7 ms·

I suffer from chronic headaches and debilitating migraines. I was having several migraines a week - I was able to mostly stop those that started during the day

I suffer from chronic headaches and debilitating migraines. I was having several migraines a week - I was able to mostly stop those that started during the day using sumatriptan, but I frequently had migraines start during the night whole sleeping too, which mean that as soon as I woke up, I'd end up lying in the dark, unable to move and wishing I was dead. The pain really is that bad. I started erenumab (a CGRP antagonist, brand name Aimovig) around 8 months ago, and it's been absolutely amazing! I've went from having several migraines a week to almost none, and never while sleeping. It really is expensive though - here in the UK it costs the NHS £386 per injection pen! As a result, I had to fight with my neurologist for over a year to let me have it. Doing subq injections yourself sounds daunting, but it's not so bad once you've done it a couple of times. Apart from... ...as an aside, the Aimovig branded injector pen is shit - it hurts like absolute hell, and somehow always seems to cut me, like it "slides" before the needle goes in. I've done subq injections with a regular needle before, as well as using another kind of pre-filled injector pen for a different medication, and they were so much better!

EricE 5y ago
>"As a result, I had to fight with my neurologist for over a year to let me have it." This is why everyone should be able to have tax-free health savings accounts and more control over their healthcare rather than having to go through insurance/governments :p I have a high deductible plan that lets me have a health savings account. Anything I put in is tax free and if I use it for healthcare anything I use it for is tax free. Insurance is there solely for routine care that it covers as well as major medical - if I have to go into the hospital, get cancer, etc. Everything else I negotiate out of my HSA. It's amazing the price differences you can get when you pay cash and insurance is not involved!
- hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago
  Well, the way I understood, the parent had to negotiate but succeeded, so he got it for "free" (i.e. paid by taxpayers) - without any fund, tax-free or otherwise. This is an excellent alternative to the option you described as you don't have to worry whether the funds you gathered are enough for the treatment you need. Generally, in Europe, things like cancer etc. are treated for free, i.e. included in your general social security payments that are relatively low.

EricE 5y ago

>"As a result, I had to fight with my neurologist for over a year to let me have it." This is why everyone should be able to have tax-free health savings accounts and more control over their healthcare rather than having to go through insurance/governments :p I have a high deductible plan that lets me have a health savings account. Anything I put in is tax free and if I use it for healthcare anything I use it for is tax free. Insurance is there solely for routine care that it covers as well as major medical - if I have to go into the hospital, get cancer, etc. Everything else I negotiate out of my HSA. It's amazing the price differences you can get when you pay cash and insurance is not involved!

hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago
Well, the way I understood, the parent had to negotiate but succeeded, so he got it for "free" (i.e. paid by taxpayers) - without any fund, tax-free or otherwise. This is an excellent alternative to the option you described as you don't have to worry whether the funds you gathered are enough for the treatment you need. Generally, in Europe, things like cancer etc. are treated for free, i.e. included in your general social security payments that are relatively low.