Whoo-hoo ..... and the count this week is .......

My hematologist just called to tell me my count ...... a whopping 12k !
As Maxwell the pig puts it, "Wheeeeeeeeee! Wheeeeeeeeee! Wheeeeeeeeee!

Last week 14k, this week 12k....ain't it fun? It's above 10k, no biggie, sure beats sub-4k and Life continues.
Heck, I may break out the chainsaws tonight for a little juggling practice.

I am kind of surprised though. There was no bleeding at all when they stuck me, no bruising later, nothing. I'm wondering if it's due to the delay between collecting and reading. Since I have no bleeding or bruising, and I am fine with low counts, I am supposed to get checked again in two weeks. If it is still around 13k then, I may go to The James and pay out the wazoo, get an instant read, and see if there is a difference then.
In times like these I do miss Promacta. Probably will bite the bullet for 2014 and pay the max-out-of-pocket co-pay.
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I thought you were back on Promacta? I'm losing track here!

Sandi wrote: I thought you were back on Promacta? I'm losing track here!

So am I Sandi....

Short version:
July 2012 - lost our insurance when wife lost her job, changed to BCBS through my job.
August 2012 - ran out of Promacta, BCBS stalled while I jumped through their hoops.
Sept & Oct 2012 - No treatment (0k-4k)...insurance doing what it does best...stalling.
November 2012 - 1 month of Promacta through GSK's assistance program.
December 2012 - 'assisted copay' raised from $80 to $360 ... used Dexamethasone instead.
January 2013 - Insurance still stalling, so I just stayed on Dex.
Februrary 2013 - Gave up on insurance/Promacta and changed from Dex to generic Cellcept.
March to present - generic Cellcept.....to me, anything is preferable over steroids.

Life continues...............
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Oh that's right! We did discuss CellCept. I said I couldn't tolerate 250 mg's...it's all coming back now.

I used to be able to keep up with everyone, not any more. I've lost the touch. Ann is the one with the good memory now.

WeirdJack,

The pharmacy just called me. My co-pay for a monthly supply of Promacta, regardless of the dosage is $29. I kept re-confirming with the pharmacist to make sure I heard this right. I was expecting my co-pay to be much more.

I wish you the best dealing with the insurance. That alone is enough to drive anyone of us crazy.

I should get the Promacta shipment tomorrow.

Wow, nice! So glad you could get back on

Sandi; I used to be able to remember things also...now I use post-its.
Slammed; Hang onto that insurance. I very much miss my old insurance.
Dru; I'm not sure who your are talking to.

Cellcept is okay for now. Might up the dose some, but we'll see. No real worries.
If I need to be in the 50k range for any reason, Dex always works for a quick boost.
I may try again in November to get my insurance to approve Promacta, then pay the $3,500 max-out-of-pocket they demand....or perhaps not....we'll see what is what in November.
I prefer Promacta, but I'm okay with Cellcept......ain't no big deal either way.
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Jack,

Will some of the new insurance changes help you at all?

Jeffrey

I have post-it notes all over my desk. But I never throw them away and months later, I can't remember why I scribbled down "Harley", "Bazooka Joe" and "Bobble Heads". If I kept notes for everyone here on the Forum, I'd be covered in neon colors.

It amazes me how different the co-pays are for everyone for a certain drug, I once had to pay out of pocket for a drug for my dog. I called a lot of pharmacies and their costs were so different I couldn't believe it. I ended up getting the best price at Walmart. This was a med that she needed every day for life. I paid $8 per pill. Highway robbery.

Sandi,

Oh the things we do for our doggies! We had a dog with Addison's disease growing up! To our family, she was worth every cent my parents paid to keep her alive.

jeffrey71 wrote: Will some of the new insurance changes help you at all?

It helped in the respect that I could not be denied coverage for ITP when I changed insurance companies. But the ACA insurance changes seem to be already negatively affecting cost, as providers and doctors ramp up for 2014.
It's all really not a big deal. I just don't have as good of insurance as I had before. One adapts and life goes on.

I am really not complaining about a 12k count. Seriously, not a huge deal. I can always bump it up with Dex if need be. I'm okay in the teens. I learned years ago not to freak out and rush to the ER. I go to work and go about life as always. It is just a count and I'm more of a 'symptoms' kind of guy.

NOTE: I only have 5 post-its stuck to my monitor this morning....with another stuck to my car keys for on the way home.
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Valerie:

My dog had Cushings, the opposite of Addisons. You treated with steroids, right? AT least the drug was cheap, but those ACTH tests were very expensive!

My insurance company changed this year too, and coverage is not as good. The premiums are even higher though, so what's up with that?

Yes we're lucky. She was such a sweet dog!