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Some people on here who know me in person will be more than aware but many will not - earlier this gear I was diagnosed with lesional epilepsy. Today I picked up my first prescription of Levetiracetam (Generic Keppra)...
I’ll take 2 a day for the first two weeks and then 4 a day afterwards for the rest of my life - barring some high risk brain surgery or a medical breakthrough.
This first month of my prescription cost me £9.15 ($12.24).
This first month of my prescription cost me £9.15 ($12.24).
My life expectancy could decrease by up to 10 years, 71 for epileptic patients vs 81 for the UK. I’m 27 now, meaning 44 years of medication ahead of me. At a consistent price, being epileptic will cost me £4,831.20 lifetime - overall a small price to pay to live a full life.
Initially I thought about how unfair it all felt, I didn’t ask for this. I’ll lose the ability to do many things entirely, other things will cost me more in insurance and I’ll pay the price of multiple large holidays for the privilege... but then I considered how much worse it
COULD be. The medicine that I have to take cost me £9.15, if they don’t work I can get another medicine/dosage and it will cost me the same price. £9.15 Regardless of brand. Regardless of dosage. £9.15 per item and that’s because I don’t qualify for totally free prescriptions.
In the US? The cost can range from a similar $9 to $487.95 depending on the brand of medicine you use and the healthcare coverage you have. The problem with the first part of those variables is that you don’t get to pick which medicine does and doesn’t work for you.
If the expensive brand or dosage works best for you but your healthcare doesn’t cover it? Tough. That’s $487.95 every month forever. Imagine that burden hanging over you? That would be a sting even for people with above average incomes, let alone those on lower incomes.
The alternative for people who need medicine but can’t afford it is to simply take less of the medication they actually need, take less effective medication or not take any medicine at all. All of which increase their chances of death via SUDEP. https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/sudep/index.htm
The US’s obsession with a free market approaches to all industries (except sport for some reason) is killing people simply because the hand they were dealt means they cannot afford the luxury of living in a free market and it doesn’t even save the USA (and its taxpayers) money...
Enforcing a free market healthcare and its inherent consequences of not being able to afford things costs more than just giving people free healthcare would. The USA lawmakers have chosen to pay more for a worse delivered service all in service of their religion of a free market.
I’m privileged to live in a country where I am largely covered, but it has always been a dream of mine to live and work in New York. To try being a Strategist in the Big Apple... The prospect of living in the USA is one I look at very differently now and yet, that’s the reality
for many people already living in the USA - Worried about what might happen because of something they would never choose for themselves. Realistically, I’d personally still chance living there, that’s an opportunity that would be too hard to turn down should it arise.
But I find it incredible how the “greatest economy in the world” has certain things so so wrong and, worse yet, many privileged people don’t claim to believe that they are wrong at all.
Republicans are actively against policies that would benefit their base.
Healthcare benefits you even if you don’t use it - Don’t vote for politicians who want to make it harder to get healthcare. They do not have the interests of anyone (the public or the economy) at heart.
Healthcare benefits you even if you don’t use it - Don’t vote for politicians who want to make it harder to get healthcare. They do not have the interests of anyone (the public or the economy) at heart.
Whilst I’ve never considered myself to be disabled and I feel deeply uncomfortable about having it as a label, the law says that I am. This is something I’m slowly struggling to come to terms with. My life is different now but I’m glad there is state support there for me.
Anyway, life update and rant over. I’ll let you know how my Levetiracetam goes down. I wish they’d make medicine strawberry flavoured or something but I’ll take it for £9.15.
Peace and love xoxo
Peace and love xoxo
Apologies for gear/year typo and any others in here
