embarrassing Y2K moment regarding meds

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I get a prescription from my GP for thyroid medicine at the rate of one a day. (He probably thinks I might quit coming in for three-month checkups if he gives me more.) I went to my ear doctor and asked for a scrip and without questioning me he gave me a scrip for 100, with two refills. Hooray! I'm set for a year! But I got greedy. I had already gotten the original and one refill (at a different pharmacy than the one where I get my regular prescription filled), and figured I'd try to get the last one today. I let my huband do it so he can play dumb if there's a problem. Good idea. The clerk said "She already got 100 pills just ten days ago, and she got all we had. She should have 90 left." They did have ten pills, which she offered to "loan" me if it was an emergency, like, if I had lost my other bottle. (Apparently she failed to notice that I had gotten 200 pills within the past month.) They will get more pills in Sunday. He told her he would just wait until Sunday. Oops.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), September 02, 1999

Answers

How and why is the clerk keeping up with your thyroid medicine? You need to go to a way different pharmacy for more stockpiling.

Did you happen to notice the sky on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday? LOTS of comtrails! I'm not one to believe all that but then the ERs over here were full of people with severe headaches. Then that thing at Fort Campbell.

Stranger and Stranger!

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), September 03, 1999.


It was a Kroger (the cheapest place we've found for medicine), and of course they had me in their computer. Once I get that last bottle of 100, I'm done stockpiling thyroid medicine.

Just went out to check the sky (11:30 a.m. ) and either there are lots of very unusual clouds, or jet trails that have had time to spread out. Hmmm. Do you work at a hospital?

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), September 03, 1999.


I am on synthroid and I have researched the medicine and discovered that synthroid will stay in your system for three or four days after your last dosage. I confirmed this by taking half of my regular daily dosage two weeks before my check up blood test at the Dr. My thryroid blood work showed normal levels of syntroid in my system. So I know that I can safely take half of my prescribed dosage if I my supply gets low. I too, have over a year supply put away. I was surprised to learn that I could slip into a coma and just fade away without my synthroid. My doctor did not tell me that! I asked him and he said yes but I would have had medical attention long before that occured and it was very rare for a person to die from coma that way unless the person was cut off from any medical help at all. Made me feel so much better knowing that!

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), September 03, 1999.

No I'm a paramedic in Louisville and live in Lyndon.Is this the same Pearlie from awhile back or am I confused? I worked all night and now can't sleep but have the weekend of to catch up.

I don't buy into all that comtrail stuff- yet! But earlier in the week it was real active overhead and my wife was working in Corydon and saw the same. It was declared an ozone action day but it was clear as a bell and low temps. Then at work several ERs had several people complaining of severe headaches

To let you know how it might turn out around here quote from higher ups last night "I just hope that y2k computer bug doesn't spread to all the computers like a virus or something. If it does that then we're in real trouble."

I'm going to Sams today and buy some more stuff!

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), September 03, 1999.


Pearlie:

I feel sorry for you, Old Git and all others who need medications.

This must be very stressful.

I hope everyone can get adequate medications from GI doctors.

The main problem I perceive is that the computers retain the dosage histories, and the insurance/HMO offices control the flow.

I am thankful to God that He has blessed many with good health.

They will be in positions to help those who require medical assistance.

May all be blessed with natural healing.

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), September 03, 1999.



Yes Johnny, I'm the same Pearlie who corresponded with you before. Just couldn't remember what you do for a living.

Randolph: I wouldn't have been allowed to stock up on my medicine if I was asking the insurance company to pay for it. They pay for my regular prescription, but the stocked up meds are on me. Thank goodness they aren't expensive, or a controlled substance.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), September 04, 1999.


I see more and more attention being paid to the availability of prescription medications but, as with everything else, I think it might be a bit too late to get anything done about it. By the time/if the government sounds any alarm (October?), the pharmaceutical industry will be able to say, quite honestly, that it's too late to get a sufficient supply of meds into the pipeline to take care of any stockpiling anyone wants to do. I strongly believe that the industry doesn't want to spend any time (read: money) on adjusting their delicately-balanced JIT system to accommodate extra meds and then a dearth of demand (if things work out all right). And the insurance/HMO companies are too worried about someone getting a few months ahead then having the temerity to die, leaving the additional med to go to waste and costing them money. I wish the AARP would latch on to this problem now so that there might be a chance of getting SOME extra--at least the life-sustaining meds--in the pipeline.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 04, 1999.

Yes, if you are HMO's like we mostly are, then I get the usual at one store, have several doctors, (dont tell them about each other) oh my, it is stress, I have an ulcer condition now and it is stressful enough without the government mandating whether or not I can get certain tests, if so, why, and limit on meds....I'm thankful I have a son who is an emt, and knows people at hospitals.

-- consumer (private@aol.com), September 04, 1999.

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