Re: The root of the problem

[Guest guest]

Since I have only know I have had FM for two weeks, I am just in the

learning stages of what is going on.

But Em, I have been diagnosed with clincal depression for since I was

16 which is over ten years.

For some reason I don't think you are bipolar but manic depressive,

but I am not an expert. Manic has extreme highs and extreme lows.

Depression is very crippling and i hope you find a psychatrist that

is a great one. I have been so much therapy, I have stopped now and

get my anti-depressants through my fantastic doctor.

I have managed with my depression for the last five years

successfully I think. One thing I always tell people with depression

is that meds are gonna help you but they don't make you feel happy. I

think they take the edge off and make you more able to cope with

life. I still get down and I have still have ups but I just think

that is the path of life, nothing is going to perfect with life.

Prozac just helps me to deal with life better. I am able to function

in society and not confine myself to my bed.

I hope you don't leave but if you do and need to talk more about

depression please email me at u2tree2000@.... I definitely know

where you are coming from.

Tara

> Hi y'all --

>

> Hope you're having a lovely Friday morning. I have been thinking a

lot

> this week, after last week's adventures and the return to regular

life (or

> what passes for it LOL).

>

> I have a hard, hard time saying this. But I think a lot of what is

going

> on in my own life has more to do with depression than

fibromyalgia. This

> doesn't mean I think I was misdiagnosed; *something* started after

I had

> mono, and I'm pretty sure it's FM.

>

> I've had so many negative medical tests, so many doctors who can't

find

> anything (aside from high blood pressure and the FM). I feel that

it may

> be time for me to admit that depression is a constant, DAILY

struggle. I

> am also curious about the way I go from high to low so fast and so

> often. I feel no one has given serious thought to bipolar

disorder,

> including myself, but maybe it's time to re-evaluate that idea.

>

> That said, I guess I should leave this list. I do have FM, I truly

> believe, but I am growing daily more convinced that my most taxing

problem

> is depression. It's been easy to deny that, because I can function

at work

> most of the time, and am often so cheery it's sort of scary. But

in the

> past few weeks I've noticed that several colleagues have

said, " , slow

> down, you're talking too fast, " and so on. And then I'll come home

and cry

> for 3 hours.

>

> There are many people on this list with I believe far more

legitimate

> physiological problems than I have. But you are the nicest group

of folks

> I have ever run across, and I want you to know that I wish all of

you the

> very, very, very best with fighting your physical problems and

creating

> wonderful, satisfying lives. Thank you to everyone who's given me

input,

> and for letting me ramble sometimes when I'm quite off-topic.

>

> I'm not giving up. But I think if I am truly honest with myself

and with

> you, that my biggest problem isn't FM. So I'm going to try to

start

> working on what I think is the root of the problem. Looking for a

new

> psychologist so that I can talk through some of this; finding a new

shrink

> who will be more, shall we say, flexible in his/her ideology.

>

> You will never be far from my thoughts.

>

> Much love and hugs to all,

> Em

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> It is the tale, not he who tells it.

>

> Ad astra per aspera.

>

> Broccoli is bigger than all of us.

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

u2tree2000 wrote:

> For some reason I don't think you are bipolar but manic depressive,

> but I am not an expert. Manic has extreme highs and extreme lows.

I thought manic depressive was just another name for bipolar??

> I have managed with my depression for the last five years

> successfully I think. One thing I always tell people with depression

> is that meds are gonna help you but they don't make you feel happy. I

> think they take the edge off and make you more able to cope with

> life. I still get down and I have still have ups but I just think

> that is the path of life, nothing is going to perfect with life.

This is just what I said on another list when someone called

antidepressants " happy pills " . I disagreed and said they don't make me

happy all the time, I still have the same ups and downs as other people,

what it helped me with was the overwhelming unhappiness. They let me go

back to being the person I was before all the depression struck.

Darcy

[Guest guest]

u2tree2000 wrote:

> For some reason I don't think you are bipolar but manic depressive,

> but I am not an expert. Manic has extreme highs and extreme lows.

I thought manic depressive was just another name for bipolar??

> I have managed with my depression for the last five years

> successfully I think. One thing I always tell people with depression

> is that meds are gonna help you but they don't make you feel happy. I

> think they take the edge off and make you more able to cope with

> life. I still get down and I have still have ups but I just think

> that is the path of life, nothing is going to perfect with life.

This is just what I said on another list when someone called

antidepressants " happy pills " . I disagreed and said they don't make me

happy all the time, I still have the same ups and downs as other people,

what it helped me with was the overwhelming unhappiness. They let me go

back to being the person I was before all the depression struck.

Darcy

[Guest guest]

You you are absolutely right, I was thinking something else. They are

both the same thing. My mind is crazed at work today.

As for the happy pill analogy, you are right on.

Tara

>

> > For some reason I don't think you are bipolar but manic

depressive,

> > but I am not an expert. Manic has extreme highs and extreme lows.

>

> I thought manic depressive was just another name for bipolar??

>

>

> > I have managed with my depression for the last five years

> > successfully I think. One thing I always tell people with

depression

> > is that meds are gonna help you but they don't make you feel

happy. I

> > think they take the edge off and make you more able to cope with

> > life. I still get down and I have still have ups but I just think

> > that is the path of life, nothing is going to perfect with life.

>

> This is just what I said on another list when someone called

> antidepressants " happy pills " . I disagreed and said they don't make

me

> happy all the time, I still have the same ups and downs as other

people,

> what it helped me with was the overwhelming unhappiness. They let

me go

> back to being the person I was before all the depression struck.

> Darcy

[Guest guest]

Hi :

In case you hadn't read this from a post I did long ago, BC of California

turned me down for an overseas BHR with Treacy because they said it was a

non-emergency procedure performed outside the country. This was a contractual

basis

for not covering it, permitted by their agreement with me.

I've now had bilateral BHR's at my own expense. The first was about $12,000

and the second (because of the horrible exchange rate and a slightly more

expensive hospital, $17,000); both by Treacy.

Because I was close to missing the window of opportunity to even have a BHR

for my first one, I didn't ask BC to cover it anywhere else because I didn't

want to waste any more time.

I did try to reason with them that I might have a THR at their expense

instead, which would cost them much more. They called my bluff and told me to go

fly

a kite. Well, they didn't exactly say that but I know that's what they meant.

Given what I'd found out about the resurf procedure, the last thing I wanted

was a THR.

I didn't even approach BC on the issue of investigational vs. approved device

so I can't speak with any authority on that.

All I can do is say, from my perspective as a lawyer, that the job of

insurance companies is to not pay claims. They're not public service companies,

they're businesses whose goal is to make as much money as possible, just like

any

other business.

I wouldn't hold my breath that their policy will change any time soon. But I

do believe that eventually the little grey men will have a bunch of meetings

and realize that not only is resurfing a good idea, but that they can actually

save a huge amount of money that they now throw into THR's and revisions, by

approving resurfing in the USA.

This is the argument to make to them. The doctors won't necessarily help

because the more THR's and revisions they do, the more they earn. Sorry to be so

cynical but hey, I'm a grown-up. And besides I have two teenagers, which

enhances my cynicism.

The question is how us peons can make that argument. We probably need some

help in Congress - no joke. All this spitting into the wind is most likely not

going to accomplish much in changing their view.

Naturally their actuaries are also telling them that if they're hearing of a

bad track record with resurf's, they shouldn't cover them just yet. This,

again, is a business reason. But eventually the word will out, and the penny

will

drop. This is America, remember.

Unfortunately most of us either couldn't or can't wait for that to happen. We

want quality of life and we want it now.

My advice is go get it done and move on. Maybe there'll be a class action

later on you can become a part of, but it's too much emotional baggage to deal

with right now when you're in pain and needing a resurf.

Those of you who are particularly politically active and so inclined, and who

burn with the zeal of an idealist, should get hold of a Congressional

representative and kick up lots of dust.

I'm sure now that the resurf population is growing in the US, particularly

with folks who've gone overseas for medical treatment that they couldn't get

here, we can create some embarrassment value from that, to use against those of

our vaunted medical professionals who say " I'm right because you're wrong. "

Best of luck,

Des Tuck

In a message dated 3/25/2004 10:43:25 AM Pacific Standard Time,

lhanigan@... writes:

I read your post today and was wondering if you got

any info regarding insurance & the Amstuz vs. DeSmet

debate.

I have the same issues with BlueCross of Calif. Spoke

with Chuck and basically heard the same as you. So

now I'm deciding if I should go to Belguim to have

this thing done or stick around in the hopes that BC

decides to eventually cover this procedure.

The less invasive procedure is possibly a

hemi-surfacing. This is what I " m going to have (if

the cartlidge is still good once the get in there).

If you hear anything would you mind posting it or

forwarding it to me? There is so much info out there,

that I feel a tad overwhelmed.