I am patient zero.
Exciting yet daunting words. Especially when uttered by your doctor.
To be clear, I am only patient zero for his practice. Still, it's a lot to take in.
My name is The Contessa. It's also my title. I have been suffering my entire life from atopic dermatitis.
Tomorrow, I begin Dupixent.
The journey up til now has been the usual, topical steroids, oral steroids, coconut oil, manuka honey, yoga, massage, all of it.
I have experienced chronic pain at 50 on a scale of 1-10. I have used prescription pain medication to manage the pain. I have used yoga and meditation successfully to manage it as well.
There is no secret that stress exacerbates the condition. At my wedding in 2013, my skin was perfect. PERFECT. My husband got sick shortly after and died of lung cancer in 2014. Grief and stress led to my condition being so out of control that even high, extended doses of steroids and very serious pain meds were no longer working.
My parents gave me an article from The NY Times at a family event in October of 2016. In this article a new, game changing biologic was wrapping up its last clinical trial and set to be approved by the FDA on March 29. The drug was called Dupilumab. Or Dupixent.
In December, I couldn't take it anymore and after careful research, I went to my Dermy and asked him to please put me on ANY biologic. I no longer cared and was tired of waiting.
Seeing me in tears, was rough on him. My relationship with my dermatologist is 20 years old now. I trust him and he trusts me. Together, we decided that I would take, what would hopefully be the very last round of prednisone. So, he prescribed a high dosed, long term course. In addition, I was prescribed some topical sand atarax to sleep at night.
I looked great, felt great, slept great. Skin was never 100%, but it didn't completely revert back.
March 29, 2017.
It's approved! I jumped for joy and made an appointment for April.
He prescribes eucrisa, the newly approved topical biologic, Dupixent, the newly approved injectable, and my usual topicals.
His PA registers me fir Dupixent MyWay. This is a program that the drug company has that assists patients from soup to nuts. First, they assign you to a nurse. Second, they start working with your insurance company to get the most affordable plan.
As you can guess, these new drugs not only don't come cheaply, but my insurance company's response, when asked, was the ever classic "what."
I should pause here to explain that I have a reputable insurance company, with a high deductible plan.
What that means, for those not in the know, is have to meet the deductible before 80% is covered. My deductible is $2000. It reset on May 1.
I spoke with the nurse and reviewed my stats. I was told that the benefits were being negotiated. I was hopeful.
May 15, 2017.
The nurse calls. The first injection will cost $2080.38. My heart stopped. I was near tears.
Then she puts me on hold, for what felt like an eternity but was more like 25 minutes.
When she returned, she said there was a zero pay copay applied to my account. I was stupefied. I don't HAVE a copay. How the hell is that going to help?
Before I could say this, she explained that there was $13000 on the card. It covered my deductible and all copay through 12/31.
What.
They are absorbing my deductible?
Then it sunk in. I am getting this drug for free.
FREE.
THAT'S RIGHT. I SAID FREE.
She confirmed shipping. I should be receiving my first double dose tomorrow.
I'm so excited!
Exciting yet daunting words. Especially when uttered by your doctor.
To be clear, I am only patient zero for his practice. Still, it's a lot to take in.
My name is The Contessa. It's also my title. I have been suffering my entire life from atopic dermatitis.
Tomorrow, I begin Dupixent.
The journey up til now has been the usual, topical steroids, oral steroids, coconut oil, manuka honey, yoga, massage, all of it.
I have experienced chronic pain at 50 on a scale of 1-10. I have used prescription pain medication to manage the pain. I have used yoga and meditation successfully to manage it as well.
There is no secret that stress exacerbates the condition. At my wedding in 2013, my skin was perfect. PERFECT. My husband got sick shortly after and died of lung cancer in 2014. Grief and stress led to my condition being so out of control that even high, extended doses of steroids and very serious pain meds were no longer working.
My parents gave me an article from The NY Times at a family event in October of 2016. In this article a new, game changing biologic was wrapping up its last clinical trial and set to be approved by the FDA on March 29. The drug was called Dupilumab. Or Dupixent.
In December, I couldn't take it anymore and after careful research, I went to my Dermy and asked him to please put me on ANY biologic. I no longer cared and was tired of waiting.
Seeing me in tears, was rough on him. My relationship with my dermatologist is 20 years old now. I trust him and he trusts me. Together, we decided that I would take, what would hopefully be the very last round of prednisone. So, he prescribed a high dosed, long term course. In addition, I was prescribed some topical sand atarax to sleep at night.
I looked great, felt great, slept great. Skin was never 100%, but it didn't completely revert back.
March 29, 2017.
It's approved! I jumped for joy and made an appointment for April.
He prescribes eucrisa, the newly approved topical biologic, Dupixent, the newly approved injectable, and my usual topicals.
His PA registers me fir Dupixent MyWay. This is a program that the drug company has that assists patients from soup to nuts. First, they assign you to a nurse. Second, they start working with your insurance company to get the most affordable plan.
As you can guess, these new drugs not only don't come cheaply, but my insurance company's response, when asked, was the ever classic "what."
I should pause here to explain that I have a reputable insurance company, with a high deductible plan.
What that means, for those not in the know, is have to meet the deductible before 80% is covered. My deductible is $2000. It reset on May 1.
I spoke with the nurse and reviewed my stats. I was told that the benefits were being negotiated. I was hopeful.
May 15, 2017.
The nurse calls. The first injection will cost $2080.38. My heart stopped. I was near tears.
Then she puts me on hold, for what felt like an eternity but was more like 25 minutes.
When she returned, she said there was a zero pay copay applied to my account. I was stupefied. I don't HAVE a copay. How the hell is that going to help?
Before I could say this, she explained that there was $13000 on the card. It covered my deductible and all copay through 12/31.
What.
They are absorbing my deductible?
Then it sunk in. I am getting this drug for free.
FREE.
THAT'S RIGHT. I SAID FREE.
She confirmed shipping. I should be receiving my first double dose tomorrow.
I'm so excited!
So exciting! I look forward to walking with you on your journey, my sisterfriend.
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ReplyDeleteHallelujah! I am so happy for you!!
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