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New Medication for Depression - Pristiq

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Posted 5/27/2008 5:47 PM (GMT 0)

Hello!  I usually am on the Chronic Pain forum but I wanted to ask if anyone here is on the new antidepressant Pristiq?  It's supposed to be the new and improved Effexor XR.  I asked to have my medicine changed  because the Effexor makes me get so overheated that I sweat until I'm soaked and my face gets beet red!

If there is already something on here about this, I apologize.  I searched and didn't come up with anything.

Thank you!

Melanie

Posted 5/27/2008 11:21 PM (GMT 0)

Hi there, this is Kitt.  I do not know a lot about PRISTIQ other then Weyth is marketing it for 20% less then the cost of Effexor.  The cost of PRISTIQ will be $3.41 per tablet. It is another SNRI but it is brand new so I don't know any pros or cons about this med.

I feel by discussing the med with your Doctor you are being your own best advocate and perhaps someone here has more info for you.  It really just hit the market.

I wish you good luck if you do switch to it as sweating is not fun.

Please keep posting.
Kitt

Posted 5/28/2008 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
If it is cheaper, I hope that my insurance company doesn't want me to switch. I have been taking effexor for a long time. They have already wanted me to get it from their pharmacy, but I didn't want to. I take a high dose which is over 600.00 a month they pay just for that med.

If anybody knows more about it, please post.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/11/2008 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on it for 3 weeks -50 mg- and it seems to NOT be strong enough --was on zoloft. It isn't working for me YET. The cost was a little higher at Walgreens also. When will it begin working?/ Doctor said "first month is a switch over" period. And???..........
Posted 6/11/2008 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi around and around,

I just wanted to welcome you to Healing Well Depression Forum. You will find that there are a lot of wonderful people here on the forum who will help you as much as they can.

I have learned that it takes a good four to six weeks to get the full effects of an anti depressant. Though you may notice some improvement sooner than that.

I hope that this helps some.

hugs, Karen...
Posted 6/12/2008 10:41 AM (GMT 0)
I have never heard of this drug before (Perhaps it is not licenced in the UK yet) but I am curious to know of anyone who has taken it and how they got on with it. I dont want it for me but for someone in my family who is Bi-Polar and is struggling to take effexor atm due to taste
Posted 6/14/2008 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,
New to this site but already love the info I get on it. My pdoc discussed this drug with me and she said the difference between Effexor and Pystiq is that instead of your body metabolizing the ssri and the nri together, your body metabolizes them seperately to achieve a better effect for depression and anxiety.

I hope this helps,
Keely
Posted 6/14/2008 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Keely,

That is good to know just in case my ins co wants me to switch. The effexor is so very expensive.

hugs, Karen
Posted 9/4/2008 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Kitt mentioned a price for Pristiq of 3.41 per 50 mg tablet.  I have not been able to find a source that has it for less than 4.22.  My insurance company does not cover it.  Can anyone tell me where I can get it for less?  I find it to be a better drug for me than Effexor, with fewer side effects. 
Posted 9/5/2008 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Melanie, I've been taking pristiq for 4 months now and I know its done wonders for me. I was a real mess I couldn't sleep or nothing. I have some of my life back. I don't have any sideefects that I know of from pristiq. I do know its for major depression.


Dawn rolleyes
Posted 9/5/2008 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
I have not heard of it either, but curious about it, i have been on effesor xr, and he weight gain was awful, still realling form the effects of that, thats an interesting that they metabolize differently or seperatly in the body, very curious to hear more as others post, thanks already for the information already given blush
Posted 9/5/2008 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
After being told by United Healthcare that Pristiq was not covered, I asked "why not" and eventually was told that it is covered under my "plan design." If your insurance company initially tells you there are no benefits for Pristiq, continue to question them about it. Under my UHC it is in the group with the most expensive co-pay, but at least I don't have to bear the entire cost.
Posted 9/5/2008 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah it kinda works out the same way with my insurnace too. But like you said better than bearing the whole cost on you. My high co-pay is 60.00.
Posted 9/5/2008 2:55 PM (GMT 0)

Hey there, I have been calling around to the differnt pharmacies in our area and I have been shocked by the cost...............

Cub Pharmacy  Pristiq 50 mg tab   $9.69/per tab

Walmart: $7.78/per tab

Walgren's Pharmacy : $11.99/per tab.

I think you have found the best price.  When I went online I must have hit one of those not so safe sites.

I have topay for my Cymbalta and it is  very high price too but not in this price range.

I believe this is a sample of customer gouging. At $11.99 per tab, 30 tabs would run $359.00.

I would be intersted in which pharmacy you use if you care to post it on the public forum.

Thanks

Kitt

Posted 9/5/2008 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Wow Kitt that really is expensive, a person without insurance helping offset the price would never be able to afford this med.

Gosh the P-docs have got to know that as good as this med may possibly be that a majority of the clients may not even be able to pay the high co-pay especially if the person has one or more meds they already take.

yes I agree this is a perfect case of customer gouging.  I think it will be awhile before you really hear of a bunch of people on it as it is so new and expensive especially if insurance isnt covering it at all, which may be the case for alot of people.

It sounds like a interesting new med though, I am intrigued by the drug having two different components in it that metabolize in your body seperately from each other, that appears to be very benificial?...

Posted 9/5/2008 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
I started taking Pristiq a week ago today. First 3 days the side effects had me down. Sleepiness, head in a funk, blurry vision, but those went away for he most part after the 3rd day. Dr. said the initial side effects should wear off after a week and most people do not experience them in a major way. She suggested it since I have major depression and this drug is supposed to be good at helping with that. She gave me 6 weeks of samples so I wouldn't have to pay to find out if it was going to work or not and said the full effects take 4-6 weeks. I haven't checked with my insurance yet to see if it's covered but I hope it is or I'm screwed!

<----going to check now...
Posted 9/5/2008 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
rzg, I hope your insurance covers it.

Good luck..

Posted 9/5/2008 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes if you can get ahold of the manufacturer, they will help you with free or lowcost medications. It is worth a try.

Best wishes,

hugs, Karen...
Posted 9/5/2008 6:12 PM (GMT 0)

Hey All

Over 200 pharmaceutical companies have developed Patient Assistance Programs to assist the uninsured who cannot afford their medicine.

This seems to be the rule of thumb for qualifying for patient Assistance.

  • Be a U.S. resident
  • Not have insurance coverage for outpatient prescription drugs, including Medicaid
  • Be at an income level that causes a hardship when you purchase your prescriptions at retail prices

    • I know your physicians need to write a letter to the pharmaceutical company for the Assisstant program and the med is mailed to your physician.

    It may take a lot of paper work but sometimes the benefit is greater in the end.

    Hugs

    Kitt

    Posted 9/5/2008 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
    Well thats sounds like its worth it in the long run.
    Posted 9/5/2008 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
    Pharmacies I checked in Central Florida for a 30-day supply of 50-mg tablets:
    CVS: 135.99
    Publix: 141.95
    Walgreen's: 131.99
    Target: 133.49

    Wyeth does have an assistance program for Pristiq. It requires that household income is not more than 200% of the U.S. poverty level (among other requirements).
    Posted 9/5/2008 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
    It is so good to know that there is help out there. Around here there are programs to help people with medical bills and prescriptions. But they don't tell you about it, you have to inquire. If you don't know about it, how do you know to inquire? At least the programs are there, I guess.

    Have a wonderful day all,

    Hugs, Karen
    Posted 9/6/2008 2:53 AM (GMT 0)

    Freedom,

    That is a huge price difference from MN to Florida in cost. I checked the price of the medication if you had to pay the whole bill yourself. This would be the uninsured or Insurance companies that do not cover this drug in their formulary.

    Thank
    Kitt

    Posted 10/25/2008 5:59 PM (GMT 0)

    I am brand new to the site today. I was told by my doctor that Effexor was soon going to Generic. Maybe those of us that feel that Effexor works better than Pristiq might be able to find a less expensive drug store soon. Good luck everyone. I try to get my prescriptions filled at Costco as I have found them to be the cheapest place overall.

    I also found this information on the PRISTIQ website: I see that bipolar is a concern for taking this drug. My son committed suicide last year because he was bi-polar and not on any drugs or actually diagnosed until it was too late. So when I see anything concerning bipolar and pros and cons of drugs I try to inform everyone I can in hopes in might save a loved one of theirs.

  • PRISTIQ may cause or make some conditions worse, so tell your health care professional about all your medical conditions, including if you:
    • Have high blood pressure. Your blood pressure should be controlled before you start taking PRISTIQ and monitored regularly
    • Have heart problems, high cholesterol or triglyceride levels, or a history of stroke
    • Have glaucoma or increased eye pressure
    • Have kidney or liver problems
    • Have or had mania, bipolar disorder, or seizures or convulsions
    • Have low sodium levels in your blood
    • Are nursing, pregnant, or plan to become pregnant

    Have a wonderful day and may God send you his Grace and Peace       Donna62

    • Posted 10/25/2008 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
    Just found Pritiq for 114.00 for 30 tablets at Costco Pharmacy That seems much more reasonable until Effexor comes out. I am transitioning to Pristiq right now from Effexor and would prefer to take a 50mg tablet once a day as opposed to 3 pills 3 x a days with Effexor if it seems to work for me. No bad side effects so far. It's only been a few days.
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