Just a small vent

Piper was diagnosed with reflux before she was three weeks old. She went through three different kids of reflux medicine before we found one that worked. Of course, the one that worked is a compound, which can only be made in a very small number of pharmacies (in our city of 700,000 there were only four compounding pharmacies total). But it worked and I didn't mind driving 20 minutes every month to get her medicine.

Well, now we've moved to a smaller city where there is only one compounding pharmacy. I just went to pick up her medicine and found this pharmacy will only give me a 2 week supply because they said the medicine doesn't last a full 30 days. So either the first pharmacy did it wrong or the second is just giving me a hard time. I suspect the second pharmacy is correct - they're very well respected and have multiple pharmacists on staff. So that means that for the last year Piper has gotten less medicine than she should have. To add insult to injury, because I'm picking up every two weeks, the amount this is going to cost has tripled to $90/month. That's with my very good insurance. And they want a full week's notice to make another bottle, so I'll either be calling or picking up medicine every week! But they're the only one who can make this medicine, so I think I'm stuck.

Sigh. I just wanted to whine.

 

You said that the medicine worked for her--if she was getting a lower dose than she "should have" but it was working, then I think that's a good thing and you should talk to your pedi about the dose and see if you can lower it to the level that she was mistakenly getting for the last year. When it comes to medications, if less works than that's best.

Also won't she be growing out of the reflux soon? my girls had reflux medicine from two weeks old but were off it by 18 months.

 

That does sound like a PITA. I am thankful for having insurance, but I also HATE it. All the stipulations, regulations, exceptions, pre-qualifications, preferred providers, etc. Mine needed Prevacid and my insurance would not cover it at all. I had the ped write them letters explaining the need for Prevacid and not another med, but still no coverage. I ended up using free samples from the ped for the whole time they were on it! And don't even get me started on the Synagis shot...

 

QUOTE(Meximeli @ Mar 24 2009, 11:12 AM) [snapback]1242332[/snapback]
You said that the medicine worked for her--if she was getting a lower dose than she "should have" but it was working, then I think that's a good thing and you should talk to your pedi about the dose and see if you can lower it to the level that she was mistakenly getting for the last year. When it comes to medications, if less works than that's best.

Also won't she be growing out of the reflux soon? my girls had reflux medicine from two weeks old but were off it by 18 months.


Good questions - and you're right. I've already called the pedi and asked him to recalculate based on the two weeks versus one month thing. And he agreed; she should have always been getting a two week supply. We did think she had grown out of the reflux and actually stopped her medicine right at 18 months like you did. But she hasn't grown in the last four months, complains of stomach pain when she eats and immediately after, and has started burping up acidic smelling stuff, so the pedi and pediatric GI suggested the reflux might still be there and recommended we give the medicine a try again.

 

I'm sorry to hear that she's still suffering. I hope she's back on track soon.

 

Ugh that sounds so aggravating. And $90 month?! That sounds even more aggravating. :hug:

 

That does sound frustrating :hug: