Aug 29

2nd Opinion Cardiologist

My GP wanted a 2nd opinion so now I’m at Dr. Koppang’s office at the CVA in Homewood. Apparently my GP didn’t fill out a referral on the BCBS portal so they almost sent me home. As it’s Friday and a holiday weekend doc isn’t in the office to do this but they let me slide if I promise to remind my doc on Tuesday to do this. Amazing healthcare system we have here in the U.S.

I like this cardiologist. She didn’t have access to my HeartSouth stuff at all so I logged into the MyChart and passed her my phone so she could see the tests that I had already performed. Ridiculous that this info wasn’t sent to her before I even got there.

“Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia” is what we are calling this, meaning nobody knows what is going on. So inappropriate.

Jul 24

New ultrasound + CT

So did those today (07.24.25). No blood clot found. Awaiting result of CT.

2nd opinion cardiologist at EOM. 🤞

May 09

Monitor #2

05.09.25: So back to HeartSouth because nothing has changed much. They gave me another monitor to wear for two weeks. This one comes with a Samsung phone buddy so you can enter events – if you have any. This one is OK with water and is so much more comfortable and small.

06.06.25: HeartSouth said they didn’t find anything unusual with my heart (except the tachycardia, of course). They’ve set me free.

Apr 10

Still fighting for drugs

04/09/2025: Still fighting to keep my BPM down. Today, the blood thinner I have been taking apparently has been removed from my insurance.

Thank you for placing a prescription order with Walgreens.com on April 09, 2025.

Unfortunately, we are unable to fill a prescription in your order. The medication ELIQUIS 5MG TABLETS is not covered by your prescription insurance plan for the following reason:

  • Other: Not a Covered Benefit

I believe it is true that on every level of insurance they try to fuck you out of the procedures or drugs you need hoping that you just become exhausted and stop trying. I’ve been taking this drug since October and now (since January) have had a “better” BCBS plan. It’s all a scam and indeed I am exhausted.

Jan 28

Prolly not the kidney! (Also Heartsouth Fuckery)

Hey, so finally got to go see the nephrologist over here at the Nephrolology Associates in Alabaster. He did not seem to think I belonged there at all. Left kidney seems good and so the mystery is still not solved – although I have to say it’s a relief not to have a known kidney issue when you’ve only go the one. So there’s that. I am celebrating.

But OK, then I call HeartSouth because they need to follow up with the clot situation and my appt was changed until February 6th due to the snowstorm earlier in the month. Called them, no record of my appt at all – so surprised. Gave them the new insurance (which is supposed to be a step better) but no, they need another referral in order for me to go see them again. So I left a message with my GP. Hopefully those people can FAX (yes, still using FAX) what needs to be sent over to the other people who can provide care and follow up.

Jan 03

How to get drugs with insurance?

Here it is 2025 now. I am trying to simply get the drugs that they have told me I need to take. For the second time now my insurance will not allow the refill. Called doc and they resubmitted the prescription; denied again. Fighting (again) just to get the drugs. They simply want us to die before getting care or drugs.

Heartsouth gave me free samples of drugs as insurance wouldn’t authorize. OK for 2 more weeks.

01.08.25: Appointment for blood clot at Heartsouth was canceled. Postponed a month later to 02.06.25. Good thing there’s nothing wrong with me at all right?

Nov 18

Today’s challenges + MORE!

Insurance finally approved CT scan blood vessels in chest to make sure there is no pulmonary embolism. I’ve called the facility (which is 30 miles away) and had to leave a message. Finally was able to get the CT scan on 11/21).

11/26/2024: No pulmonary embolism found but wait! Before any rejoicing there is a 6mm nodule on right lung. This snowball gets larger. Gotta check this out in 6 months now. 🙀

Meanwhile, BPM is still a problem so my GP doubled my dose of Metoprolol, which I was finally able to get on the exact day I ran out.

Can’t find out kidney status until late January. Heartsouth in early January to check on blood clot(s).

Nov 15

Phone fighting

Still trying to be alive until January when my appointments are. Fighting to get the drug that limits the bpm. I run out on Saturday. Phone people are nice but all have different stories as to why I can’t get the correct meds.

Nov 01

Lungs now?

So I finally had a phone conference with my GP about the clot issue. She wonders why they only did ultrasound on one leg and not everywhere. So that is a question I don’t know the answer to. She is now still trying to set me up with a nephrologist due to the stress hormone situation and also with someone who can check my lungs for clots – as this is now another concern of hers.

Insurance says I can probably get the drug I need, Eliquis ,tomorrow – so that is probably good if it comes through. In the meantime, a friend of mine sent me some that she had leftover. It’s not as many mgs as the ones I need but they will definitely do in a pinch. So I am grateful for that.

Update: The soonest I can get in to see the nephrologist is end of January. 3 months from now.

Oct 25

Health Update

On 10.23.2024 I got the results of my CT scan of abdomen – nothing was out of place. Well, they did realize I have only one kidney but did not find a big adrenal tumor or a ball of cancer (kidney situation here). For this, I am relieved. However, my doc is still sending me to a nephrologist (kidney specialist) to figure out why I’m throwing off too many metanephrines (flight or fight hormones that come from adrenal glands). My BPM is crazy and when I try to go to sleep, it feels like I am running. Even with the Metoprolol (drug to treat heart failure etc) it is still way too high for normal. I don’t feel like eating either.

10.24.2024: Went to Healthsouth for a follow up of the Holter monitor and all the other heart tests. A doctor didn’t see me but NP Amanda did. She told me all the tests do not show any heart failure or anomaly. – whew! that’s good right (my sister was diagnosed with diastolic heart failure recently!)? Then we got to talking and I told her about my other symptoms – numbness in right arm, strange palpatations in my left leg, swollen ankle (not adema kind), and Amanda, somehow got me in for a leg ultrasound in the same hour I was there. Guess what? The ultrasound guy found a blood clot in my artery – femoral artery.

This is sort of a fluke the NP even listened. The cardiologist didn’t pay attention to this, my GP knows but didn’t order leg ultrasound. After this young lady gave me the good news that my heart isn’t busted, she actually listened and got me the ultrasound and result within 2 hours. I am all amazement at this.

Amanda has said this is probably not the only problem but it is a MAJOR problem that I need to address right away. So she gives me a prescription for a blood thinner – Eliquis. I should take it 4xs a day for a week and then take 2x a day for 3 months. At that time they will do another ultrasound to see if they cleared it out.

Except my insurance cancelled the prescription. So, another fight on the phone with BCBS so that I can get the drug ASAP. The drug is $400 for me but apparetly retails for $2139.84. Anyway, the pharmacist calls my doc and insurance and they decide that I can have only 28 of these pills ($68). So I’ve started to try to kill the clot with hopes I can get more so that I can do the 3 month recommendation from NP Amanda. Don’t forget that that my insurance says that I cannot go to this facility after the new year. So I have to find a way to get insurance that will allow me to come back to HealthSouth.

As of today (10.25.2024), they denied again the prescription.

So now, trying to get the appointment with the nephrologist because hey, mr kidney, I need you to keep working too and fighting with BCBS to get what I need to … well, who knows? JUST LIVE.