posted
you were being treated by a llmd who accepted medicaid than you lost your medicaid because your spouse made a little more than the minimum?
Without medicaid I can not see a Dr. We live check to check.
Ok, lets say you had a bunch of abx, mepron, minocin, amoxicillin, zithromax, flagyl, etc. Would you go ahead and continue to take?
Posts: 208 | From Greenville SC USA | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Bothrops: Ok, lets say you had a bunch of abx, mepron, minocin, amoxicillin, zithromax, flagyl, etc. Would you go ahead and continue to take?
I would. I'm kind of adventurous!! I'm sorry to hear that you lost the Medicaid. Any chance of getting it back later?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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twoangie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1636
posted
quote:Originally posted by Bothrops: Ok, lets say you had a bunch of abx, mepron, minocin, amoxicillin, zithromax, flagyl, etc. Would you go ahead and continue to take?
Bothrops,
I'm sorry to be the party pooper but I'm going to say "No" you should not continue to take any of these antibiotics without the supervision of a doctor.
I think it is wonderful that you have a good sized supply of medication because that will help you out if you need to take something since the drugs will have already been paid for.
The problem is that so many of these drugs can have pretty serious side effects - including negatively affecting the function of the liver. If you take something on your own and aren't being monitored, you could cause irreversible liver damage or even death.
I don't want to paint the worst case scenario but I feel I must because if you do something that harms you without doctor supervision, while continuing to use the medication formerly provided by a doctor, you will risk that doctor's license. In this case, since your profile says you live in SC, I think I know which doctor could be put further at risk. Thus, I must say "no" you should not take any of those drugs without his consent and direction.
I'm sorry things are paycheck ot paycheck but better that than losing another doctor.
Take care,
Angie
-------------------- I surf to serve! Posts: 1993 | From Charlotte, NC, US | Registered: Sep 2001
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Carol B
Unregistered
posted
I'd go to Reno, get divorced, come home and get my medicaid back, keep my LLMD. I'm sure your spouse would understand, maybe even appreciate taking some of the financial pressure off.
Not kidding- our pastor (Lutheran) said he would annul our marriage.We were married before God, and God would understand if that's what it took for us to keep medical coverage for my medically fragile child.
Fortunately that did not need to happen when I pointed out that I would have to make the child a ward of the state -and how much was THAT going to cost them.
posted
Thanks for the replies. I guess I must be pretty selfish though cause to me my Dr's reputation means squat when comparing to my illness.
Angie, would you suffer needlessly or perhaps die to save your docs reputation? I do agree about the dangers without supervision and damage to your liver, however.
Posts: 208 | From Greenville SC USA | Registered: May 2005
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twoangie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1636
posted
quote: Angie, would you suffer needlessly or perhaps die to save your docs reputation? I do agree about the dangers without supervision and damage to your liver, however. [/QB]
Is this what you think it is about? Reputation??? That is NOT the issue. It is about patients taking their leftover drugs unsupervised and potentially coming to harm. As a Lyme patient, you understand the need for long term antibiotic treatment. However, how many in your family do? How many medical boards?
If you cause yourself irreversible damage or even death, do you understand who will come to blame? It is very likely to be the doctor who was kind and caring enough to try to help you. If you are not able to defend that doctor, to prove that the damage was your own fault, don't trust that your family or a medical board will treat that doctor with as much kindness and care as the doctor treated you.
If you were gone, how can you guarantee your family will not file a complaint with a medical board? How can you guarantee they will not file a lawsuit? How can you guarantee that doctor will be able to keep his license? What about all the hundreds of other patients who need care? What would happen to them?
You need to think past your own situation and make decisions for the best of everyone all around. Right now, you are concerned about the financial situation and planning to take leftover drugs on your own - but have you even tried to contact that doctor's office and explain your situation with them? There may be something they can do to help you. Space out your appointments, reduce costs, etc. Call them before you start taking these drugs on your own. I had very elevated liver function tests on many occasions which were important to monitor so I didn't suffer damage. I truly wish you the best of health but this is NOT something to play around with on your own.
Angie
-------------------- I surf to serve! Posts: 1993 | From Charlotte, NC, US | Registered: Sep 2001
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I agree with calling the doc and seeing if you can reschedule appointments to see the doc less frequently. Some LLMD's only require in person patient office visits every 6 months or so.
Hubby extended the time between his last appointments to a full year -- he has to take low dose meds and there was no point in making an expensive trip to the doc until he got to a certain point in his treatment plan plus we needed to save money so we could go ahead with IV meds.
I did stay in touch with the doc by fax updates and a couple of phone appointments. We also saw a PCP every 2 or 3 months as well.
The doc wrote orders for hubby to do routine blood and urine monitoring -- hubby usually did this every 3 or 4 weeks or when he was herxing and wanted to make sure that nothing major was out of line.
The doc wrote the standing orders for us to do the bloodwork when we felt it was needed (orders should say PRN). The doc got copies and so did we. If there were any problems then we contacted the doc.
The meds you have on hand are obviously ones you have taken before. You should have some idea of how those meds generally effect you.
Just use your common sense and take reasonable doses of the meds you have on hand and I really don't see a problem with that. It is your health and your choice.
Wishing you the best.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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charlie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25
posted
OK I self treated the whole way through...but I wouldn't touch flagyl without liver monitoring.
None of the stuff you named are 'controlled substances' so it's in no way illegal to possess them or use them or toss them or grind them on salads if you prefer. In fact they are all available OTC in many countries and not even illegal to import for personal use.
The only thing you could do illegal would be to sell them. (or if you're a public school student, to share them, which would earn you a suspension)
Since I'm not a doctor I won't advise you what to do, but in deference to Angie, whose pique at the whole situation I can fully understand...I'd make sure no bottles or labels pointing to where you got them existed anymore...
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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After treating this disease for so long, sometimes I feel like I know more then the doctors. Not trying to sound arrogant, it's just a feeling I get whether it's right or wrong, who knows.
I would also try and scrape up the money to buy a rife machine if you would consider using one.
Whatever you do, I wish you success.
All My Best, Scott
-------------------- BTW - I am NOT a medical professional - just speaking from MY own personal experience. Posts: 266 | From Philadelphia | Registered: May 2005
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posted
If it were me ---- I would rather treat myself then suffer needlessly. I do agree that Flagyl, Zithro & Mepron are all harmful to the liver and wouldn't take high doses unless I could be checked once in awhile.
Minocin is probably less harmful to the liver, unless taken in extremely high doses.
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