Neurology virtual visit
I’ll be darned: except for the reflexes, he did everything – and he mentioned he had a new patient earlier and he’d had her husband check her reflexes.
He even had me prop up my iPhone by the baseboard and watched me try to walk a straight line.
I thought the blood work would be the big issue, but they’ll be sending a nurse out to my front porch to take my blood. In fact, she’ll be taking my blood on the porch and doing an EKG on the porch and a DNA test for a particular genotype, because that’s what’s required when Gilenya patients switch to Mayzent.
Yep, i’m switching to a different MS drug. I’m not going to be a Gilenya girl anymore. Because of the COVID, the doctor wants all his patients on the Mayzent drug instead, because if you stop it then your immune system comes back in 10 days instead of 6 weeks.
It uses the same mechanism as the Gilenya — it makes your white blood cells too fat to sneak into your brain. Evidently the new version bulks up just one limb of the molecule instead of all the limbs, so it can go back to normal more easily. It is also used for the more serious stages of MS, so I suppose if I get worse I’ll have that going for me.
Same maker, so he thinks I’d have the same copay. I’m not sure, but I do like the idea of having a good immune system if I need it, especially these days.
Therapist virtual visit
Of course, the therapist’s visit was just about the same. I need to remember to start by asking how she’s doing. I usually forget until about three fourths of the way through and she always has massive news and I feel like a heel.
I am a little sick of talking to people, today, though.
5 responses to “Doctor’s Appointments in Practice”
It’s really impressive how some businesses have adapted. I hope your new drug works well and doesn’t have nasty side effects – I’m always terrified to start something new because I seem to get the side effects that .1 percent of people experience – “oh, are you having minor dry mouth and dizziness?” “no, my ears are purple and my third toe is swelling up”. Here’s to fat white blood cells – so relatable right now, honestly.
That’s quite good! and yes, bringing a spouse in for reflex testing is very clever. I hope the new medication works really well for you and also hope that the financial side works out smoothly and well.
Front porch blood draws are something I hadn’t heard of, but that makes sense for minimizing the risk to the nurse and to the patient – fresh air with a breeze is good for not sharing droplets.
Hope all goes well!
Alison – like you, I get every side effect, but I love them. It shows me the medicine is having an effect, and if the side effects are strong then the benefit will be strong too. That’s my attitude anyway.KC – well, at some point I calculated that the co-pay assistance up to this point could buy me a very nice used car, so really I should join with the rest of the world and start paying out the nose.
I fail to see the logic in paying out the nose, but sure. 🙂
(I do not, personally, have a strong side-effect/benefit ratio, but my body is weird, and probably weird in different ways from yours!)
KC – I get all the standard side effects, and my brother gets every rare side effect. Sad for him.