Am I ever going to start Avonex? vent

[LostCupcakes]

Had picked up Avonex prescription from pharmacy 2 weeks ago and been waiting to hear from Avonex company to schedule a nurse to come here and help with 1st shot. Got tired of waiting and called neurologist's office and was told to call Avonex to make sure they'd received my information. Called Avonex and told my neuro never faxed a Start Form requesting training for me! Called neuro and told the nurse (because the docs never actually talk on the phone, it's always a nurse) and she said she'd pass along my message to doc tomorrow since he's not in today.

Can't tell it's a Medicaid neurologist office, can you?

And I'm not even sure if Medicaid will cover a nurse to train me.

[Alicious]

I know with Copaxone, it's a drug company nurse who comes to your home for free. Hopefully Avonex has the same program--th drug companies want you on their med, so they often bend over backwards to keep you happy.

i hope you can get trained soon!

[TLC_31]

Avonex (Biogen) will send a nurse, for no charge, to train you for your first shot. Although I’ve never requested it, I also believe the company would send a nurse for additional training if you thought you were losing your touch, or if you needed a partner trained to inject you, etc.

I am surprised they need a note from the neurologist. You have the medicine and presumably the prescription label on it. Maybe their concern is because some neurologists want patients to titrate their first dose?

The training is worth waiting for. And while it's important to get started, one or two more weeks won't matter in the grand scheme of things.

[woodstock]

Have patience and document and keep track of who you talk to. I saw my neuro 11/30. We decided it was time for me to start on Copaxone. I have yet to start. I have the nurse ready to come out and train me...as soon as the prescription gets straightened out.

In my case, I didn't realize that everything went through Shared Solutions. The neuro told me the prescription went out to a specialty pharmacy. My insurance only covers prescriptions at one pharmacy (rite aid). The first pharmacy (not rite aid) called and said my ins wouldn't cover and they said they'd transfer the prescription...which they did, to CVS. CVS called and my ins didn't cover and they wouldn't transfer it to Rite Aid. I called the neuros office and the nurse that handles Copaxone prescriptions didn't call me back for two weeks. When I finally got hold of her she tells me to call Shared Solutions.

Yesterday Shared Solutions tells me I should be able to get my meds by Saturday...only 2 months to get the meds. And, I'm booked solid next week, so it will be a week before I can get the nurse out here to show us how to start using Copaxone. Argh!!!

[Jane30]

That's really frustrating waiting for a nurse. Why can't your nurse at the neurologist office do your injection training? My nurse helps me with injection training all the time. I hope you get assistance soon.

[LostCupcakes]

I know with Copaxone, it's a drug company nurse who comes to your home for free. Hopefully Avonex has the same program--th drug companies want you on their med, so they often bend over backwards to keep you happy.

i hope you can get trained soon!

That's what I thought too, but when I called Avonex they bluntly asked me if I could afford training. I told her that I had Medicaid and assumed it would be covered and she ignored what I said and told me what I needed to tell my neurologist.

[LostCupcakes]

Have patience and document and keep track of who you talk to. I saw my neuro 11/30. We decided it was time for me to start on Copaxone. I have yet to start. I have the nurse ready to come out and train me...as soon as the prescription gets straightened out.

In my case, I didn't realize that everything went through Shared Solutions. The neuro told me the prescription went out to a specialty pharmacy. My insurance only covers prescriptions at one pharmacy (rite aid). The first pharmacy (not rite aid) called and said my ins wouldn't cover and they said they'd transfer the prescription...which they did, to CVS. CVS called and my ins didn't cover and they wouldn't transfer it to Rite Aid. I called the neuros office and the nurse that handles Copaxone prescriptions didn't call me back for two weeks. When I finally got hold of her she tells me to call Shared Solutions.

Yesterday Shared Solutions tells me I should be able to get my meds by Saturday...only 2 months to get the meds. And, I'm booked solid next week, so it will be a week before I can get the nurse out here to show us how to start using Copaxone. Argh!!!

Wow, that's got to be frustrating (or it would be for me). I'm sorry it's taking so long to get things sorted out for your meds. Hopefully it all works out as soon as possible

[pjsSissy70]

Woodstock, I had a very similar experience with my insurance and Shared Solutions. I actually lost my insurance during the process and everything stopped so I could get approval thru AssistRx.

My copaxone nurse has called me twice for the training and shared solutions has called me and sent a letter as to why I havent started yet. Well, its because Im in limbo waiting for AssistRx to approve me... ugh!!

[seeuinct]

cupcakes-
the same thing happened to me with avonex....it took forever! I was dx in Oct 11'. Then it took me a couple of weeks to decide wich meds I wanted to take. By Chirstmas I was still waiting for all the info to go through! URGH! It was so very frustrating. I finally took my first shot 1/6/12. I hope you get it all worked out soon!

[LostCupcakes]

Just talked with Melissa at Avonex and she was wonderful. I guess the person I talked to last week was an idiot. I've consented to everything and she is sending something to the neurologist to sign and send back and then I can set up a nurse to train me and take my first shot. She said depending on how slow my neuro is that I should expect a call by mid next week at the latest. Wow someone finally treated me decently on the phone and actually helped me with what I needed. How cool is that? lol

[Skatergl]

Seems like a lot a lot tape

I had the same problems with Biogen... Prescribed January 5 and only got the nurse on March 1... Kept calling them and they kept making excuses... Not impressed.