How long have they been on Invega? Isn’t there a three month shot also? Have you considered that route in the future?
Have they been able to stay out of the hospital?
over 10 years, I have been stock piling them and only give it as needed… Some pharmacies are dropping them from inventory…
With the wife, we do not do hospitals, many years ago they said “take her home and don’t bring her back as there is nothing we can do” her last visit was when she was arrested…, daughter recently got back from a 60 day dual purpose facility visit on the beach in Jacksonville Florida, it worked, she is clean and crazy… this insurance cash cow worked for now
Thank you, so what is the criterion for giving the shot? Does the shot always work the way the previous shot did and can you tell a Noticeable difference on and off medication?
I’m glad to hear about your daughter. Do you have hope that she can improve with psychotherapy?
None, doc writes scrip, mail in scrip to my provider (BCBS) mail order pharmacy, 3 shots for 90 days comes in the mail and I shoot them when required…
nope… Nether of them do psychotherapy as it is a waist of time and money for SZ, they only do physiatrist to write scrips once every 3 months, she went on her dual propose “vacation” cleaning for heroin…
Thank you for the info. It sounds like I should at least try to administer the shot. I’ll look into that mail order also.
Be advised, that with the change from merck medco to caremark under Blue Cross, they will no longer do it, bastards, it was only $100 for three shots, you can still find it but it is getting harder, I have 10 shots in reserve. ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY WITH THESE WORTHLESS F*CKS…
What do you mean “they will no longer do it.”? Who is “they” and what will they no longer do? Mail order? Why are you stock piling? Are these injections difficult to get now, without paying a huge co-pay? We have BCBS as primary, then Medicaid as secondary…
From a layperson, the Invega shot and other shots (not all though; there are some immediate release antipsychotic shots), are time release. That’s why there is first a time period of oral meds, then the shot is given and the oral meds continue for awhile UNTIL the shot takes effect in anywhere from one to three weeks. My family member had to stay in for one month after the first injection to make sure they were working.
The shots work by being given on a regular basis; their individual efficacy overlaps, according to the doctor treating our family member.
When our family member’s injection dose was lowered from high to regular, they said it would take a month or two to see whether this would work.
Personally, I would not give the shot. I want my family member to be in contact with the treatment team as much as possible as they are the ones who see so many people with these illnesses. The excellent team who sees my family member is run by the public department of health and welfare and there are no charges if people can’t afford it.
I can see why some people would want to give the shot and I agree it would be a good idea to know how to do it in case things change.
Then you have way more money than I do…
My two SZs are problematic with this stuff, it dont do much with respect to cost… I have noticed the most beneficial application for them is win they are WAY GONE and used as needed… And the Doc has no problem with it… Invega pills do NOTHING…
When merck medco lost to caremark as the Mail order pharmacy for Alabama BCBS (LOW BID CRAP) I received a letter saying they will no longer provide Invega (shots) … I had scrips on file and they simply quit giving them up…
This is what I define as “way gone” LOL, I am Greg
My best guess on this is that crapmark owns CVS and many CVS will do the shot at $300 a pop…
I get pissed real fast over this crap…
The psychiatrist or nurse practitioner administers the shot during his monthly psych visit.
There are free services in my area for people with no money. And there are programs from the drug companies for free medication that the county helps access. So… we are really lucky that my family member was court ordered into this program.
FWIW, we went thru several meds with my son, and we had a problem with compliance as well, but the shots just weren’t doing it for him. The pdoc finally decided to try clozapine, which must be taken orally. My son has stayed compliant on it for nearly 2 years now. I think its because it actually is effective for him.
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I had to give myself injections for years–not for sz, but MS. It’s easy. Especially if a family member does it for you. It is more convenient to do at home, and I would guess for sz patients, less traumatic
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GSSP you have the patience of a saint.
I hope you get some peace.
I’m glad your daughter went through rehab.
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I’m strongly considering Clozapine if this combination fails
When my son was on Invega Sustenna, the nurse at my son’s doctor’s office gave him his shot at no additional charge.
I’ve given myself shots, and we give the dogs their shots, but I’m not so sure I could have done it for my son.
I’d be scared I was doing it wrong.
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I have caremark, and I’m not a fan at all.
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