Okay to request medicine from doctor?

[Xila31]

So I have this prescription for Risperidone. I have not filled it yet and it has been almost 3 weeks. I don't even have the money to fill it right now anyway. But I have researched this medicine and I am not comfortable with all of the side effects. Not just the weight gain but also the possibility of permanent twitching. Not only that but also I have had a majorly bad reaction to anti-psychotic medication and I can't remember what medication that was. I have attempted to get the name of the medication from both the hospital where it was prescribed and my OB/GYN at the time who knew I was on it. Both sources have failed to contact me back and it has been 3 weeks.

So, my question is, would it be wrong to request the doctor to prescribe me something else. After all of my research and my very limited budget it seems Lithium would be the only option for me right now. I know it can cause thyroid and kidney issues, so I was thinking of only taking it short term, maybe 6 months at most, when our financial situation stabilizes. I don't know if this would seem rude of me to ask my doctor, but I believe in being a pro-active patient and I am serious about treatment and being well.

What do you think? Would it be rude or presumptous of me to request this?

[Xila31]

Thanks, IL. I appreciate your advice as you have been through so much.  I think the issue here is that I DO have insurance. I just can't afford anything under my insurance. I am in a rock and a hard place, so to speak. I pay all this money out of my paycheck for insurance but I am too poor to pay my co-pays to get medicine or see my doctor. I have a payment plan with my doctor now, but even that is very hard on us.

Because I have insurance I do not qualify for any assistance for medications. I would actually be in a better situation I think sometimes if I just gave up my insurance, but I need it for my son in case of emergencies. I make too much money at my job to qualify for Medicaid.

In 6 months my financial situation will be better. A lot of major debts are being paid at the moment, and they will be gone then.

[ILADVOCATE]

Cost can be a factor but if you need information on how to obtain coverage for medications or appeal it that I have posted about and could give more information. Its never wrong to ask your psychiatrist why they prescribed a certain medication and if there are other options. Risperdal is an antipsychotic used as a mood stabilizer. As you know I live with the long term side effects of current antipsychotics (the extent I do though is statistically rare and under clinical study) but as I have schizoaffective disorder I needed them and what I currently am on is clinical study so its a risk albeit one acceptable to me as its supervised by researchers. I can't take back all the years I was on conventional antipsychotics though as I needed them to remain stable. Nor can I say what the long term side effects of medications in study will be. Lithium as does Risperdal has long term side effects. But ever medication does. As to what medication is most helpful for each person that's a psychiatrist's decision so feel free to ask why. As for financial issues though there are ways to obtain insurance coverage such as Medicaid or the Medicaid Buy in for Working People with Disabilities as well as ways to fight coverage denials as I do successfully all the time.