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What do you do when you need a medication, but the cost is more than you can really afford? Even with insurance and a prescription drug plan, this has happened to me on several occasions.
One of my many chronic medical conditions, is something called, neurocardiogenic syncope. Basically, my brain sends the wrong message to my heart, causing my blood pressure to sometimes be so low that I can black-out, and other times causing it to be so high I need to take medication. To make matters worse, I need to try not to take the blood pressure medication, because it exacerbates my asthma. And then, when I have to treat my asthma, that medication increases my blood pressure and heart rate. It's a bitter chain of symptoms and treatments, causing more symptoms, and requiring more treatments.
So...Ever since getting sick at BlogHer, with Post BlogHer Bolla, my asthma has been bothering me. But, I've been avoiding using my medication for fear of how it would affect my heart and blood pressure. At one of my many visits to my primary doctor, I was told that my asthma symptoms needed to be treated, before they became any worse. The doctor gave me a nebulizer treatment in the office, and a prescription for the same medication. The medication Xopenex is the only asthma treatment available that doesn't affect your heart. But, when I went to the pharmacy to have it filled, I found out that even with my insurance, it would cost me $65.00 (for only twelve days of treatment). I decided not to get it, and see if my symptoms cleared up on their own (even though I knew that my asthma would only continue to get worse). I convinced myself that if I had to, I would just use my Albuterol, and deal with my blood pressure possibly going up, rather than pay $65.00.
Then on Tuesday, I had one of my regular scheduled cardiology appointments. My blood pressure (at rest) was 120/100 and my heart rate was 120. The cardiologist told me I had to start the Xopenex treatment immediately, because the cough my asthma was causing, was responsible for my blood pressure and heart rate becoming too high. Things were so bad, that if my blood pressure or asthma had gotten even slightly worse, I would have needed to be hospitalized. Needless to say, I went to the pharmacy and paid for the stupid Xopenex.
As frustrated as I am over having to pay $65.00 for twelve days of medication...I know so many people have it much worse than me. Recently, I came across this article on the rising costs of prescription medications.
Cost of Prescription Medications Rising
While Americans continue to feel the effects of soaring fuel prices, there is another consumer good enjoying a "quiet" price explosion-prescription drugs. We are accustomed to slight increases each year in the price of medication, along with everything else, but during the first half of this year alone the average wholesale price of 17 brand-name drugs increased 100 percent or more in a single cost adjustment, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota. And just as concerning is the prediction that prices on 64 drugs are expected to more than double by year's end, up from just 22 drugs in 2004.
Prices For Some Drugs Skyrocket
Reasons for the larger increases are varied, researchers say."There's no simple explanation," says Stephen Schondelmeyer, director of the PRIME Institute at the University of Minnesota, which studies drug industry economics. "Some companies seem to figure no one is watching so they can get away with it."
The biggest problem with the cost of prescription medication going up, is that everything else is going up too. Many people are having to choose between buying their medications or putting food on their table. I wrote about how the economy and high gas prices are affecting health and wellness. And sadly, I don't see this problem getting any better, anytime soon.
From Working With Chronic Illness...
A study was recently published by Harvard Medical School researchers saying that
- Many U.S. adults with chronic illness are uninsured.
- Chronically ill uninsured patients are 4 times as likely to have trouble get medical care
I’m not surprised. Are you?
Just the other day, a client emailed me saying that the monthly medication she takes for multiple sclerosis, at the
