Oh my lord...

I received the okay to switch to the Lamotrigine XR (awesome, right?). So, yay! I may not be sick for an eternity now.

However, it was quite a blow to hear the actual price. From a retail store: $630 for a 30-day supply. From the mail-order through Aetna: $2,100 for a 90-day supply.

I seriously almost passed out.

Dave called the third-party insurance handler for his company to figure out if if is applying to our deductible, and, once we hit the deductible, will the medication be free? That makes a hugs difference on whether or not I'll switch.

I would like not to feel sick all the time, but I also don't want to put my family in any kind of financial burden. If it is a choice between me feeling sick or taking care of my family, my family will win every time.

Dave is going to text me once he gets a response and we will make a decision. I'll update with the results later.

***UPDATE: 2/9/13 @ 12:50am***

Dave spoke with Jill at the insurance handling office. He told me to go ahead and fill it.

To be honest, the price petrified me. I raised my concern about what would happen if we had a "player-to-be-named-later" and financials. Dave said that as long as we budget correctly everything should be fine and to still go ahead and fill the prescription.

It still scares me. Like, a lot. But, I know this is going to make a huge difference In how I feel and I'm still able to keep our future family safe. And I will still reap the cognitive and simple-motor benefits of Lamictal.

I am now taking 200 mg 2x/daily of the Lamotrigine ER. I took my first pill tonight. I'm taking one distributed by Par Pharmaceuticals.

I spoke with my pharmacist and he said while it is an expensive drug, many people are now having great luck with it and that once it has been public for six months to a year, the price should begin to fall. Theo more people switch to the generic, the quicker the price should fall.

I'm looking forward to seeing the results. Fingers crossed for the next few days!