I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir but I need to rage anyways.

I finally got another visit with my doctor yesterday who is actually listening to me now about my treatment suggestions for my CH (which is a bonus) so he perscribed me imitrex injections.

The problem I ran into.....I have sh***y health insurance and the amount that they cover is already full so now I have a 2K out of pocket before they cover more. Point is, I walked into the pharmacy last night (not knowing my account was full) thinking I could finally get some relief cause I suffered from a Kip 8 yesterday for 2.5 hours. I get to the counter and the lady gets me 'scrip and says: "That'll be $145."

Needless to say I had to leave because I can't afford that. I'm a single father already trying to climb out of debt and raise my daughter and I strapped so tight I can't breathe.

Does anyone know of any company I can contact for some assistance in getting Imitrex?

Thanks for listening, PF wishes to you all.

-Chris

Get oxygen on your own.

         Potter

Two options: 1. go the manufacturers web site and look for their assistance program. (It's their way to ease their public conscience. <bg>)

2. Ask your doc for a sample of this med. Number of us have had excellent response; quick acting; advantage of pill form; and, for a few, it stops the cycle entirely. 3. On a per dose basis, it's much less expensive than any of the triptans (Imi. family).
---
Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and TWO PATIENTS BECAME HEADACHE-FREE AFTER TAKING THE DRUG. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.

You can also check this out

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All very good advice and links offered in this thread so far IMO (me, I use 02 to as a primary abort, but keep imitrex injections handy for a back up).

The imitrex tip will also cut your costs 1/2 to 2/3: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

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This is a great link that walks Clusterheads through the processes of how to get around the ins. companies limiting your imitrex use. I am starting the process this week for my hubby (we are in the same boat as you, but we were able to purchase the prescriptions thanks to our income tax return - but darn it - they are gonna pay us back - its JUST WRONG!)

Even though we will most likely bust next cycle, I think it is IMPORTANT to have all available options for abortives ready. We will make sure that we always have o2 available, and making sure he can get the correct imitrex amounts during cycle is important to me. If he can't, then we will just go in and fill our monthly allotment in the off season and stockpile what we can.

Either way it goes, it is important that we all fight those little battles and keep pushing ins. companies to quit treating CHers like migrainers.

"Needless to say I had to leave because I can't afford that. I'm a single father already trying to climb out of debt and raise my daughter and I strapped so tight I can't breathe"
My heart goes out to you...I am praying you get some PF time to enjoy your family.
DG