Hi, a couple years ago I took Effexox XR. Recently I went back on other AD's since I had no insurance for the first time ever. So tried meds that didn't work well. I did some research and found that I could go back on Venlafaxiine and affford it out of pocket. Well they keep med prices a mystery until you actually have them filled, but the cost was still doable if it worked. At first it seemed okay, but after time it just didnt seem to help in all the areas it used to, depression was somewhat better, but anxiety/panic wasn't. Plus since it was a pill and not XR form, I had a stomach ache most of the day.
I have seen many commercials about drug companies saying they would help with meds if you couldn't pay, so looked in to it. I went to the Wyeth site, read, called, checked and I qualified. Not very proud of it, but it is what it is, Same job for thirty years now I qualify for stuff. It's hard, but all part of life and this process of a new better life I'm in.
Be sure to ask your health care provider all the questions you might have about your medication. If you feel you might forget your questions once you are at your appointment, write them down before hand and have them ready.
Members, what have your experiences been with these medications?
I'm on MediCare and the part D that covers my medications kind of- they switch it randomnly (or so it seems) each year. So this January when I went to fill my Effexor XR, which I've been on for a number of years and seems best out of anything for my depression- I couldn't get it filled. This resulted in my briefly being in the hell of Effexor wtihdrawl, which is horrendous- and then my psychiatrist switching me to the generic form. My therapist, who I'd just started seeing, warned me she'd had clients where the generic form didn't work as well- I've also read that some online. And when I cam back to my psychiatrist and he upped the dose, he said that does happen. I think that's *part* (only part) of what's going on. Has anyone had this experience, with Effexor or another drug? I really, really don't want to switch medications, ,and I don't know if I can make the insurance pay for the non-generic..
