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

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.

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??