Starting Chemo March 2015

When my BS examined me before my biopsy he also said that my breasts "didn't feel like cancer". Famous last words...

I had to cancel my MRI for tomorrow, because I definitely won't get it approved by then. I need to wait for peer to peer review - my MO has to call those evil greedy a-holes and argue to have my test approved. The MO's office wasn't able to get better anti nausea meds approved during my chemo so I'm not confident they will have a better luck with an MRI.

BB: My quote was 'it doesn't present like cancer'. Ugh.

Theresa, I WILL continue to fight. It's just infuriating that it takes so much out of me, so much stress. The run around the give you, the stalling, all the bull s..t. You talk to one person, they put you on hold "to call the doctor's office", then they transfer you to somebody else, and then again to somebody else. An hour has passed and they hope you just go away. When my husband was still practicing he used to call insurance companies for his patients and argue, so he knows all their tricks and I am so grateful that he can take over and argue for me. But even then I get extremely upset. I don't think my MO's office is as good at advocating for their patients.

They come up with all these wonderful tests and treatments in medicine, but then you're not allowed to use them.

My original mammo from December 2014 showed "architectural distortion" so they decided to do ultrasound which didn't show much and the radiologist said that I could "wait and see" how things change or do biopsy if I want to. After the biopsy he wanted an MRI done prior to lumpectomy. He was also doing the wire localization for my lumpectomy and told me to "keep an eye" on my other breast and repeat the MRI in 6 months. All this makes me think the ultrasound wouldn't show much. I have very, very dense breasts. Well, breast, not breasts - the other one is gone.

I really don't understand the denial, particularly with dense breasts and negative hormone receptors. I thought with dense breasts the MRI is the most valuable. I am 25-50% dense with negative hormone receptors, and insurance approved my first MRI. I have Anthem Blue Cross, but will be switching to Cigna, so we will see if they approve the January 2016 MRI. My screening facility did all the approvals. I think it did get denied the first time, but they submitted again a second time and it was approved. My MRI was billed at $3,583.00, and insurance said amount allowed was $866.40. Is there a different facility you can try? I think some are better than others. And is your facility a participating provider? I think that makes a difference too. If all else fails, you could try to negotiate the charge. My negotiated rate was $828.31 for the MRI, $38.19 for the contrast agent, and $0 for the MRI service.

I just called my facility for the MRI I have scheduled in January. Their rates have now dropped, and they told me my MRI in January will be $700.00 total if insurance won't pay. They have adjusted their pricing down. I told them I have a "family member" in Illinois encountering difficulty with the MRI rate and that she was paying significantly more than I am. The facility said call and check with others in the area, in essence, price shop. She told me the MRI code is 77059, not sure if that helps or not.

Want me to go bitch slap them for you? The process is ridiculous!

Ugh..so sorry about all the problems with insurance companies. I've experienced similar and empathize with you ladies. Theresa-price shopping, why not? We shop and compare for just about everything else. You are such a good resource for us:)

I decided to just rip off my butrans patch (really low dose) so I can start the naltrexone tonight. Crossing my fingers for less pain:)

Arlene-You probably don't want to hear how beautiful you are but...I do understand the profound sadness when the weight of this entire year settles...I have to fight to keep it from suffocating me.

I've been practicing CHOOSING to be happy every morning no matter how bad I feel. Sometimes it just feels false but I think it helps set the tone for my day and I tend to have a better day.

Katy-I loved reading your piece and I'm always so proud to know you "back when." Hope you had a nice family visit.

Allison-I wish I could motivate myself to really work out. I fit walking into my day but don't really get any isolated fitness. Good for you!

My daughter left for Kenya this morning so I'm a little sad but happy for her. She's going to shoot video for LifeStraw and do a story for the magazine (BRO).

I'm also so sick of people not calling me back!! Insurance, hospital social worker, rads nurse. Sorry but I am so annoyed. my rants is over. Hope all are doing well. Keep kicking ass Katy!!

congrats Katy! Here's to your continued efforts! Thanks for being "that one sister!"

Katy glad to hear you had a great visit. I have been depressed. Down, and just feeling blah. I guess insurance companies are cleaning house. I am getting new bills and have to sort out what I owe. My eye is really bad. The stroke left the right side of my face numb and my eye doesn't feel anything. the cornea specialist said I should be in horrible pain with how damaged my cornea is right now.

Now I have to go to a special lab, get my plasma spun out, take it to a specialized compounding pharmacy and get tears made. The sh.. is crazy. Then I busted my ass on the floor after I mopped. I have all this pain from regular stuff and I decide to fall. Wugh.

I am going to try to catch up now.

Amber, I work in vet medicine and we treat corneal ulcers on cats with their serum too. It works better and heals faster than any other treatment, I hope it works fast for you.

I feel like side effects from the tamoxifen and AIs might be more subtle than chemo USes but absolutely include exhaustion. I just can't go go go all day like I used to. I've been wondering if it's a side effect of the tamoxifen, vs. I never get a really restful night of sleep anymore, vs. still recovering from 7 months of some pretty ass kicking treatments.

ARGH to all those having insurance issues! At least that's one thing I don't have to deal with.


I went to see my surgeon yesterday to have my drain out, and the initial pathology was back from my "prophylactic" mx. Looks like I spoke way too soon. My left Breast path report came back with extensive (more than 6.3 cm) DCIS, with some LCIS thrown in for good measure. Grade and receptor status still pending, but there wasn't a lot of evidence that it was affected by all of that horrible chemo. This Breast was given a complete "all clear" by mammo and ultrasound, and did not have any palpable lump.


I'm still shaking. This MX was suggested, but was still proposed as "optional". As my surgeon said, it's good that it is gone, and the margins were good. But still.


I expect that I'll have a very quiet day today, and I'll be trying to crawl out of this dark place. Same routine: every six hours eat something, take antibiotics and pain meds, try to relax, and breathe in and out.


Carrie, I'm looking forward to receiving the bracelet. My charm should be here soon, too.


Gentle hugs to all

Allison - yes, I'm a frequent visitor to their website. I check every claim and actually I caught plenty of their mistakes and had them reprocess many claims. I've also been fighting them because they insist I pay co-pays even though I met my out-of-pocket maximum at the beginning of the year. They tell me that this is my plan, but I pointed it out to them that the wording in my plan description is ambiguous and conflicting. Also, each time we got different, conflicting answers on the phone, and in writing; there is just no consistency.

It's a constant battle. I feel worn out.

I am sorry, Bb. I always say that no one should have to deal with the insurance crap while going through an illness. I hope you can get them to pay. Hugs.

Avmom, should have thought before I wrote. I'm sure you won't need more chemo since both cancers were in situ. I'm still baffled by the fact the cancer didn't kill them.

Hugs!!!

thanks for the hugs, BB and Sue. Theresa, I don't think you look like an orange pumpkin - but I'll grant you that scrubs are hardly the most flattering outfit. I'm overwhelmed by how much hair you have! Looking great.

Lee...could your exhaustion be from rads. Are you in rads now or recently done? Unfortunately AI does cause fatigue and exhaustion too. I'm choosing to believe that my fatigue/exhaustion is due to post chemo/rads. The thought that it is due to the AI scares me, cuz I'm going have to be on these for years and don't want to feel like this for years! Which AI are you on?

PB