May is National Stroke Awareness Month!
I guess it is only appropriate because it was in May four years ago that I had my first stroke. It was in August that same year that I had my last one. Recovery has been a very long road and I'm not done yet, but I faith that one day things will get back on an even keel once again.
So how did I know I was having a stroke? I didn't. I was 29 and completely healthy. I had a migraine the previous night and was still feeling bad that day, but I had a history of migraines and thought nothing of it. My right arm starting tingling and my hand was feeling numb. My right arm and leg felt like they weighed about 20 pounds. The right side of my face felt numb. I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I was slurring my speech and felt very drowsy. I went to the hospital. The admitting nurse believed that I had a stroke and pushed me through. However, when I went to the back, the doctor didn't take me seriously. He barely touched me during his very brief examination. My pupils are two different sizes, a condition known as anisocoria. Every single doctor I have come across has questioned me about my pupils. Except this one. Because he didn't care.
My final diagnosis from this particular doctor from this particular hospital low potassium and a sinus infection.
It was nearly 48 hours later that I got the final diagnosis from my neurologist via MRI that I had indeed had a minor stroke. Over the next few months I was subjected to numerous tests to discover the reason as to why. The cause of my stroke was an un-diagnosed congenital heart condition. I had a hole in my heart that produced no murmur, no chest pain, no shortness of breath, nothing. What it did do, was allow blood clots to flow up to my brain, causing a stroke.
In August 2010, I underwent open heart surgery to correct the situation and suffered another stroke during the operation. When I woke up, I had no feeling in my right hand, parts of my face and couldn't talk. Now, four years later, I still have a loss of feeling in two of my fingers, parts of face, and I still garble my words from time to time but that is nothing compared to the phantoms pains I have in my right limbs. I now have chest pain and shortness of breath, but the causes of those remain a mystery. Good news is, I have an appointment tomorrow with my cardiologist to be reevaluated. Again.
That's my stroke story. What's yours?
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Heart of the Matter
I think I tend to hold off on updating this blog most often of all my blogs because I feel sometimes like I am just coming here to complain. But I don't want to sound like I am complaining. This is about stroke recovery. I have a wonderful life. Sure, there are things I would change if I could. I would love to be able to go back to work or at least make a living working at home. Unfortunately, my health has taken a toll on me in such a way that is just not going to happen any time soon.
I had a date in mind. On June 24 I was going to be allowed to drive again. You have to be six months seizure free before you are allowed to drive. In the state of Texas, physicians don't have to report patients to any authorities when they are experiencing seizures. However, if someone were to have an accident and it were to come out that they have a history of seizures, their license could be taken away permanently. So it's better to be safe than sorry. On April 8, my six months started all over again.
And that has been followed by two weeks of dizziness, nausea, weakness and sometimes periods of disorientation. So I have been a mess. To top it all off, about a month ago I began experiencing chest pain again. I went back in for a visit with my cardiologist. We bumped up the dosage of angina medication. But if in two weeks of taking it, it doesn't work I may have to go in for a heart catheter to look for any blockages or abnormalities that could be causing the pain. It has been one week and I have seen no change.
What bothers me the most about feeling so bad is that it cuts into the time spent with my kids. I had to quit walking them to and from school after one day when I barely it back home. That is valuable time I lost talking and playing with my children. Not to mention the fact I probably embarrassed the hell out them when I sat down on the sidewalk with my head on knees when I got so dizzy I was afraid I would collapse. I also lost several days not meeting my goal this month for my Writing 12 in 12 challenge. It's National Poetry Month and I was trying to write a poem a day, but I couldn't even look at a computer screen for more than a week.
And to my precious nephew, who had to turn four without his Aunt Lala, I am so sorry I couldn't make it to your party. I hope it was wonderful and fantastic and everything you wanted it to be. You are such a big boy and no one will ever love you like I do. I promise I will do my best to be there for every one of your milestones but sometimes I have some hurdles I have to jump over to be there. Hugs and kisses to mommy and daddy. Lala loves you.
I had a date in mind. On June 24 I was going to be allowed to drive again. You have to be six months seizure free before you are allowed to drive. In the state of Texas, physicians don't have to report patients to any authorities when they are experiencing seizures. However, if someone were to have an accident and it were to come out that they have a history of seizures, their license could be taken away permanently. So it's better to be safe than sorry. On April 8, my six months started all over again.
And that has been followed by two weeks of dizziness, nausea, weakness and sometimes periods of disorientation. So I have been a mess. To top it all off, about a month ago I began experiencing chest pain again. I went back in for a visit with my cardiologist. We bumped up the dosage of angina medication. But if in two weeks of taking it, it doesn't work I may have to go in for a heart catheter to look for any blockages or abnormalities that could be causing the pain. It has been one week and I have seen no change.
What bothers me the most about feeling so bad is that it cuts into the time spent with my kids. I had to quit walking them to and from school after one day when I barely it back home. That is valuable time I lost talking and playing with my children. Not to mention the fact I probably embarrassed the hell out them when I sat down on the sidewalk with my head on knees when I got so dizzy I was afraid I would collapse. I also lost several days not meeting my goal this month for my Writing 12 in 12 challenge. It's National Poetry Month and I was trying to write a poem a day, but I couldn't even look at a computer screen for more than a week.
And to my precious nephew, who had to turn four without his Aunt Lala, I am so sorry I couldn't make it to your party. I hope it was wonderful and fantastic and everything you wanted it to be. You are such a big boy and no one will ever love you like I do. I promise I will do my best to be there for every one of your milestones but sometimes I have some hurdles I have to jump over to be there. Hugs and kisses to mommy and daddy. Lala loves you.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Let's Get Physical
I had a frank discussion with my neurologist about my physical well being. Over the last three years, my right side has progressively gotten weaker and weaker. Because of the neuro-pathic pain (a present from my stroke) that we just haven't been able to get a handle on, I have gotten less and less active. It can now be a struggle to do my daily activities due the pain and weakness I am experiencing.
It's a vicious cycle that I haven't figured out how to break. I try to work out and go for walks. In fact I walk my daughters to school on average about three times a week. The walk is one mile round trip. Granted, after half a mile, I am already ready to call it quits, but I try and fail and try again. Thus prompted the discussion with my doctor. Something has to change. I am on lifelong medication, some of which has made me gain weight, and I need to get more active to lose the weight to keep a healthy heart and reduce the risk of another stroke.
We decided on a round of physical and occupational therapy to help my body get back to where it needs to be. I had my first appointment last Thursday. It was my evaluation day. After that, the insurance company gets to decide whether or not to continue paying for the therapy. The evaluation went well. I have lost a lot of strength in my right side as well as range of motion. Cindy, my therapist, was great. She was knowledgeable and patient. She answered all of my questions. I honestly couldn't have asked for better.We didn't get to the occupational therapy, something I will have to address at my next appointment, but I was sent home with plenty of exercises to do everyday to help build my core strength and my balance back up.
All that's left is waiting to be sure there are no hiccups with the insurance company. I spoke to them on the phone to confirm my benefits and they gave no indication that there would be any refusal for treatment. The only reason it is even on my mind is because I was asked to fill out more paperwork to send off to them. I had physical, occupational and speech therapy right after my initial stroke in August of 2010. I was 29 years old at the time. I recovered remarkably well, considering. I am also worried because my occupation is "homemaker". It wasn't a job that was important enough to fill out the JOB section of the insurance company's questionnaire. Never mind the fact that the reason I have no job is stroke related.
It's the after effects of living with a stroke that seem to have done me in. The neuro-pathic pain, the seizures, memory loss and problems with retention have led me to quit school and my job. But I can't quit the most important job I have, that of raising my three kids. They are counting on me and I can't let them down. So even though it really hurts, you'll have to excuse me. I need to go do my exercises now.
E-mail your members of Congress and ask them to stop therapy caps for Medicare patients who have had a stroke.Without therapy, vital skills could be lost.
It's a vicious cycle that I haven't figured out how to break. I try to work out and go for walks. In fact I walk my daughters to school on average about three times a week. The walk is one mile round trip. Granted, after half a mile, I am already ready to call it quits, but I try and fail and try again. Thus prompted the discussion with my doctor. Something has to change. I am on lifelong medication, some of which has made me gain weight, and I need to get more active to lose the weight to keep a healthy heart and reduce the risk of another stroke.
We decided on a round of physical and occupational therapy to help my body get back to where it needs to be. I had my first appointment last Thursday. It was my evaluation day. After that, the insurance company gets to decide whether or not to continue paying for the therapy. The evaluation went well. I have lost a lot of strength in my right side as well as range of motion. Cindy, my therapist, was great. She was knowledgeable and patient. She answered all of my questions. I honestly couldn't have asked for better.We didn't get to the occupational therapy, something I will have to address at my next appointment, but I was sent home with plenty of exercises to do everyday to help build my core strength and my balance back up.
All that's left is waiting to be sure there are no hiccups with the insurance company. I spoke to them on the phone to confirm my benefits and they gave no indication that there would be any refusal for treatment. The only reason it is even on my mind is because I was asked to fill out more paperwork to send off to them. I had physical, occupational and speech therapy right after my initial stroke in August of 2010. I was 29 years old at the time. I recovered remarkably well, considering. I am also worried because my occupation is "homemaker". It wasn't a job that was important enough to fill out the JOB section of the insurance company's questionnaire. Never mind the fact that the reason I have no job is stroke related.
It's the after effects of living with a stroke that seem to have done me in. The neuro-pathic pain, the seizures, memory loss and problems with retention have led me to quit school and my job. But I can't quit the most important job I have, that of raising my three kids. They are counting on me and I can't let them down. So even though it really hurts, you'll have to excuse me. I need to go do my exercises now.
E-mail your members of Congress and ask them to stop therapy caps for Medicare patients who have had a stroke.Without therapy, vital skills could be lost.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Baby Steps
I (finally) had my follow up appointment with my neurologist on Tuesday. My husband came with me, mostly because I am still not allowed to drive, but also as support. I like it when he tags along because he is one of my biggest advocates. He is all about helping me communicate with the doctors to try to move forward and find a solution to my problems.
As it turns out, there only three medications out there that can help with the neuro-pathic pain I have on my right side. I have tried all three. Amitriptyline I can no longer take because one of the side effects is seizures. Well, I already have those. Don't think I would like to have any more. Lyrica, the second one, is one I have taken before and complained about endlessly. I took Lyrica about two years ago when I was trying to finish my Bachelor's degree. I didn't like the initial side effects. It made me very loopy for a very long time, until I got used to it. Then it made me gain a lot of weight. My previous doctor took me off of it because he thought it was responsible for my memory problems. It wasn't. There was no change to my short term memory issues after we changed my medications around. Neurontin is the third medication for the pain. It isn't working at all. The Lyrica did it's job. When I think back on things, I remember being much more active than I am now. I was in less pain. Not pain free, but better off than I am now. I think that is a better place to be. So we decided to try the Lyrica again.
I have to go through the loopy stages, which I really hate, but I hope and pray that it will be worth it. One of the added benefits is that it is also an anti-seizure medication. So if all goes well, I may even have a reduction in the amount of seizures I have. It's hard not to get my hopes up about it, but it sure would be nice to be able to take myself to the grocery store, the library, the mall, my friends' houses, anywhere really. I even had hopes of going back to work, but I know that is probably not ever really going to happen. So I'll just keep on keeping on with the writing.
I got the courage up to submit two shorts to a competition recently. Mine weren't chosen, but it was fun writing them. I also participated in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November. I didn't make it to the desired 50,000 words in 30 days. In fact, I only wrote 6,337 but it was a lot of fun writing it. And I'm not finished, just distracted. I will complete my novel and continue on to finish my non-fiction piece as well. I am finally feeing good about things.
As it turns out, there only three medications out there that can help with the neuro-pathic pain I have on my right side. I have tried all three. Amitriptyline I can no longer take because one of the side effects is seizures. Well, I already have those. Don't think I would like to have any more. Lyrica, the second one, is one I have taken before and complained about endlessly. I took Lyrica about two years ago when I was trying to finish my Bachelor's degree. I didn't like the initial side effects. It made me very loopy for a very long time, until I got used to it. Then it made me gain a lot of weight. My previous doctor took me off of it because he thought it was responsible for my memory problems. It wasn't. There was no change to my short term memory issues after we changed my medications around. Neurontin is the third medication for the pain. It isn't working at all. The Lyrica did it's job. When I think back on things, I remember being much more active than I am now. I was in less pain. Not pain free, but better off than I am now. I think that is a better place to be. So we decided to try the Lyrica again.
I have to go through the loopy stages, which I really hate, but I hope and pray that it will be worth it. One of the added benefits is that it is also an anti-seizure medication. So if all goes well, I may even have a reduction in the amount of seizures I have. It's hard not to get my hopes up about it, but it sure would be nice to be able to take myself to the grocery store, the library, the mall, my friends' houses, anywhere really. I even had hopes of going back to work, but I know that is probably not ever really going to happen. So I'll just keep on keeping on with the writing.
I got the courage up to submit two shorts to a competition recently. Mine weren't chosen, but it was fun writing them. I also participated in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November. I didn't make it to the desired 50,000 words in 30 days. In fact, I only wrote 6,337 but it was a lot of fun writing it. And I'm not finished, just distracted. I will complete my novel and continue on to finish my non-fiction piece as well. I am finally feeing good about things.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Laura's Bad, Awful Day
Whenever I have a bad day, or even an unlucky string of them, I often think back to a Sesame Street book I remember reading when I was a child. Grover's Bad, Awful Day is a book about how things in Grover's world went from bad to worse to truly awful in the eyes of a child. I can really relate to that right now. As an adult I no longer get too bent out of shape when I spill my milk or leave my lunch at home. The things that get me down are no longer the problems of little monsters. I have adult size problems now that require more than my Mommy and a little ice cream to help me figure them out.
It has been so hard lately not to get discouraged at the lack of progress I seem to be making. If anything I feel like with every step forward I make, I take two steps back. This week alone I had a debilitating migraine, killer chest pain, nearly unbearable right pain side, and two seizures. I have had to face the facts that even if my heart is in the right place, I can't do everything on my own.
I realized that I am still just so angry. Not in a "Why me?" kind of way, but more in an "I don't understand" kind of way. I don't understand why I can't just hop back on where I left off. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do now. I don't understand how I'm supposed to fix this. I don't understand why my case is so special that no one can figure it out. I can't figure out how best to make myself understood.
The only solution to my problems has been to let go. I don't have the luxury of being too proud to accept help. It's ok to let people in and let them do things for me and for my family. They wouldn't offer if they didn't want to do it. I offer to help all the time because I truly want to be of assistance. Why should I feel so skeptical of others? I need to accept my limitations and move on. No big deal, right? (I say that, but it is still a big deal)
So maybe my bad, awful days aren't as bleak as I imagine. I have family and friends to help me through, if only I will let them. Bad days are good if for nothing else but to make the rest of the days look good by comparison.
It has been so hard lately not to get discouraged at the lack of progress I seem to be making. If anything I feel like with every step forward I make, I take two steps back. This week alone I had a debilitating migraine, killer chest pain, nearly unbearable right pain side, and two seizures. I have had to face the facts that even if my heart is in the right place, I can't do everything on my own.
I realized that I am still just so angry. Not in a "Why me?" kind of way, but more in an "I don't understand" kind of way. I don't understand why I can't just hop back on where I left off. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do now. I don't understand how I'm supposed to fix this. I don't understand why my case is so special that no one can figure it out. I can't figure out how best to make myself understood.
The only solution to my problems has been to let go. I don't have the luxury of being too proud to accept help. It's ok to let people in and let them do things for me and for my family. They wouldn't offer if they didn't want to do it. I offer to help all the time because I truly want to be of assistance. Why should I feel so skeptical of others? I need to accept my limitations and move on. No big deal, right? (I say that, but it is still a big deal)
So maybe my bad, awful days aren't as bleak as I imagine. I have family and friends to help me through, if only I will let them. Bad days are good if for nothing else but to make the rest of the days look good by comparison.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Making Plans
October 29 is World Stroke Day. I love telling people my story, but I still struggle with living with the aftermath of my stroke. Sometimes I don't know what's worse. Trying to explain myself to doctors that don't understand or being forced to explain myself to people that make me feel like I'm just giving excuses. This week has been a tough one on us. I say "us" because recovery is a family affair.
I had two of my seizure-like episodes (un-diagnosed but suspected to be a form of epilepsy) this week. After I have one, it takes me a few days to recover. I feel exhausted and drained for sometimes a week afterward. My seizures consist of periods of time in which I sort of just black out. Most of the time I remain conscious, but every once in a while I lose that time entirely. During these episodes I am unresponsive, dizzy and nauseous. After these episodes I am nauseous, I usually have a headache, I am tired and my right arm and leg hurt even more than usual. Sometimes I get angry and obstinate after these episodes with whomever is directly around me, but not always. I am not supposed to drive for six months after I have an episode. Even though they haven't been able to diagnose them as seizures, I have "periods of non-responsiveness" and am therefore not permitted to drive. I'm a liability.
This weekend I have volunteered my services for the annual Fall Festival at my children's elementary school. I felt so bad telling the PTO (of which I am a member) that I am happy to help out, but I cannot do much of anything. I need to have a job where I am sitting most of the time. I always feel like I am giving excuses when I have to say things like this. We had a hard time finding student volunteers this weekend because our Fall Festival coincided with the local high school's Homecoming Dance. And here I am saying, "Well, I'll help, but not that much." I'm in charge of tickets that day and I agreed to help with clean up. It's just the looks I get when I try to explain why I can't be on my feet all day, why I can't use my right hand, why I can't run multiple booths, why I can't carry anything too heavy... Excuses, excuses, excuses...
Next weekend we plan on taking the kids to the Renaissance Festival. My husband is so concerned about me and knows that I will do anything not to ruin my children's fun, including letting myself go through the day in pain, that he wants to rent me a wheelchair for the day. I think it's a good idea. I know that I can't go the entire day walking around without having to be flat on my back for the entire next week because of the pain it will cause in my right leg. My medication isn't working, something I need to call my neurologist about. Again. I don't know why she's so stuck on me taking Neurontin, but that's a different story. It has me wondering now if I can persuade my doctors to help me get a permanent wheelchair. We already know that I end up being housebound because I can't walk due to pain. I avoid day-long activities and outings because of it; have for three years now. I have even turned invitations down because of the physical exertion that it would take just to go out. To us it makes perfect sense, but I don't know that it will make sense to the medical community. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. And it's not like I would take advantage of it. I would only need it so we could do all day outings like museums, fairs, festivals, concerts and such.
Stroke recovery is a never ending process. It has been quite a journey trying to find the right doctors, haggle with insurance and fight for my patient rights. It upsets me that I still have to deal with stares and ugly looks from perfect strangers when I park in a Handicap space. But I have finally found my voice. It took a stroke, but I feel I finally know who I am. Deal with it.
I had two of my seizure-like episodes (un-diagnosed but suspected to be a form of epilepsy) this week. After I have one, it takes me a few days to recover. I feel exhausted and drained for sometimes a week afterward. My seizures consist of periods of time in which I sort of just black out. Most of the time I remain conscious, but every once in a while I lose that time entirely. During these episodes I am unresponsive, dizzy and nauseous. After these episodes I am nauseous, I usually have a headache, I am tired and my right arm and leg hurt even more than usual. Sometimes I get angry and obstinate after these episodes with whomever is directly around me, but not always. I am not supposed to drive for six months after I have an episode. Even though they haven't been able to diagnose them as seizures, I have "periods of non-responsiveness" and am therefore not permitted to drive. I'm a liability.
This weekend I have volunteered my services for the annual Fall Festival at my children's elementary school. I felt so bad telling the PTO (of which I am a member) that I am happy to help out, but I cannot do much of anything. I need to have a job where I am sitting most of the time. I always feel like I am giving excuses when I have to say things like this. We had a hard time finding student volunteers this weekend because our Fall Festival coincided with the local high school's Homecoming Dance. And here I am saying, "Well, I'll help, but not that much." I'm in charge of tickets that day and I agreed to help with clean up. It's just the looks I get when I try to explain why I can't be on my feet all day, why I can't use my right hand, why I can't run multiple booths, why I can't carry anything too heavy... Excuses, excuses, excuses...
Next weekend we plan on taking the kids to the Renaissance Festival. My husband is so concerned about me and knows that I will do anything not to ruin my children's fun, including letting myself go through the day in pain, that he wants to rent me a wheelchair for the day. I think it's a good idea. I know that I can't go the entire day walking around without having to be flat on my back for the entire next week because of the pain it will cause in my right leg. My medication isn't working, something I need to call my neurologist about. Again. I don't know why she's so stuck on me taking Neurontin, but that's a different story. It has me wondering now if I can persuade my doctors to help me get a permanent wheelchair. We already know that I end up being housebound because I can't walk due to pain. I avoid day-long activities and outings because of it; have for three years now. I have even turned invitations down because of the physical exertion that it would take just to go out. To us it makes perfect sense, but I don't know that it will make sense to the medical community. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. And it's not like I would take advantage of it. I would only need it so we could do all day outings like museums, fairs, festivals, concerts and such.
Stroke recovery is a never ending process. It has been quite a journey trying to find the right doctors, haggle with insurance and fight for my patient rights. It upsets me that I still have to deal with stares and ugly looks from perfect strangers when I park in a Handicap space. But I have finally found my voice. It took a stroke, but I feel I finally know who I am. Deal with it.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Bad Medicine (One Week and Counting...)
It is no secret that I have been a big proponent of Botox for migraines. It was the only thing that helped me control my migraines when they got so bad that I was suffering from them on an almost daily basis. Unfortunately, I only received one round of Botox for migraines before my insurance lapsed due to a job change. I am currently awaiting approval for the treatment to restart under our current insurance plan; but let me tell you a little story about what happens when your insurance company takes the liberty to charge you for a treatment you never received.
In June of 2012 I received my first Botox treatment and it was meant to be re-administered every three months. Late August of 2012 I called the doctor's office and requested the reorder. I knew at the time that my husband would be changing jobs and that our insurance would be lapsing on October 15. I informed the doctor's office of this. I called the office every week through mid October to inquire about the Botox order and was told that it had either not yet been ordered or had not approved by the insurance company. By the last conversation, I told them it was too late and the order would have to be cancelled.
Many months later I began to get bills from Optum Rx (previously Prescription Solutions) for $105. I had never used Optum Rx, so I never opened most of the letters I got from this company. I didn't know at the time that they were previously Prescription Solutions. By the time I opened the letters, the debt was in internal collections. Well, unfortunately for me, my new insurance company, in their infinite wisdom, has chosen Optum Rx as their mail order provider for all my convenient prescription needs. And now Optum Rx has placed a hold on my account because of this $105 debt.
I called Optum Rx and very clearly stated that I am NOT validating this debt, but I am inquiring to find out what it is about. Guess what? It was about the Botox treatment I never received. Say what? I told the lady on the phone the whole story, but she could have cared less because, after all, she has a designated script to stick to. She has to get me off the phone to get to the next caller. She said because the Botox was under my name and was shipped to my doctor, it was my responsibility. End of story.
Two Problems with that:
1) I cancelled the order.
2) Prescription Solutions had a policy that they had to have my verbal permission to act on my behalf in order to ship a controlled substance. How do I know this? Because I had already been through the procedure once before. AND because they called me exactly one time to try to get my permission for said shipment. I missed the call and it had gone to my voice mail. That prompted me to call my doctor's office to reiterate that I no longer had insurance and to cancel the order. Why do I remember this? Because I went off on them about having had two months to do their job and having done it very poorly.
The Optum Rx lady suggested I call the doctor's office clear up my debt but that the hold on my account would still stand. So I told her that I would never choose by my own free will to ever use Optum Rx as a mail order prescription company. I hate mail order services and much prefer my local Walgreens. Yeah, I said that.
So I called the doctor's office and they called me back the next day. She was very nice and genuinely sounded concerned, especially after I told her the story about they had dropped the ball and that I was now seeing someone else (it not me, it's you). She read my file notes to me. According to what the insurance company told them, they tried to contact me multiple times and due to nonpayment from the patient (me), they were unable to ship the Botox.
What?!?! Hold the phone.
If you consider calling me once and leaving me one voice mail, contacting me multiple times, then yes, you contacted me multiple times. In June of 2012, when I had my first Botox treatment, I paid for it happily. Of course, I also recall giving the company handling this controlled substance my verbal permission to act on my behalf. It was procedure because the FDA regulates Botox shipments. I also remember Optum Rx (then Prescription Solutions) leaving me that one message seeking my permission to ship the Botox. They never got my permission to ship anything. It may have my name on it and may have been shipped to my doctor, but I never gave them my permission. So it is really my responsibility? And here's the kicker.
Wait for it...
My doctor's office never received a shipment of Botox with my name on it. What they did receive were a bunch of nasty notes from Optum Rx saying that I am a patient that refuses to pay for services.
Services Optum Rx claims to have rendered. Services I never received. Services my doctor's office can prove they never provided me. Not to mention a now missing box of Botox. I bet the FDA would love to hear that.
So to update my little story, Optum Rx requested my contact information on Friday, October 4, 2013 for customer service to be able to reach me. They haven't reached me yet... I'll let you know how it goes when they do. Till then, I'll keep posting Bad Medicine if you'll keep sharing it because as a stroke patient, I know how important it is to keep to my medication supply in stock.
In June of 2012 I received my first Botox treatment and it was meant to be re-administered every three months. Late August of 2012 I called the doctor's office and requested the reorder. I knew at the time that my husband would be changing jobs and that our insurance would be lapsing on October 15. I informed the doctor's office of this. I called the office every week through mid October to inquire about the Botox order and was told that it had either not yet been ordered or had not approved by the insurance company. By the last conversation, I told them it was too late and the order would have to be cancelled.
Many months later I began to get bills from Optum Rx (previously Prescription Solutions) for $105. I had never used Optum Rx, so I never opened most of the letters I got from this company. I didn't know at the time that they were previously Prescription Solutions. By the time I opened the letters, the debt was in internal collections. Well, unfortunately for me, my new insurance company, in their infinite wisdom, has chosen Optum Rx as their mail order provider for all my convenient prescription needs. And now Optum Rx has placed a hold on my account because of this $105 debt.
I called Optum Rx and very clearly stated that I am NOT validating this debt, but I am inquiring to find out what it is about. Guess what? It was about the Botox treatment I never received. Say what? I told the lady on the phone the whole story, but she could have cared less because, after all, she has a designated script to stick to. She has to get me off the phone to get to the next caller. She said because the Botox was under my name and was shipped to my doctor, it was my responsibility. End of story.
Two Problems with that:
1) I cancelled the order.
2) Prescription Solutions had a policy that they had to have my verbal permission to act on my behalf in order to ship a controlled substance. How do I know this? Because I had already been through the procedure once before. AND because they called me exactly one time to try to get my permission for said shipment. I missed the call and it had gone to my voice mail. That prompted me to call my doctor's office to reiterate that I no longer had insurance and to cancel the order. Why do I remember this? Because I went off on them about having had two months to do their job and having done it very poorly.
The Optum Rx lady suggested I call the doctor's office clear up my debt but that the hold on my account would still stand. So I told her that I would never choose by my own free will to ever use Optum Rx as a mail order prescription company. I hate mail order services and much prefer my local Walgreens. Yeah, I said that.
So I called the doctor's office and they called me back the next day. She was very nice and genuinely sounded concerned, especially after I told her the story about they had dropped the ball and that I was now seeing someone else (it not me, it's you). She read my file notes to me. According to what the insurance company told them, they tried to contact me multiple times and due to nonpayment from the patient (me), they were unable to ship the Botox.
What?!?! Hold the phone.
If you consider calling me once and leaving me one voice mail, contacting me multiple times, then yes, you contacted me multiple times. In June of 2012, when I had my first Botox treatment, I paid for it happily. Of course, I also recall giving the company handling this controlled substance my verbal permission to act on my behalf. It was procedure because the FDA regulates Botox shipments. I also remember Optum Rx (then Prescription Solutions) leaving me that one message seeking my permission to ship the Botox. They never got my permission to ship anything. It may have my name on it and may have been shipped to my doctor, but I never gave them my permission. So it is really my responsibility? And here's the kicker.
Wait for it...
My doctor's office never received a shipment of Botox with my name on it. What they did receive were a bunch of nasty notes from Optum Rx saying that I am a patient that refuses to pay for services.
Services Optum Rx claims to have rendered. Services I never received. Services my doctor's office can prove they never provided me. Not to mention a now missing box of Botox. I bet the FDA would love to hear that.
So to update my little story, Optum Rx requested my contact information on Friday, October 4, 2013 for customer service to be able to reach me. They haven't reached me yet... I'll let you know how it goes when they do. Till then, I'll keep posting Bad Medicine if you'll keep sharing it because as a stroke patient, I know how important it is to keep to my medication supply in stock.
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