Canadian pharmacies
 

Has anyone here in the States used a reliable one to get their prescriptions? I'm about out of one of my heart medications, and we don't have health insurance. I haven't priced it locally yet, but I'd like to have some options.

Dude. Weren't Canadian pharmacies proven to be a a plot by the terrorists, that the FDA heroically overthrew?

I don't know...all I know is that this is the main prescription that I have to take for my heart, and I need it at a reasonable price.

Is your med generic? $4 without prescription coverage at Walmart. And they usually have better prices for meds that are still under patent.

I wouldn't trust the Canadian stuff to be what you're paying for. I mean dude, it's from the INTERNET.

At least if you die taking something from the Walmart, the lovely MrsSyc will have someone to sue.

That and she could blame it on some conspiracy by the Chinese or Bush.

As I understand it, there is a generic for CorEg, but it's made by a company in India. The way I see it, if it were good, my doc would have already put me on it.

True, now that the Russian mob has wiped out Canada's $ they aren't worth going after.

On the other hand if she has a good pancake recipe the Canadians may be just the people she needs...

Did you ask him/her to do so? Sometimes the docs are getting kickbacks from the pharm folks and don't prescribe generics unless requested. Is your doctor aware of your financial situation? They can also go with a different drug based on your insurance level.

Often, the "best" (read: on-patent and costly) drug is only marginally better than the previous-generation (read: generic & cheaply available) drug.

ETA: Just checked, CorEg (Carvedilol) is just off-patent, and is available as a generic. It is available at WalMart for $4 for 30 day supply or $10 for 90 day supply. No reason not to get it -- if requested, any pharmacist can substitute the generic for the name-brand prescription, as long as the doctor has not expressly forbidden such a substitution.

The doc knows about our situation...before we lost our insurance, he gave me generics where he could, along with double amounts on certain meds (so I can cut them in half). Unfortunately, CorEg is a capsule.

you should get a job working for the state government. they have good benefits usually.

yebbut at Walmart prices, no need to cut them in half, eh?

Carvedilol is on the Walmart formulary. Four bucks, dude, no shipping.

My mom has been taking the generic since it's been available, and according to her cardiologist her heart function has significantly improved.

If you can get your doc to do it, see if he'll write your script for twice your current dosage, and then cut the pills in half ... you'll get two months for the price of one. (coreg is a tablet, not a cap ... or does your doc have you on the CR (once a day extended release?) If so, ask him if you can go on the BID dosing because of the cost differential. The medication is the same except for the time release element.

You can also try hitting your PCP up for samples, that one doesn't always work, though.

Have you already used the coupon?

Thanks for the info, guys! I'll call my cardiologist first thing Monday to see if I can take regular Coreg instead of the CR, then head over to Wal Mart. God I hate Wal Mart...but their prices are wonderful.

There are other stores that have met the WM pricing, if that works better for you. Wegman's, for instance. Yeah, I'm not too fond of WM either.

This is what the cellar is for.

Amen, Brother Griff!

Our biggest supermarket chain (Schnucks) has been trying to keep up with Wal Mart over the past couple years, including Rx's. I'll probably check with them before Wal Mart, since they're closer.

Canadian pharmacies are no different than American pharmacies.

Neither of which are related, even distantly, to internet meds.

I was just at the Target ... they also are doing the $4 generic thing.

And, incidentally, they have a whole bunch of leftover Hello Kitty Christmas swag in the "See, Spot, Save" bins near the front of the store. Got some reusable shopping bags, a backpack charm (to keep my cow orkers from searching my bags when I forget to tag them "NOT PATIENT PROPERTY"), a dress-up Hello Kitty Christmas Magnet set, some flicker-cover notebooks, and a couple of pens that I realize won't last long. $0.50 each.

Schnucks did indeed have generic Coreg...$4 for a month's supply. Now I only have one brand-name Rx...fortunately, that last one is cheap.

Wow. $4 for a month's supply of a drug? That's amazingly cheap. What kind of price is charged on the brand-name stuff?

Lot of $$$$$$.

Many of the big box stores like Target, Walmart, and many of the big chain grocery stores have begun to offer big discounts on a laundry list of medications.

http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion...icdruglist.pdf

One of the best things (the only good thing?) that Walmart has done is create that price war. Now, if only we had a functioning FDA that could insure the potency and purity of these drugs, we'd be all set.

Depends on the medication.

Some will run $50 for a month's worth, others can top $1000.

momWolf takes some medications that are not on her insurance plan's formulary. I think we pay $40 or so out of pocket for that one. And there is at least one medication where her doctor has told her on no uncertain terms ... no generic, brand only. Because that one IS on formulary, we pay half of what it costs rather than the full cost, so it runs about $20.

Ah, ok. That's more in line with what I'd expected.

My Singulair costs $50 for 3 months -but that's just my co-pay. my eczema cream is a generic and costs peanuts comparatively

Kroger also has the 4 buck generics. Now that my heart attack is behind me, I take seven meds daily. It saves me a bundle. Especially on beta blockers.

My dad lost his job recently and has no medical coverage. He has diabetes and high blood pressure. I have been helping him get his prescriptions from Canadian pharmacies. For some things, they are more expensive, but for others they are much cheaper.

We've had to pay cash for him to visit a doctor to get a prescription. His insulin costs $75 per bottle in Canada, and $100 per bottle here. But in Canada this one is over the counter. His lisinopril costs more up there than it does down here and you need a prescription either way for that. He's taking 10mg of that and I'm on 20mg of it daily.

I take 20 mg lisinopril daily. Kroger price for 30 is 4 bucks. Glad to see a little competition among "drug dealers".

Argh. I am currently on Omeprazole and would be incapable of anything if I was not.
I got 3 months supply for about £7 (it's the prescription fee, I can't remember it exactly)
Same with 3 months of Paroxetine (Seroxat) my anti-depressant.

Oh and my contraceptive implant was free and lasts for three years.

I won't have to pay to have any of those renewed while I am out of work.
It's one less thing to worry about.

I know healthcare is a huge and complicated issue, and I'm not using the above as an argument for it. It's just useful for me sometimes to be reminded not to take it for granted.

Sundae, sign up for jobseekers allowance. Even if you're not entitled to full benefits, they'll pay your stamp for you ( I think) and I think if you're on the system for Jobseekers, even if you're temporarily blocked from claiming the cash, you may still get your prescriptions free. Also, if they tell you you arenb't entitled to benefits because of voluntary unemployment, then ask about hardship payments (I think that's what they're called). It's basically a small allowance that bridges you to full benefits when you're fully entitled again. I don't think (though I may be wrong) that they're supposed to leave someone with zero income.

My doc had me on Lipitor for which no generic is available for consumers yet. At $50/30 pills, I'd skip doses often. Then I received a letter from the military insurance managers that told me information I did not know - there is no generic for Lipitor, but there are meds that do the job and have generics or cheaper prices. Three names were provided, one of which was Lovastatin, and 2 of those were covered in the $4/30 day and $10/90 day supplies. I'll always ask my doctor for a generic version or generic substitution for any brand-name now. The money we've spent on Lipitor... GRRRR!

All this goes to show it pays {you} to be an informed consumer. It is a complicated system but you can lessen the blows.

Sorry to self-quote, but it was easier than re-typing it. :p

Don't worry - I have already applied for JobSeekers. I'm waiting to hear back from them.
If it's a No (which it will be) I'll start asking for what else I can get.
After all, they can't expect me to JobSeek on zero income.

In truth I will find something - anything! - before the benefits kick in. It's just the fear I get every time I switch on the news and see all the redundancies in the area... I'll be applying for all the benefits AND the vacancies just in case.

Pie, I had tried to research generics and substitutions and did not find the information. Perhaps I wasn't phrasing the search right. The doctor who originally prescribed the meds told me he wanted me on that one (DAW'd it) and I gave up too fast, thinking he had knowledge and my best interest at heart. Now I know better - always check with the Cellar! :)

Actually it's probably better to self quote, rather than make two identical posts which might confuse some people. :thumb:

One thing I like about Texas pharmacies:
It is the law here that the pharmacy fill a prescription with the generic if it is available. So you don't even have to remember to ask for it.
Of course if you or your doctor desire you can specify you need/want the brand name. Its posted on every pharmacy counter (that I've seen) that you have to request brand-name.
I'm not worried about taking generics, they go through the same FDA testing the brand-name does. Brand-name had a patent, that is all.

In GA it is opposite. You must request generic. (I'm not saying its the law, knitpickers)
My cholesteral medicine brand name: $212.00
Generic brand: $4.00
Knowing this: Priceless.

I am on two prescription medications. My insurer used to pay hundreds of dollars for me every month. Now, they pay -- nothing. And I pay $8/month, far less than the $40 copay I used to have. Competition is a wonderful thing! :D

Same here capnhowdy, but quite often if you have prescription insurance coverage, the insurance company will insist the pharmacist contact the Doctor to see if he really wants the name brand.

My brother (in MA) is having a hard time with my mother's scripts because they will only dispense a month's supply. If the month ends on a weekend, he can't get them on Friday and she'll be out by Monday. Stupid shit when it comes to narcotics. :mad:

Yup. My DR writes 6 refills on 6 of my meds but I have to get a new script every month for pain meds.We both know (DR & I) that I need the pain meds monthly from here on out but I have to have a monthly appt. to avoid the costly "pain management" clinics. Pisses me off.