We all know the dialog. We could write it ourselves.
a woman, any age at all, goes to the doctor, with a compaint of __________ (fill in the blank).
- fatigue
- foot pain
- distrupted sleep
- painful periods
- back pain
- breast pain
- feeling bloated
- constipation
- muscle pain
- constant thirst
- toe fungus
- brittle nails
- irregular periods
- skin changes
- difficulty breathing
- confusion
- forgetfulness
- eyesight changes
What EVER it is, chances are, that doctor will say...
You need to lose weight.
every. single. time.
If you insist, and push for actual tests, for a suggested direction for further information, you may be given a nutrition guide to teach you how to eat more healthily, be told to drink more water, and get more exercise. You'll be told to get more sleep, and try to find ways to destress.
Repeat this process hundreds of time over the course of a normal lifetime.
You will try exercise routines. You will cut out soda. You will learn to track calories. You will learn about pros and cons of protein, carbs, fiber, cholesterol. You will pray to the Greek God of Yogurt, with high water content, protein, and probiotics!
By the time you hit 40, you could probably qualify as a nutritionist at most hospitals.
Then, you hit 45 or so, and perimenopause. You go to the doctor, repeat your complaints, are told, that's menopause. This is all normal. Get used to it. You'd feel better if you lost weight.
After years of this, you reach a point where someone, some doctor or physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner (ok let's be real, it's a nurse practitioner almost every time, cuz docs mostly don't care) says, have you ever considered a GLP-1 or other weight loss drug?
So, you try it out. They give you a free sample, and within DAYS of starting it, in combination with all of the other ways you have learned to control your calorie intake, and increase your water intake, and increase your activity....suddenly you lose weight. all those things you've been told to do for years, that only served to slow the constant weight gain, are finally WORKING. if you eat responsibly, drink enough water, and move regularly, the weight starts to come off! for the first time in sometimes YEARS, doing the right things actually works to lower your weight, instead of just to slow the gain!
It's...life-altering! There's hope! You might finally feel like a human being again! It might be possible to sit on the floor to play a boardgame! Maybe you could go hiking! Oh my god, you could <gasp> go DANCING! You might be able to look at photos of yourself again! to want to dress up, or wear make-up! You might, maybe, be able to feel desirable again!
and you call insurance to see what it will cost.
Denied. Not covered. $1200 a month. but, hey! you can get a manufacturer's coupon, and only pay $500 a month!
So you call, and ask, can I get a prior authorization?
No. It's categorized as a weight loss drug, and those are not covered by your policy.
Wait. So, let me get this straight. My whole, entire life I have been told over and over again, that whatever is wrong with me, if I lost weight, it would be better. That the key to health and happiness was being slender. That every 5 extra pounds I carry increases my risk of serious chronic illnesses and heart problems, of high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. Of heart attack, and death. I've even heard it claimed that being 30 or more lbs overweight in your 50s increases your chances of developing dementia.
My. Entire. Life. The healthcare industry has preached weightloss as the panacea of all illness.
And now, there is a medicine that will help me acheive that weight loss, but...you won't COVER IT???
If you ever doubted that the American healthcare industry is controlled by bloated, self-absorbed, greedy, soulless bastards, please doubt no more.
FREE LUIGI!
<disclaimer - there is a good deal of whinging my my blog posts lately. I'm very...very...aware, that i am incredibly fortunate in my health. I don't have any chronic illnesses, or dysfunctions, or disabilties. I'm overall a healthy, capable woman. I do not now nor have I ever taken that for granted. I know many many people who would be thrilled to trade places with me. However, to paraphrase my sister who has been disabled for 40 years, it's not a competition: pain is pain. Yours is just as valid as anyone's. You don't have to apologize to me for hating yours, just because I have felt it longer or harder. I just wanted to address the fact that I'm fortunate in many ways, and recognize my privilege>
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