Weaning off abilify, topamax and effexor

I got myself into dire straights financially and now can't afford my meds. I have a couple weeks left of meds then that's it. I'm without them for at least two months before i can afford them again. I'm scared. i don't want to start hallucinating again. I can't tell my psych cuz i owe her a ton of money right now too and i'm worried she'll drop me as a patient. i don't know what to do but i'm spreading my meds out to make them last as long as possible while weaning off them too.

tara

tarabug.

www.needymeds.org is a gateway to pharmaceutical companies that have patient assistance programs for those who cannot afford their medications.

Best wishes,
Catherine

Please do everything you can to try to keep taking your meds. Effexor is difficult to adjust dosages. Everyone says that playing with the dosage is hard on a person. I hope you are able to get some help.

Go to the Senior Citizens Center in your area, even if you are not a senior, and ask for a pamphlet on prescription assistance. If worse comes to worse and you run out of meds and begin to hallucinate, seek help at you local mental health and mental retardation center or call your nearest state mental hospital. They should have an affiliated clinic which has a vested interest in keeping people in their area out of the hospital, and, toward this end, they should help you with services on a sliding scale and/or free if you cannot afford to pay. billieJ

On the side of your meds, the manufacturer will be listed. In cases of destitute patients whose income is such that they can't afford, the drug companies will charge just a small amount. You have to fill out forms for this, but it is a viable option.

I think it is imperative that you tell your doctor about this. How can you hide it from him if you start to have problems?

i've also heard that at walmart you can get Rxs for $4 each. i think going off 3 meds at once over a couple of weeks would be a bit of a shock to the body.

unfortunately I don't qualify for any med related freebie programs I apparently earn too much, though it's not enough to live on. That's what I get for living in California... sigh

tarabug, I'm not sure what CA living has to do with it...
These patient assistance programs are offered by the individual drug companies.
If you don't qualify for free meds, you should qualify for a low copay...up to $10.

Living in CA means I get paid more because of the cost of living is higher. Means I'm more than 200% above poverty level which is the cutoff for drug companies paying. I'm actually at 203%. If I lived in Nevada I would earn less but still be in the same financial situation because the cost of living is less there but would qualify for the meds because I would earn less than the 200% of poverty level. I can't qualify for low copays because i have no insurance. I am pretty much uninsurable at the age of 29 due to the abilify I take and the suicide attempts, psych stays. All unfortunate. Means what I don't know, only I have to find a way to make this all work.

tarabug,
I am so sorry...what a terrible situation!
And I offer my apology. I was under the impression that the companies had a income/expenses ratio. It's why I mentioned the copay...you would pay that at the pharmacy but it is not connected with an insurance company.

Is there any chance your pdoc can keep you in samples for awhile? You mentioned being un-insurable, does CA have an insurance pool...here there is one. It's for people who can't get other insurance...but I am unsure of any limitations, etc..

Are you feeling all right?
It's going to be so very hard if you are coming off these drugs concurrently...
Please keep us posted and let us know how you are, ok?

In Peace

oops, it's target not walmart that has the $4 deal on generics. it can't hurt to try. maybe your doc could write you a Rx for one of the other anti-depressants if yours aren't on the list. also, most of the major pharmacies have really low cost options for people without insurance these days. i know my local CVS here in so cal does.

Hi everybody,

gosh, i've only started coming off the meds taking them every other day and i'm already tearful at best at the smallest things. Sigh, I'm trying to hang in there. I might call my doc to get a haldol prescription, i know that's an anti psych med that only costs 4 dollars.

Love and hugs,
Tara

tara, from all i've read about weaning off effexor you don't want to take it every other day but to just reduce the dose and take it daily. what you can do is open the capsules and empty out half and take that half-dose daily instead of a full dose every other day, as that is not a good way to do it and causes much worse withdrawal effects.

here are the brand names for the generics that Target covers for anti-depressants (hopefully your pdoc could prescribe one):

AMITRIPTYLINE - generic for Elavil
CITALOPRAM - generic for Celexa
DOXEPIN HCL - generic for Sinequan
FLUOXETINE - generic for Prozac
NORTRIPTYLINE - generic for Sensoval, Aventyl, Pamelor
PAROXETINE - generic for Paxil
TRAZODONE - generic for Desyrel

i do think a call to your pdoc would be good. i did a ton of research on getting off effexor and it's still been a pain so far with the fatigue, stress, and diarrhea. when i ran out of my Rx and skipped too many at once my head hurt like you wouldn't believe. i read stories of people spending time in the hospital because of bad withdrawal effects from just one drug. going off 3 drugs at once could be dangerous. take care of yourself, okay?

Thanks so much for your post. If I could double thank you I would. I'm off the topomax completely now, was only on a low dose anyway. I did some research last night on the withdrawal side effects of effexor xr and it's scary. Holy cow I never knew so much could happen from being on one drug, let alone that and the abilify. I'm so scared that I'm going to start hallucinating again. Had a weird dream last night where I was in a psychward and restrained and when I woke up i was still in the dream, I couldn't move as if i had restraints on.

sigh, the call to the doc is a must. i know, gotta take care of myself good so i can keep on working and plus school starts on wednesday.

tara

hope you're doing okay tarabug. let us know how things are going.

I'm doing okay. Could be better. I had my meds on the counter and the cat knocked them off onto the floor while I was sleeping then the dog ate them so that's a week worth of meds that just got lost... sigh means I'm gonna have to come off quicker yet.

Tara

omigosh that's terrible...but kind of funny too. is your dog okay? i can't believe you have to go off faster now. pets are such goofballs. if my dog ate anti-depressants i don't think i could stand it as he'd be just way too happy. he's already totally silly and happy and adorable. i think he's my anti-depressant.

I am on drug that I cannot afford. My P'doc gives me the free samples that he gets from drug companies.

I'm sure your Pdoc would be very concerned if you have to just go cold turkey on your meds.

Maybe if she can supply you with free samples you could start to pay the account. Its a difficult thing. Hope you can find a way to sort it out.

My doc has given me free abilify samples but unfortunately there are no effexor samples to be had, it's such an old drug. That's the one I'm having difficulty coming off of. Yesterday it was so cold in my house yet I was sweating. My roommate doesn't get it either which doesn't help. School has started so there's pressure there and on top of everything I may be getting a new job and moving.

I did break down today though and buy more meds a three month supply of both cost me $207.98 Money I don't have, just means one of the other bills won't get paid this month. Sigh, i hate money troubles but I've realized without my meds I'm pretty much unemployable.

On Saturday we had a situation at the hotel and I had to confront some people. I was shaking so bad it was visible to everybody else. The security guard asked me if I was okay. I have to get back on these meds though I think being on abilify is what's causing the shaking.

Love and Hugs to you all,
Tara

((((((((tarabug))))))))

sorry you've been having such a rough time with finances. going back on your drugs might really be good for you right now with so many changes happening. i've missed a lot of class because of this process. i wish i could send you my extra effexors but since that is totally illegal i won't. then, i thought if you or a friend were down in la i could have them come over and get them (there aren't many though) but then i realized that would make me your drug dealer! lol, i just can't do it.

MAJOR TRIGGER TRIGGER TRIGGER TRIGGER TRIGGER PLEASE BE CAREFUL





so last night i went to bed and as soon as my head hit the pillow it started. I felt that I was being raped and beaten. My heart rate was soaring, i was crying nose running. hours after it stopped and i got the courage to get up and turn on the lights i realized it never really happened. my clothes were intact, everybody in the house was asleep and the doors were locked.

What's next? I have to get back on my meds. I ordered them three days ago so hopefully they'll be here soon. Thing is sometimes it takes up to three weeks to get them! ARRGH!

(((((((((((((((tarabug)))))))))))))))

i am so sorry about your nightmare flashback. that is just awful. i sure didn't appreciate the nightmare i had either from the effexor withdrawal. hoping your drugs come very soon.

Tara, can you get free samples of venlafaxine from your doctor as it is the generic for effexor xr. I couldn't afford effexor xr and I transferred over to venlafaxine. My doc just gave me samples and I am in California so I know you could get samples in this state. That should put an end to the withdrawal. Good Luck. Keep us posted. phoenix47baby

That's crazy! My psych says she can't get samples of effexor/venlafaxine because it's such an old med. She only gets samples for the newer meds like abilify. I'm definitely going to have to talk to her about this one. I sure need the help right now. Thanks phoenix!

Love and Hugs,
Tara

CAUTION: COMING OFF OF EFFEXOR SUDDENLY MIGHT MAKE YOU SICK.

This has happenned to me; it was awful. I strongly advise you to TAPER OFF OF THIS MED if you're going to have to go without it.

What a horrible situation. My heart goes out to you. This is why we need a national health insurance plan!

Hopefully it won't come down to you losing your meds.

I'm sending you all the good luck I can spare -- Mike