need some advice on meds

[irish]

You really need all your meds, but going without the Metoprolol is going to cause you misery. This drug is to lower blood pressure and maybe given for other reasons.

It blocks a drug that can "speed up" your body. When the Metoprolol is stopped, even with a taper, the body starts to have agitation, rapid pulse, uneasiness and just in general feeling really wired. It is hard on the body and the blood pressure can go up and down.

Please try to find a place to get this drug first and formost. You need the other drugs also and I hope that you are successful in your search. Be sure to go to social services at the county and bug them to help you. Irish

[soycoffee]

I have three stages of dealing with problems:

1) Ask, trying to be clear about the problem.
    Usually gets the "I don't want to be bothered with this" response, up and down the line from professionals to clerical staff.

2) Think about that response and call back, with some idea of what problems they may have with my [reasonable] approach.
   Usually gets the response: It's someone else's job and that person isn't available, or i'll research it and get back to you, or Give me your mailing address and we will send you a form to fill out.

3) Get angry, emphasizing that you've gone through channels and nothing has happened. Sometimes, ask to talk to a supervisor.
    This often works, though not immediately.

The really sad thing is the time it takes. Sometimes you might get a friend or a spouse to make one of the series of phone calls.

And I don't remember the details very well, unless I take notes and keep track of the notes! I'm going to start a daily problem solving notebook.

If you do that, take it with you to all interviews and review hearings and any other person to person discussion.

How awful to have to learn to do this while being sick!

Much success with a dysfunctional system,
Soycoffee

   

[soycoffee]

On Neurontin
   
There are two important things to know about Neurontin:

1) It is a medication in the class of anti-seizure meds, that has been proven for fifteen years to work well to relieve the pain of peripheral neuropathy. BUT as an anti-seizure medication, it is difficult and dangerous to drop it completely, especially if you are trying to do it in a hurry. It would also be very dangerous to try to take Neurontin every other day to reduce the cost. Neurontint/gabapentin works best with a steady supply of the drug in your system.

2) Neurontin now has a generic equivalent, called "gabapentin." Gabapentin costs much, much less than Neurontin.

I've been on Neurontin/gabapentin for more than ten years, and had the same neurologist all that time. He's told me about the drug, through the years, and I've noted and logged all his bits of information. I have been on high dose, and tapered down, with the use of methyl b12, but never gotten off it completely.

Much success in finding the help and resources you need,
Soycoffee

[Eileen]

I don't have prescription coverage either. I found out through my pharmacist that there is a no cost program to help people without coverage. I didn't have to do anything he activated it and now I pay a co-pay. It's a little more than with insurance but I didn't have to give up any of my meds.

It's called United Networks of America. Most pharmacies, including the ones in supermarkets have it.
It's in every state. I hope this helps.