Update on Copaxone

Since my last post, I've been waiting to receive my Copaxone treatments.  My doctor prescribed Copaxone 40mg 3 times per week.  I have since learned that my insurance doesn't cover that dosage, but they do cover 20mg once per day!  (Yeah, if you do the math, they actually cover more of the medicine per week.)  So, from my last post, my plan was not to switch to an injectable therapy and certainly not one that I have to do every day!  But, I'm again reminded that I'm not the one making the plans, not even a little bit.

I thought I was done with my Tysabri treatments.  However, anyone that has had to deal with insurance and new prescriptions knows that this process can sometimes take a long time.  So, as the beginning of August approached, I emailed my doctor asking if he thought I should take one more dose of Tysabri while I wait for things to be worked out.  He agreed that would be a good idea and I set up my appointment. This past Friday I went in as usual and was surrounded by chemo patients except for the young girl that I sat next to.  The nurse came over to "plug me up" (that's what I call it when I get my IV) and he said "this is the girl that I told you about that takes the same medicine you are taking". After that the young girl and I got to exchange our MS stories.  Many were very similar, such as, some of the relapses (optic neuritis, weakness in our limbs, inability to walk, etc.)  However, many of our stories were different.  I had my first episode (optic neuritis) when I was 19 and shortly after diagnosed with MS.  She was 14 when she had optic neuritis and they basically passed it off since she was so young.  She has had many other relapses and each time different doctors have changed her diagnosis to lupus and back to MS.  Then one doctor told her "you have stress, do you know what stress means?"  Can you believe that?!  Anyway, my point is she has had a very difficult 9 years with no one to really help her.  I was glad to have met her to encourage her and give her some hope.  If I didn't have problems with insurance, then I wouldn't have needed to take one more dose and I wouldn't have met her.  Bottom line, there is a great plan, but I just have to be willing to roll with it.

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.   1 Thessalonians 5:11

Oh, and Monday my specialty pharmacy called and said they were shipping out the Copaxone.  Interesting, no, perfect timing...