HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

It's getting worse...

Support Forums
>
Bipolar Disorder
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/22/2010 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
So my first post to this website was regarding my husband going off his meds, since we don't have insurance and can't afford them.  He doesn't think he's doing that bad, but I see it completely different, and don't know what to do about it.  Last week he got into a fight with another truck driver (he claims self-defense) and knocked the guy out cold and put him in the hospital...  Now he's worried about this guy getting revenge while he's gone, coming to our house, doing who knows what.  He's also extremely upset over the state of the government, he's certain there's going to be a civil war, we need to take money out of our retirement to buy food, I'm talking like $1,000 worth of food.  I sometimes think he's losing his mind.  Has anyone else ever gone off meds and things like this happen?  Thanks so much to anyone who can help...
Posted 9/22/2010 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
There are programs that can help pay for meds , do some research . Also the pdoc could change his script to something similar and one that is possibly covered under the $4 plan at many pharmacies. What was he taking perviously?
Posted 9/22/2010 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like he is or is heading into a manic state. First protect yourself and your finances. Seriously. Protect your finances. Protect yourself, he may be psychotic, delusional and literally out of his mind.

What medications is he supposed to be on? There are ways to get help!

Each manufacturer has help for low-income/uninsured. The guidelines/application are different for every company.

Most states have health insurance for low-income families, especially if there are children. I live in Wisconsin and ALL of my health care (psychiatrist, therapist, medications) are paid by the state insurance program. I do not have a copay.

Before I was eligible for the state health insurance, I was in a county program that had a psychiatrist and supplied medication to low-income and uninsured individuals.

There are options. Can you really afford for him to end up in the hospital? That is the road he is on. My last hospitalization was 3 days and $5,000+ Can you afford legal problems, fines, fees, lawyers and jail time? Medication might seem impossible, but the alternative is much more costly.

Please look into ways to get help. If you are comfortable telling us what medications he is supposed to be on and what state you live in, we will help you look for options.
Posted 9/22/2010 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
He was taking 300mg Lamotrigine (Lamictal) / day, and 25mg Sertraline / day. We've tried to go thru the drug company for help, they say we make too much money, which is crazy, since they don't take into consideration the cost of our prescriptions (I'm on Advair for asthma which is also $200+ / month, which I don't use either, since we can't afford it). His pdoc has left the practice, and he's decided he doesn't want to go back to someone different, or pay for it without insurance. I don't know if it's me, since he wasn't diagnosed bipolar II until almost 10 years into our marriage, but it seems so much worse now, I was wondering if this is because of coming off of the meds, since it's only been about a month since he stopped.
Posted 9/22/2010 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
And I also live in Wisconsin, Wood County. Our kids are covered by the state, but again, we make too much money for us to be covered.
Posted 9/22/2010 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
You and he definitely need the help of a pyschiatrist. But right now his judgment is false and he doesn't feel that he needs help.

Find a way to get to a psychiatrist. Take this list of medications you CAN afford: http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf

Tell the Dr. those are the only medications that you have to choose from.
Posted 9/22/2010 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I agree that he's headed for a full blown manic state. Be sure to protect your finances somehow, anybody know successful ways to do that? ? ? ? ? ?
Yes, being off meds is causing this. Try going to Sam's club if you have one, when I priced my meds they were lower than Walmart and Costco. If you have one. You do not need to be a member. Call former pdocs office and see if someone there has taken over for him, and try and get an emergency appt. In another post I sent, I recommended online sources to try for meds. They have discount cards free for anyone.
Don't see how this can get better without meds. It could get worse if he drinks or does drugs however. Maybe the ER is the thing to do if it gets any scarier.
Really sorry this is happening to you. Its so stressful. Can the kids stay with a relative?
Hope things will go better...
Posted 9/23/2010 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I just talked to someone at the Wood County Social Services 24-hour crisis line. Wood Couty does not have a medication management program. :(

Marshfield Clinic and he thought St. Joseph's both have patient assistance programs, and people not eligible for Badgercare/Medicaid may qualify. One of the programs is called Community Assitance and the other is called Community Care. He suggested bringing in all of both of your prescriptions to show the burden of cost your family has.

Have you applied to BOTH GlaxoSmithKline "bridge to Access" AND "GSK Access"? Both of these programs coever Advair and Lamictal. If you are denied, I would appeal it in writing showing your income, minus the cost of prescriptions is less that whatever cut-off they have for income. You might be able to get it.

Here is the social services crisis line:

24-Hour (Crisis Intervention): (715) 421-2345 in Wisconsin Rapids
24-Hour (Crisis Intervention): (715) 384-5555 in Marshfield

If he refuses care and is a threat to himself or others, then Chapter 51 (involuntary admittance to a hospital) comes in.

In Chapter 51.421 discusses community support, and 51.243 discusses grants for mental health care.

Here is a direct link to Chapter 51: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0051.pdf

I hope this helps! I do think the best thing to do is to pay for a pyschiatrist and give them the list of $4 generics as the only options for treatment. Perhaps one of those community support programs can help pay for that?

Best of luck to you! (((hugs)))
Posted 9/23/2010 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Tortoise11, for your info and support! This is the first time, in 19 years of being together with my hubby, that I've ever turned to anyone for support, and it is wonderful! We did go thru Glaxo Kline but were denied, but I did not appeal, which I guess I should. Yes, we both work full time jobs, but we live paycheck to paycheck, and we don't have a bunch of debt, just our house payment, 1 car payment and 1 student loan. Maybe stressing the costs of the two medications will help them reconsider. I'm just so unsure about all the other stuff. I don't know about hospitalization, everyone involved in the fight agrees it was self-defense, the other driver came after my husband with a baseball bat. He's never physically hurt me or our two kids, and I don't think he would. I don't like the verbal put-downs, especially in front of the kids, but I've discussed their dad with them, and I think they're old enough (8 and 12) to understand that most of the time he doesn't mean to be hurtful with what he says to me. The retirement money he wants to spend is in my name only (inherited from my mom) and I won't take any more out, I've already told him that. I think I'll start with contacting Glaxo Kline again and see what happens. Thanks again for everything!
Posted 9/23/2010 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Also talk to your bank. If he gets really out of control, you should be able to take money out of your joint account and put it into an account in your name. At least you could pull out the exact amount to cover bills and leave the rest. You can simply tell him you're going to start paying the bills all at once.

How much do you have to reduce your income to qualify? Can you survive on that much?

You might have to adjust your standard of living, but I believe it is worth it for both of your health!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply