pierce8468 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Has anyone ever taken this? I know this should not be done but I lost my insurance so not able to visit with a Dr and I am self prescribing myself meds. I want to try trilepital for a mood stabalizer since it seems its one of the only ones I could find that doesn't require blood testing. Before I start taking it I wanted to know if anyone here has any experience or even knowledge on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 What do you mean you are self-prescribing yourself medications? Are you an MD? If so, you know that is unethical. ETA: Tri-leptal is not the only mood stabilizer/anti-seizure med that does not require levels. Further evidence that it is inappropriate for you to self-treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpladybug Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 WRONG that it does not need blood testing. I took Trileptal, under the care of a Psych nurse, and I developed low sodium over a holiday weekend. This is a rare symptom. It is dangerous! Plus I felt like crap for three days. Talked to the nurse early Tuesday - she sent me straight to the lab. They did not want to let me drive myself home I was in such poor state. So it does require blood work and medical oversight. And it is not one of the better mood stabilizers anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedoubt Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 If you aren't a doctor, how can you even prescribe for yourself? Do you have a 'script pad from a doc or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender fairy Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I developed low sodium from Trileptal as well. So I wouldn't say it's that rare of a side effect. It also had a bad reaction with my other meds. There's a reason why doctors prescribe these meds. They're not candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 That's true about Tri-Leptal, I forgot about sodium levels; my husband is on it for epilepsy, and he has to have levels take every few months. I was on Tegretol, which is the "old" version of Tri-leptal, and I didn't have to get levels, so I think I just conflated them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaashii Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Been on Trileptal before, now on it again. Definitely NOT something to start taking or stop taking without professional supervision. Aside from the low blood sodium risk, any anticonvulsant can be pretty nasty if you don't start and stop taking it properly. Its cousin Tegretol should have blood draws as well, since it carries a risk of lowered blood cell counts. Both also do NOT play well with lots of other meds, and have that freaky rare risk of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome as well. I know it sucks not having insurance; I don't have any myself, but my county has a sliding scale mental health center. It'd be worth checking around to see if there's one in your area, or even a free/low cost general clinic, or charity care at the hospital. Even if it takes some digging and researching to find those options, it's a heck of a lot safer than trying to self-medicate and a doctor might be able to help you find a medication that addresses your particular needs and concerns. (The ones at those clinics tend to be used to dealing with the uninsured - they tend to know what's available as $4 generics, whose prices are lowest if it's not, and if there are assistance programs for the more expensive ones.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 No I am not a Doc and I do not have a prescription pad. I found a place in India where I order my Seroquel from That also has numerous other meds you can order. They have thier on staff DR write the script for you. Is is sketchy? Absolutely!!! But When you Don't have insurance and can not go to a Psychiatrist to get your prescription or be able to afford the meds like seroquel because generics are not available in this country yet. This place is a blessing! Now is trying to find a med for yourself 300% stupid? Yes it is!!!! But I am just pretty desperate for something to make me normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Pierce, There are ways to see a pdoc at a reduced rate. I don't know what country you are in, but if you are in the US, check with your county board of health. Even a gdoc writing these prescriptions would be better than some scheme from India. I don't have insurance, and I can see my gdoc for $20. These are serious drugs, and you need to be under a doctor's care while taking them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Kashi and Jt I am going to look into finding something on the sliding scale. I was not even aware that was a posibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaashii Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Kashi and Jt I am going to look into finding something on the sliding scale. I was not even aware that was a posibility Glad you're going to look into it, pierce! Not sure if you're in the States or not, so your mileage may vary, but the first places I'd look would be either to search for a Community Service Board that covers your area, or your County Health Department. Failing that, you could try on the state level and see if there's a state Mental Health Association who can point you in the right direction. (And just a heads up - depending on the state/region/office, you'll probably have to provide some proof of residency/citizenship/income, so if you have any recent bills and your W-2 from last year or a semi-recent pay stub, I'd set them aside ahead of time so you don't panic if they say you need them.) Hope this helps you find out where to get some affordable help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks for the heads up about the needed info! I am in the states I am from Philadelphia pa.. Are there any mood stabilizers that don't need require regular blood work? considering I have no insurance im wondering if it's even worth looking I to finding a doc if im not going to be able to get the required blood work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaashii Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thanks for the heads up about the needed info! I am in the states I am from Philadelphia pa.. Are there any mood stabilizers that don't need require regular blood work? considering I have no insurance im wondering if it's even worth looking I to finding a doc if im not going to be able to get the required blood work. Ah, Philly! Born and raised Jersey Girl here, spent LOTS of time down there. Not sure if you're in Center City or just the general Metro, but this page has a list of the qualified Mental Health Centers in PHL. If none are close, I'm sure they could point you in the right direction. (My sense of direction in Philly was always like "Okay, if I can get back on the Surekill again, I can find my way outta here!") http://www.philaup.org/health/hc_cmhc.html Being someone who suffers panic attacks around needles, I'm always looking for things that don't require poking and prodding! As far as the bloodwork issue goes, my county's mental health center does those as well for a very small fee, so the cost may not be AS prohibitive as you're anticipating. (When I had to have bloodwork done for one of my meds, it was $5 for one test I needed, $5 for the other.) I don't recall ever needing bloodwork on Invega, Seroquel, Abilify, Topomax, Geodon or Lamictal, but my initial pdocs weren't exactly the best, so they may have just neglected it if they did. Saphris, my pdoc wants to do a lipid panel and blood sugar check every 6 months. Trying to think about the others, but some of the other people here have far more experience with some of them and would know what the bloodwork is like. And it's worth getting the help. The options are definitely out there where you are, and if you do explain to the doc that you've got issues with costs of the meds and labwork, they can take that into account when they give you something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 I am Not far from Center city at all.. I Think I might be out of luck with the blood work because of my work schedule. The city does have quite a few places that i know of, but everything is geared around those who don't work and only have 9-5 hours. But Maybe I will get lucky somehow and find a place that I can go to on a saturday. I am really starting to feel like I am screwed and in a damned if I do and damned if I dont position! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Just found a clinic that is open on saturdays. So I am going to go there this weekend and see if they can help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaashii Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Just found a clinic that is open on saturdays. So I am going to go there this weekend and see if they can help me. Good luck! Hoping they can get you the help you need! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 I went to the clinic today and all seemed like it was going well until the very end when I asked if they had saturday appointments for my follow ups with the therapist and thr dr. I guess they do everything except behaviorl health on saturdays at this place. So I pretty much just wasted my entire morning only to find out that as I feared. If you have a MI in philadelphia and a job you can't get any help. Because everything is geared around the non working citizens of this shit hole of a city! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 You can just say you have a Drs. appt. They may make you take sick time to do it. But the only time I've ever heard of a boss saying someone can't go see their doctor, is coal miners who were suing their company because they were fired for taking sick days, even with a doctor's written excuse. Just give them plenty of notice, and email a reminder a few days before. People do it all the time. They don't say what kind of doctor they are seeing. And if your job does resist, get a note from your doctor, you can ask not to have it on letterhead that indicates it is from a psychiatrist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierce8468 Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 I can't take off once a week to see a therapist. I need to find a place that has Saturday hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Some therapists do evenings. And what about a pdoc? I don't see meds in your signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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