mfj23
01-21-2008, 12:05 PM
I have lost my health insurance and my new policy will not go into force until 04/01/08. After my 2nd open heart surgery my sternum slipped and is misaligned giving me severe pain, especially when it is cold out. My Dr. gives me Oxycontin 20mg, 3 times per day. Without insurance the cost is $320.00 plus $120.00 office visit. Until my insurance kicks in I have to find an alternate medication that will help my pain that I can afford. Pharmacy was no help and my doc says there are mfg. that you can apply for assistance. That will not help me this week when I run out of Oxy20mg. Any suggestions would be grateful..
Thank you
Thank you
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01-21-2008, 01:50 PM
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brianpain33
01-21-2008, 06:42 PM
I know that one of the cheap pain medications is Methadone. You could go on a low dose of this until your health plan kicks into effect. You could start out on 10mg dose and up it from there to get an effective dose. You might find that this will be more effective than the Oxy. Hope that helps. Call and ask the pharmacist what a 30 day supply of Methadone would be. They should be able to tell you that. Hopefully your doctor would write you the prescription to pick up instead of requiring an office visit. That price for an office visit is rather pricey. Keep us posted.
Brian
Brian
forginon
01-21-2008, 07:18 PM
IMHO methadone is the best and probably only answer, especially since you don't have time for mfg assistance.
Lucky for you, methadone may well be the most effective pain med available.
And inexpensive? My Rx for 480 5mg tabs per month cost only about $42, and that was w/o insurance.
I say go for it!
You would probably do well at 5-10mg three times daily to start. I think you'll be amazed!
steve
Lucky for you, methadone may well be the most effective pain med available.
And inexpensive? My Rx for 480 5mg tabs per month cost only about $42, and that was w/o insurance.
I say go for it!
You would probably do well at 5-10mg three times daily to start. I think you'll be amazed!
steve
mfj23
01-21-2008, 07:32 PM
Thank you for your reply's. Methadone seems to be the answer. I heard it was inexpensive. Any thoghts for breakthrough pain? I feel like I have a tolerance. I started at oxycontin 10mg twice a day, now at 20mg 3 timed a day and I am still in lots of pain. Thank you for your help.
Marty
Marty
badoldback
01-22-2008, 10:24 AM
Generic Oxycodone (not time release) is considerably cheaper than Oxycontin, although still somewhat pricey.
mfj23
01-22-2008, 10:57 AM
Thank you for your reply, that is what I asked for last month(the generic) after calling my doctor for autherization she rang me up at $276 fo 90 oxycodone ER 20mg. I called the pharmacy and for 120 methadone tablets 10mg in generic was about $21.00 This I can live with until I get my Insurance back. I just need to find something for breakthrough pain. Thank you
Marty
Marty
Shoreline
01-23-2008, 08:55 AM
Hi MFJ, As far as a cheap BT med. Generic short acting morphine and dilaudid are both very cheap. You also need to shop price, ask your pharamcy to price match if you find it cheaper elsewhere. I 've seen price difference as much as 3 times higher at walgreens than at walmart, even on meth their price was twice as much.
Some pharmacies will price match, others won't, but you have to do the leg work and find the price and give them a number to confirm it. When I didn't have insurance I used 30 mg MSIR or 4 mg dilaudid for BT and could get prescriptios for 120 tabs of either generic med for under 30 bucks. That doesn't mean walgreens, Rite aid or CVS isn't going to ask for 80 bucks when you can get it across the street for 30, so be a smart shopper just like you would for any other product or service.
Good luck Dave
Some pharmacies will price match, others won't, but you have to do the leg work and find the price and give them a number to confirm it. When I didn't have insurance I used 30 mg MSIR or 4 mg dilaudid for BT and could get prescriptios for 120 tabs of either generic med for under 30 bucks. That doesn't mean walgreens, Rite aid or CVS isn't going to ask for 80 bucks when you can get it across the street for 30, so be a smart shopper just like you would for any other product or service.
Good luck Dave
mfj23
01-23-2008, 03:07 PM
Hi MFJ, As far as a cheap BT med. Generic short acting morphine and dilaudid are both very cheap. You also need to shop price, ask your pharamcy to price match if you find it cheaper elsewhere. I 've seen price difference as much as 3 times higher at walgreens than at walmart, even on meth their price was twice as much.
Some pharmacies will price match, others won't, but you have to do the leg work and find the price and give them a number to confirm it. When I didn't have insurance I used 30 mg MSIR or 4 mg dilaudid for BT and could get prescriptios for 120 tabs of either generic med for under 30 bucks. That doesn't mean walgreens, Rite aid or CVS isn't going to ask for 80 bucks when you can get it across the street for 30, so be a smart shopper just like you would for any other product or service.
Good luck Dave
Some pharmacies will price match, others won't, but you have to do the leg work and find the price and give them a number to confirm it. When I didn't have insurance I used 30 mg MSIR or 4 mg dilaudid for BT and could get prescriptios for 120 tabs of either generic med for under 30 bucks. That doesn't mean walgreens, Rite aid or CVS isn't going to ask for 80 bucks when you can get it across the street for 30, so be a smart shopper just like you would for any other product or service.
Good luck Dave
mfj23
01-23-2008, 03:15 PM
Shoreline,
Thank you for your reply. I just got a discount prescription cars that offers discounts. The generic for that Dilaudid is Hydromorphone HCI I can get 90X4mg for $45.76 I was having so much pain I called my Doc, he called in 180 Norco, generic 10mg/325 and it was $110.00 OUCH!!!!! 1 Hour, No relief, I don't like the tylenol either I see my Doc next Weds. I will ask him about the Dilaudid. Thank you very much. MFJ
Thank you for your reply. I just got a discount prescription cars that offers discounts. The generic for that Dilaudid is Hydromorphone HCI I can get 90X4mg for $45.76 I was having so much pain I called my Doc, he called in 180 Norco, generic 10mg/325 and it was $110.00 OUCH!!!!! 1 Hour, No relief, I don't like the tylenol either I see my Doc next Weds. I will ask him about the Dilaudid. Thank you very much. MFJ
Fabrashamx
01-23-2008, 03:23 PM
This would be dropping back in strength, but maybe he could put you on a higher dose of the methadone and then give you hydrocodone 10 mgs for your breakthrough pain, its much cheaper than the oxy, and if the methadone is working as well for you as it does for me, the lower strength breakthrough med might work fine for you.
Best of luck, please post and let us know how it all turns out.
Hugs, Fabby
Best of luck, please post and let us know how it all turns out.
Hugs, Fabby