I went to my Doctor today and told him that the 20 mg XR that I was taking did not help me as much as I thought it would.

He bumped me up to 40 mg XR twice a day.

I went to get the prescription filled and Walgreens wanted $299.75!

I started calling around different stores and found a place where I can get the generic IR for $35.00!


When I called my doctor to switch to the IR from the XR he refused!
I didnt even get to talk to him. His nurse said that he just said no!


I was diagnosed with ADD two months ago. I have a feeling that my doctor is also NEW when it comes to add.

What should I do? I cant pay $300 a month but I cant study without the medicine (IM IN LAW SCHOOL!)!


PLEASE HELP!

I am in the same boat. My doc refused to switch me all to IR (I take 20mg XR and then have an extra 10mg IR if needed) because of the cost. For me, it is $117 for the XR and $35 for the IR (after insurance). He said that there are too many peaks and valleys with the IR and wouldn't even discuss it further.

I have been on the IR before and didn't like it as much as the XR, but was willing to live with it because of the cost. Seems like it wasn't an option...

Sorry I can't help.... I felt my only option was the find another doc, but he's been my doc for many years and I didn't want to go through the effort.

Maybe you should make an appointment to speak to your doctor in person and calmly discuss your dilema. It's possible that he is concerned with your ability to abuse/sell it if he were to prescribe so many IR tablets per month (??) It is also possible that the nurse just didnt' want to deal with having to go back to the doctor to explain why you were asking (so she just said, "no"). BTW - I'd be sure to tell the doctor about your negative experience with his nurse as well.

If - for whatever reason - he just wants to keep you on XR, maybe he has some suggestions on how to reduce the cost for you (through pharmacudical programs or something).

Good luck.

If it were me, I think I'd pitch a fit and demand an explanation. He's hired to help you make medical decisions, therefore he should be required to back up his opinions. Personally, I can't imagine what the explanation for this opinion might be, unless he's got a drug rep with incentives being offered, since IR comes generic and XR doesn't. And I'd voice my awareness of that very clearly!

If it were me, I think I'd pitch a fit and demand an explanation.

I agree that the doc should be trying to help you and should have a good explanation for making such a decision, but "demanding" the medication and pitching a fit might not the be most effective way to get this resolved. If you march into a doctor's office and demand to get a prescription for a large amount of immediate release amphetamines this might throw up a huge red flag. I've been reading a lot about the abuse/sale of adderall by college students lately - maybe he has, too, and is just being cautious. (Even though you know you are getting them for valid reasons.) Of course it may just be that he has medical experience that suggests that the XR works much better for his patients than the IR. . . ask him.

I still like the rational, calm approach. Like I said earlier, it might also be his nurse who communicated his answer poorly.

BTW - I'm not telling you to sit back and take it, I'm just saying that I'd try to be calm and rational first. After that, you can pitch a fit and yell all you want. ....or find a new doctor. :D

I agree that the doc should be trying to help you and should have a good explanation for making such a decision, but "demanding" the medication and pitching a fit might not the be most effective way to get this resolved. If you march into a doctor's office and demand to get a prescription for a large amount of immediate release amphetamines this might throw up a huge red flag. I've been reading a lot about the abuse/sale of adderall by college students lately - maybe he has, too, and is just being cautious. (Even though you know you are getting them for valid reasons.) Of course it may just be that he has medical experience that suggests that the XR works much better for his patients than the IR. . . ask him.

I still like the rational, calm approach. Like I said earlier, it might also be his nurse who communicated his answer poorly.

BTW - I'm not telling you to sit back and take it, I'm just saying that I'd try to be calm and rational first. After that, you can pitch a fit and yell all you want. ....or find a new doctor. :D

That's a much better response! :)
To be clear, MY hypothetical fit would be over the lack of explanation, not a demand for medication. That would definitely raise flags! I don't handle lack of communication from people paid to help me well.

I don't handle lack of communication from people paid to help me well.

I'm totally with you on that! ..... Heck, I don't handle lack of communication with ANYONE very well. :p

This may just be me, but when I go to my doc to discuss my med dosage, I purposely try to stay logical and avoid being too emotional (which is sometimes difficult for me). I'd like to think that doctors have an open mind with ADD symptoms and brain chemical imbalances, but you never know. I just personally don't want to look like an out-of-control housewife/mother who is turning to medication to solve all of my life problems. (a la the Beatles song "Mother's Little Helper")

For those of you too young to know anything about that song, here's a link to the lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rolling+stones/mothers+little+helper_20117873.html).

"pitch a fit" that is not a rational approach to obtaining a prescription for Instant Release.

The reasoning most doctors to not feel comfortable prescribing Adderall... moreover, in the IR form... is because of it potential for abuse. Adderall being a Schedule II controlled substance categorizes it's addictiveness higher than most painkillers such as Lortabs. Taking this approach would certainly be grounds for drug seeking behavior.

I would calmly speak with your doctor and in a clear, rational fashion explain your financial situation to him. Perhaps if he clearly understands that you simply can not afford the XR, he might be more open to switching you to the IR. You could even show him your monthly budget, etc. so he has very concrete proof of the necessity of your request. Being a law student, you shouldn't have any trouble making a case for yourself :)! Hopefully, this approach will work.

If not, I would check to see if Shire, the manufacturer of Adderall XR has a medication financial assistance program. I'm pretty sure all of the drug companies do, it's just a matter of filling out a bunch of paper work stating your income, etc. I think there are some stickies about it in the Medication forum, if you do a search, you can probably find out more information about it. (ps. I recently tallied up the retail cost of my meds- $1302.76. Who can afford that? I have insurance, but if I didn't I'd be screwed.)

Ask about trying Dexedrine long acting capsules. It WAY cheaper than Adderall.