(My last poll of the day!) Are you currently on prescribed medications?

[The Straight Story]

I am on Zoloft myself, and here and there I get meds for my back/neck pain (Loratab - Codeine and Tylenol).

WHY am I asking this? Because I see more and more my fellow friends needing meds, and I see less and less of people in power caring how or if we get them.

My Zoloft costs me $40/month, and that is with insurance. How many of us out there need meds and cannot get them?

It is a DAMN shame that we spend so much in Iraq, but cannot afford to help our own people here....

[bigwillq]

1. No (nt)

[karlrschneider]

2. The last time I had a prescription for medicine was in 1975.

Other than an occasional aspirin, I avoid pills.

[Warpy]

3. I'm on a whole pharmacy

because, silly self indulgent me, I don't want to land into a wheelchair or end up dead. Not yet.

[Mad_Dem_X]

4. Paxil person here

Fortunately, I'm able to get a generic substitute that only costs me less than $20 every month. I'm very lucky compared with most people.

[knitter4democracy]

5. Prevacid. The rest is OTC.

I need such a high dose of the OTC Prilosec to deal with the small ulcer the ibuprofen gave me after the surgery, that it was actually cheaper to go on a scrip, even with a $40 co-pay.

The doc might put me on Cymbalta this week, though.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Thyroid medicine

for hypothyroidism. A month's worth of pills costs under $7, so that's not bad. Anyone who has this condition should have yearly blood work done to make sure that the dosage is still correct for them.

[Starlight]

27. Same here, but I buy them online from Mexico.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. I'm on ADD medication. nt

[kiahzero]

8. Yes: Other

I'm being treated for Crohn's disease. My medication costs $60,000 a year. No, that's not a typo.

[The Straight Story]

21. Damn, how can that be????

I hope insurance is helping you out!

[kiahzero]

26. Yes, thank the Gods

I'm on Remicade, which alone costs $52,000 a year.

[rubberducky]

9. yes, several blood pressure meds.

No insurance, but the cheapest I have found them is Costco.

[HockeyMom]

10. No, but my adult daughter is

BiPolar. She takes Lithium and Lexapro. She recently lost her job. Although she got another, the new job won't give benefits for a YEAR. With insurance, she was paying almost a $100 a month for these two scripts. She has to to take these meds every day or she will be unable to work. Been there, done that.

She is looking into applying for Medicare for Working People with Disabilities until her new insurance kicks in.

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

11. Just birth control (Seasonale),

but my husband is on about 3 different meds for migraines.

[Glorfindel]

12. Yes, a combination of two blood pressure medications

About $65.00 per month. Fortunately, I can afford them. If I couldn't, I guess I'd just die from a stroke. ;(

[TAPat]

13. No -

thank God or whatever.

Guess beer doesn't count? ;)

[TSIAS]

14. Yes- Lexapro

I hope not to be on it forever. I used to be on Paxil, but switched over to Lexapro.

[Mojambo]

15. I'd certainly be on anti-depressants if I had medical insurance.

But I don't so I struggle on.

It's okay though. I deserve it. I'm poor.

[Kelly Rupert]

18. There are quite a few that will run you $4/mo

at Wal-Mart and Target, even with no insurance. If you can eat the cost of the initial visit to the doctor's office, I'd highly advise it.

[Mojambo]

23. Perhaps after the new year

I'm super short right now so I doubt I could afford to see a doc until Feb.

[Kelly Rupert]

16. Yes. Have you considered generics?

I was taking Lexapro, but switched to the generic citalopram, which only costs $4/mo without insurance at Target.

[Loge23]

17. Prescription drug epidemic

First off, let me say that I truly sympathize with anyone out there that really needs any medication for any reason. Hopefully, the prescribed medication is doing its job and helping you feel/get/stay better. I too take one.
My point is the apparently overwhelming amount of prescribed medication out there. This was brought to my attention recently at a nearby chain drugstore. The drugstore is one of literally dozens in the relatively small town I live in (pop. 150,000). Behind the pharmacy counter is a wall containing alphabetized bins for meds to be picked up. There were easily thousands of bags waiting to be picked up! I was so surprised to notice this that the attendant remarked without my comment: "That's only half, there's another full bin wall behind that"! This in a pharmacy that has five competitors within one mile of the store!
I can't understand why a drug company stock EVER goes down! The entire country is basically "hooked" on prescribed medications.
Is this how we're "winning" the drug war?

[Kelly Rupert]

20. Prescription drugs are one of the greatest advancements in Western civilization.

Might as well complain about our "addictions" to electricity and refrigerated food. I can't see how helping people cope with chronic diseases is a bad thing.

[NotGivingUp]

30. Totally agree. and yeah, big pharma is the one winning the drug war

[NV1962]

19. Just say no to drugs!

j/k

But no.

Uh, why are there two "no" options? Is there any significance / difference between "no" and "plain no"? If not, that's a skewed set of choices, I think... :)

(Arrrrgh... Edited skewered/skewed)

[Liberal Veteran]

22. Three antivirals, one antidepressant, one antiemetic/appetite stimulant

Kinda sucks.....but the alternative is death.

[EST]

24. Yes-many

altace
metaprolol
synthroid
sulfasalazine
prednisone
lasix
fosamax
calcium supplements
klor-con
morphine
oxycodone
ibuprofen
plus some other things
Psoriasis plus ploriatic arthritis is a horrible disease that eats your body.

[demnan]

25. I'm not on antidepressants now but

I have been on Zoloft and it was a life saver. I went through a situation where I needed therapy and an anti-depressant. I paid 10 dollars a month for my Zoloft and then 15 dollars a month. I was lucky I worked in a major metropolitan area and I have a specialized career where I can get good health insurance.

Now I'm paying $10 for my 500 Mil of Naproxen for moderate arthritic knees, I think that's ok but I know I can get it over the counter too. I'm very fortunate to have good health insurance. I'm in Kaiser now.

[NotGivingUp]

28. people are taking too many drugs.

[Kelly Rupert]

31. A common sentiment

among those who have never been depressed.

[Skittles]

32. I beg to differ

I have been depressed, come from a family filled with suicides, and I think drugs are prescribed way, way too often

[TheCowsCameHome]

29. Hopefully less, now that the Repubes are down the drain........

[SeattleGirl]

33. Anti-depressant and anxiety meds.

For me, it's definitely better living through medication. Especially with the anti-depressant; without it, I'm in a puddle of tears.

[Lurking Dem]

34. I'm on 8 daily prescriptions

which help keep me alive and 3 PRN prescriptions which help with nausea and pain.

[PDittie]

35. Diabetes meds

Metformin, Glipizide, Tricor for the elevated trigylcerides, a diuretic named Triamterene.

[scarletwoman]

36. Dammit! We DON'T need meds! Speaking as a former Zoloft patient.

Get off that shit! It's destroying your mind and your soul!

Your withdrawal will be a motherfucker, but get through it and get your self back.

We are continually being conned by Big Pharma into believing that the Human Condition requires medication. BULLSHIT! The Human Condition requires our AWARENESS, not pill-induced numbness.

For your back and neck, try black cohosh and yoga. No pill is EVER going to cure the source of your pain. You have to do that from within yourself.

sw

[kiahzero]

41. Yeah, depression has nothing to do with chemical imbalances.

:eyes:

I guess it's good to know that the left has a solid pseudo-science contingent.

[scarletwoman]

45. Is it "psuedo-science" to recount one's own experience?

I took Zoloft for years. I stopped. I am much better off for having stopped. So are several other people I know. I think these are dangerous medications and over-prescribed.

Our entire society is fucked up. Taking a pill to cope with the cognitive dissonence inherent in our culture is not a path toward healing and wholeness. In the short term it may be quite useful for getting out of a mental rut. In the long term you are only masking your true need for working on your personal emotional integregration.

My opinion, of course.

sw

[kiahzero]

47. You didn't say, "I felt better off of it."

You said:
Get off that shit! It's destroying your mind and your soul!

[BlackVelvet04]

51. I agree to a point....

I think many people feel they should never be sad and take antidepressants to get through normal grief and sadness. I was put on an antidepressant to deal with pain after major back surgery and it damn near ruined my life.

Antidepressants can cause anxiety....which it did for me so I was put on an anti-anxiety medication. The combination of the two meant I couldn't think straight so I was put on ADD medicine (speed) and I lost down to 88 and being so thin made my back hurt more so they increased the pain medication. It was RIDICULOUS. I decided to get off all that shit and I did. I haven't had anything but ibuprofen for pain in almost 10 years. Everyone else I know who has had the surgery I have (leaving me with 2 metal rods and 6 screws in my back) is medicated out of their heads and have no life. While I do have some pain I at least have a life and can work.

My father who is 80 had noticed in the last 6 months he was having trouble with depression, fatigue and being unsteady on his feet. The doc decided to give him an antidepressant which made things worse. After some investigating on my part, I believed that the culprit was his blood pressure medicine Topral. He cut down the Topral, got off the antidepressant and is now back to his healthy, hyper-active 80 year old self.

SIDE EFFECTS PEOPLE.....whatever you take PLEASE CHECK THE SIDE EFFECTS!

[Lurking Dem]

42. Tom? Is that you?

:+

[Sparkly]

55. What works for one person may not apply to another

I absolutely believe that some people NEED psychoactive meds for mental health.

[MrSlayer]

37. No. No need for them.

Fortunately I'm in good health. All drugs I take are recreational.

[Cameron27]

38. No

[blue neen]

39. There is a generic form of Zoloft. It's called Sertraline.

Many people who took Zoloft have switched over. I'm a pharmacy tech, and we fill more scripts for Sertraline now than for the brand name Zoloft.

Maybe you could talk to your doctor about it and save yourself some money on your co-pay. :)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

40. yes- multiple. Even w/ prescription insurance, it's a lotta dough!

-psych meds (cymbalta/ brand name ritalin/generic benzo-sleep med)
-migraine preventatives x2 (1 generic, 1 brand name- no generic available)
-migraine abortives (brand name- 9 pills for $25- Use up to 3 per migraine)
-anti nausea stuff- migraine related (brand name and HELLA expensive w/o insurance!- according to CVS printout, my insurance pays $1093.xx per bottle.)

pain stuff- back/neck related

-Brand name muscle relaxer
- generic NSAID
- Brand name pain reliever- patch form.



not Rx, but medical tape to keep the patches above on... :eyes:

= LOTS OF MONEY.

[ComerPerro]

43. I should be on seizure medication, but I haven't taken it in over three years

mainly because I have no health insurance, and its like 400 a month without it.

The irony is that I can't get insurance coverage because I have this preexisting condition.

So i just hope I don't have seizures.

[TahitiNut]

44. Zoloft 50mg x 30 days costs only $78 at CostCo pharmacy.

A copay of over 50% isn't very good, imho. My mother only pays $12 for it, afaik.

[Broadslidin]

46. Sparking Up A Big Fat One Rolled In Banana Flavoured Paper......!

:yoiks:

[azmouse]

48. No. None needed.

I'm thankful to be healthy.

[jwirr]

49. Meds for Diabetes. I had to laugh when I went into the doctor last

month. He looked at my list of meds and said, "You aren't on very many medications." His tone sounded disappointed.

[undeterred]

50. I've had migraines for years and have a bunch of meds

Out of pocket they cost about $1000 per month. With insurance around $120. I have been without insurance several times in the last few years and I've had to go without meds. It was horrible lying in bed for 5 days in excruciating pain with a migraine...

[stonecoldsober]

52. My list (as of this minute):

Simvistatin
Lorazepam
Fluoxetine
Omeprazole

$28/month (with insurance)

[jgraz]

53. If you aren't on Zoloft, you aren't paying attention!

The bumper sticker for a new millenium.

[Left Is Write]

54. Yes.

I have prescriptions for birth control pills, Lexapro, Ambien and Xanax. I rarely use the Xanax (last time was in August), but I have it for "just in case."

[postulater]

56. Had half an aspirin a few years ago

Have never filled a prescription for anything in the last 40 years.

[imperial jedi]

57. yes

trazadone - antidepressant and gabatril - anti convulsant/painkiller. treatment for fibromyalgia.

[movie_girl99]

58. I take an anti-anxiety pill.

i get it through my insurance on line/tel drug pharmacy and it costs me $35.00 for a 90 day supply.

[Tracer]

59. No. But the strange thing is that ...

... people in the medical profession EXPECT that you are taking drugs!

I belonged to a study group for a number of years and every time they called to remind me that it was appointment time, they said "... and don't forget to bring your meds".

I also had a conversation with my doctor about the constant stream of drug advertising on television. He agreed with me that it comes close to creating a nation of hypochondriacs.

Please do not take this as a criticism if you are on necessary medications! I absolutely know that some are lifesavers.