It's been 2 and a half months of struggle and I have finally secured a sufficient amount of needles, test strips, and lancets. Sadly, however, I haven't secured enough of the important stuff, insulin. Insulin is the stuff that tells my body to consume the energy crystals that pile up in our bodies after we eat. Without them, the crystals would pile up like snow on a stormy day and send my body into a state of chaos. When that happens, many bad things can occur. I can go into a never ending state of a coma - or even die. Having Type I Diabetes, I need insulin to live.
Getting the medicine and clearance to take them to Japan has been a challenge; American Insurance companies will only give a person 3 months’ worth of prescriptions; Japan will only allow a person to bring in a month's worth into the country; every airport is an obstacle when carrying medicine with you; and medicine is ridiculously expensive. There are so many things a person would have to go through in order to make sure that their medicine makes it safely over into another country with them. There are currently no guides that can help you get this done. So, I made one, and I broke it down into three parts: “Obtaining Prescriptions”, “Securing Permission for Prescriptions”, and “Transporting Prescriptions”.
Getting the medicine and clearance to take them to Japan has been a challenge; American Insurance companies will only give a person 3 months’ worth of prescriptions; Japan will only allow a person to bring in a month's worth into the country; every airport is an obstacle when carrying medicine with you; and medicine is ridiculously expensive. There are so many things a person would have to go through in order to make sure that their medicine makes it safely over into another country with them. There are currently no guides that can help you get this done. So, I made one, and I broke it down into three parts: “Obtaining Prescriptions”, “Securing Permission for Prescriptions”, and “Transporting Prescriptions”.
I’m not going to go into full detail on my blog page, because it’s too much to go over. Instead, if you would like to see the steps, click here.
As of now, I have a 2-3 months’ supply of insulin and a 6 months’ supply of needles. It is incredibly difficult to get a year’s worth supply of any prescription. My doctor once told me that they struggled to secure 2 months’ worth of supply for one of their patients. One of my pharmacists told me that getting a year’s worth of medicine is virtually impossible. He said that my doctor had to have magic in order to pull it off. With that being said, when you decide to obtain more than 6 months’ worth of medicine, plan to be on the phone, at the pharmacy, and talking to your doctor for countless hours. If you expect it to be a quick run around the block, you’re going to stress out. Like any preparation, it’s best to start preparing everything as early as possible. At minimum, start at least one and a half months before departure.
The earlier you start, the less stress you will inflict upon yourself. The less the stress, the more you’ll smile. A key thing to remember is, don’t release any of your anger on any of your pharmacists or doctors. They’re only doing their job. Getting a year’s worth of medicine for you is not their job. They can only give you whatever the insurance allows them to give you. The more pleasant you are to them, the more willing they are to help. The meaner you are, the less they care.
I came across an amazing song while watching the Summer Olympics’ closing ceremony. It’s a song that brightens my day. Maybe it will even brighten yours. As the artist sings in his song, “If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten. That’s to laugh, and smile, and dance, and sing.” Always look on the bright side of life!
As of now, I have a 2-3 months’ supply of insulin and a 6 months’ supply of needles. It is incredibly difficult to get a year’s worth supply of any prescription. My doctor once told me that they struggled to secure 2 months’ worth of supply for one of their patients. One of my pharmacists told me that getting a year’s worth of medicine is virtually impossible. He said that my doctor had to have magic in order to pull it off. With that being said, when you decide to obtain more than 6 months’ worth of medicine, plan to be on the phone, at the pharmacy, and talking to your doctor for countless hours. If you expect it to be a quick run around the block, you’re going to stress out. Like any preparation, it’s best to start preparing everything as early as possible. At minimum, start at least one and a half months before departure.
The earlier you start, the less stress you will inflict upon yourself. The less the stress, the more you’ll smile. A key thing to remember is, don’t release any of your anger on any of your pharmacists or doctors. They’re only doing their job. Getting a year’s worth of medicine for you is not their job. They can only give you whatever the insurance allows them to give you. The more pleasant you are to them, the more willing they are to help. The meaner you are, the less they care.
I came across an amazing song while watching the Summer Olympics’ closing ceremony. It’s a song that brightens my day. Maybe it will even brighten yours. As the artist sings in his song, “If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten. That’s to laugh, and smile, and dance, and sing.” Always look on the bright side of life!
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