Thread by @BeccaLizz

i’ve never had an abortion but my access to healthcare has changed because Roe was overturned.

I have #Lupus which is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes my immune system to attack my organs, joints, skin, and muscles.

i take #Methotrexate as one of my treatments

i received an email from my rheumatologist today that they are stopping all refills of methotrexate because it is considered an abortifacient.

Methotrexate is a form of chemotherapy. But in reduced quantities it can be taken long term to help with many autoimmune diseases.

Roe was overturned 6 days ago. in less than one week i lost access to healthcare that i need because the drug could be used to induce abortions.

it took 144 hours for me to have less safe healthcare because Roe was overturned.

Don’t tell me you’re pro-life.

because between the pandemic and this - you are certainly not pro my life.

none of what has happened to me had anything to do with the life of a baby or my reproductive health and i now have to accelerate a treatment timeline so i don’t have a gap in care.

and now i get to spend the summer learning if my body will be more responsive to this new drug.

because of Roe v. Wade i had care that made my disabled life easier. and they took that from me. and i am mad as hell.

**i would also like to clarify that this may be temporary in my state. i think some places are seeing large over corrections to avoid legal trouble. i love my rheumatologist and she was so apologetic about this**

further clarification - I live in Virginia and abortion is legal here. but it is not protected by law and individual providers and pharmacies can decide what they will and won’t do re: abortifacients. this is why i believe my limited access is temporary.

if this is happening in a blue state with no trigger law, think of those in red states where abortion isn’t even legal. and those states that have trigger laws causing extreme and immediate loss of access.

i’m raising money to get help for my living space which will be even more necessary if my medicine is inaccessible to me.

@redredwein it’s not anecdotal to share my own lived and real experiences. This isn’t a second hand account. it is happening to me.

I’ve been trying to reply with this information when i see it come up in my mentions but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so:

- methotrexate is a KNOWN treatment of ectopic pregnancies and has also been used in some abortion and miscarriage treatments.

this is why it, specifically, is a target for restrictions and limited access. it’s also why my own access was effected.

- this is being done for ALL patients within the rheumatology practice. male and female. regardless of gender, age, or status of pregnancy.

this is not discrimination on the basis of sex. this is reduced healthcare for all who are prescribed this med - because the gov believes they can regulate women’s bodies.

- this is from the healthcare practice. not a pharmacy.
- please do not offer to mail me meds

my life is harder and my healthcare at risk because Roe has been overturned. that is not an exaggeration. but please do not share this with exaggerations that are not true. this is my real life. it is not click bait.

do not make it more than it is.

ableism already makes healthcare for chronically ill incredibly inaccessible. embellishments of my real life does not make that any more helpful for me or others like me.

i appreciate that so many have shown support. i’m just asking that my story not become your soap box.

i am hiring companies (thanks to your generosity!) to help me make sure my space is accessible for me as this will have real impact in a few short weeks for me, physically.

please don’t forget the faces and real stories of people who are giving you their words and emotional effort.