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Tag Archives: Gleevec

365 Day Photo Challenge 203/365 “Health Insurance; Love it/Hate it”

21 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Photography

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

365 Day Photo Challenge, Cancer, CML, Copay, CPAP, Deductible, Drugs, Gleevec, health, Insurance, Medications, Photography

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Health Insurance can be a love/hate relationship.  I am fortunate to work for an insurance company and I get my insurance at a discounted rate but it’s still very expensive. I still have copays and I still have deductibles that I have to meet before the insurance will pick up.  I fill sorry for those that have to fork out thousands of dollars each year for insurance.

Today I had to go pick up my new CPAP machine.  When the lady called me to tell me that I now qualified for a new machine I asked her how much I owed.  She checked her computer and said that my deductible had not been met and that my payment would be around $500.00.  I don’t have $500.00 to spend right now and told her that.

I have CML, a rare form of Leukemia.  My medication is very expensive.  It averages out to be around $600.00/pill.  I take one pill a day and my prescription is for a thirty day supply.  My insurance out-of-pocket yearly deductible is $2500.00 and my prescription costs $18,000.00 a month.  That means that I would have to pay $2500.00 for the first month and the insurance company would pay the remainder.  But first, and the most important thing is that I would have to come up with $2500.00 before I could get my first prescription.  Pocket change, right?  Not for me.  Who has $2500 just laying around?  Again, not me.

A little known fact is that some drug companies want you to take their drug.  So much so that they are willing to pay you to take it.  I am very fortunate to be on such a drug.  Gleevec is the manufacture of the drug that I’m on and they offer a financial assistance program to those that can’t afford the ridiculous prices of the medications. I first read about this on their website once I found out that I would be taking the drug.  At first I thought that it was only for those that didn’t have insurance but thankfully I was wrong.  I called them up and they paid all but $100.00 of the $2500.00 of my out-of-pocket deductible.  Wonderful news!!  I pay the pharmacy $100.00 at the beginning of the year and Gleevec pays the rest and I don’t pay a dime the rest of the year for this drug. That’s not the only good news that came out of this.  Remember the CPAP?  It seems that my CPAP was covered under the same plan.  Being that my deductible was indeed met I walked out with a new CPAP and a new mask for $00.00.

“Life Goes On!”

Bumps In The Road

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Blurred Vision, CML, Diabeties, eyes, Gleevec, Lukemia, neuropathy

It’s been way too long since I’ve posted anything. I’m still here and I’m still alive. As I’ve written before, I’ve been diagnosed with CML, Chronic Myloid Lukemia. I was on Gleevec for over a month when I started noticing my vision starting to get blurry. I thought my sugar was high or my blood pressure was up. My blood sugar was a little high but has been much worse and my blood pressure was normal. Over a period of two weeks my vision got so bad I couldn’t see the keys on my keyboard.  I looked up the side effects for Gleevec and there it was. Blurred vision was one of the side effects.   I called my oncologist and discussed it over the phone. He set me up to see an ophthalmologmists. I saw him and he sent me to a retina specialist.  All this to be diagnosed with peripheral diebetic neuropathy. The big question is what caused it?  Was it the diabetes?  Was it the Gleevec?  Or, was it the CML? 

I went to see Dr. Albert, the retina specialist and he gave me injections in both eyes to reduce the swelling and to stop the bleeders in my eyes. I have an appointment to go back in two weeks to start the laser treatments.  Since the injections I have noticed a small improvement in my eye sight. I have new glasses ordered so maybe I will be able to see more clearly once they come in. 

All the doctors seem to be in agreement that the CML caused the blurred vision and not the Gleevec or my diabetic condition. Although, the doctors aren’t going to rule out the diabetes as a contributing factor. All this time since the onset of my blurred vision I have been off the Gleevec for fear that it could be causing the vision issues. As of last night I started back. I feel much better about that. 

Day 30 All is Well

15 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Cancer, Cycling, Dieting, Gleevec, Leukemia, Weight

So far only minimal side effects with my Gleevec.  I feel a little fatigued but that can be related to a lot of other things such as staying up too late and the time change. i am also experiencing some bone pain in my right hip.  Again, this could be related to a number of other circumstances.  It’s not as bad today as I got a chance to ride another 20 miles this afternoon.  

I’ve got to get a hold on my dieting.  I got on my scales this morning and I’ve gained nearly all my weight back.  This is not good.  I am determined to do better.  I’ve got a meeting tomorrow at 1:30 pm so I’m planning on getting up early and doing a 20 mile loop.  That is if ‘it’s not raining.  

Day 23 Roller Coaster Ride For Sure

08 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Cancer, Cycling, Dizzy, Gleevec, Leukemia, Pharmacy

Last week was one wild emotional roller coaster ride.  The week started out trying to find out why I haven’t received my Gleevec.  To make a very long story short the nurse at the doctors office sent the script to the wrong place.  I had been told earlier that my co pay was going to be $75 for the prescription.  Well, they were wrong.  It wasn’t $75 but 75% and with my deductible being $1000 that meant that my script was going to be $1000.  One of the things that people are not aware of is that many drug manufacturers offer financial assistance. I called Gleevec and got approved for a drug card.  My script went from $1000 to $100 for the year.  Happy Dance.  I called the pharmacy and got everything ordered yesterday and the Gleevec arrived this morning.  

I got up real late this morning.  I’m on call this month and I don’t usually sleep well while on call.  When I got up my daughter told me that my meds came in and I started reading all the side effects that this med has.  It’s got a long list but hopefully I won’t have any of them.  I ate two pieces of toast with peanut butter with a glass of milk and afterwards took all my meds.  Thirty minutes later I got real dizzy so I went to the kitchen and had an early lunch.  The dizziness went away.

Later this afternoon I got the urge to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  I hopped on my bicycle and got twenty miles in.  It really felt good to be outside after having to deal with all this weird winter weather we’ve been having.  Spring time is coming to the deep south, it’s just taking it’s sweet time.

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