RANT RANT RANT RAAAAAR

[fox]

Okay, so, preface: my problem is nothing like as problematic as the real problems people have when they're between health plans (or, god forbid, don't have insurance at all). I understand that.

But.

Days left in my current pack of birth control pills: 13. (Make that 12, she said, taking Monday's pill a few hours late -- and this isn't a thing about how it only works reliably if taken correctly, so let's not worry about going there, shall we?)

Packs of pills left after this one: 0.

Days until I will be able to see a doctor and get a new scrip: >13, that's for sure. Even >20, which is really the number we're interested in, on account of the seven green pills I wasn't bothering to count. Probably >20 from the date my coverage kicks in, which is not today, because of all the processing time.

Days until my coverage kicks in: Who knows? At least 7 to 10 business days from when they receive my form, which was sent to them last Friday, so you'd think the end of January would be a safe bet, but apparently not.

So. What I'm trying to do is get the folks at the doctor's office to supply me either with samples or with a prescription (which I'll pay for!) that will cover the gap between now and when I can see the doc for an exam and a new, real prescription. After talking to the branch, the regional membership office, the HR department here, and the state office of benefits, it appears that there is no way to make this happen.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

The doctor who prescribed your current set won't give you a month prescription?? That's bizarre. Usually they're OK with that. The insurance shouldn't even be an issue, just the "I can't get an appointment until X, which is after I run out, but I HAVE an appointment on X, so it's not like I'm going to keep asking for an extension"

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

The last time I had a prescription from a stateside doctor was ... December 2003. At that time, they did a thing where I could get the whole year's worth at the same time, because I was going abroad and wouldn't easily be able to get the refills in three-month increments. Once those were gone, I was in the UK, where they give you six months at a time for no charge, because they are sensible.

I have now been back from the UK for six and a half months, and am two weeks from the end of the last sample pack I had L send me from what she had left over after the last time she went off them. I've asked if she can hook me up with any more, but that's not always possible.

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. That makes way more sense, then.

[panjianlien.livejournal.com]

Back in the day we used to go to Planned Parenthood like all the other fornicating hoodlums who didn't want to end up pregnant fornicating hoodlums. You go, they take a look under the hood, you get cheap pills, you go home.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

...

Now THAT always drives me nuts. I mean -- yeah, I go through the same thing every year. I get a prescription for 12 pill-months, which means 28 days times 12, which DOES NOT COVER AN ENTIRE YEAR. Unless that year is made entirely out of Februaries.

*RAWRs with you*

My doctor knows, however, and usually tides me over by calling the pharmacist (but then I've had the same doctor AND pharmacist for 5 years, and they're in the same building.)

Erm, yeah. Not a very useful comment, I am sure. I just wanted to let you know that I share your frustration.

[cereta.livejournal.com]

Seconding trying Planned Parenthood or a similar organization. Is there one near you? Is calling the doctor who prescribed the last set to ask for a one-month renewal out the question?

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

Oh, hey. I thought I'd looked into Planned Parenthood a few months ago, and found Damn Few clinics in my area, making the whole thing a monstrous pain in the ass -- this being why I had my friend the pregnant daughter of an OB/GYN (so she gets her pills for free, but went off them in order to get knocked up) send me her spares. But a wire seems to have crossed somewhere, because there is a clinic near me. And open on Saturday! I'll have to give them a call, because I'm free this weekend.

For reasons enumerated above (http://darthfox.livejournal.com/692719.html?thread=2018543#t2018543), the extension-from-the-last-doc option is not really an option, here.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Planned Parenthood! Or the Whitman-Walker Clinic, although you would have to pretend to be a lesbian. They have very good Lady Care, though, and it's regardless of ability to pay. You could say the Pills are for dysmenorrhea or something.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

I actually don't think I'd have to pretend to be a lesbian to get seen at W-W. At least, I didn't when I had an HIV test there. I seem to recall the question never coming up, as if they thought (correctly) it was none of their business. ;-)

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

:) It really isn't, but I don't know, there might be a tickybox on a form or something!

Good luck, regardless.

[bayleaf.livejournal.com]

Go to any women's health clinic. For $20.00 or less you should be able to get a quick exam and a prescription.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Abstinance! Your president told you to keep your legs together!

(Or go Greek, it'd be the slasher thing to do).

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

Girl, I've been abstaining for -- well, not for longer than this president has been in office, but certainly for longer than I'm happy about. This medication has other beneficial effects for me. I've been on it for close to ten years, and I don't care to think about what will happen when I go off it. (I mean, I'll have to, someday, if I ever intend to have children, won't I. But without that motivation, I don't think I could face the cramps and other awfulness.)

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

I'm hearing you. I've had quite a few years in there when I was taking it more for the side effects (aka easier period, skin less fucked up) than the traditional purpose.

Planned Parenthood sounds like a good option.

[abka.livejournal.com]

I agree about the clinic thing. Or if that doesn't work out send me an email, I have some...uh...connections.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

Hee! I think it should work out, but if it doesn't and my own uh...connections don't work out, I'll e-mail you about yours. :-D

[wholenother.livejournal.com]

You could always come to Brazil, where I know a place where I think I could show them the used box of the most controlled of controlled substance (with no one's name on the box) and they'd give me the three replacements I asked for. Seriously. I'm stocking up on my meds by going by there every two or three weeks because I may need to make it until September! Fortunately, all I have are an inhaler and the pill, but I've heard of all sorts of goodies you can get there!