Went For Meds Today

[Cavman]

Went to the VAMC today to be assigned a primary doctor etc. He was a physicians assistant and treated me good. My disappointment was in the meds. The couple I needed today was a sleeping pill and Nexium. My Gerd is bigtime bad for years and Nexium is all that works. He said there are 5 Nexium generics I have to try a prescription of first before I can get Nexium. The reason I asked the VA for it was my wife`s insurance at work will no longer pay for Nexium, only a knock off. So 5 days now without Nexium and I `m hurting. He also wouldn`t give me the name of the generics, so how do you win?

Cavman

[jbasser]

Go to the walk in clinic and tell them your hurting and the nexium is not working. Do this until they prescribe it.

[Stretch]

I was told that the VA will not get Nexium.

VA has Pantoprazole (Protonix)

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/protonix.htm

VA has Omeprazole (Generic Prilosec)

It is in the list above.

VA has Ranitidine HCL (Generic Zantac). This works for me

http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/srchcont...?src=ranitidine

These all work pretty good, but you have to keep taking them though.

-------------------------------------------------------

If he says Temazepam for sleep. This stuff will make me negative and groggy as heck, and I do the bubble-gum walk with it. I went to the next step up, Triazolam, as it doesn't have as bad of side effects.

Usually the PCP starts a person out on the cheaper stuff and then you move up to the better meds after you get burned out.

[Objee]

Cavamn,

Here's some generics:

Esomeprazole IPA (Nexium) is a proton pump inhibitor.

(generic brand names for Nexium: Lucen; Esopral and Axagon)

(I think Axagon is a foreign brand.)

Ralph

Went to the VAMC today to be assigned a primary doctor etc. He was a physicians assistant and treated me good. My disappointment was in the meds. The couple I needed today was a sleeping pill and Nexium. My Gerd is bigtime bad for years and Nexium is all that works. He said there are 5 Nexium generics I have to try a prescription of first before I can get Nexium. The reason I asked the VA for it was my wife`s insurance at work will no longer pay for Nexium, only a knock off. So 5 days now without Nexium and I `m hurting. He also wouldn`t give me the name of the generics, so how do you win?

Cavman

[RockyA1911]

CAVMAN!!!

That is a bunch of BS period!!!!! The VA has to go out and buy NEXIUM for you and here is how you do it.

"Get a letter from your private care MD that prescribed the NEXIUM for you. Have the MD state that NEXIUM is prescibed for your condition. Also, Mr. CAVMAN does not tolerate Prilosec, Prevacid, and the other listed generics listed in below thread. Mr. Cavman tolerates NEXIUM well. Have the MD address it to whom it may concern."

Fax that or hand carry it to your VA Primary care Dr. and tell them you need the med immediately and how long you have gone without it. You will get your medicine and it will be NEXIUM.

I had this same problem and that is what I did. I needed Aciphex because I could no longer tolerate Prevacid or Prilosec and I got tired of screwing around. My private Gastro MD put me on Aciphex and I love it with no adverse reactions such as bloating, cramps, diareahha etc.

I went to my first PC visit and the VA Dr wrote the prescription for non-formulary Aciphex and the pharmacist refused to furnish the Aciphex. I went on IRIS website and complained that I had run out and had furnished the required letter from my GI doctor in order to recieve the Aciphex. Two days later real early one morning my doorbell rang and it was Federal Express with my supply of Aciphex. That was a year ago and I have been getting the Aciphex ever since.

Just have your own doctor state that you only tolerate the Nexium.

You should have your Nexium within a week for the prescription, but your PC VA Dr should write an immediate prescription for filling at a local area pharmacy such as a grocery store etc close to the VA clinic. I know when I got the pink eye I went to the VA clinic and they immediately prescribed some stuff and gave me some paperwork to take around the corner to the local HyVee food chain with pharmacy and I filled it there at no cost right away.

Anytime you need a med that is not in the VA formulary, just get the letter from you private MD and you will get what you need. There is no smoke or mirrors just folks in the VA that don't know what they are talking about. You do not have to try other meds for evaluation first, plain BS.

"The Marines have landed and the situation is well at hand"

[Cavman]

Hope this helps someone out, especially if it has to do with the need of Nexium. I was hurting so bad without Nexium I went to a local doctor today to see if I could buy a couple samples for some relief. The doctor looked at the diagnosis I took from my last endoscopy and said....YOU CAN`T LIVE WITHOUT NEXIUM!....I told her the VA rules and she said here are 10 samples of Nexium, take one now and I am putting my staff on this immediately to see if your wife`s insurance from her work can be forced to pay for your Nexium. She then said, if that doesn`t work we will contact AstraZeneca and see if they will supply your Nexium. She is familiar with the VA process and says I can`t wait that long. What a caring doctor. Very rare.

Cavman