Search Results for: blog pharmacy fever

Pharmacy Fever

You might say that I frequent the pharmacy down the street. You might even say that I frequently frequent it. I have my regular parking space there, and I know the pharmacists on a first-name basis. Those druggists are like my two favorite bartenders. And I don’t drink. “Hi Joan. Hello, Ralph.” “Hello Kristyn. The usual?” “Yep. But make it a double this time.” “A double wammy. You got it.” They start loading my bag up with meds. And I mean M-E-D-S. Remember that I have a family of nine which includes two diabetics (their stuff alone takes up half … Continue reading →

Using My New Health Insurance For The First Time

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After a long struggle, I finally found affordable health insurance. The policy went into affect in April of this year. Now, at the end of June, is the first time I’ve had reason to use it. The bad news is that I am sick enough to require a doctor. The good news is that I have health insurance coverage to help me pay for the cost of getting well. It is rather amazing how different life is when I have health insurance coverage. Today is a perfect example of this. I’d been feeling sick for the past four or five … Continue reading →

Lack of Insurance Closes Pharmacies

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We hear a lot about the problems faced by people who are unable to find affordable health insurance. What isn’t being talked about is how those problems affect pharmacies. In small towns, pharmacies are closing because not enough people can afford to pick up their medications there, due to lack of health insurance. How often do you go to your local pharmacy? If you are a fairly healthy person, then you might not go there too often. After all, you can pick up things like kleenex, feminine products, and over the counter medications in most grocery stores. You don’t specifically … Continue reading →

Thoughts on Health Insurance While I am Sick

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I am among the thousands of Americans that has absolutely no health insurance coverage. It feels like a twisted, malicious, cosmic joke that I happen to be searching for affordable health insurance while I am fighting a bad cold. Here are my thoughts about this situation, as I cough my way through the night. I have heard insurance companies complain that too many people wait to buy health insurance until after they are already sick. This troubles insurers who are now, legally, unable to reject the applications for a health insurance plan that are submitted by people who have serious, … Continue reading →

Five Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medication

Even with insurance that covers prescriptions, medication can be expensive. Here are some tips to help you save a little money on your prescriptions! Money saving tip number one: Go generic! Many name brand medications are now available in a generic form. Generic medications are tested for safety and ability to treat diseases the same way name brand medications are. They work the same… for a LOT less. For example: my name brand Zoloft used to cost around $90 per month (without insurance). The generic version cost less than half that when I first made the switch. If you do … Continue reading →

Treating Pre-Diabetes

A diagnosis of pre-diabetes can be a serious wake up call. Pre-diabetes means that you have elevated blood sugar levels, but they aren’t quite high enough to be considered diabetes… yet. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than a tenth of people diagnosed with pre-diabetes end up dealing with the full version of the disease within a year. There are two main things you can do to treat pre-diabetes and prevent going into full diabetes: make changes to your diet and increase your activity. Making a lifestyle change works — the Diabetes Prevention Program study from the American Diabetes … Continue reading →

Home Medical Errors on the Rise

A research study from the University of California at San Diego found that the number of deaths resulting from medication mistakes at home has risen sharply over the last twenty years. Researchers looked at nearly fifty million American death certificates from the last twenty-five years. They found some interesting trends: Nearly a quarter of a million deaths were caused by medication errors, including overdoses, drug interactions, and mixing prescription drugs with alcohol or recreational drugs. There were 1132 deaths from medication mistakes at home in 1983. Compare that to more than twelve thousand deaths from medication mistakes in 2004 and … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Many Medications!

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Lately, it seems like a lot of our guests at the cats-only boarding facility are on some form of medication. When you think about it, it makes sense — somebody’s got to handle the meds if the owner is away! A healthy cat may be okay at home alone for a weekend with just a friend or neighbor to stop in and make sure there is food and water available. We keep a big wipe-off board with a list of all the cats who need medication, what they get (and how much each dose is), and when they get it. … Continue reading →

Protect Yourself Against Drug Interactions

With all the drugs (both prescription and over the counter) people take these days, it can be hard to keep track of what you’re taking and what you shouldn’t be taking. The following tips can help you protect yourself against potentially dangerous drug interactions. Be sure to tell your doctor EVERY medication you are taking. That includes prescription medicine, over the counter medicine, vitamins, herbal remedies, and other supplements. Ask your doctor if your new prescription is safe with all the medications you already take. Don’t just assume that it is! Doctors are humans, and humans make mistakes. Try to … Continue reading →

Flu Shots Made Easy For Frequent Flyers

There was a time when airports were known simply as places to a catch flight. These days a growing number of airports offer world-class shopping, fine dining, spas, wireless Internet access, even dinosaurs. So should you be surprised that many North American airports are now offering… flu shots? Nope. A few weeks ago about a dozen airports across the country started offering no-appointment-needed influenza immunizations to jet-setting passengers. If you plan to fly in or out of airports in Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver, Newark, Las Vegas and Vancouver British Columbia you can get a flu shot right at the … Continue reading →