Saturday, February 9, 2013

Seriously... WTF?

Well we're not having a good few weeks :( After the last horrible cluster we thought we'd get some time to recover. Seizure monster has other plans though. For the past week or so I've been having chompies - they've returned! Haven't seen them for a while and now I get them about every 4 hours. Afterwards I am a bit disorientated and have done some daft things like run under dads desk and the ironing board and kitchen table.

We were also running low on KBr so dad called the local vet as the one near home had treated me last. No way could he get through. So he called the vet near his work and they were under the impression we'd moved vets. What they didn't understand was that when dad's at work it's easier for me to go to the vet with him there, but the last big cluster happened at home so a closer vet made sense.

With that finally resolved they then had to get my notes from the local vet and they had as much difficulty getting in touch as dad did. They called dad on Friday and explained a few things that gave him more reason to question the way vets practice.

Turns out that the local vet who we paid for blood tests did a standard blood test for trying to find a physiological reason for the seizures. Not a test for Pheno or KBr levels in the blood. Huh? So the vet said this didn't make sense, we did that several years ago and it's in the notes that they sent to the local vets.

By now you may realise dad makes vets earn their money - we have to as we're not wealthy. We do research and ask questions - so when dad specifically asked the local vet for the results of the Pheno and KBr serum levels and they said they were well within the tolerance range to be able to increase the dosage, they weren't referring to the results of the blood test they had just taken, but to a previous one that was in my notes from the vet near work.

Well that's just not on. We just spent £80 on a blood test that told us nothing and the vet didn't use to base an accurate opinion on. Suffice it to say we won't be going back.

But onto lighter things. Dad bought me a new mattress to keep me off the cold floor and give me some comfort. He bought a waterproof one from Tuffies so it could even be hosed down following a messy seizure. But the trouble is that it's a bit big - it won't fit in my oval bed and it's a bit slippy. After I've been on it a while mum and dad will find me on the floor with my paws on it after I've slipped off it. So dad went and got creative. Bought some wood and made a frame to help me stay on it. It's a bit "industrial" but it'll do the job.


5 comments:

  1. Hi again. Roxys looks a lot like my late max.
    Are you living in the uk. If so you can get roxys meds 50% cheaper.
    Max was on very high dosages as he was a big rotweiller weighing in at a stocky 11 stone. Not fat but pure size.
    His meds included Rymadil phenobarbital potassium bromide and prednisone.
    His meds costs from our vets were roughly about £250.00 a month but he was my little boy so he got what he needed.
    Don't get me wrong I am not in a fantastic financial situation either but I was no way going to take the other option for him no way.
    A vet as to supply a prescription by law to anyone who requires meds for pets on prescription.
    The cost for each item with upto 3 repeats on each prescription is £7.95
    I done some research and found an online pet pharmacy. This pharmacy is 1 of the leading pharmacys in the uk.
    Max's meds went from £250.00 a month to just over £100.00 a month.
    Think you will agree its a very big saving.
    The site I used was BESTPET.CO.UK
    Take a look you will be surprised with the prices.
    Order your goods.
    Pay
    Send off prescription
    It's delivered free to your door
    Hope it works for you all as it did us.

    Steve

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  2. Like you we're far from flush and the whole prescription charges thing is always a battle. We can't get a prescription without a consultation, so that's 20 minutes at £1 per minute + £20 for a three month prescription.

    As for the online pharmacy, we use www.petdrugsonline.co.uk and do regularly check a few others (including bestpet) and find petdrugsonline beat them all eg. 500 x 325mg Libromide @ £133.99 as opposed to £146.15. It might not seem a lot but that's saving almost the cost of the prescription.

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  3. We used to get 3 month repeats for max each time but all vets are different.
    Any saving helps wether its £20 or £1.
    But our favourite little members of our families are worth every penny. Some pets are not given an option but you are the same as me and are giving roxy the best you can give and thats all that matters.
    Best of all you have given her a loving family to be part of and that is priceless.

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  4. Forgot to mention a little tip that may come in handy. When we were sleeping it was hard to tell if msx was going into a seizure so we got a few little bird cage bells and put them on his collar. When he fitted they made a nice racket to wake us. If they jingled hard and fast it was seizure time. If ot wsd a little jingle he was turning. It worked for us as we never missed a seizure with him again. May come in hsndy for you.:)

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  5. My rottie "Mouse" has been epileptic since he was three years old. He is now eleven, I never thought he would get to this age.

    Luckily we eventually appear to have his Epiphen and Epilease balanced so he has not had a fit for over six months. It is awful to see them suffer.

    I have been checking in to see your blog for some time now to see how Roxie is doing.

    Best Wishes Samantha

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