Comments on: Some Financial Consequences of Depression

By: Shakela

Shakela — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:56:47 +0000

Talk to your doctor. See if he’d be willing to switch it to a prescription. Also talk to the pharmacist. Sometimes, doctors write the script for the name-brand but you can have it filled as generic. Also are you seeing a PCP or a psychiatrist? If you’re not happy with the depression stuff but everything else you don’t have to change your doc, but can just see a psychiatrist about it and they will be more likely to understand your concerns about cost. See if there’s a local mental health clinic in your area, you might also qualify for assistance in affording those medications. Good luck!
Shakela´s last blog ..The costs of overmaintanence

By: Dana

Dana — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:30:09 +0000

I was lucky in that when I went on antidepressants for a while in ‘03 and ‘04, first there was an awesome state mental health program that let me get my meds free, and then later I was pregnant and could get on Medicaid. It would have been better if I could have been helped out of my bad life situation instead, but never mind.

If you ever do an update for the subject matter of this post, please share with the folks out there that unless the rules have significantly changed since I got out of the Army, anyone who has retired from the military *should* be entitled to go get their prescriptions filled at a military healthcare facility’s pharmacy (i.e., military clinic, military hospital, etc.) for free. You take your civilian doctor’s prescription in to whoever has the DEERS computer (usually medical records), have them check your name and SSN in the system and they stamp your prescription and send you over to the pharmacy. Be sure to call ahead and make sure the policy is still in effect, but it was in the mid-90s.

I was a medical records clerk when I was in. A retiree came up one day and asked me if it was true he could get his civilian-prescribed meds for free. I told him it was and explained to him how to do it. He just stared, dumbfounded. “I have been spending X amount of money per month for these prescriptions and had NO IDEA I had this benefit.” I felt so bad for him. But the good news was that he found out before he’d gotten any farther into the hole.

By: Money Links For 10-19-2007

Money Links For 10-19-2007 — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:36:56 +0000

[...] Some Financial Consequences of Depression @ Mrs Micah. [...]

By: transformedia

transformedia — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:35:29 +0000

The Monster has greeted me at wake-up last 2 days….lots going on – my Mom is hospitalized for ‘tests’. She is 84 and has stomach and bowel complaints, ( has survived radical mastectomy ) , got word last night that I need Cancer surgery of my own, am on disability, lost out on two jobs in the last month ( I free-lance). Etc., Etc. As a man, revealing weakness and sadness/depression is a hard one. Yet, sometimes there is nothing else for it but to get up, get busy, do my day. It takes strength and balance.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:39:51 +0000

Wow. Thanks, Andy! I’ll call the Target near us and see what they offer. Dang. Thanks!

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:34:59 +0000

I agree that generics are a god send, especially with antidepressants. However, there is one more thing to remember. Shop around for your prescriptions. I take generic Prozac and for months I was going to CVS and paying $90 for a month’s supply. Then as I was reading a site one day I decided to see if I could get it cheaper. Well guess what, Target will fill my prescription for $4. I never even thought to shop around, but boy was I glad that I did. It’s one less thing to worry about when you already have too much shit to deal with.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:49:30 +0000

Thanks for this very personal post, I am sure your honest advice will help many.

By: Fighting the long-lasting effects of depression « Unsaved

Fighting the long-lasting effects of depression « Unsaved — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:34:32 +0000

[...] effect of medication taken ten years ago. I stumbled across yet another interesting comment on the long-term effects of depression on the blogosphere, this time in the context of finances and prescri…. Seeing as my original episode with depression was essentially brought on by well-meaning medical [...]

By: alchemii

alchemii — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:56:16 +0000

i feel your pain!

when i was first diagnosed with depression back in 1999(i lost my father to colon cancer when i was 16 and my mother to lung cancer when i was 18)i was put on prozac which worked really well. unfortunately, i lost my job and no longer had insurance so couldn’t afford to renew my prescription. i eventually had to go back on meds(without insurance) and the prozac didn’t work the second time. i spent the next few years on and off different meds until i finally found one that worked, wellbutrin xl. i’ve been taking it since jan 2004 and it has really helped changed my life, but the cost has steadily increased from $99.00 a month up to 160.00 a month at one point. i’m paying 143.00 right now. there are generics for wellbutrin available but not the 24 hour release kind. i’ve tried taking the generic one (it’s twice a day) but feel like i’m on a roller coaster as the meds process. fortunately, i have a job with insurance again and enrollment is in a few months.

talk to your doctor and ask for the generic. if he won’t prescribe it to you and doesn’t have a good reason, find a doctor that will. ultimately, your health is in your hands and it is your responsibility to do what is right for you. you didn’t mention what you were taking but by the dosages i’m assuming it’s lexapro. if it is, i’m pretty sure they came out with a generic last year.

good luck with the meds and the job and let me know how it turns out for you.

By: abarclay12

abarclay12 — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:52:53 +0000

Totally ironic because the cost of depression just makes one more depressed. Viscious circle.