Damn drug abusers! Most of my emotional symptoms are under control, but I still

[hedgehog]

have only limited energy resources. I'm on thyroid hormone and my family doctor has checked me out, so that makes me think this is a left-over physical aspect of depression. My family doctor and psychiatrist talked it over and my psychiatrist prescribed something I think will work. The only problem is that urban legend has it that this drug makes you smarter, so perfectly healthy people people are going to their doctors and getting diagnosed with narcolepsy because they think this drug will replace studying or will give them an advantage at the office. Also, body builders have decided that it's a good adjunct to steroids. As a result, this drug is now on the controlled list, has increased significantly in price AND I have to jump through hoops to get my insurance to cover it! I don't blame the insurance company on this one. The problem is that perfectly healthy people are abusing this drug!

[no name no slogan]

1. One of my drugs is a Schedule 3 (I think that's what it's called)

and it required a scrip signed in red ink by a doctor to fill. It's very annoying, especially, when your doc is over an hour away. How annoying.

[hedgehog]

2. The insurance company turned down the coverage on teh first go around,

so my doctor will argue with them again next week. Meantime I bought a month's supply out of pocket - only $140!

[Ocracoker16]

3. Are you talking about Provigil?

I had a hard time getting my insurance to pay. It took a lot of phone calls. I had to get a letter from my doctor explaining that it wasn't prescribed to me for enhancing my intelligence. If people weren't trying to get prescriptions for this drug so they could be really smart, those of us who actually need it wouldn't have to fight our insurance companies to get them to pay. Keep trying and hold on to that receipt so you can submit it for reimbursement when they decide to pay for the medicine.

[hedgehog]

4. Bingo! I went out and bought a month's supply out of pocket.

No buzz, just able to go about and do things like clean out the cats' litter box and drive around the corner to pick up some hay for the chickens. I hope this continues this week and isn't a short term placebo effect!

[hedgehog]

5. I received the letter from the insurance company today; they

want me to use a preferred alternative:

amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
dextroamphetamine
Methylin
Methylin ER
Methlphenidate
Methylphenaidate SR

I can't even take pseudophendrine and sleep at night and the insurance company wants me on uppers!

I've been on this medication three days and I'm able to do things I've been wanting to do and just couldn't before. And I'm sleeping better at night!

[Ocracoker16]

6. That really sucks

I have a few thoughts on how your doctor might respond. I think that your doctor needs to explain that Provigil was chosen for you because of its wakefulness qualities that would help you function better on a day to day basis. Stimulants such as the ones they listed would contribute to the problems you have sleeping. Lack of sleep just leads to increased depression. Your doctor could mention that you seem to have a sensitivity to stimulants. You are unable to take OTC medicines containing pseudophendrine at night, because they keep you up all night.

[hedgehog]

7. Update: the insurance company turned down the appeal, so the

doctor prescribed Nuvigil. He is adamantly opposed to prescribing amphetamines, at least for me. He may not prescribe them for anyone, but I know he won't even consider them for me.

I couldn't figure out why he thought the insurance company might go for Nuvigil since the latest and greateset is generally the more expensive. A little research shows that Provigil will come off patent in 2011. The company raised the price on Provigil so Nuvigil would look cheaper and people would switch to Nuvigil and stay with it rather than go on the generic when it comes out.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use/old-drug-with-new-name/

http://www.epharmacies.com/online-pharmacy-medicine-blog/should-you-switch-from-provigil-to-nuvigil/

http://www.freebeeforeignpharmacy.com/pharmacy-drugs-blog/is-cephalons-nuvigil-promotion-a-good-deal-for-you/

[hedgehog]

8. 2nd Update : I'm being sent by my GP to a neurologist to

determine if I meet the insurance company's prerequisites for this drug. So the insurance company will be on the hook for that fee because it will not accept the fat that this drug allows me to function!

[hedgehog]

9. 3rd Update: so now I have to schedule a sleep study which may

take a couple months to complete. I'm curious to see what will turn up. In the meantime, I ran out of pills three days ago and can't buy anymore until pay day. I took a nap and drank some tea, and I'm still dragging.