---not right now-----orthopedist(no surg for 1 1/2yr!), physical therapy(can’t afford)
---every 2 weeks----pharmacy for husband, me…
I just can’t get all our meds to be refilled together;
some are filled for 30 or 60 days, Mtx inj for 3mo, "as needed" meds vary
Insurance companies are partly to blame for when meds can be filled and when the annual appts can be made so I don’t know if I can get those rearranged.
And, of course, there are other unexpected times I need to see a dr which then adds on places like appts, xrays, more labwork. So, it seems to never end.
I want to get at least those regular appts somehow scheduled in bunches in same time periods so I can stay home in my jammies on a day if I feel like it.
So, thanks, Sam.... does anybody else have good advice about this idea?
Good Schedule, Cathy!!
I do this as well.. whenever possible..
I see RD every three months now.. with corresponding bloods done in the mid point... I schedule them for very early in the a.m. so they do not interfere with work....
My Optho is now every three months which I hope to move to every 6 once more...so that works into the same week frame as the RD.
I am not seeing anyone else on a monthly or quarterly basis right now.. but expect to have to integrate an orthopede in the short term for the unbearable shooting pain in the hips
Though they may grumble a bit at work that I miss so much time in one week... It is short lived when I explain that it works best for me and that I would miss the time in the office anyway..
I feel "geared up" for the meetings when they are consolidated
That is one of the hardest things...trying to get it all sorted out.
The buses roll at 3:15 so I can make a later appt. Most of my drs understand that I have no days to take off-I've used up all my sick days. So appt. during the day=day without pay. So, I have tons of appts right after school. This does mean that I often am an "add on" so I know I will be waiting. But I always appreciate them working with me.
Some days it is crazy. Add going to PT 3x a week for the jaw until June and it gets even crazier. I have a standing M/T/F Pt appt @4. I also need to drive to Richmond(3hrs) for the jaw rechecks. He has been great about fitting me in. I have a 4:00 there so I can at least get half a day with pay before hitting the road.
Some days are nuts: Ex: One day in May-Lung CT @8:15, 10:00 pain dr. appt, 1:00 Pulomonary Function Test, 4:00 lung dr. appt. All these places know that I am going from one place to another, so they just called to say if I was running late.
So, day off without pay-but lots accomplished! When these were being scheduled, I was really honest about my work situation.
The longer I have the RA and it compications, the more drs I get, but the more understanding they have become. I have an at least one appt. a week for the forseeable future :(
My only real advice is to be as polite as possible to the scheduling people. I'm a talker-I'll talk to a wall. So, I've actually befriended most of the nurses/schedule folks. Be honest if you have a problem that needs to be worked around. We have two major hospitals/medical systems here. I am spread between both. When the appts. are with the same one, it's much easier to schedule. The Ct/lung testing/lung dr. stuff is within the same hospital so they just had to pull up the master schedule. The pain dr.(different hospital) was happy to fit me in between after I pleaded my case.
It's crazy-no easy way around it. Then..add copays and ARRRGGHH
CathyMarie,
It's really a godsend to be "doctor-free" 48 weeks out of the year. I'll be the first to admit that "stuff happens" and it's not unusual to have to tuck an extra appointment in here and there, but if you stick to making those 4 weeks a year the goal, then it makes things tolerable.
Also, don't be afraid to tell your doctor that "every 4 months" won't work.....that it's either every 3 months or every 6 months. If you're in a good controlled mode, and not flaring, they'll usually concur when they understand you're trying to get all the docs clustered in one week.
About the meds.....I had a similar situation. I discussed this with my pharmacist and he suggested that most insurance companies will allow you to get all regular monthly meds on a "same day of the month" schedule simply by telling the insurance company that you're going on vacation and want to have all the meds before you go. This was enough in my case to get all 13 meds on the same day of the month from that time forward.
Invariably one of my drugs may have a dose change, or something might be added. Unless it's an absolute "gotta-have-today" drug, I wait until I'm ordering the batch of next month's drugs. [Example: if thyroid med is being changed from 1.0 to .88 mcg, then I'll wait until the end of the month.]
I've found, at least in my case with my drug insurance, that you can order up to at least one week before you run out of drugs. And again, if you tell them you're going on a long trip, they'll usually give you the drugs ahead of time [and from that time on you're on a uniform monthly schedule].
Thanks for your interesting replies. Sam, I never thought of the vacation angle to get my monthly meds together since I haven't been on a vacation of more than 2 days for many many years. Good suggestion.
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