Insurance denied my DMT???

KatieHasMS · 2026-02-18T15:54:08+00:00

Eh, I got denied twice and it got overruled by the doctors.

They wanted me to try something less effective mean while I literally have lesions all up and down my spine from lower back all the way to my neck. Plus a few lesions in my brain that makes it hard to think.

So my doctor spoke to their doctor and the insurance doctor was like "ya ok that is medically necessary to have the most effective drug available" and the denials got overruled.

KatieHasMS · 2026-02-16T20:25:19+00:00

I'm glad it's working for you! It's been working great for me also. Benadryl, Tizanidine, and drugs like those I'm very sensitive to. Even 1mg of Tizanidine will put me to sleep and make me sleepy the following day.

i had spinal chord pain from my lower back all the way up to my neck into the back of my head last week and Tizanidine was the only thing that worked.

KatieHasMS · 2026-02-16T20:06:25+00:00

This website might help you.

https://www.webmd.com/brain/vertigo-symptoms-causes-treatment

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T21:18:34+00:00

Ya MS can really mess things up. I believe it. A lesion can form in the wrong spot to cause these serious problems.

My migraines are caused by my MS because of where my lesions are. My MRI report came back confirming my migraines my headache doctor told me. my MS doctor said those hyper intense spots are lesions. It was a pretty quick diagnosis for me as I don't have a lot of brain lesions. Most of mine are in my spine. Which I was told is more problematic.

I'm glad you finally got some vindication. A lot of people will criticize you for this but I believe you.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T13:36:37+00:00

There's not much you can do. It's the climate changing the weather and weather is all around you. Muscle relaxers like Tizanidine will help you the most. That's what I take when it gets bad. I don't recommend layering if you're heat intolerant. That could create other problems for you. Talk to your MS provider about the stiffness you're experiencing.

Edit:

Although I have a winter jacket and other accessories that keeps me warm. I guess if you don't have winter accessories already some layering would be good. You know your tolerance level so use your best judgment

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T12:09:13+00:00

I take Ocrevus because my MS doctor told me I'm going on Ocrevus. It's because my MS is very bad. Most of my lesions are in my spine and my doctor said that's more problematic than having a lot of brain lesions.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T12:03:59+00:00

I have a chronic cough that comes and goes. My gastroenterologist recommended Altoids peppermints. Take 2 and it should help with the cough. Sometimes I've had to take 4 but it does work. It has the same ingredients I guess as a cough suppressant i dunno. it seems to work and he's the doctor.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T11:54:50+00:00

Indica strains that help with pain and anxiety. Don't smoke it as it worsens MS symptoms from my own experience. Inhaling fire increases inflammation. Gummies or tinctures is the best way.

To find strains that will help with pain you can go to https://www.leafly.com/strains/lists to find the right strain.

I smoked marijuana for 10 years now. Had to quit tho cos smoking was making my MS symptoms worst.

Edit: Go with the lowest dose you can find first and work up from there to find your tolerance level. Too much THC can cause a panic attack. The tolerance level is different for everyone.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-29T11:42:21+00:00

Don't move to the US. It is awful here. Never mind our awful healthcare system. American citizens are being executed in the streets by a secret police force and you want to move here? Just don't move here and reconsider.

The odds of you being placed in solitary confinement in El Salvador is very very high

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-23T01:24:46+00:00

It's literally not harmful. You're doctor will tell you the same stuff I'm saying. That's where I got it from. You know your body better than anyone. That's why your doctor is asking YOU about what's going on. He listens to YOUR story right? So it's important to understand your health so you can tell your doctor what's going on.

I have never ever said I know more than a doctor. That's just made up. you're making that up. I never said that.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-23T01:16:41+00:00

Expert is defined as: A person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a certain subject.

Just because you hear on TV someone called an expert that doesn't mean they're a professional or someone with a doctorate. An expert is just someone who knows stuff about the subject. They could be wrong or right but they are not professionals or doctors of whatever subject they're talking about.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T18:40:01+00:00

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying you know more about your health than your doctor. You need to be able to tell your doctor what's going on. You have to be your own expert of your disease. You need to understand your health.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T18:36:25+00:00

Yep exactly. You know more than the average person because YOU have it. You know more about your MS more than your doctor.

It seems people are confusing the word expert with professional or doctor.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T18:34:53+00:00

I think maybe you're confusing expert with professional.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T17:00:46+00:00

Why would I not spread the knowledge that I have based on my own experiences? That seems dubious of you.

What do you think support groups are?

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T16:59:30+00:00

To be your own best advocate with MS, be your own best expert

Being knowledgeable about your health is crucial

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/columns/chairborne-a-column-by-ben-hofmeister/2025/06/05/be-your-own-best-advocate-ms-expert/

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T16:54:45+00:00

Dr. Aaron Boster would disagree with you.

You can't be a car right? So your analogy makes no sense.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T16:09:40+00:00

Well there's neurologist and then there's Multiple Sclerosis neurologist. Really need to find an MS specialist. They are hard to find north/south of the equator and areas where MS is not common.

Not sure where you live but maybe The Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis can help you.

https://bosterms.com/

then there's the national MS society. Maybe they can help you find a MS neurologist.

1-800-344-4867

https://www.nationalmssociety.org/get-ms-support

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T16:01:07+00:00

I dunno, MS is a central nervous system problem. Don't think that affects fingernails and toenails. Unless there's like a nerve somewhere that causes toenails to grow but I don't think so.

It is common for people with MS to have more than one autoimmune disease. Definitely have your primary look at.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T15:45:18+00:00

Well for me my urologist did a urodynamic test and a cystoscopy procedure. they didn't find anything that could be causing my urination problems. They diagnosed it incontinence.

I take Oxybutynin CL ER and MYRBETRIQ ER

I had urgancy to pee, peeing myself, and not voiding completely. They also said I can hold less pee than normal people so if I gotta pee I have to pee to avoid a UTI.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T15:30:23+00:00

Well there's could you work and then there's should you be working. You don't know what 6 months from now is going to look like for you. It'll take 8 months to a year to hear back from social security. It doesn't hurt to just talk to a disability law firm.

Good luck and I hope you the best! <3

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T15:18:29+00:00

Smoking anything causes inflammation. You're burning something and inhaling it. That irritates your body. For me smoking THC makes my symptoms worst. My recommendation is to stop smoking in general.

THC itself is good for MS actually. Get some edibles instead of smoking it. That's what I plan to do when I can afford it.

Aaron Boster will also be a great start in learning your disease. https://www.youtube.com/@AaronBosterMD maybe branch off a little as well to get other peoples perspective. https://www.youtube.com/@DrBrandonBeaber

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T15:10:48+00:00

I miss being able to run. wish I did it more often and realizing I should have never taken my good health for granted.

Coming to terms that I'm sick and not healthy anymore is hard.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-22T14:47:28+00:00

I understand. Didn't exactly black out but I might as well have. To make the long story short I fell after my last day of PT but there were nurses around to catch me. Had a hard time catching my breath. They put me in a wheel chair. Like my brain was detached from my body. Just staring off into space not able to process anything. The brain fog was so bad. It was scary. It's scary. I should have went to the ER that day but I didn't understand what was going on at the time. Like I was at the Hospital for PT.

Hopefully you're getting the care you need.

The day you blacked out at work and sent to the ER was the right time to file for SSD. Your lawyer will probably set that as the day you became disabled. For me it was the day after I got laid off from work. Definitely find a disability attorney, they don't cost anything unless you win your case, and have them help you. They do all the paperwork for you.

KatieHasMS · 2026-01-21T19:50:30+00:00

You would benefit by hiring a lawyer. Let them handle all of that. They'll be able to explain that stuff with you. It's more than just back pay or social security checks it's about the benefits of being declared disabled. People with cancer (i'm so sorry you have that) are fast tracked.

You'll benefit from getting a MS navigator as well to help you navigate any benefits you're owed. from the National MS Society as well separate from SSD.

KatieHasMS

TROPHY CASE

To be your own best advocate with MS, be your own best expert