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Need another option. Can't afford med

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 9/2/2014 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
So I've found the coxycontin 15mg to really help more than the others i have tried. Problem is: it cost $155 a month, i can't imagine what the price will be if i ever need to increase the dose.

My insurance will pay for morphine and opana(name brand) for me the morph one didnt work(maybe a much higher dose would but 10mg bid did not help). The opana seemed to help but i had bad GI issues with it and every 8 hours i seemed to start withdrawl symptoms. I also felt like 10mg was not strong enough. I would be willing to give the opana another try at a higher dose and maybe something like zofran to go with it(but actually insurance will not pay for zofran either and its like $200!)
My pm dr does not want to use fent patches.
I'm having surgery soon so i need to have a good plan before i go through all that pain.
Are there any options I'm missing or other things to do? When you live off SSI, $155 for 1medicine is just too hard ont a budget
Posted 9/3/2014 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Do a google search on this medication, go to the manufactures website and look for discount coupons. Some manufactures of medications have coupons. I just printed up a coupon card for Otrexup an auto injectible of methotrexate (for my RA) Plus, this medication is relatively new in auto injections...so it'll probably still costs me something...
Hope this helps...
Posted 9/3/2014 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
It's a $125.00 off co pays..for me...
Posted 9/3/2014 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
Assuming your ocyC is on 12hr dosing for a total of 30mgs /24hrs and you are switching to MS Contin the standard conversion is certainly low at 10mgs /12hr dosing and it would have been closer to 20mgs/12hrs and a total of 40-45mgs /24HR.

Not sure on the opana but will check for you. Thus the reason I'm guessing the morphine didn't do much of anything.


Opana conversion came in at 15mgs /24hrs so that is somewhat on the low side as well. After saying that most drs go low and move higher as your body adjusts to the med. Trying a med for a few weeks or even a month is not giving it fair chance since the LA meds do not reach therapeutic levels at the same rate Ir meds do and it needs time to do that before you can accurately say it will or won't provide this much pain relief.

Are you in PM care or does your primary prescribe?
Posted 9/3/2014 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
Chartreux has a great idea for you. The thread on Prescription Drug Discount Cards has similar information that might be helpful to you.

Hope you find some way to get the medication you need.
Posted 9/3/2014 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
i have a discount drug card, but when I asked my pharmacy if they used it they told me that they just recently got notification that because I have medicaid that I can't use it, even if its for a medication not covered. I don't understand this at all.

And about the morphine, now that i think about it, I think i was on 40mg/24hrs(2 20mgs)
morphine in any form never works well for me, like IV morphine does nothing for pain). I'd be willing to try a higher dose of the MS Contin if they were willing to prescribe to see if it would work.

I maybe willing to try the Opana again too, bc i did get some relief with it, but I felt like 10mg was just too low. And the GI symptoms were just rough. also, I felt i needed every 8 hours not 12
BUt If we can handle the side effects, I"d be willing to try it again to save $155 a month.
The last 2 months have been a hard time to evaluate if a medicine is really working because my pain has been abnormally out of control and bad, so maybe after surgery to fix the damage, and things slow down pain wise, I can try one covered by insurance again.

Post Edited (AngMichelle) : 9/3/2014 7:05:50 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/3/2014 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
Chartreux has the right idea,
Depending on your income almost all pharmaceutical companies have prescription assistance programs. In this way they provide up to a year of meds to folks who cant financially afford the costs. Do a google for the med name and assistance program.
My husband's meds were covered this way until we were able to get back on out feet. They were about 1700.00 (no not a typo) a month and we paid closer to 40.00 using these programs. It does involve some paperwork but it can be a blessing. Good luck!
Posted 9/3/2014 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
AngMichelle, I know several people in other states who also have Medicaid and they are able to use discount cards for their meds that Medicaid won't pay for. Their meds are also Schedule II.

I don't know what type of discount card you have but it seems like Tennesee Drug Card should work. The link should help you with knowing the price.

"Who Is Eligible To Participate In The Tennessee Drug Card Program?-
Membership to the Tennessee Drug Card program has no requirements. Unlike insurance programs, there is no income, age, pre-existing condition, deductible, or waiting period restrictions. The program is designed to help patients nationwide who do not have prescription drug coverage or who have coverage but are subject to large deductibles, large co-pays, formulary limitations, dosing limitations, gaps, and/or any cash out-of-pocket expenses."

Tennesee Drug Card -Medication Pricing-
www.tennesseedrugcard.com/index.php

Post Edited (Mercy&Grace) : 9/3/2014 6:09:30 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/4/2014 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
Can you not use your Medicaid coverage and instead select to be a "cash patient" and thus avoid Medicaid all together, and then be able to utilize the benefit of the discount cards?

I don't imagine the pharmacy can coerce you into using your insurance?? I honestly don't know. But I mean, if you're paying out of pocket, then the Medicaid wouldn't even factor in, right?












M.
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