Darn near had a seizure yesterday! Over my new dope.

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  • Libertarian01

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    Had a regular checkup with my Doc. Two (2) pieces of good news. First, I used LabCorp for the first time. Saved me at least $150, maybe more. Second, all my numbers are looking really good. Not great, but improving.

    Now for the downside. I knew I was going to annoy my Doc as I needed to changed up my medicine. The Metformin he has me on causes WAY too big of problems with my stomach. I have tried for over a year to acclimate and it just hasn't worked. I guess I am one of those special problem children who just can't deal with it well.

    He put me on a new kind of dope, Januvia. He warned me in all fairness to him that it could be really expensive, so he gave me five (5) other choices to check with the pharmacist on if this was too much. I went to Walgreens with a 90 day prescription and was told it would be seventeen ninety six. I didn't think that was bad at all until it was clarified that it is ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX dollars (aka $1,796.00). Holy crap! My Walgreens card would bring it "down" to $1,417.

    Then I went through the other five (5) drugs. The highest one would be $630 / month. The "cheap" one is $403 / month.

    I cannot afford any of that. I have insurance but it is a large deductible to keep the premium down and it doesn't have a copay on prescriptions.

    So for the first time in about 30 years I am going to see what I can do through the VA. I served, but was medically discharged and never saw combat. I haven't felt like one of those guys or gals that really earned it, but I am going to have to break down and go for benefits. I was honorably discharged.

    I have NEVER been exposed to this level of pricing. I was thinking $100 - $150 a month, maybe. I could do that. It would hurt, but it would be doable. Over $400 / month is just out of my league.

    How do folks do this? Seriously! This is insane. I could honestly buy a new CAR for that kind of money.

    I have to dig out a DD214 and head to the VA this coming Friday. We'll see if they can help. Otherwise, I will have to go back and review other options, if any exist.

    Regards,

    Doug

    PS - The other dopes on the list, if you are interested are: Jardiance, Invokana, Farxija, Onglyza, and Tradjenta (spelling may not be right.)
     

    fordmanchris

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    Look into a goodrx card. I know it can make some meds substantially cheaper. Also I have heard Costco is way cheaper on meds and you don't have to have a membership to use their pharmacy. I take a lot of sumatriptan to keep my migraines down enough to function, but insurance only allows for 9 a month. Goodrx allows me to fill it 2 more times during the month as long my doctor writes the prescription.
     

    snorko

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    Contact the company to see if they have a patient assistance program. I take a med that costs around $9,600.00/monthe. My insurance covers half. The company has a copay assistance program that covers the rest.
     

    Percolater

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    Have you tried metformin ER? You take once daily with a meal and it's known to have less GI affects (yet still possible). Dirt cheap generic options compared to these other newer meds your doc mentioned.

    Maybe ask your physician if you'd be a candidate for a cheap generic sulfonylurea like glipizide. (glimepiride another option if <65 years old).

    Best of luck!
     

    Libertarian01

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    Thanks to all for the ideas and leads! I will keep these options on the table over the next month.

    Snorko, is your last name Gates or Buffett? I thought mine were bad but how in the hell could someone afford almost $10k / month!?!?!?:faint:

    I have been blessed by having limited health issues. So far all of the dope I have needed has been easily affordable.

    I am still going to move forward with the VA. This has kindof been a heck of a wakeup call. But I am glad to see that there are at least several other options available.

    Thanks!

    Regards,

    Doug
     

    jinks

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    I do not have a VA disability, so I pay a Co-Pay for my meds, visits, and hospitalization. The co-pay is reasonable and labs and tests are included with the visit. I like Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center because everything is available at that location. Several friends have complained their local clinics are slow to schedule for testing. I have received treatment for cancer, leukemia, and other common problems and I have received excellent care. The specialty clinics use fellows from IU Med Center so most are there for one to two years before they move on. The clinics also have staff doctors to guide the fellows.

    https://www.va.gov/health-care/copay-rates/
     
    Last edited:

    DoggyDaddy

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    Contact the company to see if they have a patient assistance program. I take a med that costs around $9,600.00/monthe. My insurance covers half. The company has a copay assistance program that covers the rest.

    ^^^This^^^ is what I was trying to think of. I can't remember the company now, but it's a major one. At the end of their commercials, they say something to the effect of "If you cannot afford xxxxxx, call (company name) for assistance. You may be able to get xxxxxx at little or no cost to you."
     

    snorko

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    ...Snorko, is your last name Gates or Buffett? I thought mine were bad but how in the hell could someone afford almost $10k / month!?!?!?:faint:

    Thanks!

    Regards,

    Doug

    The thing is nobody can afford that. The copay assistance is capped at like $16,500 or somethinsomething, which would normally mmean it would run out after 3 to 4 months. But the payments from the drug company to the pharmacy are reflected as out of pocket by my insurance. So I end up maxing the out of pocket by month 4 and insurance covers all after that.
     

    nra4ever

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    I tried metformin because it’s supposed to add years to your life. Had to stop because of the side effects. I didn’t know there was an ER version. You should try the ER version and see if that works. I’ll have my doc give me that one and see if it works for me. I could use the extra years.
     

    Expat

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    My doc put me on metformin this year as he said I was prediabetes level for several years. I read the side effects on line so I was a little hesitant. I haven't had any at all. I hope you get things worked out.
     

    natdscott

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    Meanwhile, I just think it’s funny you blamed a near-“seizure” on dope. More than one layer to that comedy..bravo!
     

    CHCRandy

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    $1700, $10,000...$30,000......how about $2.1 M for 1 dose? https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/...-insurers-show-some-signs-of-pushback/558101/

    I had a buddy who had cancer and heart problems. He went to his cancer doctor and he prescribed my friend a new medicine, friend went to CVS to have filled and they had to order it, CVS called and said they had it in and my friend went to pick it up, almost $30,000 prescription! He went home and had a message from his heart doctor telling him DO NOT take the medicine the cancer doctor prescribed. He went back to CVS with the unsealed bag with bottle of $30,000 medicine to return. CVS said no way, a card laid is a card played. He was so mad, he thought CVS should have caught it before filling, since they should have known it couldn't be taken with his heart medicine.

    I mess with biotech stocks daily and spend many hours a week studying financials, drug trials, etc. of different companies who are trying to find drugs to help people. It amazes me how many times companies literally spend 100's of millions of dollars just to try getting a drug approved in US. There are companies that have been selling medications in other countries for years, but yet they are still grinding thru the US red tape to be able to market in US. I bet 90+ out of every 100 companies don't survive and just spend tons of investor money and end up rolling over. Then when you do get approval you have a set time to recoup your investment before patent expires and generics come out.

    Health care in the US is out of control, but I'll admit....I have zero clue as to how to fix it.
     

    DocIndy

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    I was put on metformin also.... tore my stomach up so bad it was affecting my work. My diabetes doc asked if I had tried the Extended Release metformin. Nope. He switched me to that and it was night and always different. With Glimeperide in the mix and my A1C dropped like a rock. He also asked if I wanted to try Trulicity. Once a week shot. I have some... but hate needles and can’t psych myself up to do it yet....
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    You could consider Canadian Pharmacies.

    WTHR did a piece on that, just for insulin I think. They featured one guy from northern Indiana that would drive up to Windsor, Ontario and buy the maximum amount that he was allowed to legally bring back. I think it was something like a 3 month supply. He would do it in one day, but it was a very long day of driving and then going from pharmacy to pharmacy up there, but he was saving thousands of dollars by doing it.
     

    boogieman

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    under your bed!!!
    do a google search on each of those meds and add savings card to them. Most pharma corps have them for the higher end meds. I do it every time I get a new one. Most of the time it will drop the price significantly.
    I have been on Jardiance for about 2 years and it works really well on your A1C. You just have to be sure to drink lots of water while on it. I make myself drink about a gallon a day. If I don't it will zap my energy by the afternoon.
     

    churchmouse

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    Dec 7, 2011
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    $1700, $10,000...$30,000......how about $2.1 M for 1 dose? https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/...-insurers-show-some-signs-of-pushback/558101/

    I had a buddy who had cancer and heart problems. He went to his cancer doctor and he prescribed my friend a new medicine, friend went to CVS to have filled and they had to order it, CVS called and said they had it in and my friend went to pick it up, almost $30,000 prescription! He went home and had a message from his heart doctor telling him DO NOT take the medicine the cancer doctor prescribed. He went back to CVS with the unsealed bag with bottle of $30,000 medicine to return. CVS said no way, a card laid is a card played. He was so mad, he thought CVS should have caught it before filling, since they should have known it couldn't be taken with his heart medicine.

    I mess with biotech stocks daily and spend many hours a week studying financials, drug trials, etc. of different companies who are trying to find drugs to help people. It amazes me how many times companies literally spend 100's of millions of dollars just to try getting a drug approved in US. There are companies that have been selling medications in other countries for years, but yet they are still grinding thru the US red tape to be able to market in US. I bet 90+ out of every 100 companies don't survive and just spend tons of investor money and end up rolling over. Then when you do get approval you have a set time to recoup your investment before patent expires and generics come out.

    Health care in the US is out of control, but I'll admit....I have zero clue as to how to fix it.

    How is it that elected officials and their appointees end up millionaires. Lawyers and Lobbyists with hands out at every turn of the process.
     
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