[Hbomb0903]

Doc prescribed Latuda today and gave me a month's supply of samples. Problem is it's expensive and my insurance doesn't cover it. I can't afford it and I checked the generic availability, and it doesn't happen till 2018.

What is the point of taking this if I can't continue? Would it be okay to take it with my lithium, wellbutrin regiment (doc needs to up lithium not theraupeutic at the dose I'm at) and then stop. Will it help me feel better and then I can maintain on the others?

These are questions to ask her I know, but the visit was so brief and I had a bunch of other stuff we talked about and we really just ran out of time ://

It's and antipsychotic so those aren't typically meant for us to take ongoing?? Although she said she wanted to do just that. I'm just not sure.

[Curiosity77]

It's pretty normal to be on an antipsychotic long term. They are another form of mood stabilizer, so they work even if there is no psychosis. I don't know if there's any point taking the latuda if you are just going to have to stop it in a month. Seems like it would just be starting to work when you have to stop it. Are there other options thar your insurance covers?

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[Victoria'smom]

There is a lot of pdoc that continue giving patents them every month. I spent a year on viibryd like that. I'm guessing s/he will continue the samples or qualify for a discount program. Its likely you'll just continue getting samples

[Capriciousness]

Hey HBomb. I'm not a doctor obv. I've had nine pdocs though and so I can tell you things they said.

I am going to be honest. Personally I hope I don't ever have to take an antipsychotic long term. And before I did I would look into the research studies that were conducted and see if there is any evidence of them working for what you are hoping they work for. Your specific one. I mean. I looked up Abilify after the fact and saw that indeed was not that qualified for what I needed it to do and what she told me it would do.

I was on Abilify for mood stabilization as my first med. It was a miserable experience for me. I went off finally after nine months. I know that APs are widely used for mood stabilization and I am sure they do do that for some people. I will tell you that I have had four pdocs express horror and outrage that other pdocs use APs for mode stability when they are not proven and are powerful drugs that should be used in short term situations when there is psychosis and or major mania or mixed going on. They have said they are amazing life changing drugs but not mood stabilizers. And that they were the wrong drug for me. They all said first line treatment is a true blue mood stabilizer which you seem to be on. Now a that said it definitely seems to me like some people do really well on a combo of real mood stabilizer and and AP and if I really needed it to be healthy I would definitely do that but never in place of a proven mood stabilizer. Am I making and sense? You know I'm not my best self right now. I have heard some great things about Latuda. I think meds are an extremely individual issue as well all have different brains. So you never really know what is going to work for someone. In my experience the AP did a number on my body and brain and life. It simply was not the right med for me. Obv.

I know I may need an AP again if I get going that way and I would def take it to knock out whatever craziness was happening. I would hope for me that I could taper off after months or a year or whatever it took. But who knows.

I don't want to offend anybody. I'm just sharing what docs have said to me and my experience to help you sort through this. I can't say enough that I think it is so individual. It may be a great med for you. But if you can't stick with it cuz of the insurance seems like a different med might be in order.

If you take it and stop you will then have to taper off and deal with the crap effects of that whether it helped or not.

Can you go back to her and explain this and ask? You mentioned you aren't at the therapeutic level for your Lithium. Do you think that fixing that might cure what ails you? If she wants you to take an AP short term than perhaps the Latuda is the ticket but maybe by short term she means six months so that wouldn't work.

Yeah I don't know. That was obv just a big stream out of my brain. Hope it helps and doesn't hurt. I'm in paranoid mode it will upset you somehow. I'm going to hit submit anyway cuz I'm just that nuts.

[shortandcute]

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[Nammu]

I started back on meds after being off for a long time. The Pdoc put me on lamictal and latuda, it is fantastic as far as side effects, none. I'm on a low dose 20mg and he said it was only until I got up to therapeutic dose on the lamictal. I'm on medicare plan so I'm shocked your insurgence doesn't cover it. But the Pdoc said that latuda has a great program to help people who can't afford it. There are also programs you can google that will help.

[gayleggg]

Yes, my doctor did the same. He kept giving me samples of meds that I couldn't afford. He said don't worry about it but when he ran out of samples, he had to change my meds again. He finally understood he was going to have to find me a generic. He finally put me on Prozac which is cheap and I'm still depressed but not as bad. He had me on Latuda as well which I just stopped taking. It didn't seem to be helping me. So I understand.

[wildflowerchild25]

I was on abilify but it was $650 a month and I mean yeah right. Plus it didn't work anyway - kept the mania at bay but kept my mood stable in a bad depression. So now I tell my pdoc I'm not taking anything new because of cost. However she did offer samples for awhile. Some docs will do that if they can.

Personally for me I'm with capriciousness. For me, APs do exactly nothing to stabilize me. I was out on geodon to combat psychosis, and it works for that, but I was still manic. I demanded to be put on a mood stabilizer. I too do not want to take an AP full time, but for now I need it to keep the paranoia down. Maybe if I achieve stability for longer that six weeks at a time I'll try to reduce it. But not right now.

But also that's just what happened to me - it could be totally helpful for you. I would ask your doctor if he/she is going to continue to supply samples, at least until you gt some sort of assistance.

[nbritton]

Originally Posted by Hbomb0903

What is the point of taking this if I can't continue?

You don't even know if you will respond to this compound, this is why you should keep taking it. You may respond exceptionally well to this compound, you need to keep taking it to find out if you respond to this class of drugs.

At least find out if it works in you before you decide you can't afford it. Between doctor's samples, pill splitting, and the manufactures patient assistance there is no reason you can't afford this drug if it ends up being a life saver for you. You're doctor may be able to provide you with samples indefinitely, or prescribe an alternative atypical antipsychotic that is cheaper for you.

[Hbomb0903]

The idea of being on an AP doesn't appeal to me at all. I was fine for a really long time on my lithium. I had a bunch of life stressors in the last 6 months and I'm sure that is a big factor.

I started taking one more of the lithium and I took the second dose of the latuda, but I just don't know what to do! It makes no sense to me. This pdoc is actually a Nurse Practicioner, but everyone seems to respect her. I'd rather just be on a mood stabilizer and take a AD as needed (Wellbutrin now) because that just seems safer???

So conflicted. Want my life back!!!!

[Capriciousness]

You could save the samples. Just try the increased Lithium for awhile and if that cuts the mustard then there is no need for the Latuda and being over medicated.

If the Lithium isn't enough then that is a valuable piece of information that you won't have if you're taking the Latuda as well.

Just a thought. I obviously do not know what is happening in you and your life and only you can make this decisions. I'm just throwing stuff out there. I tend to be an over thinker.

I know it isn't as easy as all that when you're suffering and want to to stop.

I don't know exactly what the main issue is for you right now. Would you be open to a benzo short term just to give you some immediate relief while you wait for the Lithium to kick in? I know benzos can be tricky things. For me they saved me when I needed them and I was okay going off slowly. Somehow agitated depression was more bearable without the agitation. I know it doesn't work like that for everybody.

[nbritton]

Originally Posted by Hbomb0903

The idea of being on an AP doesn't appeal to me at all.

It's all in your head, you're trepidation of antipsychotics is entirely physiological. From a chemical point of view there is nothing different between antipsychotic and mood stabilizer classes of drugs, or any other psychiatric class of drug. Drug classes are simply a way to group compounds that have similar properties. The fact is these these drugs often overlap, for instance, lamotrigine helps with psychosis and latuda helps with moods. It's almost arbitrary.

Is it just that you don't want to be viewed as someone with a serious mental illness? Your avoidance of an entire class of drugs due to this psychological conditioning could be excluding you from highly effective treatments. Give it a fair trial before you condemn it.

[Hbomb0903]

Originally Posted by nbritton

It's all in your head, you're trepidation of antipsychotics is entirely physiological. From a chemical point of view there is nothing different between antipsychotic and mood stabilizer classes of drugs, or any other psychiatric class of drug. Drug classes are simply a way to group compounds that have similar properties. The fact is these these drugs often overlap, for instance, lamotrigine helps with psychosis and latuda helps with moods. It's almost arbitrary.

Is it just that you don't want to be viewed as someone with a serious mental illness? Your avoidance of an entire class of drugs due to this psychological conditioning could be excluding you from highly effective treatments. Give it a fair trial before you condemn it.

I'm just tired of feeling flat and down. I do take clonazapem as needed for anxiety as well. I guess I should just give it a try and do as the doc says at least for this month. I'm not a pdoc.

I need my mood back up where I am functioning and willing to take on the world. Whatever will do that, I'm up for.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by nbritton

It's all in your head, you're trepidation of antipsychotics is entirely physiological. From a chemical point of view there is nothing different between antipsychotic and mood stabilizer classes of drugs, or any other psychiatric class of drug. Drug classes are simply a way to group compounds that have similar properties. The fact is these these drugs often overlap, for instance, lamotrigine helps with psychosis and latuda helps with moods. It's almost arbitrary.

Is it just that you don't want to be viewed as someone with a serious mental illness? Your avoidance of an entire class of drugs due to this psychological conditioning could be excluding you from highly effective treatments. Give it a fair trial before you condemn it.

Um there is.

APs pose a risk of brain atrophy. Metabolic syndrome. Many other nasty side effects. They are harsh drugs that should be used for serious conditions only, when the outcomes outweight the side effects.

[Hbomb0903]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

Um there is.

APs pose a risk of brain atrophy. Metabolic syndrome. Many other nasty side effects. They are harsh drugs that should be used for serious conditions only, when the outcomes outweight the side effects.

Muscular tics, loss of sex drive, diabetes. After looking at the side effects, I'm liking my lithium more and more..... if I could just get it to work!!

[Capriciousness]

Akathisia too. Another fun one.

HBomb. I agree. You just need to get yourself back. I want that for you too.

[nbritton]

Originally Posted by Hbomb0903

Muscular tics, loss of sex drive, diabetes. After looking at the side effects, I'm liking my lithium more and more..... if I could just get it to work!!

Lutuda though is one of the exceptions to this, it's safe, it's the only AP approved for use in pregnant women... most mood stabilizers are not even approved for this. It has basically no side effects at the dose recommend for bipolar depression. Give it a chance.

[jack123]

Everyone responds different to medications. Latuda as well as my long list has been a lifesaver for me. Right now I am not having to pay out of pocket not sure what I will have to pay next year when deductible starts over

[glennk]

Trying to resurrect the post. I've been on Latuda for several weeks now. It does an awesome job with my depression, but is SO expensive. I'm trapped by the fact that with Medicare, Latuda runs $650 a month. I don't have it. And, I can't get assistance from Sunovion because I am on Medicare.

[Wild Coyote]

Latuda can be very expensive, even with insurance coverage and with the manufacturer's coupon. It was still $400.00 per month for me.

(It worked, initially, but then stopped working.)

Others may have some coverage suggestions.

Good luck with this.


WC

[whoamihere]

My personal experience with Latuda is that I took samples from my pdoc for over a year before he retired. My insurance won't cover it and I can't afford it, but I also make "too much money" to qualify for the patient assistance. Now I'm coming off the Latuda because I only have a few months of samples left and new pdoc doesn't have any. It sucks because I liked the Latuda. I guess it was worth it because I think it helped me but now what? I have no idea what I'll feel like without it so part of me wishes I'd never taken it...

[newtothis31]

I believe the makers of Latuda extended their patent to 2019. I would recommend calling the manufacturer directly. Latuda does have a discount program, but I believe that it needs to be a covered medication. You can also call Latuda's customer service, let them know that your insurance plan excludes their medicine, and they may be able to get you on a discount program. The medicine still may be expensive, but it's worth looking into it. I will admit that I'm biased because Latuda is the only medicine that I have responded well to, although it took a while to kick in.

[Nola0250]

Originally Posted by newtothis31

I believe the makers of Latuda extended their patent to 2019. I would recommend calling the manufacturer directly. Latuda does have a discount program, but I believe that it needs to be a covered medication. You can also call Latuda's customer service, let them know that your insurance plan excludes their medicine, and they may be able to get you on a discount program. The medicine still may be expensive, but it's worth looking into it. I will admit that I'm biased because Latuda is the only medicine that I have responded well to, although it took a while to kick in.

May I ask how long it took? I just got an Rx. Getting side effects with Lamictal that just won't go away and mood not stabilized. Hoping it doesn't take too long...

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by shortandcute

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Yep, all those ^^^ plus the drug manufacturer almost surely has a program by which, if you qualify income-wise, the drug company will provide free or low-cost Latuda to you. I received Seroquel that way for nearly 2 years.

Go to the Latuda manufacturers site and you will likely see the info.