Bad medicine has been around a long time. It didn’t start with Socrates or some Apache Chief. It will probably be around for a lot more years as we now enter the Internet age and find that the price of our healthcare has gotten so dreadfully out of hand…that it can even be dangerous to health…just to go to the doctor.
As we notice without doubt…..the various Drug Makers are busy advertising each and every day on our televisions. Be it the singing Viagra old guys…or the surfing Cialis bunch……the big money is out there and pumping up the volume to create demand for prescription drugs of every kind. “Make cause heart failure, may cause wetting the bed, may cause your wallet or healthcare insurance provider to suffer serious sticker shock!”
Recently, we had to visit our Dermatologists…..”dry lips from flying on too many airplanes in too short a period of time….”. The sticker shock started early with $170 for an office visit for Anna. It was only $140 for me…not three months ago! We have to pay up front by the way. No, we have only been the Doctor’s client for three years. Hardly knows us! At any rate, Anna was concerned that the dry lips thing might be some sort infection…some sort of virus….who knows what? Thought we would check it out and find out why the symptoms would go away for weeks and then come back. Some times they would come back within days.
Well, our Doctor said….(who is a Professor at a major Cal System University)…. that he would fix us right up. He assured us that there were no serious side effects of the medicine he was providing us. Within three minutes the nurse had quickly returned with a bag of samples and four prescriptions. We took our “chicken scratchings” to our local CVS Drug Store. They were quick to mention that the Doctor required Name Drugs…NO Generics and that our order would be ready in 20 minutes. Upon our return…we found that they were out of one of the suggested products….the shampoo. As we ponied up to the counter….they said that they only gave us 30 days supply of the 90 day prescription…for insurance purposes. We noticed the product had a familiar name – Valtrex by Novartis. A 30 day supply rang in at $174 dollars! The two other creams were from the big drug companies as well and weighed in at $71 dollars and $22 dollars. The $268 dollar order mind you was just a partial order. A 30 day supply of the 90 days suggested. The pharmacy was so busy it became difficult to get a hold of the pharmacist….for futher dialogue!
When we finally got home….we pulled up the information and further side effects on the Internet. In addition to the info provided by CVS on their info sheet….we discovered serious kidney and liver damage could occur. We found that under no circumstances was the anti-viral cream provided not be placed on the lips. We immediately called the CVS Drugstore and told them that we wanted to return these products and that we had not opened any. They explained that under State law….they can’t take back any drugs removed from their permises. We got stuck and we got stuck good. The next day the Clobex….by another big time Drug Manufacturer became available to us from our pharmacy. The 15 oz. plastic container was only $208 dollars. We declined that offer as well.
We asked the Pharmacist what was going on? Being that we have been clients for over 10 years….she told us……the Doctor’s are getting their “little taste” from the Drug Companies to push their products. “Golly…Saergent!” “Surprise…..Surprise!”…… She also stated; there are so many that get the same treatment – either don’t have insurance or have to go without food to buy – these bogus products.
We went on the Interent and asked the question: What causes dry lips and what therapies are available that are Natural remedies?
“Take Vitamin B-12 or B-Complex. Take Vitamin C or Orange Juice and see me in the morning. ” After two weeks…..that therapy seems to be working and we have refrained from ingesting any of the doctor proscribed products with the exception of one pill and one dab of the viral cream on the day that we got they medicine.
We were just lucky this time? What if the diagnosis was serious enough to cause a life threatening condition? What are we going to do the next time? First off, when ever any doctor proscribes any medicine for us…..we will want to know (1) How much does it cost? and (2) Is there a less costly alternative medicine or thearpy available? If you Doctor dummies up and says he doesn’t know……then tell him to get with the program and find out….before you leave the office. Do not waste the big money you are spending for the Office call. Additionally, make sure you always check on the Internet for Side Effects of ANY medicine proscribed or provided as a sample. Many of these products are designed to get you hooked. One of the prescriptions that was provided us…even said: “Does not treat any virus only the symptoms!” That was the one for $71 dollars. Damage to your liver and kidneys is a biggie!
In these times of serious economic downturn…..we will all need to be more vigilant when it comes to how we spend our money. Remember, every time you see one of those Drug Commercials on television…..someone is paying big money for those magic moments and if you look in the mirror…..you will soon see who that might be! Iron Eyes Cody was the famous American Indian spokesperson that showed his tears when it came to pollution in this country back in the 60’s. He also spoke about “Bad Medicine”. Old Iron Eyes Cody later was found to be an Italian ….. rather than an Indian. There are a lot of Doctor’s that are falling into that same situation.
Whoa! Chapped lips? You poor dear! You know what medicine I would use for that? Top shelf booze. I know you have plenty of that at your house.
You guys are so out of touch it’s hysterical! Keep up the good work.
SMS (anxiety, panic, depression, scoliosis, bad joints, insomnia, shakiness, wildly varying appetite, etc. – and I’m only 29 – chapped lips indeed)
Are you guys paranoid or what? And thanks for dissing my relatives (It didn’t start with Socrates or some Apache Chief). WTF? Uh….as for chapped lips try Burt’s Bees lip shimmer! It’s soooo cool! ;-}
Damn! I should read the comments before I comment! Sounds like I was just paraphrasing SMS. I was not. Sigh!
Be Afraid, very afraid…
6th leading cause of death;
Medical misadventure, cost; $17-29 Billion per year. Yes that’s Billion with a B!
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/m/medical_misadventure/basics.htm
For all causes 2005 (latest year so far posted) and it’s a real large .pdf (121 pages)
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf
No, medical misadventure is not listed as such on the CDC report. It’s in the raw data.
BTW Page 5 of the above report, Suicide is 11th 1.1%, Assualt is 15th 0.7%
*Thanks Carl….great info. For the others…..
when you are under 25…the usual cost of a years
supply of band-aids is less than $5 bucks! Get a name brand….we would advise!
R&A –
Wait. Hold up. Who’s under 25?
Secondly, I only wish youth automatically equaled health. As usual, you have no clue what you’re talking about.
SMS
A little saying I have used for years seems to be slightly off (using the numbers quickly form the links), but here it is anyway.
“Think about this next time you see the doctor.
You are three times more likely to die from medical misadventure than all firearms related deaths combined.”
Scary, no?
Read and understand those circulars they give you at the pharmacy. Ask for it, if they don’t give it to you. Also look into the interactions of them all combined in your daily régime. If your pharmacist can’t/wont help you with that, consider finding one who will.
Question and learn about procedures and what can go wrong. Look for second opinions for non emergency needs. Remember they are only practicing!
Carl, you are spot on!
Consumers have no compunction about comparison shoppping and undertaking research when it comes to buying a car or refrigerator, but their self-advocacy skills go out the window when it comes to medical care. In addition to what you described above, medical consumers can also check to see if their physicians are the object of any administrative discipline: http://www.mbc.ca.gov, and should also know that doctors who are board certified have quite a bit more training than their non-boarded counterparts…
When I was in Europe last year, my doctor visit cost $100, my prescription cost $11, my ultrasound $150.
It took a whole year for my doctor to approve the test the European doctor recommended.
I just hate socialized medicine. Our bureaucratized medicine is oh so much better.
The only difference between their medicine and ours is we have a private bureaucracy and they have a public one. Guess which one is cheaper?
I thought the free market was a good thing. Not when it comes to healthcare. We are paying 1/3 higher costs so that insurance bureaucrats can deny our claims.
Cit-of-Vern…,
As a tourist, most if not all countries with modern socialized medicine moves you to the head of the medical system line. You’re treated like the guest that you are. At least you were required to pay part of the costs associated with your care; the rest was subsidized by taxes on the folks in the country you were visiting. Experiences by tourists are not typical of residents who have to deal with the regular systems performance or lack there of. I have highlighted several websites from countries that have socialized medicine in the past, I’ll find them again tonight at home on my real computer and pass them along again. Strong medicine for sure but if this nation is hell-bent on socialized medicine they should at least be aware of the problems that go with it.
SMS
You are rude and obnoxious. If you don’t want the Winships to write for OJ anymore, take it up with Art. What a bitch!
Disgusted –
Thank you for the wonderful compliments! I always strive to do my best to keep our writers on their toes, especially those who take their wealth for granted such as the Winship(s), and you as well I would assume by your comment.
Hey guys: I could use about $20,000 right now. I mean, if it’s nothing to you, do you think you could share? I didn’t think so.
SMS