well its been almost 4 weeks since i was last released from the hospital, figured i would give a update as well as a great place for help but ill explain later on in the message. First let me explain, the Humira my insurance had originally approved for me to try the denied after i took the first dose. So at the moment im on 500 mg sulfasalazine 12 pills a day. I found i do better if i break it down to 4 pills 3 times a day. I take a bite of food than i take the pills than i finish my food. Mayby just me but i digest the food bettar than if i take 6 pills at a time or if i take them after my meal. I have managed to taper off the prednisone and have gone from 40 mgs to 20 mgs. Hoping that in the next cpl weeks i can be off them totally. I still take the Ativan (lorazapam i think is the generic insurance wont pay for name brands) and have had my pain meds changed since release from hospital bumped from Tramadol hcl 50 mg to Hydrocodone apap 7.5-500 tamck( dont know what that stuff means but...... I have started taking a probiotic called Flora Q, i take it every other day. Im still on the prilosec otc (its actually a prescript
ion as its cheaper than if i buy it off the shelf from walmart or krogers or somewhere. Ive stopped the bloody BMs and i know it seems like alot but im down to 6 or 7 BMs a day which is good for me. I think before i started the sulfa pills i was up to 15 to 20+ BMs a day. Well the news i am excited about
is since my insurance denied the Humira i have done 3 appeals with them and since it is not approved for UC they have rejected each of the appeals even the Hospital director sent in a letter and it still got rejected. Well i was told about
a patient assistance program from a website by my doctor and i filled in all the information and sent it in. I was told that due to the fact that i had insurance it probably wouldnt be covered. I kinda got depressed becouse i felt that i was in the class of americans that i made to much money to qualify for help but i didnt make enough money to be able to pay for stuff like that myself. I have 3 kids and a wife and am the only one that works. Well tonight i got a phone call from the assistance program and they are going to get me the Humira free of charge. Im not sure if im allowed to post the web address or not (i remeber when i signed up for the forum something about
not being posting advertisements or something) so im going to post it and if it is deleted than i guess i wasnt allowed to post it :). So here is the web address
http://www.needymeds.org/ Im very excited about
it and figured i would share it with others. I know alot of people are hesitant about
( i think they are called TNF blockers ) but the website can help alot of people and im guessing that if they can help me with Humira (its very expensive) they may be able to help others. I was on remicade for a little over a year i think almost 2 years before my body built up a resistance to it. I am hopefull that Humira will work for me all the research i have found is very hopeful about
it. well didnt want to take up to much of anyones time just figured i would share my experience with the board.
heathd