Levaquin, Azithromycin, And Cindy #21

Levaquin is a drug prescribed by a family practice doctor I go to when I need to see a general practitioner.  I have been to this particular doctor 3 times in the last 16 months, including last week.  I have had an on and off again sore throat and mild cough every few weeks or so for the last 4 months.  My ears and throat were again bothering me and this doctor found that I had a bacterial infection and needed an antibiotic.  Me being allergic to penicillin brought the doctor to giving me a prescription for Levaquin, an antibiotic.   At Walgreens I found out that Levaquin is an expensive drug ($135.00 for 7 pills) there is no generic, and my insurance will not pay anything towards the cost.  My health insurance is pretty good.  Normally I pay $10.00 or less on most medications I take, my insurance paying the rest.  When questioned, our pharmacist told us although there was no generic available there were several other less expensive alternatives to Levaquin. Well, my medical advocate (Cindy), called this doctors office around noon telling them I had been in earlier and the rest of the story and could the doctor call in an alternative medication to Walgreens. The nurse said "sure."  About  6:00 pm still no prescription had been called in.  My ears and throat were getting worse, I was achy and was not feeling too well.  Cindy calls the office and gets the after hours answering service, goes through the complete story and gets the "our doctors don't do prescriptions on the phone after hours" answer.  My advocate reminds them of the doctor 6 hours earlier was suppose to be taking care of this, so therefore we are not asking for "after hours, against protocol prescription service". "Sorry we can't do that".  My advocate,   "You have the on duty doctor call me."   I won't drag this out any further but I was feeling pretty miserable, it took Cindy another hour or so but she got me an alternative (Azithromycin) to the expensive stuff Levaquin. Within an hour of taking it I was feeling much better and slept well.  Thank you Cindy.  

There is really a lot more to this story than my praising Cindy and continuing to go on about having an advocate.  Too many people take what is sent their way by their medical providers without questioning why, what, or where.  I was one of those people.  I ended up paying $10.00 for the Azithromycin versus $135.00 for the other.  There is some reason this doctor I used was prescribing that expensive medication. It is not the first time that has happened to me there, but it is the last time. I won't be going back to that doctor. That will be my choice, not my insurance company or someone else.  I am sure many of you out there are as dogged, determined, and involved as my wife in seeing that they, or their families, get the best medical treatment as possible.   Many more of you are like me, believing everything a doctor or nurse does for me is always in my best interest, and we are wrong.  It is not that they are looking to mistreat you, or take advantage of you. They are just like most of us, they are busy, under pressure, stress, and make decisions that are not always the best decision for you....or me. 

Since having a heart attack, my wife has shielded me from having to deal with a lot of stress. We have discussed earlier about stress and what part that plays over the years in leading up to heart failure and poor health. How you deal with it afterwards being a part of recovery, and living a heart healthy lifestyle.

I hope my encouragement has led some of you to exercising regularly as part of your recovery.  Next time we will get more into exercising.

Still Improving #20

I had my check up a few days ago and was pleased with my test and examination results.  My total cholesterol was 105, about the same as 6 months ago.  HDL had risen 5 points, Triglycerides and LDL remained low, which is the benefit of healthy diet and regular exercise.  My cardiologist says if my cholesterol and heart health continue to improve, I will be able to discontinue taking some cholesterol medication and a blood thinner.  He reviewed the charts I keep of my blood pressure readings since my last office visit.  He
feels my continuing to exercise daily and a healthy diet will have a lot to do reducing the amounts of medication I will need to take.  I'm taking vitamin B12 daily to increase my energy and stamina.  My B12 level had gotten low.  I'm not sure how or for how long.  It can affect your energy level and central nervous system.  Normal consumption of meats, fish, poultry, shellfish, and dairy products should provide healthy B12 levels.  I have read that there are either none, or very few vegetables, that are a source of vitamin B12.   Calves liver, sardines, venison are supposedly very good B12 sources. Since I eat almost no red meat he felt I should take supplemental B12

I still look forward to my daily workouts.  The new exercises are working well into my routine and I am improving my posture from doing those. Some of my new routine involves stretching and that has really helped stiffness I have felt in the mornings.

Cindy and I have started spending time at the outdoor pool at our fitness center.  I am beginning to notice a lot of seniors, (my age group) are attending swimming classes in the lap pool before it opens for family time.  You know swimming laps is considered excellent cardio exercise, maybe that's something I should look into doing.

My exercise routine includes the elliptical. I had told you feeling comfortable with it had been a problem in the beginning.  I now do my 15 minutes, after doing 30-40 minutes on the treadmill.  Took a little time but I guess being consistent increased my elliptical stamina comfort level.  In the beginning about 6 minutes seemed to be my limit, I just kept trying daily to increase just a minute or so.

Medications #19

It's summertime and it is hot. I spend a lot of time outside doing yard stuff, mowing grass, trimming tree limbs, keeping driveway clean.  Exciting huh? Do I miss those tension and stress filled days of running a business?  Did it so long I pretty much knew what was going to go wrong each day before it went wrong.  So and so is not going to be here today, oh really, I'm shocked. What delivery truck broke down? And which phones lines are the irritated customers wanting to talk to me?  I've been lucky in no longer having to deal with intense stress on a daily basis, that has had a lot to do with my becoming healthy again.  Yeah give me some nice stress free yard work, and a 4 year old partner to help me.

When I am working  outside, in the heat, I wear long sleeve jersey style tee-shirts.  I stay very cool when inside and wear long sleeves inside and outside, 99 degrees outside. I may infrequently perspire, not sweat, perspire a little.  Cindy keeps the house inside temperature cool,  and does not like the outside heat. We are very opposite in our outside and inside temperature comfort zones.  When workingout, I exercise very vigorously, and do not get hot enough to sweat much. I wear long sleeves there too.  I may perspire just a little.  To me sweating is when you have gotten so hot it is very obvious.   Perspiring is completely different, it is some dampness.  I think the being cool nature, and no perspiration is part of taking medications that lower my heart rate and blood thinners.  When on the treadmill or elliptical, I push myself pretty well now.  My heart rate still stays low.  I'm beside someone going at same level, their heart rate monitor shows 145-155, I'm at 115.    Cindy is concerned I am over doing it by being in outside heat, but it doesn't bother me. Next week I'll tell my cardiologist about all of this and see what he thinks.  I'll let you know what he says.  When we go, Cindy goes with me, we will give him daily blood pressure readings for the last few months.  Here is some more advise for you: the benefit of having a good medical advocate and administrator.  I know there are some of you saying right now, what's up with this guy, he can't go to the doctor without his wife.  As a heart attack, and heart surgery patient under the care of a cardiologist like me you are probably taking a lot of medication.  I am taking 13 different prescription pills daily.  Since being released from the hospital and being under cardiologist care, the number of different daily medications, dosage, and the frequency, of medication has changed. In some instances, perhaps one medication was stopped and replaced with another, or stopped completely. I may no longer take it.  With all of that being said most of you now know where I'm headed because you have to do the same.   Back to my advise. We don't leave anything to chance when it comes to medication and neither should you.  Cindy will also have a complete chart on medications and any changes since my last appointment.  She will give the doctor and his assistant a copy to compare their records with ours. Your doctor is seeing a lot of patients and looking at a lot of charts.  I have had it over looked that a particular medication was stopped, or changed. My cardiologist certainly has no problem with us keeping records and giving him a list of what I currently take and dosage.  You know you also have to be sure your doctor is prescribing in correct refill amounts and time span to meet your insurance medication drug policy requirements.

 Cindy wants all of you to know she available for advocacy or administrative advice on your behalf.   I'll give her a good reference.........