and to hell with sick people who actually NEED treatments...if they happen to be poor. Like me.
As I diaried previously, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes on March 31 this year. I just made a trip to the Endocrinologist, and they were speculating it might be Type 1 - because I have another autoimmune disorder, Vitiligo.
For those who do not know what Vitiligo is...basically, you could say it is the Michael Jackson disease. It is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the melanin-producing cells in your skin, causing patches of skin that will not tan.
For white folks, this is generally not a huge problem, but I also tan heavily, and it becomes quite visible, especially on my right hand. For African-Americans, as you might well imagine, this condition is considerably worse...especially if the patches occur on the face. This is what was happening to Michael Jackson, and why he was getting his skin bleached. But I digress.
Anyway, they hooked me up with a meter and now have me testing four times a day: in the morning, before lunch, before dinner, and at bedtime. They also sent me home with a Lantus pen - and told me if my morning bloodsugars are below 180, then I do not need the Lantus.
My morning bloodsugars have been running in a range of 120-135, so no need for the Lantus (but they don't have these numbers yet at the endo's office) - and they called in the script for the Lantus pens...and when I went to pick them up, I got the shock of my life!!
THEY WANTED OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR FIVE LANTUS PENS!!
That is insane! Beyond insane!! It ought to be CRIMINAL!! Needless to say, I refused the prescription. And of course, the doctor would view this as "non-compliance with treatment." I want to be clear here that my ONLY reason for potential non-compliance would be AFFORDABILITY.
Who the hell can afford three hundred bucks like that? Especially in my case, where it's gonna sit in the fridge and not get used? Admittedly, once I meet the deductible on my drug plan (Humana-Walmart) then it would be less, but still a WHOPPING COST...for a drug which would prevent a manageable condition from becoming a large, unmanageable and expensive condition!
I am beginning to think they WANT diabetics like me to just die if we are unfortunate enough to be poor! I am seriously thinnking about starting a GoFundMe page just to afford my fucking insulin! I own my own medical billing and coding company, andhave all of ONE CLIENT. I am desperately trying to find more, but have not been able to. As it is now, I can BARELY afford my lot rent and MOBILE HOME mortgage payment evry month. I'm POOR. So not all business owners are rich and swimming in cash, folks!
I tried to find out if there was a generic for Lantus...and THAT is when I discovered it REALLY IS all about the money for Big Pharma...and to hell with the poor sick people who need the medications! Eli Lilly tried to come out with a generic AND WAS SUED BY SANOFI, the French pharma that currently holds the patent on Lantus (which expires in 2015 incidentally) Lilly had NO PLANS to introduce the generic until the patent expired, but Sanofi sued, and triggered an automatic 30-month delay for FDA approval for the generic.
So there 30 more months people who need this stuff will be forced to pay through the nose...do without and become gravely ill or even die...or ration their insulin...taking less than the full amount recommended...to keep bloodsugar under control.
Diabetes is one of the biggest killers in America, and I am beginning to understand WHY!! The people who have it often can't AFFORD to properly care for themselves, and thus a MANAGEABLE CONDITION....becomes a large expensive and life-threatening condition instead. And it ought to be CRIMINAL.
I view it as, quitre literally, an attempt on my LIFE. I called my Endo, and asked what help was available...they are supposed to get back to me. They are NOT a member of the 340B program, so no help there, I already searched the database on this.
It would even help if one was able to get ONE PEN AT A TIME...instead of in a pack of five...so that at least you don't get hit with a whopping bill all at once like that!
Surely, there must be other diabetics on this list who might be able to point me in the direction of some resources I do not know about!! The one client I have is a nephrologist...so I know ALL TOO WELL what happens to diabetics who do not take care of themselves, and I am terrified of going down that path myself. But with the expense being what it is...I have no choice. Except to hurry up and die.
Welcome to America. Oh, and Happy irthday, too...I turn 44 in two days.
Oh...and my lunchtime blood sugar is 100.
Incidentally, since my diagnosis, I have, in less than 2 months, dropped 22.5 pounds - from 304.5 to 282.0 as weighed yesterday at the dietician's office. So I AM taking care of myself in terms of diet and exercise...thanks in part to one wonderful member here who shared Diabetes-friendly recipes with me! And of course, my mom, who lives in my house...and has had to re-learn cooking thanks to my diabetes.
I do not know where I'd be rght now without all the support I have gotten so far...from family, friends...and some in the Diabetes community who are also Kossacks. So I want to take this moment to thank everyone who has been helping and supporting me here. I just hope someone can come through with an answer that works for me for the Lantus...because there may come a time where I REALLY WILL need it and then what the hell do I do??
I do know there is assistance for RENAL patients available...but I am TRYING TO AVOID BECOMING A RENAL PATIENT....by managing my Diabetes correctly in the first place!! As I mentioned, I work for a Nephrologist. I have SEEN...and know ALL TOO WELL....what can happen to Diabetics who do not take care of themselves. Not to mention that my dad went down that path. Six years from diagnosis to grave, at the age of 51.