Posted by John B (130.13.67.226) on January 20, 2001 at 10:29:09:
I haven't been around the board much recently, as I have had to move, adjust to a new home, job and find new doctors and get set up with new medical insurance, pharmacy, home health for oxygen, etc. I'm chronic, and I am on Pacificare HMO now, which is a joke. Also, Phoenix is a BIG city, and Pacificare has it broken up into various districts. I have been here two months and they have already changed my doctor once because of redistricting. This cancels the appointment with the neurologist, too, because now I need a referral to a different one. THIS IS MADDENING, PEOPLE. We need to band together and form an organization to fight against this kind of crap. Oh, that's right, we already did - JOIN O.U.C.H.!
Anyway, just read some posts back and forth below about lithium and whether or not it causes memory problems. Got to jump in here in defense of Sailpappy - I took lithium for a year for my chronic clusters, and I can tell you that I couldn't remember a damn thing that happened yesterday while I was at the theraputic dosages of the stuff. I would have meetings with people, and then call them up a couple of days later and ask them questions that had been completely answered at the meeting. Most embarrasing period of my life. Also, trying to set down a cup of coffee was a challenge. I would get it half way to the table, and my hand would shake so hard I would spill half the cup. Good stuff for the headaches, though.
LYG
John B