))))

[Keepitpleasant]

Hey Kim,

I wanted to let you know that I have been thinking about you. I will be praying for you . I know times are really hard.. I dont have insurance either. It is really hard when I get sick and cant go to the doc. The new system is almost here and we wont have to worry baout it no more. But until then. Stay focused on Jehovah and pour your heart out to him.. I will be thinking about you still and praying.. Love you sis...((((((((GREAT BIG HUGS))))))

Thanks Lela! Love you too!

[aPeacefulButterfly]

Sorry I"m just getting a chance to write, Kim. I just wanted you to know that I love you and am praying for you. I am a Nurse and anytime I got a patient with no insurance...I treated thiem with respect. I gave them enough samples to last them until their next visit when I would give them another supply. I remember when a hospital I worked at decided to have a VIP program for people with insurance and they were to get special priviledges. I was infuriated!!!!! And I refused to treat them any differently that the peopl without insurance...actually, my rebellous self, treated the ones without insurance even better!!!!

I am now in the same shape and do not have insurance...but I have a wonderful MD. I take very few meds, but he always write for generic and gives me twice as much per month so they last me longer. Then he told me to get them filled at Walmart as they have the $4 Rx plan on Generics. I LOVE MY DR. WENTZ!!!

Your MD and his Nurse may not tell you this but most of the Pharaceutical Companies have a Patient Assistance Program. Ask your MD to sign you up for it. It takes a little time for the nurses as they have to fill out the paperwork and call the company to get you approved, but then you are approved for a year. They send you 3 months at a time for the year and then you just refile again. There is a website, but I can't rmemebr the name of it that lets you fill out the paperwork one time and then you can send it top all the pharmacies for the meds you are on at one time. Maybe do a google search for "Pharaceutical Companies Patient Assistance Program" and see what you come up with. I do remember that the word HEART wasi n the name of the program.

I hope this helps you all.

[Keepitpleasant]

Thanks LaRhonda! I am aware of the free samples program. The doctor I used to have would give me how much I wanted. Now that I am uninsured however I cannot afford to go to him which is why I have to wait until February 18 to see my new doctor. I had to wait a month! I was already having the dizziness from my pressure being to high and the pains in my legs from my cholesterol being up but now it's only 10 days away so I am praying that I hold out until then. I was supposed to be taking my pressure morning and evening so that they could have an accurate gauge as to how it fluctuates but I have been so depressed I forgot until just now. I will take it now and start tomorrow so that they can at least have a 9 day reading.

I will do as you suggested and see what comes up when I google pharmacy aid. It is so sad but there isn't a walmart by me that I can get via public transportation so the $4 plan does me no good.

[aPeacefulButterfly]

Well...thats just stinks, Kim....I thought Walmarts were everywhere!!!! If you can find the PAP, you can call you MD and explain that you cant afford to come visit him and he should just write you an RX especially the BP and Cholesterol ones and let you pick them up because you will need them to send in with your PAP. If he won't do it....fire his butt. He isnt a good doctor if he won't do that for you!

[Keepitpleasant]

He did write a Rx for me to get the blood work however I have not received the results. I am assuming since I did not get a phone call that it could not be too bad. They are very busy though but we shall see. Jehovah is keeping me alive so far so I am trying hard not to stress out. Stress landed me into the hospital about 3 years ago so I know the danger of stressing out. It is just another reason this system must go!

[aPeacefulButterfly]

Eat LOTS of garlic...it is good for your BP, but bad for you if you're looking for a man...unless you want an Italian...hahahahaha!!!!!!