No money for meds

LegacyUser

Hi all, goin unregistered for this one:

im currently suffering from depression, and my meds (lexapro) are forty yoyos a month, so it doesnt come under the drug payment scheme, nor do I have a medical card, its come to the point where i cant afford that being at college and all, not that im rich either, my mums a civil servant and as such screwed by the FF'ers, any advice guys? I dont think I even spend forty quid on recreation a month!

Oryx

The St Vincent de Paul may be willing to buy your meds for you short term if you ask them, its the kind of help they give.

jessiejam

You can now apply on line for a med card, after you have applied gather all evidence of income and outgoings and send it on also get a letter from your doctor outlining your condition. sometimes you can get a med card based on med grounds if your income is over the limit.
Try anyway all they can say is no

If this isn't successful try buying 2 weeks at a time instead of the full wack

mood

Maybe your student union my know where you could get assistance.

Miss Fluff

You should be entitled to a medical card. You can now apply online to www.medicalcard.ie

Princess Peach

Maybe ask your doctor if there are cheaper options? My Lexapro cost €80 a month!

DYLF

yeah i'm on lexapro too and they are really expensive... i have a friend on cipramil and they are alot cheaper (and seem to have less side affects) and are in the same catogery of antidepressants

but the best advice would be to go see your doc and see if he can recommend a cheaper one...

Delancey

Some good advice here - I would suggest doing all the above but if no resolution then I would suggest approaching your family , friends , relations , etc.
Depression is a crippling and potentially serious condition and if meds are prescribed then you really need to get them - it may mean slight embarrasment but in the scheme of things I consider that a small price to pay.

sollar

I think the medical card is a difficult one as you are prob being assessed based on your parents income. You could try contacting your CWO and explain that you are on meds and can't get the money for them.

Medical cards can be issued on hardship grounds also.

It would be a pity to have to change your meds if they are working for you.

suckmyloli

I'm not sure if medication is covered on teh medical card anymore though is it? My BF got his medical card cancelled and replaced with a GP card I think? I'm not entirely sure of the situation. Most colleges have an "emergency" fund for students very strapped for cash for good reasons like yours. <snip>

LighterGuy

Can you get a medical card while attending college?
As far as I know even if you are attending college you cant be on the social welfare unless on a back to education scheme. Social welfare and medical card requirements are similar I have learned to believe.

Zaph

suckmyloli, I've edited your post to remove your last suggestion. As you noted yourself, it was dodgy and bad advice. In fact what you were suggesting is also illegal in this country, please don't do it again.

ebixa82

jessiejam wrote: »

If this isn't successful try buying 2 weeks at a time instead of the full wack

This will only prove more expensive as the OP will be charged two dispensing fees instead of one.

suckmyloli wrote: »

I'm not sure if medication is covered on teh medical card anymore though is it?

Of course they are. A small % have Dr. only cards which do not cover medicine. I'm sorry but I've read some of your other posts and you really should refrain from giving advice in PI.


OP of course I know nothing of your circumstances but are things that bad that your mother could not afford 10e to pay for her child's meds? If this is the case then, by showing how little she earns to the relevant authorities you should be entitled to a medical card.

As has been said above you could speak to your Doctor about being prescribed an alternative. Lexapro is a relatively new, and popular drug.
However it will not go off patent for many years and so no generics will be available.

You could ask your Doctor to prescribe an alternative but you may not respond as well. Also, to ask the Doctor to do this will involve another consultation fee.

Your meds cost 40e per month, 10e per week. Between your family and friends is there nobody who could support you until you sort your financial issue out?

LegacyUser

im currently on my last tablet of lexapro and after i told my doctor how much they were he seemed shocked. they cost me 80 euro for the month

he prescribed me Citrol instead <snip>

Just talk to your GP you'd be surprised how much they are willing to help.

mine only charged me 20 euro for the last two visits instead of the full 40 each time.

LegacyUser

you should go back to your doctor and see if there's a more generic anti-depressant or an alternative anti depressant that is cheaper. I recall the anti-depressant I was on before was a lot lot cheaper around 20-30 per month.

alternatively, can you approach the student hardship fund via your college counsellor for funding in the meantime?

I would encourage talking to your family on this too, they would be more willing to offer financial help in your time of need.

ebixa82

Any idea why my post was deleted?

Please PM me whichever mod did it. Less of this nanny state, orwellian bollix please..

ohanloj3

I have whats called 'a long-term illness' prescription book where I get my meds for free because I have a long-term illness. Don't know if depression is considered a long-term illness but go to your local health centre and enquire its worth a shot. Its not means tested, allpeople with long-term illnesses are entitled to it but not a lot of people know about it

L1011

ebixa82 wrote: »

Any idea why my post was deleted?

Please PM me whichever mod did it. Less of this nanny state, orwellian bollix please..

Having a psychiatric drug in your username likely didn't help in this circumstance....




OP - if you don't qualify for a medical card under the standard (purely financial) grounds, you could ask your doctor to write you a letter requesting one on medical grounds.

ohanloj3 - the illnesses for the LTI scheme are VERY strictly defined, depression is not one.

<snip>

ebixa82

MYOB wrote: »

Having a psychiatric drug in your username likely didn't help in this circumstance....




OP - if you don't qualify for a medical card under the standard (purely financial) grounds, you could ask your doctor to write you a letter requesting one on medical grounds.

ohanloj3 - the illnesses for the LTI scheme are VERY strictly defined, depression is not one.

<snip>

Ebixa is not a psych drug.

What do you mean by "low grade" antidepressants?

L1011

ebixa82 wrote: »

Ebixa is not a psych drug.

What do you mean by "low grade" antidepressants?

Its a drug for alzheimers, its a psychiatric medicine.

"low grade" might be bad wording, but what I mean is that it'd be one of the drugs used commonly for less serious depression and has less serious side effects, e.g. its not seroxat...

Zaph

There are far too many people here who fancy themselves as as medical professionals and want to give advice as to what pharmaceuticals the OP should take. The charter specifically states that no medical advice is to be given, but it appears that nobody has read it so I'm left with little choice but to close this thread.