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Other downloads and useful information

Here is a collection of PDFs and Links that you may find helpful and informative.

 

What if I go to the Hospital?

 

Hopefully you never will, but if you do, please bring a friend or family member to stay with you. It helps to have someone help and watch out for you. Adults are cared for by the Hospitalists, doctors who are there all day for that purpose. Dr. Stiles sees Newborns at both Baptist Women’s and Methodist Germantown Hospitals. She has privileges at Baptist as well but can’t feasibly go there on a regular basis. 

 

 

Medications and Refills    

General Refills
If you have refills on your bottle, call your pharmacy to fill it. If you are out of refills, call us. During the work day we have a Refill Line you can access by following the instructions on the phone system. We will call them in within 48 hours. On the voicemail, leave:

  • Your name

  • Your date of birth

  • Pharmacy phone number

  • The medication (spell it please)

  • How you take it


3 Month Refills
Some insurance plans allow for 3 month prescriptions. Sometimes it is through a mail order pharmacy, and sometimes at a local pharmacy. This is great for chronic stable medicines that don’t change much. This can save you money and you don’t need a refill for 3 months. But it takes a lot more advanced planning. If it is through the mail, you need to get your refills 2-3 weeks ahead of time. 
Let us know what you need. If you have a 3 month prescription plan and need hard-copy prescriptions, we can mail them to you. For some plans, you provide us a piece of paper and we can fax the prescriptions to the company. 

As with regular pharmacies, you can get your own refills without us. If you are out of refills, you must call us. Give plenty of time to get your prescription, mail it, and get the medicine. 


Cheaper Medications Options
Sams and Costco Pharmacies are the cheapest if you are paying for your meds. Their pharmacies are open to anyone – you don’t have to be a member. This is the best place to get things that insurance doesn’t cover – like Chantix, Phentermine, Viagra.

 

“Good Rx” is a program to get cheap prices for generic meds without insurance.   Go to www.goodrx.com to check prices, print coupon.    Or you can show the coupon from your phone, or get the APP.

Medication Assistance Programs for Free Medicines
Medication Assistance Programs exist with the drug companies to provide free medications to patients with financial need who have NO medication coverage. To qualify, you must meet financial criteria and provide proof, usually with a copy of your SSI check or tax filing form. You should print out the medication request forms from the website link. You will need different forms for each drug company. The doctor will need to sign them and include a prescription.They are easy to access through the website: www.rxassist.org

Refills Anchor

 

Know your Cholesterol

 

Cholesterol consists of 3 main parts:

 

1)LDL: Low Density Lipoproteins  -The “bad” cholesterol

Goal for normal folks

  • Below 130 (the lower the better). 

Goal for diabetics (and anyone with heart disease, stents in any arteries, peripheral arterial disease in legs, Carotid artery blockage, stroke, dementia)

  • Below 100 (heart docs prefer below 80)

How you can lower your LDLs

  • Lose weight. 

  • Eat less saturated fats. 

  • Eat more fiber. 

 

2)HDL: High Density Lipoproteins  -The “good” cholesterol

Goal for everyone

  • Above 40 (the higher the better). 

How you can raise your HDLs

  • Exercise. 

  • Lose weight.

 

3)TG: Triglycerides - The “bad” triglycerides

Goal for everyone

  • Below 150.

How you can lower your TGs

  • Lose weight.

  • Lower your sugar intake.

 

 

There are other types of cholesterol and potential risk factors that are currently not standard measures: 

  • LpA – Lipoprotein A.

  • CRP - C-reactive protein - a measure of inflammation.

  • Homocysteine – a risk factor for clots.


The JUPITER Study

This study put normal people who had elevated CRP, a measure of inflammation, on a statin (cholesterol medicine). These people didn’t have other usual risk factors for heart disease. The study was stopped early because statins significantly reduced incidence of heart attack and stroke. This showed that statins act as anti-inflammatories for arteries and plaques.

Some Helpful Links

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1516 

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/default.htm 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-cholesterol/DS00178

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