Xolair - Asthma Message Board

reader1 · 08-23-2004, 04:28 PM

Just to let everyone know I am still having really good success with Xolair. I have been on it since October. Since January I have not had any antibiotics, and I have cut back on my meds and cut out the allergy shots altogether. No more sinus headaches and very few asthma symptoms since January.

Xolair is:
--not for everyone. If you have moderate to severe allergic asthma that has not responded to more traditional meds and/or allergy shots, you might want to talk to your doctor about it.
--not a quick fix. It can take up to 6 months to begin to take effect
--brand new. While approved by teh FDA, there is a lot we still don't know about it yet.
--expensive. It's costing my insurance $2600 per month. My insurance covers it all, but I know that a lot of folks do pay copayments - average $45 per month, I guess.
--is an injectable medication. It's available only through specialty pharmacies by doctor's orders

Someone asked about Medicaid - I would imagine they will cover it if you meet all the criteria for taking it.

irenee2 · 08-23-2004, 09:40 PM

I was the one who asked if Medicare would cover Xolair. I have since gone to the Xolair web site and learned how to find out. They also have a patient assistance program which I am also going to explore. I am in several of these programs for other expensive drugs and they are saving me thousands of dollars. I could not take these drugs without these programs as I simply couldn't afford them. I am curious as to why you stopped the allergy shots as they have a much smaller potential for causing side effects. I am currently taking them and feel they will make a big difference if I can only have the patience to wait the several years for them to take effect. (I am determined to do so, although it's hard to have this kind of patience when you are 71 years old!)

reader1 · 08-24-2004, 04:36 PM

Hi, I am glad you are taking advantage of all those programs that are available.

I stopped allergy shots for 2 reasons: 1) the Xolair has made such a huge difference, my doc and I feel I no longer need the allergy shots and 2) I have taken allergy shots for most of my life (I'm only 36, but I've taken allergy shots for maybe 26 years all told) and I feel that they have kept me out of the hospital, but nothing else. I am so severely allergic to so many things. These last 8 months have been heaven, thanks to Xolair. Not to say I'm never congested or anything, but my symptoms are MINOR in comparison to what they were before.