Cymbalta walgreens

I started Cymbalta about 10 weeks ago. I was very depressed - no motivation to live or do anything, no sense of purpose, extremely tired all the time, poor appetite, etc. I had my 20mg script filled at Walgreens (generic duoloxetine delayed release, yellow capsules) manufactured by Breckenridge Pharmaceutical and took one per day. I felt better within a matter of days. I was nauseous (got a Rx for Reglan to help with nausea) but aside from that was amazed by the results by about day 5. I upped my dose to 30mg (new script, unsure manufacturer) and after about two weeks I started to get depressed again. Irritability increased, major lethargy. The capsules I am currently taking are manufactured by Ajanta Pharma and look different (blue/white) from the original script.
So my questions here is has anyone else experienced a major difference between generic duoloxetine brands? I've seen many older posts on this sub about the generics not being the same as the on-brand Cymbalta. Any fresh insights?

So, , I stopped cold turkey (60mg), Friday the 14th initially for 3 days, because the doc didn't approve my refill in time and Walgreens took 2 more days to fill it, so essentially 5 days without it. This is a common occurrence. After those first 3 days and realizing how horrifying withdrawal symptoms are, I don't want to be on it.The first 2 days I felt okay. By day 3, I had brain fog...like everything was in slow motion but I was moving at regular time, and I was exhausted all the time. Like, beyond just feeling tired. I could barely keep my eyes open and felt like if I stopped moving I'd just fall asleep.
Then day 3 comes, and my whole body hurts. I thought I had reherniated my disc that I just had repaired in December, and my whole back was hurting and stiff. And, to top it off, my neck has been in so much pain since then. I couldn't bear the symptoms any longer so I went back on it, 60mg last Wednesday and decided I'll take it every other day to start getting off of it. The Wednesday I took it the pain in my neck started to subside. Thursday was better, but then yesterday and today, I am in so much pain. You know when you sleep wrong and your neck is stiff and it hurts to turn your head? It's like that, times 10. And it's not just the sides of my neck, the base of my skull/spine are sore and stiff too. It's incredibly painful. Pain reliever doesn't help, heating pad sort of does. I still have some brain fog that started going away by day 4 though.
Has anyone experienced the neck pain aspect of the process of getting off Cymbalta? Since pain relievers aren't helping I'm stuck between the choices of get back on it at the 30 mg and start tapering off (I told my doc), or if a muscle relaxer will help. Any tips would be appreciated. I amped up my vitamin B12, E, D3 and turmeric as well.
All I know is, while it helped me immensely while I was on it, there definitely needs to be a monitored, CLINICAL way to get off this shit. It's so dangerous, and I hadn't even experienced any mood changes or self harm ideation. My heart goes out to those who had those symptoms. The pain, brain fog, aching joints, neck pain, has been horrific enough for me that I feel like a slave to it or chained to it. ..

40F, have struggled with anxiety and depression for 18 years. I just switched psychiatrists so I could go in-network in order to have more frequent treatment because I felt like Cymbalta no longer worked and wanted someone open to trying something new.
I took the GeneSight test and we just got the results back. (Sidebar - Is it true that EVERYONE gets Pristiq as "green"?)
Test confirmed I have the MTHFR variant:
This individual is homozygous for the T allele of the C677T polymorphism in the MTHFR gene. This genotype is associated with significantly reduced folic acid metabolism, significantly decreased serum folate levels, and significantly increased homocysteine levels.
So he's suggesting I take an L-Methylfolate supplement. One with 7.5 or 10mg and methylated B12. I went to Walgreens and all they had was prescription.
So I went online and found a bunch of options but I'm confused as to the differences and which one is right. These were some I found from Amazon:
Gummies Super B Complex EZ Melts Integrative One Elevated Triquetra and this one Superior Source
He said he wasn't familiar with any of these and I should ask my pharmacist 🤷🏼‍♀️ (which I did and he had no clue). Then he said Quatrefolic(R) (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate or Metafolin are the preferred and best-absorbed types of methylfolate, Then he said deplin, metanx, and cerefolin NAC were also options.
To make things ever MORE complicated, I looked at my gummy vitamins/drops and found they already have some of these vitamins in them:
​

• Mary Ruth's multivitamin Gummies
  
  • Folate (as Calcium L-5-Meth), 346 mcg DFE, 87% of daily value
  • Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin), 6.8 mcg, 283%
• Mary Ruth's B Complex Liquid Drops
  
  • Folate (as folinic acid), 400 mcg DFE, 100%
  • Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin), 1500 mcg, 62500%

All this to say.....I'M SO CONFUSED! Do I still take a supplement if I'm already taking some (he wants me to get a blood test to see how well i'm absorbing it). If yes, then WHICH ONE? Anyone with my particular gene scenario have one to recommend?

I’d love to learn how your pharmacies (or just you individually) handle SNRI cases like these ones. Over the last few years my pharmacy has seen more and more people switching from SSRIs to SNRIs, usually Cymbalta or Pristiq, but lately we’ve gotten a spike in scripts for Fetzima specifically, and I’m getting a lot more feedback from patients about the side effects/interactions than normal, specifically on how long the nausea lasts/heart rate increase. I’ve also noticed patients are being prescribed starting dose 40 without the initial period of 20. I was wondering what other pharmacies have been seeing from patients in terms of side effects/dosing, and why there’s been an increase. Two patients told me they are switching because of the new GeneSight testing. How are your pharmacies handle these things?

1. Is my pharmacy experiencing a weird fluke in seeing more side effects in Fetzima vs other SNRIs?
2. Are you calling doctors to ask to allow for the 2-day startup period or is that a waste of time?
3. Are your patients usually tolerating the 40 mg starting dose well?
4. Has anyone else seen a surge in scripts at their pharmacy?
5. I’ve had a few patients just stop taking it due to increased heart rate/nausea and I’m wondering what other rphs have learned for encouraging adherence to this one specifically.
6. Is it a good drug, or are other SNRIs going to be better?
7. What do you think of the new GeneSight/genetic testing?

Background: I’m a new RPh (graduated last month), but I’m working at the same Walgreens I was an intern at! I learned about Fetzima along with all the other SNRIs but they didn’t focus on this one specifically, and my pharmacy manager kinda waved me off (understandable bc our Walgreens has been an understaffed nightmare since Jan. 2021) when I asked for advice on counseling patients. I thought maybe more reddit could help. 😵‍💫

Been on this med for 2 months, switched from gabapentin to this for neuropathy. Ins. Won't let me get it at Walgreens and need to do express scripts mail order. Pharmacist said it would be ok to just start taking gabapentin until I get new script of cymbalta. I've been emotional (crying) all the time, slight headache. After reading a few posts I want off of both meds. Should I be worried about sudden stopping of cymbalta even though started taking gabapentin in it's place?

so i’m wondering if anyone else gets panic with their insomnia? like i’ll start having panic attacks really bad at night(a doctor said she thinks it’s trauma based and have ptsd since it’s not all the time, only when triggered) which makes me not able to sleep and then if the panic attack wears off i’m stuck with the insomnia and i’ll wake up having a panic attack. even when i’m not experiencing the panic part i still have insomnia but it makes it so much worse. it’ll happen for a couple weeks at a time and then go away for a while, for example the last time i had this happen was about august-october since all the traumatic stuff happened. i’m prescribed trazodone, hydroxyzine and have tried melatonin, benadryl, wal-som(walgreens brand something) and none of them work really. as for the daily anxiety part i was prescribed zoloft, celexa, cymbalta, buspirone and propanolol and one made me throw up every time, one made me feel like i was actually dying, and two others made me feel like i was already dead. i took my trazodone 2 and a half hours ago and i’m still up barely feeling the effects besides my nose being clogged. i’m hopeless at this point, i know a “routine” helps but being so panicked that i can’t focus or try to do a routine doesn’t make it any better, what should i do? should i try to ask for other medications? i’m so stuck.

it's been a fucking horrible couple of years for me, all in all... peppered with a lot of good shit and a tonne of growth.
but recently, for the first time in probably a decade, i realised i was feeling something other than depression as a baseline underlaying everything else. not manic or happy, just, not standing on a foundation built out of sad lumps that want me dead.
well anyway, on thanksgiving, walgreens fucked me over, by being closed from thursday all thru monday. my schedule plus theirs plus some other shit i don't understand meant i spent about two whole weeks cymbalta-free! aaaand in the midst of my crankiness from being kept up all night by brain zaps and chronic nerve pain, plus my depressive urges taking more energy to fight, i got in a mostly pointless argument a few days ago, misread some body language, threw a punch in retaliation harder than i meant to (which i have basically never done before. a few slaps, but, yeah, not that), and immediately went to try and bump myself off bc i felt like a fucking monster (they're fine and forgive me but i still do).
my family is... kinda well prepared for this, so, i don't remember how, but i wound up just sleeping it off safely and didn't even get the headache i've got off other attempts.
but, just... it's been a few days now and the shine is all gone again. i open my sketchbook and stare at blank pages and take pens out snd look at references that sometimes inspire me, or at lists i keep of ideas, and i just get nowhere. i cancelled the first holiday party invite i have gotten in easily five years. i can barely move to get out of bed. my appetite is gone.
i need something that can jolt me back up out into the place with colours again, but i'm just... feel totally lost, totally empty. this sucks. fuck walgreens, and fuck depression.

I'm extremely terrified today. I won't have insurance much longer so I called my doctor to see about quitting slowly. He just said he'll prescribe me 30mg for a month, but Walgreens sent me a text that I'm having insurance issues, so no cymbalta for me. I only have a few more pills left, maybe about 12, what are my best options for quitting?

TL;DR I am a long-time recipient of adhd treatment that signed up with cerebral last year which has led to me being denied meds by my pharmacy for a drug I took long before I found cerebral.
Quick preface: I’m a 39 year old self-employed web developer that was diagnosed with ADHD (ADD at the time) as a child, but it was the 80s so I basically got no treatment because my parents thought it was a made up thing. Struggled through life (disorganized, didn’t do any school work despite acing every test, etc) sought help at 35 years old and was re-diagnosed with ADHD in 2018 by a psychiatrist I would visit in-person monthly. Pretty quickly my life changed, my business became profitable, my bills paid on time, I also think I became more palatable as a person (temper cooled, stress levels dropped, generally happy etc).
In 2019 I moved to California and saw a PCP for a check up. Told him I was taking adderral, he had my psychiatrist send over my file, and he agreed to fill my Rx (was new in town and hadn’t found a psychiatrist yet) and referred me to someone that after a couple visits agreed with my diagnosis and took over the Rx from my PCP.
Smooth sailing, life is okay, at some point my psychiatrist left the practice and moved to a different state. I was also seeing therapist at the same practice (that I am still seeing) but I needed a new prescriber.
Then I found cerebral. I thought it sounded like a great service. The prescriber stayed the course, even got me off Cymbalta (which I was taking for depression) and got me onto Wellbutrin (which has been great). However, every month, getting refills was always met with roadblocks. Slow correspondence, wrong Rx filled, etc. I blamed it on a growing company. Having to forgo medication for 3-4 days at a time every couple of months was certainly frustrating but it was nothing like I experienced today.
Cerebral refilled my adderral prescription which was due for pickup today. When I contacted the pharmacy I was told they’d no longer fill the prescription and they were really nasty about it, making me feel like a criminal. They weren’t clear about why, I kept my cool because im used to cerebral botching a refill and me having to hoop jump. I called back for some clarification and they went off about how cerebral is under investigation, as if that’s my fault or I’m somehow part of it. This led me to do some searches where I found all sorts of news articles about what’s going on.
There’s no doubt I’m a legitimate patient. My diagnosis and treatment long pre-dates cerebral and started with traditional visits (and I’ve been using Walgreens for this Rx long before cerebral), but now I’ve been screwed out of treatment and have to stop with no taper. Cerebral should have warned me instead of just submitting my Rx to a pharmacy that has publicly stated they won’t fill Cerebral prescriptions while banging my debit card for $85.
I knew this was coming in October (with the changes to telehealth) and I was dragging my feet but going to find a local provider in the next few weeks. Of course, appointments are booked months out.
Im not even sure what to expect or what will come of my business in the following weeks, which has become a tightly run ship that requires precision attentiveness for demanding clients. Of course, adding insult to injury, cerebral billed me yesterday (which I will call my bank about) and ignored my message to cancel today.
I’m largely venting, but I did want to impress upon any prescribers or pharmacists that may see this, to not judge every cerebral/former cerebral patient based on where we last sought treatment. Some of us are legitimate patients that attached our health and well-being to the wrong wagon. We didn’t crawl out from under rocks like fiends when some new online service popped up. I’m sure there are people abusing the service and prescribers over-prescribing, but I’d implore you to give people the benefit of the doubt. It’s not easy to ask for help, some people are self-conscious about it, and being treated like criminals is counter-productive to legitimate treatment.
That said- wish me luck over the next few weeks as I come off my meds cold turkey while desperately clinging to my livelihood. Thank you for letting me rant.

First it was my Adderall XR a couple weeks ago. I thought maybe they were playing games because it's a Schedule II and I'm new to filling my script there. Got the email that it was "out of stock" and had to call every day to check, getting only vague answers like "not today, check back tomorrow." After a week of phone tag they said I could come pick up 28 of my 30 pills so I said fine, thanks. The pharma tech said she didn't have anything for me when I pulled up to the window, acted confused & then checked my birth date, claiming there was "another person with my EXACT SAME NAME" in this tiny town before handing them over. I'd called not 5 minutes before showing up but okay. Then they refused to give me the remaining 2 pills allegedly because "my insurance wouldn't cover them" when I called to fill them a few days later. Uhh, okay. The bottle literally says "fill BEFORE July 17" but whatever. I was very patient & friendly during all of this, mind you.
Fast forward to yesterday. My sister in the next town over tries to refill her Cymbalta which is on auto refill at Walgreens. "Out of stock". She calls and asks to talk to the pharmacist directly because she's already in withdrawals & has a killer headache. He tells her actually they're unloading it from the truck now so she can come pick it up in an hour or so. Whew. She runs some errands & arrives that evening only to be told "What? We're still out. No Cymbalta in stock, check back tomorrow" by the pharma tech lady. By this point she's ready to cry because she's had a terrible day & drove across town to pick up these meds.
She's LIVID & demands to talk to the pharmacist. The lady disappears for 10 minutes & returns with her Rx of Cymbalta with no explanation.
Can somebody please explain what's going on here? Why are pharma techs lying about medications being out of stock to patients both on the phone & to their faces? Medications that aren't even controlled substances? Drugs they need to avoid going off the deep end & harming themselves/others? Is this going to be a new "thing" every month because if so, it's unacceptable. This is scary af from a patient perspective.
Don't mean to rant but Jesus yesterday was a shit show talking my sister down from a panic attack.

Is anybody here on the 20mg breckenridge generic cymbalta? My partner is having trouble with the Ajanta brand ( which is all that walgreens stocks anymore) so I called around and the only other brand Ive found so far is breckenridge.

So far I've tried Effexor (no effect), Wellbutrin (no effect), and Zoloft. I took Zoloft at varying dosages, at some points alongside Wellbutrin. Zoloft helped with the extreme lows of depression, but I still felt significantly depressed in addition to feeling numb/flat, almost unable to fully experience happiness. I have been off medication entirely for around 6 months. In the last couple of months, I started going to the gym almost everyday, taking omega 3s, taking vitamin D, occasionally using light therapy, and trying to get my sleep schedule together. I was definitely still depressed but felt wayyy better than when I was on Zoloft.
My mental health changed for the worse very suddenly though when an ex came back into my life (bringing up old wounds that haven't healed) at the same time this pandemic began. I ended up losing my job. I've been sleeping around 12 hours and once I wake up, lay in bed all day. I constantly feel like I'm going to cry, I've tried my best to continue exercising but I'm finding it very difficult. Yesterday I went for a walk/jog on a trail and ended up crying my eyes out (luckily I was alone in the middle of nowhere haha). I don't necessarily have a plan, but I think very often about killing or hurting myself. It's something I've caught myself fantasizing about often, even though I know it's not something I could go through with.
I had a Facetime appointment with my PCP today. She prescribed me Viibryd, along with Zofran for the nausea side effects. She said if it was too expensive, we could try Cymbalta instead. I haven't gone to pick it up yet, but the Walgreens website says it's $71 with my insurance. I found a coupon I saw people mention online and am going to try to use it. I'm wondering though if Viibryd is worth the cost? I've read good things about Viibryd from people who failed to respond to different antidepressants. I'm also wondering how people who don't respond to antidepressants like Cymbalta?
​
TLDR: Is Viibryd worth the cost for people who don't respond to antidepressants? How does Cymbalta compare?

When I called my pharmacy (Walgreens) this week to find out why my generic Effexor wasn't filled yet, they told me it was on back order with their distributor or the manufacturer. I can't quite remember precisely because I've been out for the past 5-6 days from a 225mg/day dose, and thinking is difficult at the moment. Yet, I don't see much news or posts here about being out. Is this a regional issue (I'm in Illinois) or just a Walgreens issue? If not, any tips to survive the next 3-4 weeks of withdrawal until they get more in? Any class-action lawsuits and/or pitchfork rioting I can join? :/
Speaking from experience, NEVER quit this drug or Cymbalta (duloxetine) cold turkey. The withdrawal is awful.

Hey guys. Hope you had a good day. I saw my psychiatrist today. I had lost 11 pounds since the last time he weighed me, which he was concerned about when I told him I wasn't really trying to lose weight. I can't help it. The weight has just fallen off since I went vegan. I can't really eat junk food anymore and that was unfortunately a big part of my diet. He kinda grilled me about where I was getting my protein from, but he's a doctor so that's understandable. I told him I have been depressed. He started me on cymbalta. I hope it helps. I've been on a shit ton of different antidepressants that I reacted poorly to, so it was kind of an issue figuring out which one to try. It's supposed to help anxiety too, so I hope it'll work. I go back in 3 weeks.
C and I went to Aldi and Dierbergs for groceries... Basically we never go to Dierbergs because it's so expensive, but I needed vegan butter and kept forgetting to get it at Fresh Thyme, and it's the only place nearby that has it. I picked up a couple other things there for my vegan shepherds pie for tomorrow that I couldn't buy from Aldi. They also have awesome junk food, so I got some bananas foster vegan ice cream and vegan brownie mix. Sigh.
I made a crispy tender wrap with canned potatoes and sauteed zucchini and squash for dinner. C and I got in a fight at Walgreens. I think the depression is making me really irritable.
That's my day. What's up with you?

I just heard about this. Apparently it’s like a discount card but you pay online or via app and present a digital card to prove that you paid for your prescription for free pickup at the pharmacy your DR sent your RX to.
I take generic Cymbalta (duloxetine) for Fibromyalgia and I pay over $120. With this service I can get it for $17. CVS and Walgreens dropped them but Walmart and Winn Dixie and smaller name pharmacies accept their cards.
Seems to be legit but just hoping for any more recent reviews. Here’s the website.
Edit: typos

I am not exactly sure if this is the right place for me to post this, but I'm hoping you can possible give me some insight.
I was very fortunate to receive my diagnosis relatively quickly. I went into my PCP in November, by April I was referred to a rheumatologist who gave me a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and connective tissue disease (which he said fit Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis the most). Full disclosure, my mother was an RN. I was always raised that fibromyalgia doesn't exist, but my physicians have assured me it is a real thing, and that I have it. (I will at least admit that I exhibit the textbook symptoms, including the "tender points.")
In the past 2+ years, I don't feel like I've found a quality regime that helps me, and I'm not sure if it's him, or if I'm just expecting a miracle. My ESR started at 71 (March 2015), it dropped to 59 in November of 2016, and last month it is at 66.
I have had a full-body bone scan, which showed arthritis in pretty much every one of my joints. My back is my main source of complaint, but XRays, MRIs, etc. didn't show anything other than arthritis.
I have previously taken Gabapentin, was given a 5-day supply of Toradol in June 2016 after a rocky boat ride caused me severe back pain that would not subside. In January 2017, they sent me in a Methylprednisolone(Medrol?) pack for pain as well.
I currently take Cymbalta 120mg/twice daily for anxiety, my rheumatologist didn't prescribe this, but have heard that it can help with muscle/joint pain as well.
Morning: Nuvigil - 250mg (for chronic fatigue) Tramadol 100mg - ER Lyrica - 100mg
Evening: Celebrex - 400mg Lyrica - 200mg Plaquenil - 400mg Prevacid - 30mg
Weekly: Butrans Patch - 15mcg/hr
As needed: Tramadol - 50mg Tizanidine - 4mg Metaxalone - 800mg
I live every day of my life in pain. I am 33 years old, with a Master's Degree, and freaking out about my future, because I can't function normally, every day, and I can't save any money because I'm on so many meds and I can't afford them all and have leftover income.
I am in a 3-week flare as I write this. The final straw was last week Walgreens didn't have my Butrans patches to refill (I don't have other pharmacies around here that keep it in stock as I'm in a small town and it's not a common medication). They ordered the wrong dosage, and had to reorder, so I'm going a week and a half without my pain patch, and I am miserable. (I typically start hurting the last day or so before I change it anyway.)
I sent my Doctor a message to tell him the situation. His nurse responded and told me to double my Cymbalta dosage (I had already done this with my therapist, but my doctor didn't know that). I let her know that I had already done that a few weeks earlier and it hadn't helped much. I sent that message on Monday. No response. Yesterday I sent another message to let her know that Walgreens still hadn't gotten my Butrans in and that I felt like I was hurting more with each passing day. As of now, that message has still not even been read.
I love my doctor. I feel so fortunate, because he cares. He genuinely cares. He listens. He remembers everything. Every time I come in for my 3-month check up, he remembers exactly what we talked about previously, and he always checks on me and my overall situation. He wants to know if I have help around the house, etc. If I have 3 hours worth of questions for him, he'll sit for 3 hours and listen to them all. I know how lucky I am to have a doctor who actually cares about me, but I can't help but wonder if there's something else that could be done, that's not happening.
I'm afraid to go to someone else, but I'm also afraid to always be in pain if there's an alternative...
I am hoping you all can give me advice, because I am so drained, in every sense of the world.
Thank you all for listening. I am sorry this is so long! If there is any other information you need, please ask.
TL; DR : Diagnosis of connective tissue disease and fibromyalgia. I adore my doctor and his caring nature. I am in pain every day. I don't want to go to someone else, but I wonder if there's more that could be done to help me, or if I just need to realize a life of pain is my new reality.

I am posting this to both /lupus and /fibromyalgia, in hopes someone can give me advice.
I was very fortunate to receive my diagnosis relatively quickly. I went into my PCP in November, by April I was referred to a rheumatologist who gave me a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and connective tissue disease (which he said fit Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis the most).
In the past 2+ years, I don't feel like I've found a quality regime that helps me, and I'm not sure if it's him, or if I'm just expecting a miracle.
I have previously taken Gabapentin, was given a 5-day supply of Toradol in June 2016 after a rocky boat ride caused me severe back pain that would not subside. In January 2017, they sent me in a Methylprednisolone(Medrol?) pack for pain as well.
I currently take Cymbalta 120mg/twice daily for anxiety, my rheumatologist didn't prescribe this, but have heard that it can help with muscle/joint pain as well.
Morning: Nuvigil - 250mg (for chronic fatigue) Tramadol 100mg - ER Lyrica - 100mg
Evening: Celebrex - 400mg Lyrica - 200mg Plaquenil - 400mg Prevacid - 30mg
Weekly: Butrans Patch - 15mcg/hr
As needed: Tramadol - 50mg Tizanidine - 4mg Metaxalone - 800mg
I live every day of my life in pain. I am 33 years old, with a Master's Degree, and freaking out about my future, because I can't function normally, every day, and I can't save any money because I'm on so many meds and I can't afford them all and have leftover income.
I am in a 3-week flare as I write this. The final straw was last week Walgreens didn't have my Butrans patches to refill (I don't have other pharmacies around here that keep it in stock as I'm in a small town and it's not a common medication). They ordered the wrong dosage, and had to reorder, so I'm going a week and a half without my pain patch, and I am miserable. (I typically start hurting the last day or so before I change it anyway.)
I sent my Doctor a message to tell him the situation. His nurse responded and told me to double my Cymbalta dosage (I had already done this with my therapist, but my doctor didn't know that). I let her know that I had already done that a few weeks earlier and it hadn't helped much. I sent that message on Monday. No response. Yesterday I sent another message to let her know that Walgreens still hadn't gotten my Butrans in and that I felt like I was hurting more with each passing day. As of now, that message has still not even been read.
I love my doctor. I feel so fortunate, because he cares. He genuinely cares. He listens. He remembers everything. Every time I come in for my 3-month check up, he remembers exactly what we talked about previously, and he always checks on me and my overall situation. He wants to know if I have help around the house, etc. If I have 3 hours worth of questions for him, he'll sit for 3 hours and listen to them all. I know how lucky I am to have a doctor who actually cares about me, but I can't help but wonder if there's something else that could be done, that's not happening.
I'm afraid to go to someone else, but I'm also afraid to always be in pain if there's an alternative...
I am hoping you all can give me advice, because I am so drained, in every sense of the world.
Thank you all for listening.
TL; DR : I adore my doctor and his caring nature. I am in pain every day. I don't want to go to someone else, but I wonder if there's more that could be done to help me, or if I just need to realize a life of pain is my new reality.

I am posting this to both /lupus and /fibromyalgia, in hopes someone can give me advice.
I was very fortunate to receive my diagnosis relatively quickly. I went into my PCP in November, by April I was referred to a rheumatologist who gave me a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and connective tissue disease (which he said fit Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis the most).
In the past 2+ years, I don't feel like I've found a quality regime that helps me, and I'm not sure if it's him, or if I'm just expecting a miracle.
I have previously taken Gabapentin, was given a 5-day supply of Toradol in June 2016 after a rocky boat ride caused me severe back pain that would not subside. In January 2017, they sent me in a Methylprednisolone(Medrol?) pack for pain as well.
I currently take Cymbalta 120mg/twice daily for anxiety, my rheumatologist didn't prescribe this, but have heard that it can help with muscle/joint pain as well.
Morning: Nuvigil - 250mg (for chronic fatigue) Tramadol 100mg - ER Lyrica - 100mg
Evening: Celebrex - 400mg Lyrica - 200mg Plaquenil - 400mg Prevacid - 30mg
Weekly: Butrans Patch - 15mcg/hr
As needed: Tramadol - 50mg Tizanidine - 4mg Metaxalone - 800mg
I live every day of my life in pain. I am 33 years old, with a Master's Degree, and freaking out about my future, because I can't function normally, every day, and I can't save any money because I'm on so many meds and I can't afford them all and have leftover income.
I am in a 3-week flare as I write this. The final straw was last week Walgreens didn't have my Butrans patches to refill (I don't have other pharmacies around here that keep it in stock as I'm in a small town and it's not a common medication). They ordered the wrong dosage, and had to reorder, so I'm going a week and a half without my pain patch, and I am miserable. (I typically start hurting the last day or so before I change it anyway.)
I sent my Doctor a message to tell him the situation. His nurse responded and told me to double my Cymbalta dosage (I had already done this with my therapist, but my doctor didn't know that). I let her know that I had already done that a few weeks earlier and it hadn't helped much. I sent that message on Monday. No response. Yesterday I sent another message to let her know that Walgreens still hadn't gotten my Butrans in and that I felt like I was hurting more with each passing day. As of now, that message has still not even been read.
I love my doctor. I feel so fortunate, because he cares. He genuinely cares. He listens. He remembers everything. Every time I come in for my 3-month check up, he remembers exactly what we talked about previously, and he always checks on me and my overall situation. He wants to know if I have help around the house, etc. If I have 3 hours worth of questions for him, he'll sit for 3 hours and listen to them all. I know how lucky I am to have a doctor who actually cares about me, but I can't help but wonder if there's something else that could be done, that's not happening.
I'm afraid to go to someone else, but I'm also afraid to always be in pain if there's an alternative...
I am hoping you all can give me advice, because I am so drained, in every sense of the world.
Thank you all for listening.
TL; DR : I adore my doctor and his caring nature. I am in pain every day. I don't want to go to someone else, but I wonder if there's more that could be done to help me, or if I just need to realize a life of pain is my new reality.

Hello all! I've been reading your tales of woe, disgust, and frustration. It's made me want to recount my (limited) experience on the other side of the counter, because to be perfectly frank, I love pharmacists.
My story begins a few years ago. Diagnosed with fibromayalgia and some anxiety disorder (heck if I know, I just know what I take for it!) I officially began my life as a monthly customer at our nearby Walgreen's.
Everything was well and good for quite a while there. My medications were bounced a bit to find out what would work, as you do, and I had no troubles with anything. Then... well, as stated above, I have anxiety. Even medicated (still working on finding the sweet spot for that) I have bouts of severity and one happened to hit right when I needed to renew my insurance. So of course, like a responsible adult, I shoved the letters into the Corner Of No Return on my desk and shoved the thought of it to the Corner Of Not Return in my mind. I completely forgot about it, deliberately, until it finally expired and I was left to flounder.
This is where my love for you guys truly began. The staff at my go-to walked me through the best options I had, showing a genuine care for me actually getting my medications (I'm on the cymbalta generic, due to a hiccup with my doctor early on I wound up off of it for a month. Never again, it was hell.) and helped me with the discount cards and supplying me with a week's worth at a time to ease it on the bank account.
It was still a hard time financially, but the help I was given meant I could stay fairly functional while I got insured again. But here, you wonderful folks, is where we find another roadblock. You see, the insurance is run by the state, and they had changed how things were working sometime between when I first signed up and when I secondly signed up. They were using a different provider. This provider did not wish to work with Walgreen's. I had to move!
Thankfully the move was only across the street, to the CVS. The staff there were also very kind and patient and understanding. I felt like I was betraying the folks that had been so wonderful to me, and I did see them when I stopped in for my last refill there, mentioning that I had to move. They were understanding and seemed a little sad, but that may be me projecting.
This, however, is not the end of the downward slide into madness I experienced. You see, somehow when communicating my change of pharmacy to my doctor's office there was a mix-up. Some of my medications were erroneously sent to Cub (grocery chain). No one was sure how that happened and it took four or five times of saying 'Half my meds are at the wrong pharmacy' before the situation got sorted (I don't blame the staff, computers get very stubborn when I'm involved, and the staff are all good people).
BUT OF COURSE, it cannot be that simple. During all of this I was seeing a doctor in the city at a gender & sexual health clinic. You see on top of everything I have going on, I'm trans (to male) and had just been approved to start hormone treatment. This meant adding another medication to the mess I had going. This one was at least on paper, so I simply walked into CVS, said 'Hey I've never dropped off a script before' and they got me fully sorted. The staff there were even exceptionally helpful when my 4-shot vials kept coming up short (damn needles and their almost perfectly .5ml wells!), sending messages to the doctor to try and get things adjusted.
To put icing on the chaos cake that has been my pharmaceutical life for nearly a year, about four months into the new insurance I receive a letter from them saying 'Hey guys, we're working with Walgreen's now!' I just about busted my skull with how hard I face-palmed.
Well, to cut the end off this long and rambly story, everything has at last been sorted. All my medications are back at Walgreen's, except the testosterone because CVS has handled that so damn well I don't have the heart to move it for a mild convenience. And I have to say, to all the pharmacists, techs, and whatever your stations are behind the counter... THANK YOU SO MUCH. Every one of you that I've worked with has been exceptional, and done so much to ease my anxiety about my medications. I wish there was more I could say to express it, I suppose I'll go with: I wish every one of you kitten cuddles, puppy kisses, and bacon cooked to perfection :)

so I lived in a small rural town and always used cvs for my rx's. I had a serious car wreck which required 8 neck and back surgeries and was also one of the only few who received a contaminated epidural injection that was causing spinal meningitis. I have been on pain management for 5 years of which I get 20 mg oxycodone, 10 mg oxymorphone extended release, lyrica and Cymbalta plus the occasional steroid pack or rx for something to help with inflammation. at my rural cvs I never had a problem filling scripts. I recently moved to tampa florida and went to my cvs and kept getting we are out of these pills and don't know when they will be in. I went across the street to walgreens and got them filled right away. I do not abuse the meds or take more than I am supposed to, the problem is I have caremark insurance and they want me to use cvs. I pay more to have them filled at walgreens and actually had to take my Cymbalta back to cvs so insurance would cover them since they are considered a maintenance drug. I tried to talk to pharmacist at cvs to see if he could schedule them in on my fill date each month but he didn't speak very good English and didn't seem to want to help. walgreens is great and orders my meds so they are in when I need them but I do pay a higher price. any ideas on how to get cvs to be more helpful?

So, I have clinical depression. This is my second episode. It started in June. I had previous bullshit trying to even get on medication, in July, but I won't even go there. I started Cymbalta in mid December. It is what helped me before, and it helps now, noticeably.
I got a new job in Jan - new insurance Rx coverage effective 2/1. I needed a refill 2/7. I did not get my new card with proof of coverage in time. I asked HR and was told to pay out of pocket, and there’s a form to submit for reimbursement yourself. So, I did. Paid $252 out of pocket. Mailed form. No problem, I think, though I haven't gotten reimbursed yet.
Now it’s time for another refill. I requested the refill last Thursday. With 6 days of pills and 4 working days to spare. Came home Friday to one automated message from Walgreens “there is a problem filling your prescription” and message from the doctor. I called Sat but Walgreens said they needed pre-authorization from doctor. Dr. not available on Saturday.
Monday I called the doctor first thing (they open at 8:30 which is when I’m supposed to be at work, and I'm not going to be talking on the phone at work about my antidepressant, so I’m late. Hey, new girl, what's wrong with you?). My doctor doesn’t work on Mondays. I ask the receptionist if the pre-auth is something another doc can do. No, but she seems helpful and gets me to fax my new insurance cards over. She offers samples, but I decline, because their office is only open til 5 pm, and I'm thinking leaving work early on the day I arrived late is a bad idea, so I’ll either get this sorted out by Tues or can pick up the samples Tues.
Doctor calls me today (Tues) – great! She explains the insurance company has various pre-requisites before they will fill it. The pre-auth conditions are either (presented in this order):
1) have failed 3 other antidepressants. I’m like “Well, I think only 2, but that was in 2007.”
Or 2) you’re taking it for muscle/nerve pain. No. And I’m wondering why mental illness gets singled out – like they’re willing to cover the drug for physical ailments that have a dozen alternatives, but not depression. Why? Because fuck me! that’s why! Because putting me through this shit is so helpful to my condition.
Or 3) you’ve been taking it longer than 4 weeks, and just switched insurance. Well FUCKING DUH! Doctor prescribed it herself back in December, why does she even need to call me?!!!? Why didn’t she fucking authorize it on Friday? Why do they even have medical records if they're going to act like they have no idea what I've been taking or how long? What happened with the nice receptionist who I was talking to at length about having new insurance and faxing my cards to the day before? But I’m like: whatever, it’s done, right? That was about noon, so I figure it’ll be ready by the time I get off work.
But no. Walgreens hasn’t filled it, the insurance does not go through. I call the insurance co - they haven't received the preauth, or it takes “up to 3 days” to “process”. Well fuck, now I'm out of pills, it’s after hours and I can’t get samples, and my options are:
1) Pay full price out of pocket and cross my fingers that I’m not out $424 when the insurance company rejects the idiot doctor's pre-auth for some contrived reason.
or 2) Pay for 3 days of pills out of pocket: $66, and come back in 3 days for 30 day supply at the normal $40 copay. And eat the $66, or slap the bitch doctor and make HER pay the fucking $66. And why the fuck is a 30 day supply $8.40 per pill but a 3 day supply is $22 per pill?
or 3) Take the Cymbalta in my closet that is 4 years and 2 months past expiration. I’m not too picky about expired meds, but 4 years seems kind of much.
or 4) miss a dose tonight, show up at doctor at 8:30 tomorrow (be late to work again) and demand samples.
And they wonder why people fucking lose their minds in this country.

WARNING: WALL OF TEXT
Hey all. I've been lurking for several months now, and was inspired by the sub to get my own ADHD case reevaluated after not seeing a psychiatrist for several years. I've been seeing a doctor since July. I just wanted to share (read: rant) my experience.
Biography blurb (you may skip): I was diagnosed at a young age, like a lot of folks, and bounced from stimulant to stimulant until my teens when I was put on Cymbalta. It worked well for me. Relieving depression and upping motivation got me through high school. College is a new story though, so I decided to see a doctor as an adult. So far I've been on Vyvanse and Adderall. End Biography blurb.
I'm still on my parent's insurance with Aetna and Medco. I'm so freaking frustrated with how hard they make it for me to afford stimulants as an adult! I understand that they are steering people away from what is essentially Speed, but what about the people that need it? What about me? If anything, because I am an adult now, I am less likely to abuse medication. I openly admit that had I been prescribed Adderall in my teens, I would have abused it. I was just that kind of angry angsty teenage girl. Now, I know better, and I want to be the best I can be. Why is it so hard for people to understand that?
My doctor prescribed me Vyvanse at our first appointment. It worked wonders for me - I love it. I am clear headed, and am more aware of what I need to do in the present and future. BUT, Medco won't cover it. Why? Well, my mother and I first thought that it was because there is no generic available yet. Medco apparently doesn't like new drugs.
So, I ask to be switched to Adderall. Got a script for Instant Release to take twice a day. Mom and I go over the coverage again. NOT COVERED. We do more digging and discover that pretty much any stimulant I could be prescribed won't be covered, simply because I'm OVER 18. That's all it is. I'm too old. I could abuse 'speed' in 10mg form.
Luckily, my parents are wonderful wonderful people and have paid full price for both medications. However, I don't want to do this to them. In order to be covered (even in part) I'd have to ask my doctor to call Medco and get them to look at my individual case for approval. If find this ridiculous given how busy doctors are, and most doctor's policies with new patients. I'm a new patient, I really don't think she's going to take the time to phone a company that will probably say no anyway.
So, if I can't get this situation fixed, I'll just have to rely on Cymbalta. My parent's help with enough, I'm not going to make them pay $200 bucks to help me, and there's no way a part time job would even make a dent. I feel screwed. I tried looking into outside help, like Walgreens Prescription Savings, and even they won't go near stimulants.
I feel like this whole thing is another jab at ADHD'ers from people who think we should just work harder. Such is life?
TL;DR - I'm frustrated that my insurance won't cover my stimulant medication because I'm over 18. Just another part of adult ADHD that sucks. Thoughts, opinions, advice, rebuttals, slaps in the virtual face??