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How many of us want or use generic AEDs?some dont think theres a difference,but there wrong.soon we all may need them!
Thu, 09/13/2007 - 09:54Comments
insurance companies are trying to rob us
Submitted by jenny81 on Mon, 2010-04-26 - 11:36
I am currently on Depakote ER. They came out with a generic i decided to try it to save money. i have Caremark insurance through my work & must order my maitnence meds 3 months at a time. i took the meds for about a little over 6 months. i had major migranes, i started losing my hair, the shakiness got worse & my muscle spasms were more noticable. i saw my neurologist & my bloodwork came back showing my levels were down like when i was having seizures before. she wrote its MEDICALLY NECESSARY for me to take the brand name. my insurance says i must pay my copay, plus the difference between the generic & brandname making my total to $318 instead of $87.50. The insurance company told me to send in an appeal from the doctor & they didnt see a reason why it wouldnt be reversed. they denied me & now i have to fight just to get medication so i can function & be ok. what right do these insurance companies have to say what a doctor deems necessary for a patient is wrong. i dont have the money to pay over $300 for medication becuase the insurance company feels they have the right to override my doctor. please let me know if any of you are going through something similar. i am scared and know i have a big fight ahead of me
I am currently on Depakote ER. They came out with a generic i decided to try it to save money. i have Caremark insurance through my work & must order my maitnence meds 3 months at a time. i took the meds for about a little over 6 months. i had major migranes, i started losing my hair, the shakiness got worse & my muscle spasms were more noticable. i saw my neurologist & my bloodwork came back showing my levels were down like when i was having seizures before. she wrote its MEDICALLY NECESSARY for me to take the brand name. my insurance says i must pay my copay, plus the difference between the generic & brandname making my total to $318 instead of $87.50. The insurance company told me to send in an appeal from the doctor & they didnt see a reason why it wouldnt be reversed. they denied me & now i have to fight just to get medication so i can function & be ok. what right do these insurance companies have to say what a doctor deems necessary for a patient is wrong. i dont have the money to pay over $300 for medication becuase the insurance company feels they have the right to override my doctor. please let me know if any of you are going through something similar. i am scared and know i have a big fight ahead of me
Re: How many of us want or use generic AEDs?
Submitted by phylisfjohnson on Mon, 2010-04-26 - 14:25
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY OF NEUROLOGY
In the New York Times http://graphics8.nytimes.com/package…angenerics.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/health/19patient.html?emc=eta1
The American Academy of Neurology reports: “The AAN opposes generic substitution of anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy without the attending physician’s approval. The FDA has allowed for significant differences between name-brand and generic drugs. This variation can be highly problematic for patients with epilepsy. Even minor differences in the composition of generic and name-brand anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy can result in breakthrough seizures.”
Please read the article, it’s from those who know best and truly have OUR interests at heart! Phylis Feiner Johnson www.epilepsytalk.com
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY OF NEUROLOGY
In the New York Times http://graphics8.nytimes.com/package…angenerics.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/health/19patient.html?emc=eta1
The American Academy of Neurology reports: “The AAN opposes generic substitution of anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy without the attending physician’s approval. The FDA has allowed for significant differences between name-brand and generic drugs. This variation can be highly problematic for patients with epilepsy. Even minor differences in the composition of generic and name-brand anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy can result in breakthrough seizures.”
Please read the article, it’s from those who know best and truly have OUR interests at heart! Phylis Feiner Johnson www.epilepsytalk.com
re: generic drugs
Submitted by hannahrie on Tue, 2008-07-01 - 13:41
Our pharmacy gave my husband a generic ethosuximide. We didn't even notice at first,. But within a couple of days, he started having break-through seizures. When we looked at the bottle closely, we realized it was generic and took it back to the pharmacy. The name-brand are a bigger co-pay by about $15, so not TOO BAD. But we have to tell them every time to check to be sure they still have it written that he CANNOT have any generics.
Our Stanford epileptologist said that, while for some people it may not matter, it's better to get name-brand if you can, because once generics start coming into the picture, the inactive ingredients may be a different mix than name-brand (read: can be metabolized differently, having less potent or different effects) and typically aren't studied as closely as the name-brand first-release are! Be aware!
Our pharmacy gave my husband a generic ethosuximide. We didn't even notice at first,. But within a couple of days, he started having break-through seizures. When we looked at the bottle closely, we realized it was generic and took it back to the pharmacy. The name-brand are a bigger co-pay by about $15, so not TOO BAD. But we have to tell them every time to check to be sure they still have it written that he CANNOT have any generics.
Our Stanford epileptologist said that, while for some people it may not matter, it's better to get name-brand if you can, because once generics start coming into the picture, the inactive ingredients may be a different mix than name-brand (read: can be metabolized differently, having less potent or different effects) and typically aren't studied as closely as the name-brand first-release are! Be aware!