Hello everyone,
I am a 15 year episodic CHer and have found in the past the only things to help abort attacks are oxygen and sumatriptan injections (I cut my dosage to 2-3mg per shot). This has been my standard (along with my verapamil/pred) but now my insurance does not cover any sumatriptan injections! Does anyone have advice on the cheapest route to get the sumatriptan injections? Canadian pharmacy? Any other tried and true alternatives right now that might be covered? I've tried nasal and pill imitrex and it just didn't work. I have not had an episode for the last 4 years, until now, and don't know if there is an alternative to the injections. I never heard of insurance NOT covering, is that a "thing" now? Thanks for any advice!
Andrea

Hi Andrea,
Never heard of insurance not including Imitrex injections, but have experienced and heard from others of insurance companies limiting quantities.

You should be receiving some good replies soon from others sharing info on insurance, etc.

Cheapest route for me...I typically drive down to the border and walk over and buy Imitrex in "farmacia" aka pharmacy and avoid the bullshit. Realize this may not be reasonable depending where you reside.

Smart of you to break up the shots into 2 to 3 mg each. We call that the Imitrex Tip/Trick. Trex pills and nasal spray are not as effective.

Are you familiar with hyperventilating o2? RedBull energy drinks? The anti-inflammatory vitamin regimen?

Keep in mind, you may have to battle your insurance with the help of your prescribing headache specialist. Hopefully you are pleased with your doctor?

We are here to help. Don't be a stranger. It may not feel like it right now, but this will get easier!  ;)

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Hi Andrea...welcome! Sorry you have to be here...but it's definitely the right place...

Like Gregg...I haven't heard of NO insurance coverage...just limits that might as well be denial.
IF you get insurance through work I would recommend you seek out the insurance broker that sold the policy to your company. The insurance companies consider THAT person/company to be their customer...and will listen. Very carefully and respectfully engage/cultivate that person and provide any and all details on your CH.... your HR person can help make the intro...I was lucky to have a good one...

The insurance companies consider you...the  actual patient..as an annoyance and will typically blow you off. Still...APPEAL the denial making sure to document ALL conversations and save ALL paperwork. IF  they say it's not medically necessary scream bloody murder...they are practicing medicine without license or having seen you....and it's illegal!

Also...a good MD can have  an invaluable contribution if they are willing to go to bat for you. Ask
for a letter of "medical necessity" directed at the insurance company (an annoyed/pissed tone  will in the letter will help...get your Doc as riled as you at the unfairness). I had one neuro do that for me and it ALMOST made me accepting of ch...it was a beauty.

One other thought...have you tried nasal sprays of Zomig or Suma...not as good as injection but
the Zomig  NS is my 'rescue" med when nothing else works...and it works 99% of the time. Sometimes insurance companies consider this a TOTALLY different med type...even tho it's not. I once got nasal spray AND Imitrex vials at the same time...when they had limited the autopen amounts. Go figure...health insurance companies are Satan's spawn...but that doesn't make them smart.... or NON-illogical...

Best

Jon

How much are your injections across the border Gregg? Curious, I'm in Vegas also.

trsixy wrote on Mar 8^th, 2017 at 8:30pm:

How much are your injections across the border Gregg? Curious, I'm in Vegas also.

It's been many years since i've made that drug run south of the border. No clue what prices are now; but back then, it was much less than buying off the street here.

I had no health insurance when I took a day drive south, and even if I did have insurance, I would still recommend heading south as the limitations on quantity through insurance were never enough and you can buy as much as you want, at lower prices, and without prescription down there.

If you need trex, and are in cycle right now, PM me and I will try to help you out in person.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

It's not everyday I offer such help, hope you are OK.

-Gregg in Las Vegas