I tell you, I am moving to Australia! That sounds awesome! I picked up a few scrpis today for $145!!!!!!! $145!!!Why on earth do they cost so much here?

Hope you are feeling better!

ERin

Has your headache gone away yet? If not, I'd call your dr or get to the ER. You may be having a reaction to the IV IG. Did you drink lots of water before it? Were you given benadryl or tylenol?

Hope you are already feeling better!

Big hugs!
Erin

Hi Erin,

Its all run(hospital cover and prescriptions) by tax we pay, everyone pays a tax to cover health. If you want extra cover, to go to a private hospital you can take out private insurance, or you can wait and go to a public hospital. Yes Iam very thankful to live in Australia, and know how lucky Iam to have free medical and low prescription costs. It doesn't however cover dental, it seems that teeth arn't part of the human body You still have to fork out huge amounts of money to go to a dentist, or wait months/years to go to the dental hospital, which only costs a minimal amount.
Kate

It has finally subsided slightly with medication. My doc said it is aseptic menigitis from the IVIG. The headaches are sooo horrible...my head...my neck...and my back...all involved in the headache. I get confused during the onset of these headaches..He gave me some hydrocodone with ibroprofen 7.5 tabs for the pain...it helps ease the aching head...but the neck aches and is sooo stiff!
Has this ever happen to any of you??

I am still feeling rough. I am basically off work on bedrest.."house arrest"...until the 18th. They premedicated me with tylenol and benadryl...as well as received solu-medrol IV prior to IVIG. Doc told me that I needed to relax because stress makes MG worse...as well as makes the side effects worse....

I had a few soda's prior to the infusion...but next time...I am drinking tons and tons of water before, in between....and after!!

Also, infusion went in over 3 hours....2g/KG...I will also ask them to slow it down....

But the problems didn't start until the next day...after I got home...Doctor told me to stop taking the imuran too...

Hi Kate and Erin (and others),

Australia sounds a bit like the UK. I pay a one time fee of £38 and get all my prescriptions for a year. The difference is made up by taxes etc. The Scottish government is planning to remove all prescription charges by 2011. I don't mind paying a bit for my prescriptions because i am able to (thankfully my husband and I are both working full-time). But I know we wouldn't be able to maintain our standard of living if i had to pay for everything! The worst was when i went in for my IVIG - everyone kept talking about how expensive it was and then it didn't even work for me! I felt like I had wasted so much money (and resources).

The only downside to the NHS is that SOMETIMES the decisions are based on money. For example, when i moved here I was taking contraceptive pills that worked really well to control my cramps etc. When I went to get a refill the doctor told me that brand was too pricey and they wouldn't prescribe it so she switched me to another brand. Oh, and this is a funny money saving story - I take 40 mg of omeprazole daily to help with the side-effects of azathioprine. One day I woke up to a letter from the NHS saying they were changing my prescription for 1 - 40mg capsule to 2 - 20mg capsules. Apparently the 20mg capsules are cheaper. Minor inconvience for me, now I just take 2 in the morning instead of 1.

There are NHS dentists here, but they are pretty much impossible to get into so my husband pays for a private one. I can't even get into that practice (it's full) so I still go to my original dentist in Canada when i go home in the summer and pay for my treatments there. Thankfully I've not needed any emergency teeth work done. Our local area is talking about getting another dentist due to demand but is finding it hard to recruit someone to the area.

Hey hon! Are you feeling better? How is your head? I am so sorry you are having such a rough time - just ain't right........

Why did your dr take you off the Imuran?

MG just sux! It takes away all normalcy in our lives - there is no in between. Either we feel great or awful - no in between......hate that......sigh......

Have you asked about the plasma exchange? It isn't fun @ all, but neither are mind blowing headaches or "house arrest"...........

Hopefully they will slow it down - the rate of the IV IG - I loved having mine going as fast as possible, but my neuro made them reduce it from 360 mL and hr to 150 (max) in order to prevent kidey damage.......

You just take it ez and take good care of yourself - you are lucky to have such a great hubby!

Big, big hugs!
Erin

Today is a good day! Mind blowing headache has been reduced to a mild ache in my neck...no pain medication needed (except for 2 aleeve)...however, I have been so lazy and stayed in bed--seriously--laid up in bed sleeping all day! I am hoping for more energy tomorrow!!

The doc thought that the imuran was just too much for my system to handle--since I reacted so violently to the IVIG....however...I honestly believe the IVIG has helped me--double vision is gone, eye droop is gone, blurry vision is gone...and today..the headache is much, much better!

Keeping my fingers crossed that I am turning the corner..on this headache...

Steph

So glad to hear you are feeling better!

Enjoy your time on the sofa - you and your body DESERVE it! IV IG is really hard on the body......

Erin