Can't find new meds

[Bluesguy]

Hello all, thanks in advance for any advice given.

My insurance company just stopped covering the Daytrana patch.

Went from $20.00 per month, to $300.00 per month. I can't afford this.

For me, the Daytrana worked best of all the ADD meds I have tried, and after 30+ years of being treated for adult ADD, I have tried them all.

My insurance company is covering generic Ritalin LA.

Now the problem, after filling my RX, I find that it works great, but I can't find a pharmacy that can get it now.

I live in the Nowalk-Bridgeport area of Connecticut.

As you know, stimulant meds can't be filled by mail. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[swilso2294]

Hi! I'm on Vyvannse 50 mg and it has been great. They also do promotions every now and then that gives you a fixed price for 6 months. Also since it is similar to Adderall most pharmacies carry it. Hope this helps!

[Bluesguy in reply to swilso2294]

Thank you for your kind response! I will check into it.

[HadEnuf]

I had a devil of a time with prescriptions when I was living in that area (first Norwalk, then Danbury).

Concerta proved to be available consistently in generic form, there; and it is a closer match to Ritalin LA (both methylphenidate, only the delivery mechanism differs) than Vyvanse (a prodrug metabolized to amphetamine).

You will likely want, specifically, the generic marketed by Actavis and carried by Walgreen's, but not CVS: others were (at least, for a time) ruled not to be therapeutically equivalent, based on clinical data that has not changed, despite other manufacturers' attempts to change the ruling, itself.

The Actavis generic has been produced under contract, by the name-brand manufacturer, from the marketer's Federal, raw-material allotment: the “war on drugs” has made this a twisted business, with engineered shortages that approach outright crookedness.

[Bluesguy in reply to HadEnuf]

Thank you for the info. I agree with your assessment.

I used to take Concerta when it first came out, I did like it. Then switched to Daytrana.

My health insurance won't cover even generic form of Concerta .

I may try to "appeal" their decision not to cover my meds.

My Dr. told me to ask if pharmacy has other mg. in stock. Thanks again!

[HadEnuf in reply to Bluesguy]

Gotta love when bean counters try to practice medicine without a full consideration of patients' needs, eh?

With Ritalin LA, the count/weight trade-off is at least medically sound: here's hoping your insurer won't pull the “must take fewer, larger pills” trick my latest did, with metformin.

(Thereby hangs a charming tale—not. Fortunately, we were able to switch to extended-release metformin and subsume another medication from my regimen in the process, avoiding the “met gut” that would have compromised my extended-release ADHD medication and increased my dehydration risk from others.)

[Bluesguy in reply to HadEnuf]

Wow! Thanks for info! Good luck to us all.

[-Poetic2]

Can your doctor do an ‘over ride’ stating you need a particular drug? Also, you can go out of town , out of state to get your Ritalin filled. Goodluck

[Bluesguy in reply to -Poetic2]

Thank you for your response!

I am currently checking in my surrounding towns.

No luck so far.

Thanks again for your help !

[TMG1980]

Can you ask the pharmacy to order the medication for you? Mine doesn’t carry my sons Daytrana patch in stock, but ordered a box for him and will order a box each month to fill his script- they don t have anyone else who uses it so they wouldn’t keep it in stock but can get it. It only 2 days to get it filled.

[Bluesguy in reply to TMG1980]

Thanks for all the info! I found a Stop and Shop pharmacy that has been able to order my rx, so far so good!