Ive been without insulin for like 10 days now. I just called the automated pharmacy line and it asked me if I wanted to refill several medications. One of them was my insulin. Like they werent even refilling it yet. Even though I have been trying to get it refilled for over a week. I chose the option to have it refilled.
I went to sleep tonight for 3 hours and woke up to my blood sugar being 240 even after a 3 hour nap. I cant eat supper now. Its starting to piss me off. I may have a few words for the pharmacy in the morning.
Maybe there is some confusion because they were replacing one insulin with the other because one is on backorder from the manufacturer, but still. I have been in contact with doctor and pharmacy several time in the last week and they still dont appear to be filling anything.
I took an extra 5mg of glipizide because I have to do something to get my blood sugar down and I dont want to go to the hospital.
They had better do something in the morning or I will go in to the pharmacy in person and throw a fit tomorrow.
I would recommend going into the pharmacy and speaking with the pharmacist directly. Tell them that you have been without insulin for 10 days and you need this addressed immediately.
EDIT: You may also need to stop by your doctors office and speak with the staff there and let them know you have been without insulin for 10 days.
I talked to the pharmacist directly. BOth on the phone and in person before thanksgiving. I am in contact with my dr through MyChart. I just sent another message tonight. I will be talking to the pharmacy again tomorrow.
Had to do the automated thing tonight because they were closed after my nap.
[If you have been without insulin for 10 days, this is a life-threatening emergency. Your immediate priority is to get insulin by seeking urgent medical attention.
Immediate Action (Medical Emergency) Go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care: Do not delay this step. Medical professionals at an emergency room (ER) or urgent care clinic can assess your current condition, including checking for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and provide immediate insulin. They can also write a short-term emergency prescription to cover you while the underlying issue is resolved.
Call 911: If you are experiencing symptoms of DKA (e.g., high blood sugar, excessive thirst/urination, nausea, abdominal pain, shortness of breath), call 911 immediately.
Short-Term Solutions Once your immediate health is stable, consider these options to bridge the gap: Speak with a Pharmacist about an Emergency Supply: In Illinois, a pharmacist may be able to provide an emergency supply of up to a 30-day supply of a maintenance medication like insulin, especially if they have your recent prescription history on file. Ask to speak directly with the supervising pharmacist and clearly explain the situation and the unhelpful dispute between your doctor and their pharmacy.
Utilize Manufacturer Assistance Programs: Companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly offer immediate supply programs for people facing urgent needs. Call the Lilly Diabetes Solutions Center at 1-833-808-1234. Visit NovoCare for a one-time immediate supply card. Consider Over-the-Counter (OTC) Insulin: Human insulin (Regular and NPH) is available without a prescription for about $25 per vial at pharmacies like Walmart (ReliOn brand). This may not act the same as your prescribed insulin, so consult a healthcare provider or pharmacist before using it.–AI Overview
I did have some minor abdominal pain and heavy breathing yesterday but after taking an extra glipizide and taking a nap I am back down to 170. I will be dealing with this this morning.
I do have other medications besides insulin so I do have some things working on my blood sugar, its just not enough.
Im still alive and blood sugar is stable for now, so I guess Im ok. I will call first thing in the morning and try to control my temper and get this resolved.
I talked to the pharmacist directly twice right before thanksgiving and have been into the pharmacy to check on it and get other prescriptions 2 times or more since then.
THey say glargine or whatever the first insulin I was on is on back order from the manufacture and no one has it. On mychart the docs nurse or whatever told me she ordered Lantis for me on the 26th.
When I went in on the 26th the pharmacy told me that they still needed to get ahold of dr but I dont know if this was before or after the doc oked the med.
Like I said, I have been into the pharmacy like 2 times since then. I posted about the time I went in to pick up my Gerd med and it still wasnt there in another thread.
We had a Thanksgiving, then a snowstorm, then the weekend, so I get all that, but I wouldve expected they would have at least had it by Monday.
They had better damn well have it in tomorrow.
I’ve got a speech forming in my mind where i go in and ask them if they have too many customer and they plan to kill off a few to lighten their load.
Thanks for the caring about you thing @Peacefrog . They had better have it in tomorrow or there is going to be quite the ruckus in the pharmacy line.
Dang, sounds complex. Pharmacies can be so tough to deal with it especially when one has a mental illness. Give em hell tomorrow if they’re still non-chalant
I will. All this started because I had a bad insulin pen and lost several days supplies there. That was on Friday the the 21st I think. But I saw my doc and I assumed her order the glargine(or whatever its called) would get me that insulin in time. Then I went in to pick up the glargine and was informed that they would have it on the following monday. Then I went in the following monday and they told me it was on back order from the manufacturer and I would have to contact doc. I contacted doc and….I have already told the rest of the story….in previous posts…..
I think as @Moonbeam said; you need to go in person and tell them the facts. Anyone with a brain cell will immediately see the alarming concern and jump to action.
Thanks @Banjo . First step will be calling them as soon as they are open (if I can get through, their phone lines are often very busy). I dont want to drive around in the snow and not get anything. If what they say on the phone is not satisfactory, I will drive down there and raise hell until they do something.
I will update this thread later today when I can tell you all if the situation is resolved.
