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Help!!!!! Rushing to Dr. Meds for 18 year old

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Depression
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Posted 7/18/2011 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
My 18 year old was prescribed Abilify by the psyche Hospital Dr. we took him to back in June for depression.

My insurance won't pay for the blasted stuff! I can't get him in to see real psyche Dr. until Aug. And he runs out of meds in three days. I called insurance company and they say Abilify is so expensive they only auth. it if the patient has tried dispersal and seroquel over a two year period! My son has never even had depression before...he's never been on anything.

The psyche Drs. Office recommended I go to GP and get script but insurance won't cover it so he's going to have to try a med change. He IS on psyche Dr. Cancellation list so I'm hoping they call to squeeze him in but in the meantime...WHAT MED. iS BEST for HIM?

My husband is on Celexa...should I suggest that to DR.? Abilify isn't even supposed to be used alone for depression. Why did the hospital Dr. Put him on that? And the hospital Dr. Is of no help...says he can't help because my son is no longer a patient there. But the ashhoole left us in the lurch with meds.

I have tried going to two different clinics...one gave me coupons for Abilify but I still can't get it filled!

Heeeeeeeeeelllllpppp! I don't want to mess up with the meds. The GP is not too well informed...I don't know what to do!!!,!
Posted 7/18/2011 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
I took risperdol before I took abilify. It works well. Yes abilify is very expensive. I would go with the risperdol and then try the seroquel if it doesn't work. But that is just my opinion. I believe that the seroquel makes you very sleepy. Why don't they put him on an antidepressant along with the mood stabilizer? Abilify is a very good medication. But I have insurance and they charge me 40.00 co pay for it. The doc writes it for 20mg and I cut them in half and it lasts two months.

I think that the doc would know best what to put your son on. Maybe he can get abilify samples in the meantime.

I hope all works out for your son. Being depressed is no fun as you know. But for teens, it feels like the end of the world. They have yet to live. Things seem so final and like life takes forever. Little do they know how fast it goes by when you get older.

I wish you the best.

OH, I haven't heard of dispersal, so I can't help you there but I will look it up.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/18/2011 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Abilify is terribly expensive, as you suggest Red Lightening; it's also
a good choice medication for bipolar I.

You don't mention whether your son might be bipolar. If he is, Depakote is a good one (far, far less expensive than abilify or Lamictal).

Lamictal is also the best medication I ever took as a mood stabilizer, and the patient needs only a very small amount. (I think I was finally taking 15 mg. each day before I stopped it.) The price on that has come down a good bit, also. Lamictal is designed to treat depression and bipolar type II disorder. (Originally, it was used to treat epilepsy.)

Ask your doctor about those mentioned and also ask him about
any other antidepressants he thinks are good; you'll probably get one
that is within your budget and has few side effects.

Take care of yourself, Red and your son; there are reasonable medications out there for depression that you can manage. Just get to the right doctor and let him know your circumstances.

Good wishes,

It's Genetic

Post Edited (It's Genetic) : 7/18/2011 1:51:23 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/18/2011 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone...Bristol Meyers Squibb has a patient assistant packet with a card and a no. On it that one of the Drs. Gave me. I got a script today from GP for Abilify that will cover him for 12months. It is only usable if you already have insurance and that insurance won't cover it. So at least the greedy grubby drug company is helping us out! They know ins. Won't pay so they set this up for people like me..pretty cool. We'll see how it works. I pick it up today at 5pm.

Yes, depression is difficult for teens. I had it way back then and didn't know it until I was 32. Course the Psychiatry field is far more advanced now. That is good. He was only dxed with Depression...not Bipolar. He's definitely not BP. I should know...lived with it for years along with my husband for years. My son is refusing talk therapy. He went once but said it didn't help. I'm not going to push it.

Anyway...thanks you all for your support. I'd personally rather see him on a low dose ssri than seroquel or risperidal. In fact, I won't let him take either of those two. It would be one thing if he were BP, but he's not.

So we'll just see what happens. I am tired of running around all day!!! But I am so happy he came to live with me. I am blessed!
Posted 7/18/2011 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
The abilify isn't just for bipolar. I am not bipolar and I take it as a mood stabilizer. And it works. I hope that it works for your son. It is fairly new but not super new. Keep us posted. I am glad that the drug company is helping. I should look them up and see if they will help with my abilify. It is expensive with insurance.

Best wishes to you. Get some rest and relaxation.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/19/2011 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
Red, my psychiatrist advised me a year ago that Abilify was for bipolar type I. Maybe the medication also can serve as an antidepressant or as an antidepressant booster.

If he isn't bipolar, it seems to me you'd be happy with his taking just
an antidepressant; he's so young. I would feel strongly if it were my child that she should take only a mild antidepressant until the mood is
soothed. A major move in a young person's life is stressful, I know.

Too many medications are being prescribed in high dosages and with
too many different types being given, in my view. Try to help him with
his diet; you know all about that and what helps--particularly no caffeine, no alcohol, no artificial sweeteners, and no sucrose (sugar).
That will help so much. He's still growing and needs all the
vitamins and minerals good food will give him. (He may even have been on a diet that wasn't the best for him before he came to live with you.)

Take care of yourself, Red, and your son,

It's Genetic
Posted 7/19/2011 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
First of all, it is really good that you're involved in this. I know it is hard for you--and your son too--but the fact that you're helping out here and really trying to get answers is the best thing you could be doing.

I have had depression and anxiety for years, since I was around 11. At the time, however, they diagnosed me as bi-polar and prescribed Risperdal. I had really awful side effects with it, some due to the fact that I was not actually bi-polar--some were possibly due to the fact that I was still in puberty at the time. So I'd be careful with any medications for bi-polar or anti-psychotics if the main problem here is really just depression. A good thing to do--at least it is what I do--is to look up every medication my doctor suggests online before I take it. I search it up on google and wikipedia and read about all the possible side effects or lawsuits or whatever and then decide for myself how it sounds.

I looked up abilify and it does say that it has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of depression by itself. Which is what you seemed to already know before. So I would definitely ask why the doctor wants your son on this medication for depression if he is not on any other antidepressant.

But yeah, I am glad you're looking into this stuff and trying to do what is best for your son. I hope you find something that helps him and that is easier to get through your insurance. :)
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