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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Free Imitrex
        
(Message started by: spanky on Oct 9^th, 2003, 4:40pm)

Title: Free Imitrex
Post by spanky on Oct 9^th, 2003, 4:40pm

Don't know who all knows about this or who all can "qualify" for it but it is a fact that Imitrex is available for free.
I just returned stateside from an extended period abroad and saw a neurologist about my headaches. I'm not currently employed and have no insurance coverage so I face 100% payment of doctor fees and medications.
My doctor commiserates somewhat with my financial (and medical) situation and asked me if I would be interested in the Indigent blahblahblah program. I wasn't sure what he was talking about so I said sure, why not?
He then gave me 4 Imitrex refill packages (8 - 6mg vials) and told me that these were promotional samples provided to him free of charge and that he was authorized to pass them on to patients in need. I took them gladly (figure out the retail cost!). His nurse then told me that if I ran out of these I could check again with their clinic and if they had some in stock they could provide me with more. Today I did just that and they gave me 2 more packages free of charge. I thought a few of you other clusterbangers would be interested in hearing about this.
I suppose it all depends on your rapport with your doctor but it may be an avenue worth approaching.

Also...I have tried the "imitrex tip" and have found that a 1/3 dose works for me just as well as a full dose does. However, I have encountered a problem. I gave myself a 1/3 dose and then swabbed the needle and stored it for future use of the remaining 2/3's. When the time came I found that the syringe was plugged, probably from dried blood, and I can't access the remaining solution. It won't squirt out. There must be a more practical, more sterile way to give myself a 2mg dose. When I asked my doctor about it he would not condone anything other than the auto-injected 6mg dose and throw away approach. I have insulin syringes and would love to be able to pull the 6mg vials out and transfer them into 2mg doses in the insulin syringes (in a sterile manner of course) so that I have pre-dosed single-shot throwaway syringes readily available.
Any ideas? Would it work to sterilize a small glass container, squirt the 6mg solution into this and then use the insulin syringes to draw 2mg doses from the glass container?

Title: Re: Free Imitrex
Post by Mastifflvr28 on Oct 9^th, 2003, 9:55pm

Hi Spanky,
Welcome to the board.
Cat posted this link a while back, they sell sterile vials. So you can inject your stat dose into a vial then use an insulin syringe to draw up 2mg. Then don't reuse the syringe, just get a new one!
Good luck!!
Mast
http://www.earthstores.com/gpzservices/

Title: Re: Free Imitrex
Post by spanky on Oct 10^th, 2003, 6:00am

Hey Mast,

Thanks for the info and link for the vials. Great idea! Why didn't I think of that?!? And thanks for the warm welcome to the board. It's nice to have an instant family with a mutual understanding of the nature of the beast.

My 75mg nightly dose of Nortriptyline is still (knocking on wood) doing the trick. This is going on 7 weeks now. The stuff either works or I've gone from 4 year chronic to episodic. I would be interested to hear of anybody's experiences with Nortriptyline or that class of medication, be it positive or negative. There are a few references in archives but not too many

Title: Re: Free Imitrex
Post by clavers on Oct 10^th, 2003, 7:25am

I always held the needle under a fire from a match or lighter. If anything was in it there was a mini-explosion. The needle turns red in just a second or two. Then I swabbed it with an alchol pad. I never had a clogged needle and I never got some loathsome disease.

Title: Re: Free Imitrex
Post by spanky on Oct 10^th, 2003, 8:03pm

Howdy Clavers,
Thanks for the fire tip; that makes good sense. I was afraid that I would have to throw away 4 perfectly good mg's of the PFjuice. Tomorrow I'm going to try to source some sterile vials and prep a few insulin syringes with 2mg doses as Mast advised for the next unexpected, unsolicited visit from the "Green Manalishi with the 2-pronged Crown". I like the "grab and stab" approach!

Momentarily I'm still PF'ing fat, dumb and happy but I stay prepared and just take it (and relish it) day by day.

Title: Re: Free Imitrex
Post by Zonie on Oct 10^th, 2003, 9:15pm

I had a neuro that also provided me with trex tabs from his samples "when he had them". I would suggest that you stock up while your dr has it available. I had to make many trips downtown to his office for samples.
I also used the 1/3 dose of injections and never did have a needle get plugged. I just replaced the cover over the needle until next time. And boy, by the third time, the old needle was really getting dull. But I didn't mind at all, I just kept firing that dart until it worked cause I knew that relief was right around the corner. My dr is who suggested that I do this and my first reaction was "oooohhhh, a dirty needle?" She said that it was my dirt and would be fine. I never had any problems at all.

Good luck with yours and let us know how it works.

Zonie