Any help for me???

[badolpuddytat]

My doctor has diagnosed me with peripheral neuropathy- small fiber. He has gone as far as to do the tilt table test on me. He said it was severe. I'm in constant pain!!! If you put on a sheet it feels like there's a course sand paper that is on them. My Doc has tried Amatryptoline(sp) nothing, He wanted to try Lyrica but my Insurance denied it saying they wanted neurontin instead. Problem about that was I had had spinal surgery and they put me on 100 mg of neurontin and that made me fall twice (imbalance) PLUS I was haluinating from it. My dotors told the insurance and they still DENIED it!!!! So then he put me on Topamax now I'm up to 150 mg in the am/pm doesn't seem to help. He put me on a cream compundKETA-GABA-CLON- plus capzasin NOTHING!!!! In fact the topamax he wanted to raise to 200 mg. The first couple of days I did it affected my Crohn's ( i also have Crohn's disease). My GI doc thinks the Topamax is making my Crohns disease flare up now!!!! So my neurologist suggested me to go to a Pain MNMGT specialist. I did. He looked at everything and said that he thinks that there is one last chance and it's called the neurostimulator. He said he thinks I may be a candidate for it but it is VERY expensive. It cost over 80,000 dollars. Well if this was two years ago then there wouldn't be a problem my hospitilization would have covered it all, but the one we have now I would be responsible for 20% (16,000) plus then the procedure and then the initial one. so your talking about 20,000. I lost my home because of all of my illness's. I have Crohn's, had a heart attack, pneumonia's(Plural), heart failure, two spinal surgery's, ect Am I going to be in pain the rest of my life? :(((( I only sleep for 1 1/2 hrs a night!!! I hope everyone have a GREAT HOLIDAY'S!!!!!

[mtgardner]

I am so glad your family doctor went to bat for you!  I hope the generic med works well but if not I see now you have a plan on how to get the Cymbalta.  Good!  Unrelenting pain is not ok as it can set up permanent looping pain that is unremitting.  I hope you are now able to get more sleep.  It is so important for how we manage to get through our days.  As for depression, we all have to watch out for some of that when we lose abilities and health changes and in your case you have also lost your home.  Having someone to talk to is paramount and if there is some depression the ability to acknowlege that and share it with your family doctor and get help can make a huge difference.

I am just getting medication for the first time to help with my neuropathy pain. I started out with 300 mg. of neurontin then upped it to 600.  I take it in the morning and again at night.  It doesn't seem to be enough although it feels like it is dampening down some of the neural activity.  Last night I got cramps again in my feet besides the ice pick pain and the bee sting pain and another type that is more tradtitional.  One of my toes went sideways for a while.  I think I should call the prescribing doctor and see about getting a noon dose.  I think it sometimes take a while to get the dose right.

As for the Holidays I on purpose put up decorations and lights early.  I want to enjoy the festive feeling all month long!  Happy Holidays to you.  Marie

[badolpuddytat]

Yes I already filed a complaint to the Ohio Dept but it takes 40 days!!! At least that's what it says. I went to my family doc this last thurs and told him what happened and was actually crying because of the pain and he said YOUR DEPRESSED LOL. If the insurance wants to play games we will play games. He wrote a script for Cymbalta and said tell the Pharmacy it's going through me. If there is a problem to call be for pre approval. He said that he will deal with my insurance. He said I will get the cymbalta. So I brought the cymbalta and again my insurance DENIED it again. The Pharmacy called my doc and he called my insurance. They worked out a solution. They and my family doc prescribed a generic med called citalopram that I am taking for 30 days and if it doesn't help then they will ok the Cymbalta. Actually so far the Citalopram IS helping!!!! Thank you so much for your help and asking. Have a GREAT HOLIDAYS!!!!!

[mtgardner]

There are agencies in your state where you can file a complaint against your insurance company. Here is a link.

https://secured.insurance.ohio.gov/Consumers/CnsComplaint/ComplaintOnline.aspx

You can't let them get away with this when your health is at stake. You have a lot on your plate right now and you need to at least be able to try these medications that are recommended by your doctors.  Insurance companies at times will try to get away with what they can.  I would also suggest writing an editorial in your local paper where you mention the name of your insurance company.  They need to be exposed.  Bad press often has an effect on them as well.

How are you doing now?  Any changes?  Marie

[badolpuddytat]

I forgot to add, my doctors tried to give me a prescription of CYMBALTA. So when I tried to get it filled the pharmacy said the insurance DENIED it. My doctors tried to fight with the insurance co. but again the denied it!!!!