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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2015 12:38:24 GMT -5
At my doctor's appointment (certified physician's assistant), while reviewing my slightly elevated fasting glucose results, I took the opportunity to see what the Afrezza script process would be like. After the weight discussion and the motivational discussion which was much appreciated, his first suggestion was metaform, then DPP-4 (Januvia). I asked about Afrezza but he'd never heard of it. I was politely pushy and he took a few minutes out of the exam room to check what Afrezza was. I was particularly curious after reading various comments on SA that physicians and PA-C's might not be writing scripts initially. Instead, deferring to Endo's to supervise the new patients. When he returned to the exam, his comment was that insulin therapy should not be the first step. I countered one last time that I'd read up on this new drug quite a bit and understood it had good potential for pre-diabetic patients. He still wasn't comfortable so I acquiesced but asked for script anyway, just for a souvenir, with the promise that I wouldn't use it. He agreed and I asked for an old fashioned hand written script so I could make sure it wasn't submitted to insurance and also to experience the reaction at the pharmacy. At Walgreens, no one had heard of it, couldn't find it in the computer, and said it wasn't available. There were 4 people on duty and all got involved. After we got past the spelling (which wasn't Akrezza), they brought right it up. It wasn't in stock but they said 24 hours delivery and $296.99 for 90- 4 unit cartridges as a cash price. There were three other combinations of 4's and 8s, but they were all the same price. It's 24 hours later, and I just got an email ready for pick up so they came through as promised. If I was a diabetic I'd try it. If my doc said no I'd say yes. After all this you let your doc talk you out of using it?
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Post by jpg on Feb 6, 2015 17:11:08 GMT -5
At my doctor's appointment (certified physician's assistant), while reviewing my slightly elevated fasting glucose results, I took the opportunity to see what the Afrezza script process would be like. After the weight discussion and the motivational discussion which was much appreciated, his first suggestion was metaform, then DPP-4 (Januvia). I asked about Afrezza but he'd never heard of it. I was politely pushy and he took a few minutes out of the exam room to check what Afrezza was. I was particularly curious after reading various comments on SA that physicians and PA-C's might not be writing scripts initially. Instead, deferring to Endo's to supervise the new patients. When he returned to the exam, his comment was that insulin therapy should not be the first step. I countered one last time that I'd read up on this new drug quite a bit and understood it had good potential for pre-diabetic patients. He still wasn't comfortable so I acquiesced but asked for script anyway, just for a souvenir, with the promise that I wouldn't use it. He agreed and I asked for an old fashioned hand written script so I could make sure it wasn't submitted to insurance and also to experience the reaction at the pharmacy. At Walgreens, no one had heard of it, couldn't find it in the computer, and said it wasn't available. There were 4 people on duty and all got involved. After we got past the spelling (which wasn't Akrezza), they brought right it up. It wasn't in stock but they said 24 hours delivery and $296.99 for 90- 4 unit cartridges as a cash price. There were three other combinations of 4's and 8s, but they were all the same price. It's 24 hours later, and I just got an email ready for pick up so they came through as promised. If I was a diabetic I'd try it. If my doc said no I'd say yes. After all this you let your doc talk you out of using it? Hi Doc is not a Doc but a certified PA who had never heard of Aftezza. These types are not exactly known to be the innovators in clinical medicine...
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Post by afrizzle on Feb 6, 2015 18:41:09 GMT -5
If I was a diabetic I'd try it. If my doc said no I'd say yes. After all this you let your doc talk you out of using it? Hi Doc is not a Doc but a certified PA who had never heard of Aftezza. These types are not exactly known to be the innovators in clinical medicine... I'm pre diabetic though not diabetic. My take away, which I may have not articulated well enough, was that I had a chance to head off diabetis with weight loss. im doubling down on this effort as the first counter measure. Should this fail, and I'm back in the exam chair talking about medication as the best rational option, I'll be more insistent on Afrezza.
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Post by wildpig on Feb 6, 2015 18:42:37 GMT -5
good luck with that, after 976 million of al mann's money and an additional 1.7 billion, I doubt anyone is gonna give you much insight as to the engineering aspects. then you have patent rights an on & on..... I am mildly curious as to why so much has been made about dreamboat-- the delivery system-- all claims that it is new revoluntionary etc... cant be much different than an asthma inhaler. micro powder forced air induction pushs med out -- cannot be much more than that.
you see there's a lil engineer/designer in me to
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Post by 4allthemarbles on Feb 6, 2015 18:48:06 GMT -5
Horseless carriage... Good luck with that...
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Post by jpg on Feb 6, 2015 18:49:04 GMT -5
You are right: weight loss, exercise and a good diet are by far the best therapies. What might have confused me is that he put you on Metformin ? Or maybe I just imagined that (sorry if I did). I'd try losing weight etc before going on Metformin obviously but never take advice from a MD you don't know on the internet...
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Post by afrizzle on Feb 6, 2015 19:05:51 GMT -5
You are right: weight loss, exercise and a good diet are by far the best therapies. What might have confused me is that he put you on Metformin ? Or maybe I just imagined that (sorry if I did). I'd try losing weight etc before going on Metformin obviously but never take advice from a MD you don't know on the internet... He wanted to put me on Metformin but I turned it down in favor of trying the diet. I'm pretty motivated after the appointment and know I can do it.
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Post by afrizzle on Feb 6, 2015 19:07:41 GMT -5
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Post by 4allthemarbles on Feb 6, 2015 19:10:49 GMT -5
Affrizzle- best of luck to you man.
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