lost job and can't afford meds

[carlasmoore]

I lost my job last week. I was informed I was eligible for FMLA and took off three days due to seizures and auras. When I returned to work I was informed I was not eligible.

I have lost my insurance and there is no income in my house as my husband is filing for disability. Does anyone know of a way I can obtain my needed Tegretol? I know I cannot go without it as I will go into seizures.

Can I go for trials and obtain the meds that way? Anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you for your help

[dfwtexas]

So sorry to hear this. There are some links are here how to contact the drug manufactors, most of them have programs to assist with meds for your situation. Let me look around site and I will come back and post it...or some of the more savy users might find it before me.

[dfwtexas]

found it!
When You Can't Afford Medication

[RobinN]

So sorry to hear about your misfortune. How are the job prospects in VA?
I hope the above link gives you the information you need. My thoughts will be with you during this trying time.

[AndyG]

Very sorry to hear your story. I feel very fortunate that all my medication is free of charge. I stay in Scotland UK and everyone with epilepsy is given the medication free of charge. I am interested to know the cost of meds. I am currently on keppra and changing to tegretol (retard). I have had a bad day so far with 2 seizures in the last hour. Take care and hope all works out for you.

[Loopy Lou]

I'm sorry to hear that. It must be so tough having to pay for meds in the US. I think myself very lucky to be in the same situation as Andy.

Is there nothing in place over there which helps people on lower incomes with essential medications? I hope that link works for you x

[TempusFugit]

So sorry to hear this too

I had to pay for my prescription as I saw my neurologist privately. Keprra cost me £78 for a months supply - but I will definitely be seeing my GP for my next prescription! Just done a quick search online for the cost of tegretol. It averages out at £29 for 56 x 200mg.

[Loopy Lou]

Tempus - It doesn't say where you live in the UK, but it might be worth it to go to the GP for meds in the future. You are now entitled to free prescriptions (for anything) on the NHS. (and also a bus pass if you are unable to drive).

I definately couldn't afford to go private, but Preston Hospital has an exceedingly good neurology department, and from what i've heard, they're the leading hospital in the UK for neurology.

[Ann T.]

Greetings, Carla

My suggestion is to call your neurologist to explain your situation & see if he (or she) has trial samples of Tegretol available. Take care! :-)

[Chatter-box]

Loosing your job is a huge setback. If you read back some months ago you'll see I went through the same thing. I was thankful to have somewhere to go to get the kind words of people like the ones you have here. It is quite a career change but I have found work in merchandising, which is to stock out product, arrange it to fit a certain planogram provided by the company, and audit your work and sometimes that of others. It is so different from what you'd expect from a Master's education but this economy is just different, too. I've found something else. I've found that I can be proud of my work and I can feel a sense of belonging to something again when I sign that Vender's book and get to work. You'd never believe how hard it was to feel anything but depressed before, but now things are OK for me again. I can work, again. Sure it's not what I did before, but who cares! I can work and I can be proud of every product I put up to my high expectations. Yep, I can work! Carlasmorre, I know you can, too. If you need to, get out your old GPS and let "Daniel" say, "Recalculating! Recalculating! Recalculating!" over and over until you change plans enough to find a way to work again. Try NARMS.com if you want to go into merchandising or do whatever else you can just to get through for now. You might even find you like it, and you can certainly get back that pride in just doing real work well.

[carlasmoore]

very few job prospects in VA. It took me over 6 months to find the last job. I hope this is a more brief wait

[carlasmoore]

I would like to thank everyone for the kind words of encouragement. I appreciate everyone trying to help. I have not gone to a neurologist in over 15 years and have recently moved to a new state so I would have not help in that area. I will check with my regular dr to see if they can help.

Thank you all,
Carla

[Bernard]

... I have not gone to a neurologist in over 15 years ...

Who was prescribing your meds for you in that timeframe? Find a local neurologist ASAP and explain your situation. They might have some free samples they can give you to give you a little time cushion until you work out a long term solution.

[Stephanie86]

I don't have any ideas other than what's already been posted, but good luck and I will be thinking of you.

[carlasmoore]

Bernard,
I have been receiving my daily Tegretol prescription from my regular family physician. I moved last year and the dr. here stated I don't need to go to a neurologist unless I'm having uncontrolled seizures, and I am controlled for the most part. I have a dr appt with a neurologist the end of June but I'll beout of tegretol in two days. I also won't be able to go to that dr's appt as I cannot afford to go.

[RobinN]

? Contact the company that manufactures Tegretol ?

[Bernard]

Call the doc who has been writing your presciptions and explain your situation and see if he can refer you to a local neurologist who might supply you with some samples to cover the short term. Follow up with the info in the thread that jgbmartin posted earlier for a longer term solution. Good luck!