How a freebie saved my life!

[onyx]

About 3 weeks ago I started feeling sick. Like the flu--you know nausea, vomiting,weakness, low grade fever, dehydration, feeling thirsty, etc. Well I figured I would give it some time and I would get better. Well, I didn't get better, instead I started feeling worse. Being an ex E.M.T. I started ruling things out. Then my vision started getting fuzzy which tipped me off to high blood sugar. I received a "OneTouch Ultra 2 blood glucose monitoring system" for free a while back. I had planned to give it to my nephew who has type 2 diabetes but I hadn't had the chance. The kit had some starter supplies i.e. lancing device, lancets, the meter and some test strips so I checked my glucose (Blood sugar) and OMG it came back 600mg/dl which was as high as the unit could measure. So I packed it up and high-tailed it to the E.R. they checked it and it was over 1000mg/dl. After a short stay there in the E.R. they transfered me to I.C.U. of all places! (I was beginning to feel as though I was in very deep sh*t.) They drew a BUNCH of blood samples and started giving me insulin every hour and monitored my heart, blood pressure, blood oxygen, temp, etc. and after about 6 hours they got my blood sugar down to near normal. The tests came back negative for just about everything else. The next morning the doctor checked me out and I had bounced back very fast. I started working on him to let me go home and after some serious discussion and due to the fact that I have E.M.T. training he gave me my way. Yes I went from I.C.U. to home in less than 24 hours. They loaded me up with educational materials and numerous prescriptions which came to $305.00 @ Wallmart. And today I went to a internal medicine doctor who gave me more perscriptions that amounted to over $200.00. I needed both fast acting and long acting insulin. Here's the clincher--I have no insurance...:eek: Otherwise I'm doing pretty well and adjusting to being a diabetic......
Well anyway that's how a freebie saved my life.

[tsquared]

Wow you was lucky.........glad you had the meter and thought to use it. Hope things ars pretty much back to normal now for you.

[tnfuhs]

Wow! You were lucky!! I'm glad your okay.

[galeane29]

Thank God you had that kit, Gotta love them freebies :)

[DonnaWV]

I'm so glad you are ok.
Thank goodness for freebies

[luvcub]

Wow,you Were So Lucky,im Glad You Had The Idea To Test Yourself!!!! My Mom Just Got Out Of The Hospital,icu,here Blood Sugar Was In The 700s,she Had A Blood Infection,and Got Real Sick,as You Well Know If You Have Any Infections,your Blood Sugars Will Go Up Up Up. Glad You Caught This!
Angel

[BeanieLuvR]

Yikes!! Thank goodness you had the free meter. I am glad that you have things under control and are doing good now. :hug

[gmyers]

Boy you were lucky you didn't have a stroke. I'm glad they got it back to normal.

[YankeeMary]

You should write to the company and tell them that. How wonderful for you, so glad you had the machine there, it could have ended so much worse. Thats alot of money for the meds. Remember to check out all the places that offer you free or cheaper meds based on income, if you can't afford that. So glad you are "ok" and it wasn't worse.

[jonette5]

Very glad you had that meter. Glad to hear you are doing better and getting along. Gotta love them freebies!

[Kelsey1224]

What a great testimonial to freebies!!!

[Lild]

Wow, that is amazing...
Glad your better

[buglebe]

You were lucky you could think, when my husband's blood sugar gets high ,300, he gets sleepy and can't think and never thinks about it being his sugar.
I am so glad you are ok. Haven't you been feeling like shinola?

[bichonlove]

I also have no insurance but I get all my meds through the drug companies at no cost. You need to check into it- ask at one of the Drs office- or you can find the forms online to file for the help. You don't have to be very low income either to qualify. I know you could get help with your meds.

[onyx]

Yes I felt like death on a soda cracker.

[SLance68]

Just in case you didn't know you don't have to have a prescription to get insulin, test strips or syringes. If the pharmacy gives you a hard time - remind them it is a Federal Law and they generally "remember".

[onyx]

Thanks for the heads up on that, I was not aware of the law...

[wobblypops]

Just in case you didn't know you don't have to have a prescription to get insulin, test strips or syringes. If the pharmacy gives you a hard time - remind them it is a Federal Law and they generally "remember".

Not that I am doubting you but could you post a link where it states that?

Onyx, I am glad you knew what was going on with your body & I am glad you are on your way to recovery.

[SLance68]

Not that I am doubting you but could you post a link where it states that?

Onyx, I am glad you knew what was going on with your body & I am glad you are on your way to recovery.

Well I don't have a link for that. However, when I was diagnosed back in 1988 I was informed about the law and no I don't know where the stuff is from back then. But I have never had a problem getting insulin, syringes or test strips without a prescription. They can ask for proof that you are a diabetic and I have always used my medic alert card. Even now my syringes are not on a script since my insurance doesn't cover them but they do cover everything else at a generic rate.

[wobblypops]

Thanks, I will have to ask my pharmacist about this. I think that's interesting.

[Fred12]

I don't have a lot of time to go through all of these, but I do know the the Needy Meds link does have insulin. Here is a list of medication "help" places. Some are better than others. I am not sure if all these links work but most should. I just copied and pasted this from my site for sick kids. I am so glad that you are Ok and thought to check you blood sugar. I work with a boy that is a diabetic and have never seen him go that high. I have seen him over 500 and have seen him go to low and go under. His Dad almost lost him a few times, thank God for Glucagon emergency kits.

http://www.mycancernews.com/viatical.html

http://www.helpingpatients.org/

http://www.rxassist.org/default.cfm

http://www.doctorhealthynet.com/free_medicine/free_medicine_home.htm

http://www.needymeds.com/ I know this one has insulin

http://www.mhsanctuary.com/add/rx.htm

http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/content/drugAssistance/

https://www.merck.com/pap/pap/consumer/request_application.jsp

http://www.pfizer.com/subsites/philanthropy/access/other.patients.index.html

http://www.sch-plough.com/schering_plough/corp/patient_programs.jsp

http://www.phrma.org/

http://www.hrsa.gov/osp/dfcr/obtain/obtain.htm

http://www.lillyanswers.com/

http://www.benefitscheckup.com/

http://www.pharma.us.novartis.com/index.jsp?TNav&checked=y

[tracey74]

Just in case you didn't know you don't have to have a prescription to get insulin, test strips or syringes. If the pharmacy gives you a hard time - remind them it is a Federal Law and they generally "remember".
I know here in wv you have to have a presription to get diabetic supplies and you also have to have a paper from your DR stating you have it and can carry your syringes with you(if you have to) other wise they can take you in for drug paraphenalia(I learned this when I was in nursing classes) and a woman was in the drug store the other day and the pharmacist told her the same thing she has to have a prescription to get those items.

and my friend in ct got gestation diabetes and her insurance wouldnt cover it so she called the company that made the medicine and they sent her a form to fill out and they paid like 75% or more of the cost and she had to pay the rest she took like 3 shots a day while she was pregnant. so write to the drug companies or call them and tell them this cant hurt to try

[whatever]

You should write to the company and tell them that. How wonderful for you, so glad you had the machine there, it could have ended so much worse. Thats alot of money for the meds. Remember to check out all the places that offer you free or cheaper meds based on income, if you can't afford that. So glad you are "ok" and it wasn't worse.

that's what i was thinking also. they would probably send way more samples etc. You would be surprised. Heck you could end up in a commercial like Jarod for subway. LOL
but seriously i'm glad you are okay!!:)

[buglebe]

I know here in wv you have to have a presription to get diabetic supplies and you also have to have a paper from your DR stating you have it and can carry your syringes with you(if you have to) other wise they can take you in for drug paraphenalia(I learned this when I was in nursing classes) and a woman was in the drug store the other day and the pharmacist told her the same thing she has to have a prescription to get those items.

and my friend in ct got gestation diabetes and her insurance wouldnt cover it so she called the company that made the medicine and they sent her a form to fill out and they paid like 75% or more of the cost and she had to pay the rest she took like 3 shots a day while she was pregnant. so write to the drug companies or call them and tell them this cant hurt to try

That is just so crazy because the government , and I thought it was Federal, but it must be up to the states made it legal to buy the syringes so that the spread of aids would be cut down by addicts not sharing syringes. So here in Al they can be bought by anyone to prevent the spread of blood borne illnesses. I just bought 100 syringes for $12. I thought that was pretty cheap. My husband and I both have diabetes and I also use them because I have pernicious anemia (don't absorb enought B12) so I have to take injections.

[SLance68]

That is just so crazy because the government , and I thought it was Federal, but it must be up to the states made it legal to buy the syringes so that the spread of aids would be cut down by addicts not sharing syringes. So here in Al they can be bought by anyone to prevent the spread of blood borne illnesses. I just bought 100 syringes for $12. I thought that was pretty cheap. My husband and I both have diabetes and I also use them because I have pernicious anemia (don't absorb enough B12) so I have to take injections.

I was just going to post that you can buy insulin, syringes and testing supplies in at least Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina since I have been in those states and purchased these items without a prescription.

As for arresting someone for possession of syringes I called a deputy friend of mine and after he quit laughing he said it is up their call - he said you can tell a junkie from a regular insulin user pretty easy - insulin users don't have track marks on their forearms. He also said if they arrested everyone who carried syringes then he would have to arrest his Captain since he is type 1 diabetic and carries his insulin, syringes and testing supplies in his cruiser.

$ 12.00 for a box of syringes is a really good price - and I use them for B12 shots also.

[chazsgirl]

I didn't check to see if this was posted but if you find out who the makers of the insulin you are taking are, then you can go online to their site and if you qualify (you just need to make like next to nothing to qualify) then you can get the meds for free! My husband is doing that for this insulin and I am doing that for 1 of my expensive meds! what are you talking (my hubbie takes novalog and lantus)

[Qtxann315]

OH my god! I can't believe how your sugar got so high. Thank goodness for your freedbie. I hope you're feeling better now. Good luck on controlling your sugars.

[155oaks]

wow what a story! glad you know things were going bad and got the help you needed

[wobblypops]

Thanks for the interesting read & links. This is one problem I hope to never have.

I don't know how it works in Pa. since I don't have diabetes & I hope it stays that way.