Will be traveling with health challenges. Doctors? Prescriptions?
lonelyroad said
07:53 PM May 10, 2016
Hi all,
I have issues with mold, allergies, an immune deficiency, and neuro Lyme Disease. And yes, despite all that, I plan to travel, mainly to find a place that "feels" better to me than the lovely place I live now, which is indeed lovely, but is also very humid. I also plan to stay in my RV (not bought yet) until I sell my house and build or buy a new one.
I can communicate with one of my doctors by phone, but what about the others? I'm sure they will stop renewing my prescriptions if I don't continue seeing them. What about controlled substances? I know that all Walmarts give you the prescriptions you're already on, except for controlled substances. I'm esp. worried about my pulmonologist, as he's better than most, and he gives me the prescriptions I need, plus he will be sending a home health nurse out to show me how to do infusions. But my house is moldy, and the region in general, doesn't seem to be conducive to good health, so I need to move.
How do you go to the doctor? Just find one on the road, and hope for the best?
And while we're at it, this is completely unrelated (sorry ), but how do you get mail when you're traveling?
And yes, I'm well enough to travel.
Margaret
Trikester said
01:01 PM May 11, 2016
Medical concerns can be daunting on the road. We have partly handled this by having two sets of doctors/dentists, one in Iowa and the other in Florida. Together that covers about eight months of the year. We get prescriptions filled at Walgreens which, like Wal-Mart, keeps a national database.
But while we are actually traveling, things can get dicey. We’ve used walk-in clinics on a few occasions for what were rather minor problems.
For mail we use Americas Mailbox in South Dakota (we are full-timers domiciled in SD).
lonelyroad said
07:02 PM May 15, 2016
Trikester wrote:
Medical concerns can be daunting on the road. We have partly handled this by having two sets of doctors/dentists, one in Iowa and the other in Florida. Together that covers about eight months of the year. We get prescriptions filled at Walgreens which, like Wal-Mart, keeps a national database.
But while we are actually traveling, things can get dicey. We’ve used walk-in clinics on a few occasions for what were rather minor problems.
For mail we use Americas Mailbox in South Dakota (we are full-timers domiciled in SD).
Hi Trikester,
Is Americas Mailbox nationwide? I'll have to find out. I guess I should also talk to the post office.
LOL, I might have to have multiple sets of doctors. As for a dentist, I don't use them; they're too expensive!
Yes, I figured I'd use Walmart, but they don't transfer controlled substances (I use Restoril).
Thanks, Margaret
Camper Chronicles said
07:17 AM May 16, 2016
I have used WalGreens with great success as they had an online ordering system that keeps your prescription and allows you to change pharmacy locations order by order. Big fan. AS for doctors they are are tough. Most folks with serious medical issues route so they can see there own doctors. Dentists has been a pain in the tush, although we did have some succcess seeing a dentist in Mexico.
Trace
SuzieQ said
07:24 PM May 16, 2016
I don't believe you'll be able to get controlled substances away from your home state. Check with your pharmacist.
Second Chance said
11:57 AM May 17, 2016
Margaret,
You didn't mention what type of health insurance you have (whether you're Medicare eligible yet, etc.). If your insurance cooperates with Express Scripts, we've had very good service with their home delivery (Tricare Express Scripts for military - but they have a civilian side, too).
The USPS itself cannot provide you with a legal address for domicile purposes. We are members of the Escapees RV Club and use their mail forwarding service based in Livingston, TX. This provides us with a legal address for domicile and our vehicle registration(s) and drivers' licenses are Texas, as well. We just call the mail service and have our mail forwarded whenever we're going to be somewhere long enough for it to catch up with it. When we're somewhere for more than a week or two - such as we are volunteer camp hosting for May and June, we just give Express Scripts a temporary mailing address and our medications come straight to us without forwarding. For various reasons, Florida, Texas and South Dakota are popular states for domicile for full-timers and all have mail services that will provide what you need.
As for health providers, ours are still in the area from which we "launched," but we are considering finding at least an FP/internist on the opposite side of the country so we don't have to be back in the one place so often. Lots of full-timers have a favorite border town and get their dental care in Mexico when their route takes them that way. You can get some very good and inexpensive care south of the border that way.
Look at the regular RV-Dreams site and you will find a lot of good information there about full-timing. The Escapees web site also has a wealth of information on the topic.
Hi all,
I have issues with mold, allergies, an immune deficiency, and neuro Lyme Disease. And yes, despite all that, I plan to travel, mainly to find a place that "feels" better to me than the lovely place I live now, which is indeed lovely, but is also very humid. I also plan to stay in my RV (not bought yet) until I sell my house and build or buy a new one.
I can communicate with one of my doctors by phone, but what about the others? I'm sure they will stop renewing my prescriptions if I don't continue seeing them. What about controlled substances? I know that all Walmarts give you the prescriptions you're already on, except for controlled substances. I'm esp. worried about my pulmonologist, as he's better than most, and he gives me the prescriptions I need, plus he will be sending a home health nurse out to show me how to do infusions. But my house is moldy, and the region in general, doesn't seem to be conducive to good health, so I need to move.
How do you go to the doctor? Just find one on the road, and hope for the best?
And while we're at it, this is completely unrelated (sorry
), but how do you get mail when you're traveling?
And yes, I'm well enough to travel.
Margaret
But while we are actually traveling, things can get dicey. We’ve used walk-in clinics on a few occasions for what were rather minor problems.
For mail we use Americas Mailbox in South Dakota (we are full-timers domiciled in SD).
Hi Trikester,
Is Americas Mailbox nationwide? I'll have to find out. I guess I should also talk to the post office.
LOL, I might have to have multiple sets of doctors. As for a dentist, I don't use them; they're too expensive!
Yes, I figured I'd use Walmart, but they don't transfer controlled substances (I use Restoril).
Thanks, Margaret
Trace
Margaret,
You didn't mention what type of health insurance you have (whether you're Medicare eligible yet, etc.). If your insurance cooperates with Express Scripts, we've had very good service with their home delivery (Tricare Express Scripts for military - but they have a civilian side, too).
The USPS itself cannot provide you with a legal address for domicile purposes. We are members of the Escapees RV Club and use their mail forwarding service based in Livingston, TX. This provides us with a legal address for domicile and our vehicle registration(s) and drivers' licenses are Texas, as well. We just call the mail service and have our mail forwarded whenever we're going to be somewhere long enough for it to catch up with it. When we're somewhere for more than a week or two - such as we are volunteer camp hosting for May and June, we just give Express Scripts a temporary mailing address and our medications come straight to us without forwarding. For various reasons, Florida, Texas and South Dakota are popular states for domicile for full-timers and all have mail services that will provide what you need.
As for health providers, ours are still in the area from which we "launched," but we are considering finding at least an FP/internist on the opposite side of the country so we don't have to be back in the one place so often. Lots of full-timers have a favorite border town and get their dental care in Mexico when their route takes them that way. You can get some very good and inexpensive care south of the border that way.
Look at the regular RV-Dreams site and you will find a lot of good information there about full-timing. The Escapees web site also has a wealth of information on the topic.
Good luck and happy travels!
Rob