My doctor said because of my age I would not be able to get a new drug. Any advice?

I agree with CountryMouse. If the doctor is afraid that complications will be more of an issue because of your age, then he or she needs to give you some guidance about what to do.

I'm surprised that you aren't already on Medicare but maybe you had better drug coverage under your old insurance. Medicare D is improving but still has a long way to go. Still, it's better than nothing, so if your doctor says that the drug isn't bad for you then it's time to find which Medicare D program (it's done through private companies) is best for you. The research is time consuming but it would be well worth checking out several reputable providers.

I do hope that you can find something that helps you without doing you harm. Please keep us posted.

Carol

I saw an advertisement for a drug called Farxiga yesterday on TV. It was the ad I was thinking about. It is is in the same class of drugs as the Invokana. I read that insurance companies will no longer cover Farxiga starting in January 2015. I don't know what the insurance status of Invokana is. If I were a doctor, I would stay away from this class of drug except in extreme situations when glucose hasn't come down using other methods, and I would be very reluctant to use them in seniors. I would be afraid of infections and falling.

Another concern I have about these medications is that many people with diabetes are not good at management. Some people eat what they want, then take some extra insulin or other medication trying to make up for it. This is a deadly game. Would the person who does this use this class of drug to excrete the extra they eat? Water and minerals are lost along with the glucose.

I really dislike that the Farxiga ad tagged on that it may help you to lose some weight. I REALLY dislike that pharma is allowed to advertise serious drugs to people who have no medical training. The companies want people to mention the drug to their doctors to encourage them to prescribe it. Of course, these drugs cost more because of advertising costs. And in the case of Farxiga, pay will soon be out of pocket only.

Seniors are covered by Medicare and associated programs, which have nothing to do with the ACA. If we try really hard, though, we might find a way to blame the ACA for the two rocket explosions this week... you know, butterfly effect and a bit of imagination.

In the meantime, I hope you are making every effort to manage your diabetes through your diet. When my husband was diagnosed with Type 2, his blood sugar was over 400. It is now normal. He does take 1 metformin a day but the doctor said he doesn't have to. He also lost 40 lbs in 6 months. All he did was change his diet - he drastically reduced his carb intake by removing all grain foods (bread, pasta, etc.), rice and potatoes from his diet. He now eats only meat, eggs and vegetables. If he occasionally wants a sandwich, he will use a low carb wrap. The doctor said he should limit his carb intake to 40 g. per meal; my husband keeps it under 40 for the DAY. He also takes a 30 min. walk every day.

There is Medicare part D, but if your income is low enough you may also qualify for State assistance. There is a program called "medically needy" where I live. Sometimes you can also appeal to companies to have a drug provided for free. No guarantees, though.

What??!! On the face of it that is absurd. Type 2 diabetes generally occurs in later adulthood and gets worse over time. How can there be an age limit on covering drugs that would help? Maybe there is a rational explanation somewhere, but it sure doesn't make sense to me. Or is it a age of not having any drug coverage at all, and age isn't really the issue?

But, assuming it is as the doctor says, does that mean you will be eligible in January, when you are covered by Medicare? That means you would only have two months to cover. Does the doctor have samples that could get you through? Did the doctor tell you how to contact the drug company? Some of them help out, and it would be worth trying that for a couple of months.

I wish you success with this issue, and I am glad that you will have drug coverage soon.

I don't understand this at all. Is the doctor suggesting a new drug? I believe that you can find out what drugs the various Medicare Part D plans will cover, so if he has a specific drug in mind, he can give you samples and use them until your new coverage kicks in in January. Do you have a relative or friend you can take to the doctor with you? I often find that having another set of ears is a good thing in that situation.

Beware of Brain Dead Doctors

ADW gets diabetes meds thru Medicare/Medex/drug plan

It depends on what drug it is. There is a new drug for excreting glucose that I wouldn't prescribe for most people if I were a doctor. I particularly wouldn't prescribe it for people over 70-80 unless their glucose ran so high that it was dangerous. They advertise this drug on TV. It sounded like a terrible idea for a maintenance drug for most people. I thought of the damage it could do the kidneys and the UTIs that would increase many fold with all this glucose being dumped. I can already envision Sokolove with the class action lawsuits on down the road. Sometimes pharma loses good sense in its quest to make money. The drug to me seemed almost like bulimia being done at the kidney level. It is much safer to use diet restriction and insulin.

FranKay, since you can no longer tolerate Metformin, your prescription health insurance should be able to pay all or part of another *generic* insulin drug. I know I have to pay full price if I want a brand name of any type of drug.

Glad your body was telling you not to use Metformin... you have to go with your gut feeling about any drug you take.... from research I am seeing, Metformin looks like it could cause B12 deficiencies to which B12 supplements don't help... thus with B12 deficiencies it can cause a variety of different ailments. Have your doctor check you for low B12 just to be on the safe side... not everyone who used said pill will run into this situation. Get more info from your doctor.

As for Medicare, check to see if Medicare will cover your prescriptions, it depends on what *Parts* you have signed up for... I know for myself I am using AARP UnitedHealth for my prescriptions and the premiums are quite affordable.

Curious why you waited until you were 70 to get Medicare. My Mom waited until she was 69 and found out she had to pay a higher monthly premium because she delayed in signing up. I don't know if that is still the case as that was over 25 years ago. Hope not. The reason my Mom waited was because she was getting good health insurance through Dad's employer and Dad was 4 years younger than Mom.