yes its very confusing i agree and you probably cannot change plans maybe unless they never gave you advance notice of the change. i was checking other part D plans online and they had amitriptylene on it and different plans had fentanyl at different tiers so its definitely a plan decision not a medicare decision.

I just cannot imagine ANY insurance plan not paying for amitriptyline! All the other restricted plans pay for it...Medicaid and HMOs. It is so inexpensive, there would be incentive to use it before Cymbalta or other SSRIs!

I think the person at pharmacy is mistaken. Once a pharmacy put my tramadol thru as "cash", because it was on "their list" for $4.00 a month.... and I insisted on my insurance and it came to $1.24. (with my copay). They didn't even TRY my insurance which is on file there!

This another older trycyclic. It wouldn't have the beneficial effect on the pain as the amitrip; but if the amitrip doesn't work for sleep, it's just a suggestion. I have used it for over 10 years for sleep. Good luck with it all. I'd like to switch to amitrip, but so many have complained of weight gain, I am afraid to try it.

Amitriptyline cranks me up something awful....then again, so does Chloral Hydrate, Benadryl etc.

The only thing that make me a bit sleepy is Ambien, or a benzo. Period. Oh and the surgical stuff, like Propofol....but obviously, I am not going there.

I will go without sleep for 3 nites and on the 4th, sleep maybe 4 hours and it starts all over again. Ugh. This is a lot of hours to fill with something, especially when not as mobile and strong as I used to be.

trazadone worked great for me for sleep. the only problem was that i couldnt wake up or stay awake ven after 17 hours of sleeping.

We are all so different in what works and what doesn't with meds. I've been taking lorezepam(ativan) 1 mg. for sleep for almost ten years now. I became so ill when my grandson was diagnosed with cancer that I wasn't eating or sleeping, lost 12 lbs in two weeks. My doc put me on it then, calmed down my tummy got me back to sleeping normal and my grandson has just celebrated 10 years away from his aml leukemia.
So all I'm saying here along with everyone else is that there are alot of options and I hope you find an affordable one for yourself or get in touch with a drug company that offers assistance for the meds you do need???
Good luck!!

Thank you all for your responses. I will be going over all my medicare info and making some calls. Since I was effective on my drug plan 12/1/2010, I know I did research to make sure my meds were covered. Now comes 1/1/2011 and the plan has made changes.
I have a tough time concentrating on reading and retention. Ironically, I spent 20 yrs in medical insurance industry before I got sick. Now with the brain fog, I can't understand squat.

Some pharmacies will help you with this...

Walgreen's advertises that they help Medicare patients choose plans that are best for each person. (and explain plans for you)

Also there are programs for seniors and the disabled in local
communities that may help. Try calling the United Way in your area and see if they have some senior help with things like this.
United Way does have help with medications, as well, if you have to pay large amounts of money for them.

Hi catloucle,

I've tried that, and it's always just exacerbated the problem for me; I wind up thinking about the wrong things, and that contributes to the anxiety/insomnia. Now I get up and try to find something to occupy/distract my mind, whether getting online, watching movies, playing with furface, or working on a hobby/project. What I don't do is worry about it anymore, because that just wasn't helping/productive.

I know you mentioned all this began before your loss (deepest sympathies), but depression could still be a contributing factor.

Jes spitballin' here.... Do you snore? Have apnea? Somnambulate?

Doc

Hi, Dr Smith. I do snore which is why I always sleep on my side.