I'm having a poll and need your responses. Due to too many reasons that I just don't feel like going into, basically finances have me at trying to decide on which is better to keep medical treatment for. My bipolar or my physical conditions. My bipolar only costs me gas money, but my physical conditions are adding up to a point that is unsustainable. I've quit this treatment twice already and the pdoc gets me all worried until I start treatment again. However, with 5 meds for it now, it's too much. What should I do?

[jelly-bean]

It sort of depends on what your physical problems are doesn't it? If you have life-threatening physical issues then there is the answer to your question. Can you get any help from the state to pay for your meds or counseling?

[*PeaceLily*]

Is there no government aid so that you can get the meds for everything? It's terrible to think that people are having to choose what they treat

xx

[Blitter2014]

Hi Lunatic,

Are they the only two options you have? Have you discussed your situation with your Pdoc, told him that financially you are in a position of having to choose? It maybe that the better of the evils might be to change/ drop meds and keep only the ones that are really necessary. I would be very suprised if your Pdoc wasn't willing to work with you on this one. No one wants to see you unstable, Pdoc included.

The other option before having to make such a drastic choice would be to change Pdocs, one that might be prepared to re evaluate the medications you are on.

At the end of the day, I feel for you for being in such a difficult situation. It is a horrible set of circumstances to be in. Try to choose a scenario that gives you the best quality of life, and don't be afraid to look outside the box to find the solution. When it comes to your health, everything is on the table.....

I hope you can find a sustainable solution.

[Victoria'smom]

OPTIONS:

1. drug company assistance program
2. Replace your medication with medicine that is low cost walmart , rite-aid walgreens

Here are the way I decide what is the RX for? have I tried everyone that is on my insurance? have I done the drug company assistance application? what are the side effects? can I pay for it out of pocket.

[tripmonster]

I can understand what you're going threw, my meds without insurance is more then $500.00 a month. I'm about to lose my insurance. :[

In your case I think it depends on the physical problems you're having. If it's absolutely necessary to be able to function, then I'd go with that.

[Justugh]

Originally Posted by Lunatic Fringe

I'm having a poll and need your responses. Due to too many reasons that I just don't feel like going into, basically finances have me at trying to decide on which is better to keep medical treatment for. My bipolar or my physical conditions. My bipolar only costs me gas money, but my physical conditions are adding up to a point that is unsustainable. I've quit this treatment twice already and the pdoc gets me all worried until I start treatment again. However, with 5 meds for it now, it's too much. What should I do?

this one is simple ..........everything is going to work out fine

now where is your half closed casket ..........what state or country

they have all kinds of things just for this issue so ppl do not need to make this choice (only thing u will be out of pocket is gas money ) the rest goes to low cop pay like 5 15 bucks ....alot of times free
but to get u started with it need to know where u are after that can link u info

[hamster-bamster]

Please list the meds.

Some old medications for bipolar are very cheap.

Tegretol costs $4 at Walmart.

Lithium cost me less in cash when I had insurance than the copay. When I figured it out, I asked the pharmacist not to charge my insurance, because the smallest copay by the insurance was $10 and the medication cost less. I do not remember how much less, but less - say, $8 for 150 tablets. So I was paying a larger copay than Lithium cost. I am now on Medical and get medications free, plus I am on a much lower dose of Lithium. If I ever lose medical without getting insurance, I bet that Lithium at my dose would cost me the same $4 at Wal-Mart.

Old medications are not worse. You do not have to have the latest - they are not the greatest. They are better in some aspects and worse in others, and for sure are less studied.

Without a list of your meds it is hard to make any recommendations.

[nbritton]

Originally Posted by Lunatic Fringe

However, with 5 meds for it now, it's too much. What should I do?

What meds are you on? What helps you the most? Do you have any insurance coverage, what is your out of pocket cost for each drug? What meds have you been on in the past that you liked? What meds have you been on in the past that you didn't like? What is your offical diagnosis?

I can try to recommend some cheaper alternatives that you can talk to your doctor about.

[Mrs. Mania]

I don't know if your on lamictal, but there is a coupon online right now that takes from $104to $11.00! I use it at walmart, but you can use it at other pharmacy's it is just a few dollars more.

Bipolar med I'm ok with at moment as it's being given to me. Does a salt based med work against my blood pressure meds? I was on 3 different blood pressure meds. Now a 4th has been added, so I'm at $50 a month for all 4 with no improvement with blood pressure.

I really think if I stop everything alll at once, it will shock me hatd enough to get me in a really good long running mania mode which I need to get me off my arse to find a job so I can get some insurance. I'm telling you, since I started mental health med, I look back over the year, and see that I have become a lazy slob gor the first time in my life. I don't like what I see at all.

My t stays positive with me about waiting for my ssdi hearing. It's easy for him to be positive, as he's making an income while he's talking/listening to me. Do they just want me in a drugged passive state and away from society?

I'm sure the above makes no sense? So, my real question is this. I don't like where any of this is going. I want my old self back. The dependable and hard working self, albeit mad at the world, but for the most part I was independently surviving.

I am very close to gambling... Gambling a year of bipolar treatment and an odds heavily stacked against me ssdi case, to get in a highly mania state again to push myself out of this mess. What's the worse that may happen? That I may screw up again even worse than before, get into trouble and resist being arrested, and then they finish me off? What would be so bad about that?

[Victoria'smom]

Do they just want me in a drugged passive state and away from society?

Okay, I'm going to be sexist here: Yes, some doctors want you just passive, stealing your personality away. At least what I see is that being male they are more likely to over medicate. If my husband said a quarter of what I say he's get hospitalized in a second. The difference is he's 6'3" 350+ lbs and I'm 5'3" 135 lbs. People assume he's more likely to cause damages even at hypo-mania stage. It's unfair and worries me as a mother of a boy.

1. They're just stacking drugs one on top of the other. When it's more than 2 they have to explain to me why adding a new med without subtracting one. Dr's must hate me.

2. I also research every medication and bring my medication app to make sure anything s/he prescribes is not interacting before s/he leaves the room.

I understand being poor and feeling stuck and maybe hospitalization can help or at least a case worker.

[Justugh]

hahahaha

LUNATIC
u have insurance ..........it is called medicaid
tell me the state u are in or the country and i can link u the info of how to apply and u get can get on the ball with in 30 days they send u a card from there u get to pick a MCO (regural insurance)...........u now have free health insurance for atleast 1 year

so where are yah ..........this problem is not a problem it already been solved and taken care of ...........just need to know where u are to link u the starting point

as for poor i live off 375 bucks a month 1 meal a day 1 tank of gas a month no going out no social events (stay in my little area wait for death)