Doctors want me to just suck it up!

[MizzDeeDee]

I just developed high blood pressure in the last few months and am now going to a cardiologist. I recently started smoking again because I'm on nothing for pain and it helps very mildly with symptoms. I live in Virginia, so I can't smoke pot for pain. As it is, I'm already in pain, I'm just using something to barely hang on.

The doctors are pushing me very hard to quit, but with no solution on how to manage my pain from not only fibro, but from an autoimmune disease, and arthritis. I don't have insurance and the government denied me disability way back in 2009, so I'm in limbo.

It's not that I disagree with them. Smoking is a nasty habit, and the only reason I started back up was for pain relief. What I'm frustrated about is the nonchalant attitude that they have about my other chronic conditions. I get it, smoking is bad. You know what else is bad? Being in pain, in a constant state of anxiety, and generally feeling like poop all the time.

I just wanted to vent to people that would hopefully understand. It's easy to tell me to quit and disregard the fact that I won't be able to pay for my medications to keep me out of pain when you're not the one dealing with it.

 

[mariposa]

:-( So so sorry you're going through this, MizzDeeDee. I don't know how disability works, but can't you try again? Or is there a time period you have to wait before doing that?

I am *not* saying I agree or disagree with what I'm about to say, but I'm saying it by way of explanation of how medical people think. I did some work in a medical records department and I heard/saw notes to be put into charts. It's not necessarily that you're disregarding your pain or not caring, but a lot of times they assume that if a patient can afford cigarettes, they could afford their medication... so at that point they kind of change gears in their mind. Hard to explain, but I even heard doctors discussing that ... well, it was cigars for the patient at that time... cost more than his medication would have cost. So... well, right or wrong, that may be what you're dealing with... maybe not nonchalance.

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[1sweed]

MissDeeDee,
I understand your being upset about the way the doctors are treating you, but you must understand how they feel concerning your smoking and how that can cause you much bigger health problems. If you can not quit smoking there are filters you can stick your cigarettes in and they will reduce the amount of tar that goes into your lungs. Some are even favored to help you get over the craving for the cigarettes.

In most states there are government run health clinics through the hrsa, and you can find them in your state by doing a websearch. These clinics provide doctor care for next to nothing, by means of a sliding scale billing system that goes by your income. They also provide meds at a reduced rate. If you go to findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/search you can look by state & county or by your address. There is no need to suffer when affordable care is available, even with no insurance.

Hope this info helps you.

 

[Trellum]

MissDeeDee, I totally understand how you feel. I'm dealing with other diseases as well, and I have to go to the doctor so often. So far none of my doctors have offered me a solution; they just give me meds with tons of side effects. That's why I'm helping myself with some natural aids!

Don't worry about venting, over here we DO understand what you are going tru, plus I really relate to what you said; dealing with fibro and other health issues is tough. I hope they legalize medical marijuana over there, I live in a place where this isn't allowed. I'm spending some cash on meds, but I've stopped taking some; I'm only taking the ones I really need. Just do what 1sweed suggested, she/he really know what she/he is talking about

Best of luck!

 

[rollinloud]

I think a lot of doctors are confused with fibro cases because they can't pinpoint exactly what the problem is and treat it with a single medicine. Each person is a unique case and the treatment differs by the person's pain and body chemistry. So it sort of puts these over-educated doctors at a a loss. I am pretty much becoming my own doctor by learning about the human body on the web.

 

[MizzDeeDee]

:-( So so sorry you're going through this, MizzDeeDee. I don't know how disability works, but can't you try again? Or is there a time period you have to wait before doing that?

I am *not* saying I agree or disagree with what I'm about to say, but I'm saying it by way of explanation of how medical people think. I did some work in a medical records department and I heard/saw notes to be put into charts. It's not necessarily that you're disregarding your pain or not caring, but a lot of times they assume that if a patient can afford cigarettes, they could afford their medication... so at that point they kind of change gears in their mind. Hard to explain, but I even heard doctors discussing that ... well, it was cigars for the patient at that time... cost more than his medication would have cost. So... well, right or wrong, that may be what you're dealing with... maybe not nonchalance.

I hope you feel better soon!

I get what you're saying, but simple math would tell any doctor that the cost to medicate someone is far more expensive then buying cigarettes over the course of let's say, a month. Especially if you're not a heavy smoker, which I'm not.

If I were to just go on Cymbalta alone, it would cost me hundreds upon hundreds of dollars a month. I know this, because I was a Pharmacy Technician before I became ill. So that's maybe a $100.00, if that, for a month of cigarettes. As opposed to one medication that costs hundreds of dollars. That's of course if I only want to go on Cymbalta. There was a time where I was on 8 different medications. I was on thousands of dollars worth of medications. I had a six month supply of one medication that was $9,000. So to me, those are doctors that aren't really thinking of the full ramifications of what they're saying.

And of course, there is the addiction itself. I have and can quit cold turkey. Many people can't. They need medical assistance. That's more money on top of the other medications they need to not only survive the pain, but to quit.

I appreciate the information, I'm sure they're are doctors that feel that way, but depending on the situation, they're being very short sighted. And please understand, I want to quit, but I also don't want to suffer in a way that makes me fail to function.

Edit: As an aside, none of this would be a problem if they had medicinal marijuana where I live. They have Marinol, but good luck on getting that!

 

[MizzDeeDee]

MissDeeDee,
I understand your being upset about the way the doctors are treating you, but you must understand how they feel concerning your smoking and how that can cause you much bigger health problems. If you can not quit smoking there are filters you can stick your cigarettes in and they will reduce the amount of tar that goes into your lungs. Some are even favored to help you get over the craving for the cigarettes.

In most states there are government run health clinics through the hrsa, and you can find them in your state by doing a websearch. These clinics provide doctor care for next to nothing, by means of a sliding scale billing system that goes by your income. They also provide meds at a reduced rate. If you go to findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/search you can look by state & county or by your address. There is no need to suffer when affordable care is available, even with no insurance.

Hope this info helps you.

Thank you for the information! I have thought about using electronic cigarettes, but I'm thinking they'll be against that too. I think the nicotine will be an issue regardless because of the high blood pressure. I think it's going to be an all or nothing thing with the smoking.

I'm going to look up this information you listed on here. I have a means to get to doctors because I was approved for financial aid, it's the medications that are now an issue. Again, thank you for the information ! I really appreciate it!

 

[cinderr]

MizzDeeDee, you are right. We don't know, we haven't walked in your shoes altho I feel I've been lodged between that rock and that hard place too! Everything is doubly hard---no money, no insurance, children, denied our disability all topped off by debilitating fibro! It sucks and when you cry out, who is there to hear? When you need pain killers, who is there to supply them?
Under the best circimstances, fibro is miserable but with all that you have to deal with, it is really shitty! We must find a solution to your dilemma! This is America, you should be taken care of!
Start out by writing a letter to the president. He listens.what about astrazeneca, for people who can't afford medication? Afforadable Health Care, look into it. It starts Oct 1.