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I WISH I had health insurance....

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Migraine Headache
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Twiggygal
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 934
Posted 1/17/2007 8:02 PM (GMT -8)
This two day long migraine is driving me CRAZY!!!

I can't take it.  mad

I WISH I had insurance so I could get on some meds for these darn things but I can't afford to visit the doctor and my pills for anxiety already cost too much and I make too much for financial assistance and the low income health insurance plans.

Help.

Nothing helps... not even the tylonel...


UGH I just needed to vent.

TG~

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Annuk
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 1308
Posted 1/18/2007 9:30 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Twiggygal,

Vent away all you like, that's what we are here for, just sorry there is nothing I can do to help!!

take care

Ann
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booboobum
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 135
Posted 1/18/2007 2:24 PM (GMT -8)
so sorry twiggy - have you actually contacted any agencies about medical/script coverage or are you assuming that you make too much?  I wish I could help. I could not imagine relying on Tylenol for my migraine pain!

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ttwarrior1
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 261
Posted 1/20/2007 10:47 PM (GMT -8)
if i win the lottery im paying everyones bills here. I promise. i didnt buy a ticket today , ouch.
Just an idea. maybe we need a bigger dose of the meds we are taking instead of taking same dose more often?

My headache has been 5 months now and wont go away. I guess its there when im sleeping too.
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seechell
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 362
Posted 1/21/2007 1:05 PM (GMT -8)

Twiggy-

Sometimes, just sometimes that Exedrine Migraine works. Also naproxen sodium (Aleve) works better for me if I have absolutely nothing else to take. They can and sometimes do take the edge off. And taking the edge off is better than nothing at all. You might have built up a tolerance to Tylenol. That happens sometimes. Try ibuprophen too. If you can trick it into thinking that what you're taking is new and different maybe your body will react to them. Just an idea. Wish I could do something for you. ((((((Twiggy))))))

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Nicky (coquitlam55)
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2005
Posts : 505
Posted 1/21/2007 2:30 PM (GMT -8)
Hello,

Just my opinion about Excedrin Migraine, be careful, it has caffeine in it and can make some people's migraines worse (mine especially). I took it once and it made me a lot sicker.

I see ads on the TV for Prescription Assistance programs and some drug makers that will "give" you the medications if you can't afford them. Have you checked any of these out?
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ttwarrior1
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 261
Posted 1/22/2007 1:09 AM (GMT -8)
wow, in my opiniion if you use any of that stuff and it works then you dont have bad headaches. None of that stuff works on me at all
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Naomi72
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 5
Posted 1/22/2007 7:35 PM (GMT -8)
If there is a medication that you can at least get a prescription for then you can sometimes contact the drug company itself(look them up on line) and fill out a patient assist form and they will approve or not approve you for the medicine for free each drug company has its own critera. Also there are generec meds on the market now for migraines such as Fiorcet that are not very expensive. You still will need a prescription. Excedrin Migraine and the like are good however taking too much is not good because it is aspirin and it is a blood thinner so taking too much can cause harm to the stomach over years of use.

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CRANKY 1
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2005
Posts : 617
Posted 1/22/2007 11:39 PM (GMT -8)

Twiggygal,

The cost of your meds might be lessened if you didn't take as much, as it is possible that you are stuck in a "rebound" cycle, and possibly taking more meds(thus more cost) than is necessary.  I was taking a med for my migraines that wasn't covered by my RX insurance, and I got stuck in a "rebound" cycle, without understanding what was going on, and not explained by my doctor.  Just one of my migraine meds was $60 a week.  Plus, I was on two other meds for my migraines, and a bunch more for other problems.  Since I'm on SS Disability, my parents have to cover the cost of my medications, co-pays, and insurance premiums.  Since my Medicare finally kicked in, I no longer qualify for those free/reduced rate programs.

Everyone, especially the folks on limited incomes, need to remember the "law of rebound", for any level of headache or migraine.

NEVER TAKE ANY PRESCRIBED PAIN MEDICATION OR OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) PAIN MEDICATION MORE THAN TWO DAYS A WEEK, AND DO NOT TAKE A HIGHER DOSAGE THAN PRESCRIBED.

If you break this rule, your symptoms may be helped for a little while, but your body becomes dependant on having a certain level of medication in it at all times.  Even if you keep feeding this craving for pain relief, the less it is effective, eventually keeping you in a loop of perpetual pain or "rebound."  Even if you rotate meds, the rebound will get you.  Plus, you spend more money than necessary for the extra meds.

I really learned this the hard way.  I have a very resistant system when it comes to medications.  In 28 years of treatment, I literally tried everything in the book.  It got to the point where only narcotic pain meds would help me.  My doctors mentioned "rebound" headaches, but always failed to explain EXACTLY how it works.  I just knew I was in pain more and more frequently.  I started refilling my prescriptions more and more frequently, and was needing pain shots closer together.  I ended up labled a "drug seeker" like an addict, instead of helping me break the rebound cycle.  I was cut off my pain meds cold turkey.

Our city now has a centralized database, which any doctor can access.  I am now labeled a "drug seeker", so no one will treat me with narcotics.  My PCP has deferred my migraine treatment to a Neurologist, specializing in Migraines, which I don't even get to see until March.

I spent last night in the ER, and was finally treated with something new, Benedryl, Compazine, and Toradol via IV. The doctor gave me some DHE as a last kick.  I fell asleep and was pretty comatose on the way home.  I slept all night and this morning my headache was gone.  Why no doctor did this before is beyond me.  Anyway, I now have hope that my migraines can be managed better from now on.

Hope this helps someone.

Leigh Ann cool

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AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/23/2007 12:24 PM (GMT -8)
"I spent last night in the ER, and was finally treated with something new, Benedryl, Compazine, and Toradol via IV. The doctor gave me some DHE as a last kick. I fell asleep and was pretty comatose on the way home. I slept all night and this morning my headache was gone. Why no doctor did this before is beyond me. Anyway, I now have hope that my migraines can be managed better from now on."

THis is a good treatment for most people(unfortunately, not me). One, its impossible to get an IV started, and two, they just don't work. I have a HUGE tollerance, always have.
The other night, my doc even addmitted the tolerance and have me 1mg more of the med. I was amazed.

If you haven't tried the treatment above, try it. compazine KNOCKS me out, but you need it(or phenergan) if your getting DHE.
Good luck
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AngMichelle
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 932
Posted 1/23/2007 12:30 PM (GMT -8)
another idea
Go to the ER, get treated, and after you get a bill, apply for a ohh, i can't remember the word, but it basically gets your bill down, or removed totoally.(i did this once)
This usually only worked if you'r not a frequent visitor. Also, maybe when you see your doc who prescribes for your anxiety meds, to ask him for like a 30 day supply of something like Mepergan (it has your pain med and your nausea med in one, and cost like $1 a pill) and use them only for the severe migraines.
Just a segestion
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booboobum
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 135
Posted 1/24/2007 2:18 PM (GMT -8)
I think I was given Toradol in the ER once but what is compazine?

The only time I went to the ER in my entire 32 year migraine history is when they went from 4 times  a year to 7 in one day.

I

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BevinIndiana
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 4
Posted 1/25/2007 1:53 AM (GMT -8)
I went to the ER last Tues. because I had been having severe headaches for over 4 weeks. The nurse stuck an IV in me and administered a shot of Toradol, Benadryl and something else which was used to make me stop shaking. The Toradol helped my headache but didn't completely go away. I had a CT Scan and the results showed that there was nothing wrong inside my head so the ER doctor said he thought I was having Migraine's.  I went to my family doctor on Tues. of this week and he said I have arthritis in my neck and chronic migraines so he gave me a prescription for Topamax.  I had been taking Vicoden. I asked him if the Topamax was expensive and he said it was so when I had the script filled it cost $225.00 and that was with my insurance.  It won't work if I already have a headache so I have to take a couple Vicoden before I  take the Topamax at bedtime.  I've only taken it twice.  The dosage goes up every week.  I woke up with a headache this morning so will have to take another Vicoden shortly.

 

Does anyone else on here take Topamax and if so does it help?

 

When I take my month's supply I won't be getting anymore because I don't think they really help and I can't afford to buy them every month.

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mommyto3
Regular Member
Joined : Nov 2006
Posts : 94
Posted 1/25/2007 5:25 AM (GMT -8)
Hi BevinIndiana and Welcome,

Sorry about your trip to the ER this week! I take Topomax and it does help, but I also take it in combination with other medications to control my migraines. Topomax will take longer than one month to see the full benefits of it (it is a preventative), especially since you are working up to the dosage you are going to be on.

I would be careful with the Vicodin as it can cause rebound headaches. There is alot of information available about rebound headaches on the internet (it is also known as medication overuse headache). Just something to be aware of.

I would suggest seeing a doctor who specializes in headaches. Alot of the time they can make a difference, since that is where their speciality is. Either neurologists who specialize in headaches or there are headache clinics out there.
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BevinIndiana
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 4
Posted 1/25/2007 7:04 AM (GMT -8)
mommyto3, Thank you for your reply.  What other medications to you take with your Topamax?

 

I guess I'll never see the full benefits from the Topamax because I can't afford it.  I can't get any kind of assistance because my husband I make too much money.  We're both retired but my husband went back to work because he got tired of not doing anything.  He signed up for Medicare part D and his prescriptions will never cost over $7.00 no matter what they are. If I could get my doctor to put a script for Topamax in his name then I would be able to get it every month.  I don't know if he would agree to do that though.  I should have signed up for it too but at the time I didn't think I needed it.

 

I've been taking around 2 Vicoden a day and sometimes they help and other times they don't.

 

I have a 44 year old daughter who takes at least 12 Vicoden a day and has been taking them for a little over 10 years.  Of course her doctor doesn't know that she's taking that many as she prescribed 3 a day.  She buys the rest from two of her friends.  She doesn't get headaches very often though.

 

Sorry for the long post.

 

:-)

 

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CRANKY 1
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2005
Posts : 617
Posted 1/25/2007 9:58 AM (GMT -8)

Hey BevinIndiana,

Welcome to the Migraine Board.  We love to help out new members.  Please don't apologize for the length of your posts.  They are actually short compared to most of mine. tongue You are missing a lot of vital information about migraines that you need to know immediately, so I'll try to help you out here.

First, Topamax and Vicoden are two completely separate kinds of medications, and do two totally different things.  Topamax is called a "Preventative" medication.  It should be taken every day, starting with a low dosage and "titrating" (changing dosage level) up to a regular dosage on a daily basis.  This medication should prevent you from getting migraines most of the time.  However, this is a particularly tricky medication, and you need to titrate up or down with this medication on a very slow basis, since it does have the potential for a bag full of side effects.  It is highly effective for most people, unfortunately I wasn't one of them.

Vicoden is a narcotic pain reliever, and is considered an "EMERGENCY or BREAKTHROUGH" medication.  It should never be taken for more than a short time, or your body will become addicted to the medication.  It is for occasional use, or a specific malady, like if you broke an arm or something.  It can be used for migraine pain, but not more frequently than prescribed.  If you are using it for migraines, you should never use it more than two days a week.  Any more, and you set up a pain cycle called "rebound" headaches.  It sounds like this is what has happened to you.  You should really save the Vicoden for severe Migraines.  You need to taper off the Vicoden, so that it will be effective when you really need it.

The cycle of rebound headaches, where you have them pretty much every day, can also be created by taking OTC (Over-the-counter) medications, like Excedrin, aspirin, tylenol, advil, etc...  If you take them every day, they actually create the headaches, which you in turn, medicate.  The only way to break the rebound cycle is to limit their use to once or twice a week.

If you can break the rebound cycle, the Topamax can prevent you from having a migraine attack to every once in a blue moon.  I would also see if you can be referred to a Neurologist to monitor your migraines/headaches.  They are much better managing this kind of problem.  Plus, if your insurance pays so little on the expense of Topamax, your Neurologist can contact your insurance company or the drug company itself and negotiate a lower cost for the medication.  Some drug companies will even sponsor you for free medication.

Now, to finish up with the most concerning parts of your posts.  First, no responsible doctor would prescribe a medication for a patient, meant to be used by someone else.  If you encounter a doctor who would, you should run away very quickly, as it is highly unethical.  You also need to check your husband's prescription coverage, because there is no Medicare Part D coverage that I know of that limits the co-pay to $7.  I think you are sorely mistaken on this point.  I am on Medicare myself because I am on SS Disability, and spent the whole of December with my Dad, trying to find the least expensive program for me, based on my extensive mediations.  Some of my meds have a $60 co-pay, which I still think is ridiculously high.

Lastly, you need to immediately address your daughter's drug problem.  She is a DRUG ADDICT in no uncertain terms.  I don't know the details on how she ended up that way, but she need to go into REHAB immediately!!!  I can't emphasize this enough.  Not only is she causing harm to herself, she is putting herself in a position to get into physical danger, not to mention that obtaining Narcotics illegally is a FELONY.  She could get in a desparate position, and do something stupid that could put her or someone else in jeopardy, dealing with drug dealers or something even worse.  Plus, whatever "friends" she is getting them from are not real friends, they are drug dealers.  This kind of person often buys meds off of elderly people, who are willing to sell their needed medication in favor of monetary need.  I can't stress enough how you need to get your daughter into treatment immediately!!!  The first step I would take would be to inform her doctor and see if he can get her into a DETOX facility, or at least get him to cut off her prescription immediately.  At the rate of medication she is taking, she is in immediate physical danger, and is a danger to anyone she comes in contact with.  I am not usually an alarmist, but this situation calls for it.

Please let us know how things are going with you and your daughter.  We are care about all our members, but we will be especially concerned about you.

Best of luck,

Leigh Ann

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BevinIndiana
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 4
Posted 1/25/2007 1:35 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you for your reply.

 

First I want to address the Medicare Part D issue.  My husband signed up with Humana.  He will get the first $250.00 of medications for free, he has already gotten 2 and has not had to pay anything and once he goes above the $250.00 he will only have to pay $7.00 for each prescription. There was no deductible either.  I thought it sounded to good to be true so I called Humana and they confirmed it.  I should have signed up when he did. 

 

In regard to my daughter and her Vicoden addiction, I have begged her to go into a rehab center so she can be weaned off of them but she's afraid to go.

 

A question.........How could my doctor have determined that I was having Migraine headache's? He didn't do any kind of tests. I used to have them years ago but I would see flashing, zig zag lines before I got the headache and I haven't had those symptoms with the headaches I'm now having.

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Annuk
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 1308
Posted 1/25/2007 2:36 PM (GMT -8)
Hi BevinIndiana,

Welcome to Healing Well. I started taking Topamax just before Christmas and am still gradually increasing the dose and have not had a big attack for nearly 3 weeks now which is unheard of for me, as I am used to having from 1 - 5 attacks per week!!!!! If you possibly can keep going with it and give it a chance!!!!

Keep encouraging your daughter to get herself some help to wean herself off these drugs, I am sure she is very frightened, but she will be so pleased with herself when she has done it and she will feel so much better too!!!!

There is no specific test that can be performed to determine migraine, your Doctor will diagnose from your symptoms, your history and description of your headache. As time goes on headache can change or 'morph' into a different type. For instance I used to vomit quite violently with every attack, and now I quite often feel nauseas and do not vomit hardly at all now!!!! The pain has changed for me over the years too!

So it may be that you are still having migraine but it has taken on a different form now, but the best person to determine that would be a Neurologist who is a Headache Specialist!

take care

Ann
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philski
Regular Member
Joined : Dec 2005
Posts : 34
Posted 1/29/2007 9:50 AM (GMT -8)
Just to offer a counter viewpoint to Nicky-

While she is right that caffeine can aggrivate some peoples headaches/migraines, for some of us (like me, my father) ... caffeine in a good dosage can actually help some of us. So it is worth a shot. For example, I can't take my abortive (Immitrex injections) at work because (for me, anyways) if I take them and then don't lie down or relax it does nothing. So I take a mountain dew (or 2 or 3) with excedrin and that dulls the pain enough to get me through a few hours until I get home.

Anyways caffeine is something to try.

As far as insurance... can you get a job in your situation? (assuming you live in the US, if you are working fulltime prettymuch anywhere, with a few exceptions, you get insurace). Can you go to college? (college insurance plans aren't cheap but might save you money... you'd have to look at the numbers yourself. Read the fine print. Where I went to school my insurance was affortable, but when I got married my wife's was expensive, and when we had a child, man, that was through the roof! )

Good luck
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BevinIndiana
New Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 4
Posted 1/29/2007 4:34 PM (GMT -8)
My headache has been even worse today. I took 4 Ibuprofin, 1 muscle relaxer, 1 Phenegran and 1 Vicoden but I still have a horrible headache. Maybe I'm taking too much medication? 

 

I'm retired so I don't have to worry about insurance because we get it from the last place my husband worked before he retired.  It pays 100% for everything except prescriptions.  I get them from rxdrugcard and the prescriptions usually cost 70% less than they would without it.  A lot of the medications are still very expensive, especially the brand names. 

 

I was reading about Migraines a little earlier and I don't have any of the symptoms so I know that's not what kind of headache I'm having.  I've thought about committing suicide so many times today but don't think I could ever do it.  I just don't know how much longer I can deal with this horrible pain though.  Even though I have a headache now I'm going to take a Topamax before I go to bed.  I wish I had something that would knock me out and make me sleep until these headaches go away but of course I don't have anything like that.

 

Sorry for such a long post. redface

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Nicky (coquitlam55)
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2005
Posts : 505
Posted 2/1/2007 1:31 PM (GMT -8)
Hi BevinIndiana,

Welcome to Healing Well. I am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain. I am also sorry to hear that you have considered killing yourself.

I have found a combination of Tylenol with Codeine, Toradol, Gravol (anti-nauseant), and Ativan works when I have a combination headache (combination of migraine and tension), migraine, or a straight tension headache.

Please know that though you are suffering with a lot of pain it's still not worth ending your life. I'm sure you have a lot of people in your life who love you and would miss you if you were gone.

Have you seen a neurologist who specializes in headaches? He or she might be able to make some recommendations to help you prevent and treat your headaches when they occur.

I did a bit of research on ways to get help paying for prescription and listed it under a separate message titled Free Prescriptions. There might be a website in that email that will help you get Topamax. Another idea might be to ask your doctor about neurontin. It is an anti-epileptic that works in a similar fashion to Topamax but is costs a lot less.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
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