Community Forums

Dwayne & Shara · 10-07-2013, 08:25 PM

my wife is 100% disabled broke her back training for Iraq. now we are full timers and are finding it hard to get her meds and care on the road. every time we go to a new VA they give her a hard time. she had great docs in CT and WY but now we are in TX. and she found a lump in her breast so we go to the VA and they said they will not do a mamagram till she turns 40 witch is in 2 months and one of her meds has been the same for 4 years nroco 10/325 so they give her Norco 5/325 so she has to take twice as many so that's twice as much Tylenol witch is bad on the liver and when we brought it to there attention and they said just take more of them. I see they don't care if she lives or dies .

Can anyone tell us which way to turn?

VetRVer · 10-07-2013, 08:54 PM

Hi Breed,

Thank your wife for her service. I'll start with the easy part which is the medication questions.

1. Not all VA's carry the same medications. Its based on what they use the most for their patients. You're right to be concerned about the liver issues. The way they cover that is more frequent blood tests.

2. Getting meds needs to be done from your home VA via the mail. If you're using MyHealtheVet, you can order meds on there and give them a temporary mailing address for all new locations.

3. There is no reason for them not to give any kind of exam if the patient presents evidence that it should be done, ie mammogram.

Anytime you have an issue while at a VAMC go to the Patient Advocate office and report the problem. That's step 1 with all issues.

PyrateSilly · 10-07-2013, 10:08 PM

I have been getting mammograms for at least the last 20 years thru the VA .... I am 46. I do have family members that have had breast cancer thou. Thou since we have been on the road for the last 3 yrs I have not been able to get one. Our VA doctor in MI finally this year got them to approve me to get one where ever I want any where in the US.
Both Thom and I love MyHealtheVet ( https://www.myhealth.va.gov/index.html ). We have been able to keep our VA doctor in MI. She knows that we are on the road and that when we come into town she already has standing orders for our fasting blood work before we see her. We have a mailing service that all the letters and meds go to and then they get sent to us where and when we want.

My suggestion would be to get and keep a doctor that you like in the VA system, get on MyHealtheVet and get a mailing service that will hold any and all mail and meds. Usually the docs will work with you so that you can have enough meds on hand until you can get them mailed.

Doggy Daddy · 10-08-2013, 02:53 AM

Contact your VA Doctor by phone or e-mail using www.myhealth.va.gov and ask for all Rx to be issued for 90 days (3 month) at a time. Then when you telephone your renewal Rx in, ask to speak to the Pharmacist and give them a temporary delivery address with beginning and ending dates. The address can be General Delivery or to the Campground you're staying if they accept 1st class mail.
Because I am a Full Time RVer, I try to register at all VA Hospitals near campgrounds I stay at to be in their system in case I should ever need emergency service. I also carry around a 4 inch stack of my Medical Records from my Primary VA Hosp incase non-VA Doctors should need some history. I also retain a copy of all documents from other VA Hosp/Clinics.
I have a mail service that I use for residency and have all Rx meds and majority of paper mail sent to my son's address where he screens my mail and sends it to me in a box Priority Mail (if it fits, it ships) at my request.

There are times I need a lab blood test done and found calling ahead to a VA Hosp/Clinic and speaking nicely explaining my situation needing a test or vaccine (non-emergency care) I am able to receive treatment. I use copy of e-mail communication from my primary Dr as supporting documentation justifying the request if needed.

homeless · 10-08-2013, 04:32 AM

My Doctor explained to me that the different VA Hospitals around the country are on there own budgets. And that your on the budget at your home VA Hospital and if they work on you in other areas there doing it out of there budget. I was given the impression they will only like to see me in an ER situation at any VA Hospital but to get the personal care I get at my home VA Hospital I need to be at home. And as VetRVer suggest is the way I was told to get my meds...

Dwayne & Shara · 10-08-2013, 06:48 PM

the problem is that the Norco is a narcotic and every doc wants to see her every time she needs a refill this was not a problem when we was not fulltime. but now we never know when or how long we are going to be some where. and the docs here are only there for a pay check. well that's the way I feel at this point. they don't listen to her she said one thing they write another thing. then say well that is what you meant . she said no I meant what I said. they say well I'm not rewriting it. it's just so frustrating . she has a calcium problem it builds way to fast and it is crushing her spinel cord. and is in so much pain. they can't operate on it . I just want her not to hurt.

VetRVer · 10-08-2013, 07:22 PM

The problem you're running into is that you are not having your home VA fill all the prescriptions and attempting to get them at the local VA. The Federal Government has cramped down hard on narcotics because of abuses.

The only way to keep the prescription coming is to have the home VA fill it. The pharmacy will mail it to you anywhere in the US as long as you give them your address. They will keep a "temporary address" for up to 3 months. You simply need to keep them advised of where you're at.

Anytime she attempts to get a narcotic from a new Dr she will have to meet with that Dr first. They are required to do this.

Wayne M · 10-08-2013, 09:32 PM

Not narcotics. According to the VA rep I spoke with they are only prescribed for 30 days and are typically not transferable to other VA hospitals. However they did say that they could be order on-line through yur primary VA hospital and mailed.

VetRVer · 10-08-2013, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Not narcotics. According to the VA rep I spoke with they are only prescribed for 30 days and are typically not transferable to other VA hospitals. However they did say that they could be order on-line through yur primary VA hospital and mailed.

That is correct and I thought what I said. But you said it better.

PyrateSilly · 10-08-2013, 10:53 PM

I am on a narcotic - Hydrocodone - and I get them mailed out to me. They get sent to our mailing address and then get sent on to us. Our VA doctor knows we get them sent to a mailing service and are fine with it, as long as it is not a PO Box in a something like Mailboxes Etc place.
At one point the doctor did try to go up from there to something stronger since pain and stuff are getting worse but the stronger meds did nothing for me so back on the other. If the stronger med had worked better then I would have had to go in every month to pick it up. I do know that she won't try Morphine on me since they have whenever I've had surgery and it doesn't work so after the first time no more Morphine for me.
Between Thom and I, we get sent 6 different meds. We reorder them thru MyHealtheVet and when we need refills all we have to do is send a secured email thru the system and it goes straight to the doctor, no more calling the nurse's or whomever. She answers back and reorders what we need.

powerboatr · 10-08-2013, 11:01 PM

well as you have seen the easy part is meds
have your local va doc write the script for 90 days and refills
then you call the 800 number to your filling pharmacy and then hold the line to change the delivery address. easy peazy
as far as not being able to get a breast exam...go find the patient advocacy person at the treatment facility and get them involved
I can tell you that one region does not like to take patients from other regions without you transferring...it does make some problem get that more difficult

but everything is waiver-able
I would also since your in texas...go find the local state veterans service officer and get them involved, its their job to help us vets.

Cat320 · 10-09-2013, 06:44 PM

With all the problems with the VA/Gov med, you might consider coming off the road and getting all the issues fixed with your home VA, then go back out.

Dwayne & Shara · 10-09-2013, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerboatr

well as you have seen the easy part is meds
have your local va doc write the script for 90 days and refills
then you call the 800 number to your filling pharmacy and then hold the line to change the delivery address. easy peazy
as far as not being able to get a breast exam...go find the patient advocacy person at the treatment facility and get them involved
I can tell you that one region does not like to take patients from other regions without you transferring...it does make some problem get that more difficult

but everything is waiver-able
I would also since your in texas...go find the local state veterans service officer and get them involved, its their job to help us vets.

we have tried to keep the same doc but no one will keep her under there care because they want to see her every month and that is not possible seeing we are only in one place for 2 to 3 months then we move on . we did as y'all said and got a hold of the advocate and they switched her team. so we will see Tuesday when she goes to see them. wish us luck we need it.

VetRVer · 10-09-2013, 07:58 PM

Breed,

I am a solo RVer and had to make the painful decision last week to come off the road because of medical issues. It happens and it doesn't make me any happier than it would anyone else.

But sometimes you have to make the hard decision.