Please Help Me...Dr. Appt. Tues

KimGM · 12-16-2005, 09:31 AM

Hi Everyone! Hope everyone is doing well this morning!

As some of you know how my Dr.'s appointment went on Tuesday, well, it's time to go to my regular Dr. next week and I need to arm myself about what to take for my FM since he doesn't know much about it. My problem is, I can't afford medications that cost a lot.

Does anyone have any advice for me to take that is not going to cost a whole lot each month. I need something for pain (ultram-Loratab doesn't work), need something to relax me, and I need something to help me sleep because the Nortriptyline and Lithium are not helping me at all. I know Endocet is expensive and works only temp. My Mom is on Klonipin, but I have tried that and it did not work.

The most I can afford is $50 a month for all meds.

Please Help Me! Thank You All Very Much!!

o_janus_o · 12-16-2005, 09:57 AM

I don't have a lot of money either so I've been exploring alternative remadies. One that I've heard that makes a big difference is guafenacin (sp?) It's expectorant. It's supposed to help you to sleep deeper. It doesn't help to make you go to sleep, but it helps you to reach REM, which I understand is a big problem with us FM folks. I havn't taken it regularily, just because I usually forget to... and I got a cold and ran out of the stuff and never got more. But the times that I have taken it I have noticed that I slept deeper. If you take it regularily I think it's supposed to give you over-all effects.

Another sleep aid is Ambien. I've taken that. It will certainly knock you out. A friend of mine has serious trouble sleeping and she got a scrip for it and after the first night she woke up a completely different woman.

Why are you on the Nortrip. and Lith.? Is it just for sleep aid or do you need it medically, too? If it's just to make you sleep you really shouldn't be on it. Are you going to a psych too? if you could swing a apointment to one of them they could probably better help you to balance out your meds and help you relax and sleep. It seems to me that the Lithium should be helping you to relax. I'm not a med expert, but I just can't imagine being wound on Lithium. You might want to look into switching to a general anxiety medication.

That's about all the advice I can give. I hope it helps some. Good luck to you! Let us know what you end up doing.

KimGM · 12-16-2005, 12:13 PM

Janus
I am Bi-Polar, that is why I am on the Lithium and Nort. I was seeing a Phsyc. But have had to move out of apt. because I am unable to work and now that living with Ex- hubby (we are still together), he makes too much money for me to qualify. As far as seeing my Dr. well trust me my credit report has near 30,000 dollars in medical bills from when I was 18. No the lithium nor the Nort. do not help me sleep or fall asleep. Thanks for the advice!

o_janus_o · 12-16-2005, 12:37 PM

Hmmmm... bi-polar... Yeeaahhh... stay on the meds you're on.

I'm so familiar with the medical bills. I don't have $30,000 yet, but it's working up there. Something to consider about credit reports though... I believe after seven years they can write it off. You should look into that. I'm sorry you lost your apartment. That's got to be so scary. I'm just glad that you had some place to go.

I don't know what you could take with the Nort. and Lithium, but you could look into xanx or something. Or maybe a muscle relaxer. I have no idea how much those things cost though. They may be a lot.

Hugs to you!!

Glojer · 12-16-2005, 06:49 PM

Just a simple suggestion, have you tried adding OTC benadryl at night to help you sleep better. I take a 10mg ambien and a muscle relaxer and sometimes add the 25mg benadryl and even in flares 50mg of benadryl. You can get bottles of them at discount stores that aren't to expensive. I know this isn't exactly what you asked but thought it might help.