Migraine

I got a letter from my insurance company on Friday. It said that there was a generic available in one of my perscriptions and that I could "try it on them" in place of one of my Frova refills.

I knew this was going to happen. First of all, Frova and Imitrex (sumatriptan) are not the same. They work on different receptors in the brain. I have tried Imitrex before and it did not work for me. Frova is one of the few that do, and gives me the least amount of side effects.

So, I know what is coming next. I can feel it.

I am sure my insurance company at some point soon will either make me try the sumatriptan and fail it again before they cover the Frova like they always have, or, they will make me get a letter of medical necessity from my doctor as to why I need Frova and not sumatriptan.

I am not really all that shocked by this, but it is very annoying. And, I am really annoyed by the letter from my insurance that made it sound like Frova and sumatriptan are the exact same thing - like sumatriptan is Frova's generic, which it is not.

I am going to see if I can get the letter of medical necessity now - to avoid having to retry a drug that I already know does not work for me.

Eileen,
I have been getting these types of letters from my insurance company too, but so far they have not made me switch to anything different. I just have to pay more for the meds that I get that are not generic. You are so right- Imitrex and Frova are not at all the same. I had a very bad reaction to the Imitrex and Frova gives me very few side effects. And everyone is so different as to which med is most effective with the nerve receptors. I hope you can avoid any hassles with this.

Peggy

It makes you wonder just how brain dead the people at the insurance companies are. Like we wouldn't gleefully choose cheaper options if they worked.

Thought I'd respond with my own insurance hate mail!

I've been out of work for most of the past year - spent thousands of dollars going to different doctors, ERs, Mayo, meds, etc.... I finally go to see a doctor who comes up with a medicine regime that helps . . .

and insurance won't pay for the medicine!!! You'd think they'd want anything that would keep me from racking up the kinds of medical bills I've had the past few years!

I understood when they didn't want to pay for my abortive (kind of), but when they denied the Vimpat I was shocked. Now I'm trying to determine whether getting on the phone with the insurance company is worth the migraine that is bound to occur!

I guess the only thing they can do is say no again. So, I'm going to put on my big girl panties and my friendlist tone and try to have a friendly conversation with the lovely people who answer the phone. (sarcasm) Really, though, I'm going to do my best to be kind and convincing - I'd hate to be the people who answer the phone at the insurance company - they're probably stuck with some script for people like me.

We'll see how high up the ladder I can climb my way on the insurance phone ladder!

Cyn