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Sharing Diabetes and Supplement Information #1: Introduction, Invokana, and ACA
First post in a series…
When I started writing this post two days ago, I had intended it to be just a “quick” post.
SIGH
Well, it is turning into quite the project. And waaaaaaaaay too long for a single post. So, here is the “introduction” and the 411 on Invokana.
For those who aren’t hip to all the current jargon… “411” is what the kid’s these days call “information.”
Questions! I got Questions!
Because of a recent doctor’s visit, I have a bunch of questions. And I went online and started doing some research, trying to get answers to those questions.
After a little bit, it occurred to me that I should put the information I found into a blog post. Sort of a one-stop shop with links, where I use my searching skills to save you folks a lot of time.
I know that I’ve had a recent surge of new subscribers who found my blog because of the Diabetes information that I’ve posted.
So, if any of you folks have answers or comments based on your own experience then, please SHARE them in the comments at the end of this post.
Standard Disclaimer:
I am NOT a doctor. I am not offering medical advice. You should ALWAYS consult your doctor before making any medical decisions.
A bit of background…
I was diagnosed with diabetes in June of this year. I started taking Invokana and Janumet in mid-June and started testing my AM fasting blood sugar levels in late June.
I’m visiting my doctor once a month right now so that my doctor can keep a close watch on things not only because I’m a newly diagnosed diabetic, but because I’m “obese” (workin’ on that!) and I have high blood pressure (workin’ on that too!)
One bonus of going to see my doctor monthly is that it really helps me; just knowing that I’m going to weigh in and will have my blood pressure checked, keeps me on track. To date, I’ve lost 27-30 lbs since my heaviest weight of 333 lbs. Yay!
My weight fluctuates a little, of course. This morning I weighed 305 which gives me a 28lb loss to date. But the good news is that I’m nearing at a threshold / plateau breaker of 300 lbs. Unfortunately my body is resisting going past that hurdle. Grrrrrrrrrr
At last month’s regular visit, about four weeks ago, I had a really BIG blood work panel done when I was at my doctor’s office. That visit was the 3 month anniversary of my diabetes diagnosis; which is why she did the big blood work panel — 3 months after I had been taking the two diabetes medications.
Well, last week, at this month’s doctor visit, she gave this multi-page report that were the results from the blood work.
OMG! It was huge.
Who knew that you could discover so much about a person just from their blood! A bit overwhelming actually.
Good & Bad News in the Report
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Janumet, Invokana and Diabetic Discount Drama!
How I got Invokana
and Janumet for “Almost Free”
For those who are regular readers of my blog, I ask for your understanding. Alas, this post will be DRAMA free! Eeeeeekkkk! Aaaaaiiiieeeeee! Yes, I know, it is hard to believe that I can do a post with no drama… … well with a minimal amount of drama, but tis true. 🙂
So… about getting drugs for “almost free” …
It helps if you have insurance
Actually, it REALLY helps if you have insurance.
If you are a low income individual without insurance; or if you are a small business owner who wants to see if you can get a better deal; or if you are just curious, then head on over to Healthcare.gov and get all the information on how to use the insurance exchanges and perhaps qualify for subsidies.
It may, depending on your circumstances be possible for you to sign up even though open enrollment has closed.
Also, it MIGHT also be possible for you to get your health insurance for FREE or for you to receive substantial subsidies from the Federal Government (US Residents only) to help you pay for your health insurance.
..
Speaking from a personal point of view, without the insurance that I get thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, my life would be in mortal danger.
No drama.
No kidding.
100% truth.
If you have insurance, the insurance should pay MOST of the cost of these drugs
But every insurance policy is different; you need to check to be sure.
Using myself as an example: when I first tried to fill the prescription for these two drugs, I discovered that my copay for each drug, after the insurance was applied, was $100 (100 x 2 =$200 per month).
Eeeeeeeekkkk!! oh, oopps I said no drama. My bad. Moving on. 😉
To find out how much your copay is going to be before you go by the pharmacy, ou have to check something called a “drug formulary.”
You can usually find the Drug Formulary in a PDF file or as a searchable database on your insurance company’s website. Or you can call the customer service 800 # for your insurance company and ask for a paper copy be mailed to you.
Check the back of your
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I’ve lost SEVEN pounds! Oh! eM! Gee! Woot! Whoo Hooo!
7.5 Pounds gone since 6.19.2015!!!!!!!!!
I’m freakin’ out here! Literally I’m typing with this HUGE ear to ear smile on my face. Do you know what is like to drink your morning coffee with your lips stretched out ear to ear?
Messy. Very messy.
But SEVEN FRIGGIN’ POUNDS! It’s a miracle! I’m seeing the face of Elvis in my coffeemate! There are frogs raining from the sky!
Ok, ok, I am a weeeeeeeeeee bit excited by this.
You may have noticed.
I do have trouble opening up and expressing myeslf after all. I need to work on that.
SEVEN POUNDS! and 1% body fat! In LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!
Did I mention I have lost weight? Oh, I did? ooops. My bad.
Just to be specific: I weighed 318.6 lbs on 19-June-2015. This morning, (AM reading), 02-July-2015, just 13 days later I weighed 311.12 lbs
318.6 – 311.12 = 7.48 (rounding) = 7.5 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH. EM. GEE! Like totally! [in my best Valley Girl voice]
This morning’s revelation…
No, I’m not going all Biblical on you. Revelation as in “news.” Back on 6-19-2015 or 25-June-2015 for my European friends, I weighed in.
I had not stepped onto the scale in literally months. Yes, I had been a bad boy. Mea Cupla. I had partaken of the chocolate chip cookies. I had drank of the 100% whole milk. I had eaten of the deep dish pizza.
Maxima Mea Culpa.
And my doctor had given me a Read the rest of this entry
5-6-7-8 Dancing My Way to a Healthy Me! 