Hello friends, and welcome back to the blog!
LIFE QUOTE
“You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could’ve, would’ve happened… or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on.”
― Tupac Shakur
Hello everyone. I hope you’re doing well—staying grounded, taking care of your mind, getting enough rest, and finding small pockets of joy wherever you can.
Friends, I skipped the May journal entry to gather my thoughts into this post for June, and now feels like a good time for this brain dump.
The Never-Ending Prior Authorization Saga
May wasn’t a terrible month (no month really is, in and of itself), but I found myself increasingly frustrated with our employer-provided health insurance.
I’ve always had challenges when it comes to my Type 2 diabetes medications and how the healthcare system chooses to manage this disease. I know this isn’t just my experience—it’s something people are dealing with everywhere. Because these medications have become so popular for weight loss (no shade to those using them for that purpose), it’s become increasingly difficult for people like me, who rely on them to manage a chronic condition, to access the treatments we need.
It’s that frustrating middle ground: making too much to qualify for assistance programs but not enough to comfortably pay for everything out of pocket. And if you don’t have a doctor you trust to guide you through your healthcare journey, you’re often handed the standard treatment plan and expected to make it work. Over the years, I’ve had my share of battles with Metformin and the toll it took on my body. I was sick every couple of weeks until I finally decided to stop taking it. I didn’t wait for permission—I listened to my body. Looking back, that decision was my saving grace.
At one point, I remember saying to that doctor, “Why does Western medicine make you sick to make you better?” It made no damn sense to me. Eventually, I found an endocrinologist I trust who suggested a different approach because he was genuinely concerned about the gastrointestinal issues I was experiencing. Mind you, he was the only doctor in five years who showed that level of concern, which is honestly pretty sad.
From that point on, I’ve been taking Glyxambi, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve had zero stomach issues, and
it’s been wonderful. Does it help with weight loss? Yes, but not in the dramatic Ozempic way where people sometimes look unwell. Instead, I developed better habits, incorporated yoga and dancing into my routine, and the weight came off gradually. Over the last four years, I’ve lost about 30 pounds and have managed to keep nearly all of it off.
Now, in the beginning, I fought the idea of using a CGM (continuous glucose monitor). I didn’t trust it, I thought it would hurt, and I wasn’t convinced it would be accurate. As usual, I listened to my body and took my time. Once I got used to it, though, I became a believer. Not having to prick my finger multiple times a day—which is painful as hell—was a game changer, and for the most part, the readings have been accurate and reliable.
The real problem started when my employer switched insurance providers last year. Since then, it’s been one headache after another. Unlike United Healthcare (yes, I’m naming names), CareFirst seems to require approval for absolutely everything—even after my doctor has already written the prescription. To me, that’s completely counterintuitive. So now I’m stuck playing phone tag between the pharmacy, my doctor’s office, and the insurance company just to get medications and supplies that should be routinely approved. It’s exhausting, frustrating, and a ridiculous amount of work for someone who’s simply trying to manage a chronic illness.
It’s damn exhausting. And, while I got my meds approved, my CGM is now no longer covered because again…the philosophy is “make me sick to make me better”. Now the way for me to have this covered (under my insurance) is to be on insulin, which would mean that my diabetes is more severe. IT’S SO STUPID?!??!?!
It’s damn exhausting.
And while I eventually got my medication approved, my CGM is no longer covered because, once again, the philosophy seems to be: make me sick to make me better. Under my current insurance, the only way to have a CGM covered is to be on insulin—which would mean my diabetes has progressed to a more severe stage.
It’s so stupid. Seriously.
So instead, I ended up getting a different CGM that’s marketed more toward people who aren’t on insulin. It works, but Type 2 diabetes isn’t really the primary focus, which means many doctors don’t recommend it because it doesn’t have the same alerts and warning systems. It feels like one step forward and twelve steps back.
So yes, I spent most of May trapped in the Matrix, stuck in a never-ending loop of insurance representatives, pharmacy staff, and doctor’s offices. Phone calls, prior authorizations, appeals, follow-ups, more phone calls—rinse and repeat. By the end of the month, I felt like I deserved an honorary degree in navigating health insurance bureaucracy.
Managing diabetes is already a full-time job. Fighting to access the tools and medications that help manage it shouldn’t have to be one, too.
In other things, I’m still adjusting to just “me” in the house, and working on my budget as everything falls on me, as well as getting some rest, making sure I eat well, and enjoying some stress-free activities and spending time with friends. — END
To keep my stress levels in check, I’m planning to prioritize a few things this season. It’s not about sticking to a schedule but more about keeping this visual to give me that push.
Well, friends, we’ve come to the end of the rainbow. This brain dump has me stepping lightly—like a woodpecker 🐦⬛with a headache.😆
Thank you for sitting with me in this space. Wishing you a little peace, a little rest, and whatever lightness you need to carry you through.— Peace ✌🏽
Into the Further we go…
