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Should I try Mexico or Canada for Entocort?

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Posted 6/22/2011 12:46 AM (GMT 0)

After 8 yrs with the crohn's, it seems that Entocort is really the only medicine that doesn't give me ALL of the horrible side effects.  I live in Oregon and have LAME Blue Cross insurance, and they won't cover the Entocort.  I just asked my doctor for a script that I can go check on the price...$1,513.01 for #90 3 mg.  REALLY???  That's not going to happen!

I am currently on Prednizone and Asacol....sicker than anything, now major pain, uncontrollable D and was up all night with blood and mucus coming out.  I am sick of Pred, Pentasa, Asacol....just want to go back on Entocort ec, (my GI had given me several samples and thats run out, but thats how I knew I could tolerate it. 

I am wondering if anyone has experience going to Mexico or Canada to get their Entocort?  If so, what does it cost?  Any insight would be most helpful, as I am feeling really disgusted and desperate.  I just want to feel a bit better! But for $1,513.01 thats just not possible.  And WTH does it cost so much?  I asked if there is a generic...pharmacist said not yet.  GOSH!

Thanks in advance for any help...

Posted 6/22/2011 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
I usually order from Canada when I am uninsured. Mexico is an option but I don't know of any pharmacies there that I could recommend. I see a lot of people here ordering from Canada, not many ordering from Mexico. Not sure how the process works in Mx but in Canada, you just need a fax or picture of your script that you can email to the pharmacy and they fill the script. Many have a guarantee, if you don't receive the medication within a certain amount of time, they reship.
Posted 6/22/2011 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your reply.  I would prefer to get them from Canada because I have heard of counterfiet problem with some Mexico pharmacys.  I am excited to think they can ship them to me because right now I am so sick I don't feel up to the drive (I live in Oregon) My doctor has given me a script to fax, can you recommend where I should send it?  Also, cost is a major thing so do you know about how much they run up there?  Thanks so much for the info. 
Posted 6/22/2011 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
I use Jan Pharmacey in Winnepeg Manitoba Canada afer a lot of research. These guys are legit. I have spoken with the Canadian drug rep for Entocort and it is 100% the same as the US entocort. I think I paid around 175 to 200 a month for your perscription.

2 points

1) Hit them for free shipping

2) Make sure to specify you want entocort sourced from Canada. You might be able to pay a little less ahve it sourced from a 3rd world country but I would rather pay 10 or 15 bucks more.

I was a bit worried the first time, but now I never even think about it. It takes the drug cost from OMG I am going to have to change how I live to a bit painful but no big deal.

I am sure there are many other good places in Canada I just have not used them so I can not say
Dave
Posted 6/22/2011 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
Canada also has a big conterfeit problem, especially among internet pharmacies.
Posted 6/22/2011 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
dfdavedf, thanks so much for the info.  I'm glad you made the 2 important points, I wouldn't have thought of that.  I'm glad to hear from someone who's done it, and knows they are legit.  The cost sounds much more do-able than here in oregon.  I about crapped my pants when the pharmacist gave me that 1,500.00 number for only 90 pills! 

I am glad I asked, I feel like there may be hope now to get the entocort. (and I won't have to drive there) Thanks again for your replies I was feeling really down. 

Posted 6/22/2011 8:33 AM (GMT 0)
When I was on Entocort my ins ran out because of the donut hole with Medicare and I had to order from Canada as well. In NYC they were over $1100 for one month of 90 pills.
I have a friend from Vancouver and ordered mine from a brick and mortar store her family went to for their prescriptions. I would just let him know in an email when I wanted him to send me more. He had my card in his system. With shipping and currency exchange it came to between 170 and 185 depending on how the dollar was doing including shipping. It took about 10 days to reach me due to customs. I did try an internet company once but I wanted to make sure that I was getting real Entocort made in Canada and they were also more money
NY VEGGIE
Posted 6/22/2011 11:33 AM (GMT 0)
I live in san diego, and can only afford mex. ins. I can get ent. immuran, asacol for $10 per script, but I was offered thru cal-cobra extension, my wife and I pay $200 amonth for 100% coverage in mex. if there is and er and you have to go to hosp, they cover that. but all procedures have to be in mex. I went to pain management dr. in the most expensive hosp. ever built in TJ. it was state of the art. but I only go there to see him. he prescribed me 20mg oxycodone 60 for the month, I was also in car accident on 5/15 rear ended while stopped the other person was doing 65mph. so I need them badly. I can tell you this ent. is good there immuran is good there as is asacol, they offered me rem. but I passed to just take immuran, asacol, and pain med's.

AG
Posted 6/22/2011 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi lama gal
I think there are folks here who are scared to do this. I think no matter what your experience otheres will find the infomration helpful, good or bad.
So please post your experience either way if you decide to buy from offshore. Please include who you bought from. I think it would help lots of folks including me.
If you decide to use someone else, I would be interested in that also. As I said, I get nothing from Jan Pharmacey, so I will switch if you can find a better alternative.
Dave
Posted 6/22/2011 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have ordered from CanadaDrugs and I've always gotten good products and service. It may be worth checking the prices there as well.
Posted 6/22/2011 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
I live in Canada- Ontario to be exact, so if I can help by checking out pharmacies, please let me know.


We have a few chains that are reputable:

SHoppers Drug Mart

Pharmaplus

Rexall

 

Those are all big chains that would be legit.  Not sure if all 3 are all across Canada, but they are big chains.

 

If you have any others that I can check out for you, let me know.... :)

Posted 6/22/2011 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much for the valuable information. Now I can look online for the phone numbers to the pharmacys.

dfdavedf, I will keep you all posted as to what I find out. I do think this will help lots of people who are uninsured/underinsured too. Who can afford 1500.00 per mo? (just for one of the pills we have to take) that's crazy. I'm so glad that I can talk to people that have been getting them from Canada it helps with the "peace of mind".

NY veggie, sounds like we are in the same boat with the Medicare donut hole scenerio, I still don't understand the whole medicare thing, and I pay 115.00 per mo. for it. I also pay 350.00 for Blue Cross too, but so far they haven't covered
much of anything! I am disabled and cannot work, so I feel like I'm paying a whole lot for nothing. frustrating.

artistguy, sounds like you have a pretty sweet deal with that Mexican insurance. I'm sorry to hear that you had got rear-ended though....thats major crappy. I hope you recover soon, thanks for taking the time to respond I really appreciate it.

Notsosicklygirl & Bum_magnet...thank you so much for your offers of help and names of places to check. This site is great and I learn so much more here than I do at the doctors. Plus the doc's treat me like a number, where you guys get it and actually "care".
Posted 6/23/2011 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Bum Magnet
That is a really nice offer. I appreciate it. I never really thought about it. I have family in Canada I will ask them to check it out for me.
So thanks for the offer and thanks for the good idea
Dave
Posted 6/23/2011 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
I about an hour out of Vancouver and can recommend Finlandia as being a very reputable place, they are right downtown Vancouver (on our way to Children's hospital) and have a huge online drugstore.  They do ship to the US with a current prescription, but there is a note on their website regarding our rotating postal strikes - I'm sure you could get in touch with them and make other arrangements.

Here's a link to their Entocort

http://www.finlandiapharmacyonline.com/products/Entocort-EC.html

Looks like their price is $219 for 100 capsules (3 mg).

Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmasave are also on the west coast - no idea if they ship to the States.  

Posted 6/24/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your offers of help on this matter.  I checked into all the different pharmacys, and they all looked great to me.  I went with Jan Pharmacy as they assured me the entocort was the same as we get here. And their price was around 40.00 cheaper than the others.  Plus, it helped to know that others here have used Jan with no problems.  The clerk said it would take awhile longer than usual to reach me, as their postal service is on strike....but it's ok, just knowing I can get them shipped is great news, and I'll wait! 

Until I posted my question here, I was under the impression that I would have to drive to Canada (or Mexico) to get my script....I'm just too sick for that right now, so thank you Canadians!

Posted 6/28/2011 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi
I am mexican, live in Monterrey. I buy Entocort here in a pharmacy that is called Farmacias Especializadas, it costs $533 pesos wich is like 45 dollars aprox. for #50 3 mg.
Posted 6/28/2011 7:58 AM (GMT 0)
llama

you should know that if you are receiving less than around 1250 a month from SSD (varies by state) you would qualify for one of the medicare savings programs which would pay for your medicare part B and D. So the 115 would no longer be taken out of your SSD cheque

I don't know your circumstances so it's hard to give advice on here. Obviously if you live with a husband who is making a living then your household income would be too high..

BUT if you are living with a roommate or a boyfriend and you have separate bank accounts you might qualify. You can get what's called QI1 and there is so asset test for this .. all they care about is how much you get in a month.. you may also qualify for "extra help" with your prescription costs but there is an asset test there.. I think it is around 15,000 in the bank or retirement fund.. they don't count your house or car or life insurance policy

hope this can help you or someone else
NY VEGGIE
Posted 7/24/2011 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
llama,

Jan Drugs is a legit place. My brother orders from them, and I researched them.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=2169778
Posted 7/25/2011 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
I just got my generic Entocort the other day at my local Walmart pharmacy.  It cost me a whole whopping $5.00 for 90 pills!!  Go back and ask about the generic now.  It was not ready a month ago.
Posted 7/25/2011 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,
i'm new to all this (diagnosed 2 months ago with Crohn's) and i can't help but feel shocked at the cost of entacort in the U.S...i live in Ireland and i have been prescribed entocort 3mg for 3 months...the 1st month 3x3mg daily...2nd month 2x3mg daily and the 3rd month 1x3mg daily...my first month's supply cost 164 euro (roughly about 200 dollars) ..on top of that we have a drug scheme here whereby you only pay the first 120 uro cost of medication in any one month period (regardless of total cost of meds/drugs) ..i'm also taking nexium and asacolon....since starting my meds i'm almost 100 percent ok .....i think it's an absolute disgrace that sick people who need medication have to pay such astronomical prices...having said all that i hope you manage to get some relief soon,
Kind regards.
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