As I live and breathe

Have I mentioned that I love my doctor and his staff?! They are so good to me. When I first started seeing him I was self pay and cringed at the testing he wanted to do. Of course I had no choice. If it really was Emphysema I had I needed to know the severity so he could chart my treatment.

Shortly after I was properly diagnosed I was divorced and applied for SSI and medical assistance. I was prescribed Spiriva, Advair and Pro-air (rescue inhaler). Still with my medical coverage I was paying a fairly high co-pay for the Spiriva and Advair.

I got online and looked up the pharmaceutical companies of those drugs and found out that they have programs to help people with medications expenses.

I wanted to post the programs I used with the hopes maybe someone else could use the help.

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http://www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com


Spiriva® HandiHaler® Patient Assistance
1-800-556-8317

How can this program help?
This program helps people with no prescription coverage save on Spiriva HandiHaler. The program is managed by the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, a Pfizer partner.

What Pfizer medicines are available?
Spiriva is the only medicine available through this program.

How can I learn more?
To find out if you are eligible for this program and to get assistance in enrolling, call
1-800-556-8317.


For Advair the program is called... Bridges to Access (GlaxcoSmithKline)
P.O. Box 29038
Phoenix, Arizona 85038-9038

Their website would probably have a phone #

With both of these programs you need your doctor or nurse to be your Advocate and they will need to fax the information to these companies along with a 3 month prescription for your medication. Your medication will be delivered to the doctors office and you can pick it up there. You will need to re-apply every 3 months or have your doctor/nurse re-submit the claim and send a new prescription.

I didn't check but I assume that even the rescue inhalers would be part of these programs. If your taking a different medication find out the maker of the drugs and get online and look for programs. They ALL have them!

I get so angry when I hear people say they can't afford their medications. All pharmaceutical companies offer these programs. There are guidelines you need to meet as far as income, but even then they offer assistance. Put your doctor and staff to work for you. They even can supply you with samples until the programs can get started.

Anyway, I just can't say enough about my doctor. I really am very lucky. Even my primary care doctor is a doll. It sure does make it easy to trust them and talk to them about the issues I am having. I hear so many people say they don't have much faith in their doctors and I think that is terrible.

Neither one has come out and told me I need to lose weight, but I know it will make me breath easier. I started Weight Watchers and had lost 5.8 pounds. I went this morning to weight in and had gained 1.6 pounds... so I am back to losing only 4.2 pounds.
I hate that I gained weight this week, but wasn't too surprised. I need to keep track of what I am eating better... and watch the portion size.

I don't mind losing weight slowly. I am trying to do my best to cook healthier and be more conscience of what kind of food we buy. Bill is borderline diabetic and we both are right there on the verge of hyper-tension so we really have to do a better job of watching what we are doing. Easier said than done.

I think I have (realistically) about 50 pounds to lose. Wouldn't it be nice if by this time next year I will have met my goal?!! :)