my neulogist appointment in January

[dfwtexas]

in light of the sad developments in this country, the reality is the small company I work for will not survive the new king. I am going to ask my neurlogist to treat me without prescriptions as I will lose my insurance and need to know how to control seizures without medication. I know that many on here do not take meds, how was the process of going off the meds for you?

 

[walksalot]

jgbmartin, please don't despair. I've checked it out extensively and found that if you make less than $35,000 a year, there is help from Johnson and Johnson and Novartis both Johnson and Johnson's help line is 800-652-6227 and Novartis is 888-526-5168. Let me tell you how weird it is that I found out. I had bought some Abreva cold sore medicine and it came in the pump like shaving lather. It dispensed way to much and wasted a lot of it. That darned stuff was way to expensive to let it do that. So I called Johnson and Johson (the makers) and told them I wanted to buy it in the tube and couldn't find it. They asked for me to return the little pump can because it might have been a bad batch. They also made Lamictal and I asked when it would go generic because I couldn't afford it and I had gone into the gap in February 2008 because of it and the Topamax (Novartis makes it) The girl told me it sounded like I qualified for their assistance program and the one Novartis had. She said she would send me an application. Then transferred me straight to Novartis and IStayed on the line with me while I told them my story and they also sent me their application. They both wanted doctors to compete portions of the applications and information I would need to know, but I qualified for help from both companies. If your drugs are the ones they make, you and are in their income level and other little stuff, then help is available. Call those two number and check it out. This has saved me nearly $8,000 this year.

I had checked out dozens of assistance programs on the internet and it seems like most of them were rip-offs to me. Eventhe Montell Williams show was inaccessible for me. And writing to Opra Winfrey was out of the question.

 

[epileric]

I agree, don't despair on your meds

However here's the page with alternative therapies. They'd work well in conjunction with meds & might help ween you off, I just don't think you can substitute them cold turkey for your prescription.

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/index.php?p=alternative-treatments

 

[dfwtexas]

Thanks ya'll. I got laid off after 9/11...and at that time I was healthy...but was 41 years old w/o formal education but tons of experience. I was out of work for 10 months. Finally got someone to hire me at 1/2 what I made previously. I was shocked that there was no assistance...the only source I found said use up all your 401k savings then come back. I am not going to get blindsided,the fact is it is more probable than not, that I will be laid off sometime in 2009. In addition to my seizure (actually it is because of it), I had a severe trauma to my arm that left me "grossly disfigured and disabled" and several other medical issues and this time around I will be 48. What are the chances of ever finding another job.
I am sure the meeting with the doc will not be a good thing since he told me that I have to stay on Keppra for life or face the possiblity of death. I would like him to help wean me off the keppra and do the vitamin/supplement route.I would like to do this slowly while I do have insurance. Last time I was laid off, medical was only good for a week after I left...and couldn't afford my meds and my sons meds...so son's med won out. I really need to be prepared this time.