Dx'd with Pneumonia

Nurses General Nursing

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Well, after a month of procrastinating to see a doctor for my nasty chest cold, I was dx' with pneumonia and on a s**tload of medicine. Not only that it just ate up all my birthday$$ because I didn't have insurance, as I'm a full-time student.:crying2:

I don't know if it is just me, but I was wondering if others on this board have done the same...either procrastinate or just plan deny that they are sick enough to see a doctor. I mean if anyone else complained of the symptoms I've had, I would have told them to go see an MD...I know part was financial, but mainly it was denial.

Also, are there any inexpensive health insurances for students? unfortunately, my community college doesn't offer any insurance and I'll be at this school for at least 2.5 more years for my ADN.

Thanks,

Kris

:o

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Oh honey, we feel for ya....

yes, we have all procrastinated at times, hoping something will just go away, especially if we have no medical insurance. Last year was the first year we had no Rx coverage, so of course quess what happened????

3 cases of pneumonia.....2 URI's....a lung condition....a hospitization....sheesh....

spent HUNDREDS on medicine this past year. Thank God we had medical coverage.

Anything can happen; and "affordable medical insurance" for students is an oxymoron....

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We have medical coverage now, but it stinks. I procrastinate, and there are things I should have taken care of but can't afford the extra bills. My husband was hospitalized twice in less than a month, so we have over $2000 in copayments/deductibles. I don't think they like getting $50/month b/c that's all we can swing.

I take it that you don't have children? How about your parents insurance? Usually you can stay on if you are full time. I think that's up to age 25. Not sure how old ya are....

I think we all have our hands tied right now. Get a job in a clinic so you can get FREE drugs! My friend (dental hygiene student) does that and hasn't paid for a med in 2 years. Everything from birth control to Zoloft to Zyban she can get free. Plus, her docs will look at her for free...:)

Kristy

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I know what it's like to to have pneumonia,and I feel for you. I am upset because I just had surgery for a cyst the size of an egg that wasn't there. I went through that surgery for no reason whatsoever. I don't have insurance, and so far am in debt over $8,000.00. Last year I didn't have insurance either, and I had to have my gallbladder removed, so I am still in debt for that one. I don't have it right now, but those medical bills really eat you up for sure. I hope you feel better real soon. Christina

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It's sad how hard it is to get healthcare when you don't have insurance and/or money...

Had a 24 y/o girl come in to the ER a couple weeks ago with SOB, hx of a cough x 2 weeks...her room air sat was 30%, which only came up to 60% on 15L NRB...intubated and bronched in the ED, intensivist said it was the worst CXR he'd seen in a long time...

Then he found a "mass" in her abd...labs weren't back yet, stat u/s done, found out she was 30 weeks pregnant...emergency c/section, baby tubed and sent to NICU...

Now baby is off vent and doing well...showing no signs of hypoxic injury, and mom is *still* on the vent as far as I know, doing only slightly better.

All from what could have and should have been just a simple URI or pneumonia...but she waited, hoping it would go away.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Get well soon and take care.

Fortunately, I haven't been sick lately. I have insurance but I haven't been to a doctor in ten years. I need to have a growth under my tongue removed. It's a blocked salivary gland, it flames up every now and then and IT'S BEEN THERE FOR TWO YEARS! Talk about procrastination. I could be eaten up with cancer by now and never now it.

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Hope you feel better soon. We nurses are the absolute worst when it comes to going to the doc! We don't like to admit that we get sick too! A few yrs ago I ended up with pneumonia after a long nasty bout with the flu. I felt so crappy, didn't want to eat or drink. I noticed that when I pushed a wheelchair pt or bed pt it made me see stars and the room would grow dim. It was then I finally decided to go. The doc couldn't believe I had worked that day!

Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest and fluids. The insurance thingy sucks. What sucks more is paying out 180.00 per pay and still having to pay out of pocket until the 2500 deductible is met! How old are you? As a fulltime student under 25 you might qualify as a dependent on your parents policy.

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When you go to your doc, don't be afraid to tell them your situation and ask for samples. That helped me alot when I was in nursing school and we didn't have medical coverage. Even my OB would give me 6-8 months worth of BCP's!

And worst case scenario, pay bills over time. Call the billing departments and set up a payment schedule. As long as you send consistent payments (NO LATE ONES) I do not think they can legally do anything to you, no matter how small the payment. We paid off a $1,000+ ER visit in $20-25 payments!

Heather

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Hi 2baNurse,

I feel for you. After college and before my first real job I had no insurance and I would pray that I wouldn't get sick or have an accident which I am prone to do. I remember when I finally did get insurance I was all "Yahoo, I can get sick and break a bone!"

I had a friend in college that didn't have insurance and tore her ACL in a bit of a freak accident. She had surgery and paid out of pocket buy didn't do any of the Physical Therapy because she had no way to pay for it.

I have another friend who didn't have insurance but had a roommate who's mom is a nurse and anytime she would get sick with something basic like bronchitis, etc. would get free sample antibiotics.

My husband had to have an X-Ray of his foot but the deductible is so high that he has to pay for it out of pocket anyway. So, we got on a payment plan with the hospital. I can tell you though, that now that we realize how high the deductible is and what is and isn't covered we would be hisitant to have certain labs and procedures done if we ever need them.

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I think insurance is worth every penny, if you can swing it. But unlike everyone else here, it seems, I DO go to the doctor when I think something's wrong. A bit of a hypochondriac, I think, but I also have endometriosis, GERD, really bad tendonitis in my arms and hands, and now some sort of questionable, mild, nonspecific mitral valvulopathy (WTF??)

I'm a walking time bomb.

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Unfortunately, I am way over 25 (38 this past Tuesday), so family insurance is totally out. The medication would have been more but the doc gave me the zpack (the $44 bill was enough with the other medications and they were all the generic).

I'm definitely not feeling great with my chest and all, but somehow I still feel fortunate when I hear others dx'd with this and worse.

Thanks again for your kind replies...this BB is saving me from losing my mind:eek: ...I love my cats but I think we are all getting a little stir crazy (although they keep me nice and toasty while I sleep:) ).

Kris

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Hi Kris,

Hope you get to feeling better soon. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how fast and well the Z pack works.

I use my kitties as bed warmers too. Only here in PA it gets a bit colder than Florida.

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