The "try" in Tricare finally came through, sort of.

[oddharmonic]

I've been trying to get more phenergan (for nausea caused by chronic sinusitis) since November with little success, but I finally scored! Apparently the trick was to get him to call, since I continually got the run-around trying to get an appointment myself. (I'll post a comment about that if anyone's interested, otherwise it's boring and mildly

Comments

[eilonwy]

Let me just say I feel your pain and ::hugs:: 'cause chronic sinusitis sucks sucks sucks. Been there. Arg. I seem to have ::knock on wood:: outgrown the worst of it. I can't even take over the counter allergy stuff, 'cause the 'D' in all those decongestants is sudafed, which I'm allergic too. Yuck.

ENTs, Allergists, sinus Xrays... yup, lots of fun. (Oh! But a friend of mine who's studying forensic anthropology (pyrite) says that if I ever get brutally murdered, I'll be easy to identify from my bones, 'cause of that sinus Xray! Yay!?)

[oddharmonic]

The meds I'm on are insane -- aside from antibiotic-related stomach discomfort, it's amazing what a difference taking them makes. My mental fog from sinus pressure has lifted, my appetite's (mostly) back, and I've had three straight days of no sinus pain whatsoever. The strangest part is that I can smell again! The only times I've been able to smell in the past 5 years or so have been when the sinus pressure was so bad I couldn't enjoy it anyway.

I had a CT scan of my head done at Augusta Medical Center when I was in VA... they didn't send me through the right way, so it was of little use to the ENT-type I saw there. He was able to tell me that I don't functionally have a frontal sinus (it showed up paper-thin on the CT) and that I didn't have nasal polyps (I could have told him that without sticking a camera up my nose, but hey), though, so it wasn't a complete waste of resources.

Sinus x-rays are that unique? Now that's fascinating. (:

[eilonwy]

Nasal polyps... that stupid camera. Ouch. Owwww. I complained so much so loudly as soon as they tried it that the allergist gave up and declared that I must have a messed up septum (not quite deviated, I can't remember what he said.)

But yeah, Sorcha-the-now-official-grad-student-in-forensic-anthro says they're *that* unique! Who knew? (Besides her, evidently.)

[mountain_hiker]

Levaquin rocks. I'm allergic to a lot of antibiotics (penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and all sulfa antibiotics like Septra). The only ones I can take are Ceclor, Keflex, Cipro, and Levaquin. A few months back, I got all these infections that I couldn't get rid of. I was on Cipro for a week and developed bronchitis, so the Dr. had to switch me to Levaquin. Within a few days, I could tell the difference, though I took all of it. It's not a cheap medication. :O

I'm currently on Claritin and Flonase. I have to take Claritin now because they've made it over-the-counter and stupid Humana raised the co-pay for Clarinex to $40 (which is what I was taking previously. Zyrtec, which worked the best for me, also has a $40 copay). Because Claritin is being sold over-the counter, now, Humana decided to raise the copay of every other allergy med because of that. Stupid fucks. >_>

[oddharmonic]

That makes me feel a little better. I'm on Levaquin because I've already been on damn near everything else (I'm allergic to penicillin and its variants) for my sinuses and this is officially the base clinic's last-ditch effort on my sinuses before agreeing to the ENT referral.

Humana is stupid, although I hate them because they handle my local Tricare region. When I submitted a region transfer form here last fall, they _disenrolled_ Laurel and I instead of noting our region change. I found out afterward Humana's famous for that.

I'm quite sorry about the copays, too. I was on Zyrtec in 2001 and while it didn't do anything for my sinuses, it was great when I visited Hayden and his indoor cat. I'll refrain from waxing pathetic about my copay under Tricare.

[phoena]

I miss the days when I was active duty and worked at the clinic. I got to know the docs well, and know which ones knew what they were doing and which ones didn't! Anytime i wanted, I could pull aside a doc and ask for meds or a quick consult, and it was SO nice and easy.

Now, though, geez, it's hell just for Virgo to get appointments! I don't even try unless I'm dying or something. (((hugs))))

Hope the meds help!!

[oddharmonic]

Robert never has problems getting into the clinic, but I think it's because there's no question of the seriousness of his injuries -- aside from an annual exam, the only times he's been in over the past year has been when he broke his elbow and when he sustained third-degree burns from a hot knife.

So far the meds have done such a great job I haven't had any sinus pressure or pain since Friday (when I started on them), and a good-sized front came through over the weekends and I didn't even notice it except when a news weather forecaster suggested bringing in tender plants for the night. I can't wait to be done with the Levaquin so I can return to my usual dairy habits -- soy cheese tastes funky.

Re:

[phoena]

I'm afraid to try soy cheese. I do love my dairy products!

Virgo has serious allergies, but sometimes he'll go in to be seen for a refill or something, and they'll decide he doesn't look "sick enough" to be seen, so he has to go back when his face swells up like a melon. NOT pretty.