What Happened: I went to the neurologist for my typical headache appointment. I have had headaches for roughly 17 years. This is my second time seeing this particular doctor and it is within the usual two month time span seeing him. The neurologist asked if I am sleeping good and he moves uber fast in his appointments, of course (all at a $50 copay for me of course). So I said, actually I am not. He suggested, literally that fast, that I must be depressed. He then said I should try anti-depressants (again in my life I cycle this way, since chronic daily headaches can make a person depressed) and he said Cymbalta is a good way to go. I agreed because of the pain relief factor Cymbalta provides. I do no know if I am really depressed or not, who knows anymore, but this is just what happened. It really happened that fast and just that way.
The Trial Medication: This neurologist was kind enough to give me medication samples to get started on 30mg of Cymbalta for one week to start up and then build to 60mg daily, which is what I used to take a few years ago. I asked the doctor during the appointment what I should do if my insurance company (Kaiser Permanente) does not approve this medication, as they often do not do with medications. This becomes a difficulty because I start on a trial and then my insurance company gives me the runaround. The doctor said this should not be any problem with my insurance company. I told him when I took this medication a few years ago there was a problem so what alternative is there? He offered nothing and sent me packing with my trials for this and another medication.
As a Patient Now: The medication trial period is now over (March 7th was my appointment) and I have been on the phone several times with my neurologist, Kaiser Permanente and Rite Aid. No one can answer my questions about why I cannot get my prescription filled. I had this medication in the past and now I cannot seem to get it approved through this "prior authorization" mumbo jumbo. I was starting to feel a little better from the Cymbalta after a few weeks but the trials have all run out. Now I am snappy and my family does not appreciate it very much. I do not appreciate it at all. Rite Aid gave me an 800 number at Kaiser Permanente to call to "push it through" to get prior authorization on the Cymbalta with Kaiser Permanente. They told me that if enough people call then it might get this medication approved (??). I do not know what in the green earth that is supposed to mean. That sounds like getting a bill passed through congress or something, like years.
Rite Aid has been telling me along the way that there are alternatives to Cymbalta that I am approved for, like Prozac, but I prefer Cymbalta because it also relieves pain. Now I am stuck because I have paid the $50 copay and told the neurologist this would/could happen, that Kaiser likely would not cover Cymbalta and now I am flailing around trying to be my own advocate in this cycle.
Dropped and Cycling: I do not go back to the neurologist for my typical two-month span now, and they are not returning my calls. Kaiser Permanente is not interested in returning my calls either. Rite Aid has done everything they can and has been very nice about helping me. Can you believe I have been run around as a potential anti-depressant patient? Wow, I could be on anti-depressants and I have basically I would like to hire a medical advocate if such a thing exists. Doctors think a person is a nut (or love to condescend - speaking down to a person) whenever someone speaks their mind a sounds like they actually know what they are talking about. I think a person knows what is going on for themselves, no matter what young medical students are told in school or before they are doctors or how cool it is while they are doctors. Even if doctors get tired of hearing patients diagnose themselves, and I am sure they do get tired of it; I get sick and tired of getting the run around in general as a patient. I have been dropped and I am cycling.
The Trial Medication: This neurologist was kind enough to give me medication samples to get started on 30mg of Cymbalta for one week to start up and then build to 60mg daily, which is what I used to take a few years ago. I asked the doctor during the appointment what I should do if my insurance company (Kaiser Permanente) does not approve this medication, as they often do not do with medications. This becomes a difficulty because I start on a trial and then my insurance company gives me the runaround. The doctor said this should not be any problem with my insurance company. I told him when I took this medication a few years ago there was a problem so what alternative is there? He offered nothing and sent me packing with my trials for this and another medication.
As a Patient Now: The medication trial period is now over (March 7th was my appointment) and I have been on the phone several times with my neurologist, Kaiser Permanente and Rite Aid. No one can answer my questions about why I cannot get my prescription filled. I had this medication in the past and now I cannot seem to get it approved through this "prior authorization" mumbo jumbo. I was starting to feel a little better from the Cymbalta after a few weeks but the trials have all run out. Now I am snappy and my family does not appreciate it very much. I do not appreciate it at all. Rite Aid gave me an 800 number at Kaiser Permanente to call to "push it through" to get prior authorization on the Cymbalta with Kaiser Permanente. They told me that if enough people call then it might get this medication approved (??). I do not know what in the green earth that is supposed to mean. That sounds like getting a bill passed through congress or something, like years.
Rite Aid has been telling me along the way that there are alternatives to Cymbalta that I am approved for, like Prozac, but I prefer Cymbalta because it also relieves pain. Now I am stuck because I have paid the $50 copay and told the neurologist this would/could happen, that Kaiser likely would not cover Cymbalta and now I am flailing around trying to be my own advocate in this cycle.
Dropped and Cycling: I do not go back to the neurologist for my typical two-month span now, and they are not returning my calls. Kaiser Permanente is not interested in returning my calls either. Rite Aid has done everything they can and has been very nice about helping me. Can you believe I have been run around as a potential anti-depressant patient? Wow, I could be on anti-depressants and I have basically I would like to hire a medical advocate if such a thing exists. Doctors think a person is a nut (or love to condescend - speaking down to a person) whenever someone speaks their mind a sounds like they actually know what they are talking about. I think a person knows what is going on for themselves, no matter what young medical students are told in school or before they are doctors or how cool it is while they are doctors. Even if doctors get tired of hearing patients diagnose themselves, and I am sure they do get tired of it; I get sick and tired of getting the run around in general as a patient. I have been dropped and I am cycling.
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