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What's your Viagra strategy?

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Posted 6/8/2015 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in my late 50s, had a robotic prostatectomy 1.5 weeks ago, and am doing well. I got my catheter out three days ago. As a part of my "penile rehabilitation program" my urologist recommended that I start taking Viagra to increase blood flow to the penis. I believe he recommended taking one 50 mg. dose one day a week and one 100 mg. dose another day of the week.

When I got my Viagra Rx filled, I only received 6 100 mg. pills (for $30), not the 30 indicated in his prescription. The pharmacist said my insurance will only cover 6 100 mg. pills per month.

If I follow my doctor's recommendation, these six pills would just last me exactly one month and I'd be OK cost-wise. However, I've read various articles where it's been recommended that you take between 25 and 50 mg. per day 6 days a week and one 100 mg. dose the remaining day of the week. That would be four pills a week. At almost $45 per pill, that's $540 for three weeks worth of pills. Add $30 for the fourth week and it comes to $570 per month which is way beyond my means. My doctor says its an investment but I don't make as much money as he does.

I'm just wondering what your post-surgery Viagra strategy is (or was)? How much did you take and how frequently? Also, is it possible to buy Viagra more cheaply online or perhaps at a Walmart or Costco (I usually use CVS)?

I should add that I had excellent erections without any meds prior to surgery and don't have any other health issues that might contribute to ED problems.

Thanks for your responses!
Posted 6/8/2015 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
Robert,
Welcome to Healing Well and the new normal!

Most of us were fine before surgery, now, well now you know.

I started taking Viagra 72 hours after the catheter was removed.

My doctor prescribed 1 50 mg On Monday and Wednesday and then 1 100mg on Friday as "Boost". He wanted me to wait for at least 4-6 weeks after surgery before going any further, if you know what
I mean. He prescribed 100 mg so I can break one in half for Monday and Wednesday. He also wanted me to use a VED pump no sooner than 4 weeks after surgery to get the blood flowing.

Now you know most insurance companies don't pay for Viagra or only a few pills monthly. Usually never enough for therapy.

Some of us have to go elsewhere to get our meds but we can't really talk about it on this forum because of our rules here.

But if you need more info about "elsewhere", just make your email available in your profile and ask for help. You can talk off line about it using your email.

Glad you found us. Let us know something about you by posting your numbers in your "signature" like I have on mine at the bottom of my post. You can do that by clicking on "My Profile" in the upper left of the page.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 6/8/2015 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Bill. I've made my email address visible in case anyone wants to contact me regarding their "elsewhere".
Posted 6/9/2015 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
I'd be interested in the "elsewhere" also. Either viagra or cialis.
Posted 6/9/2015 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
I strongly suggest reading Dr. Mulhall's book (link in my signature below) regarding ED rehab after Prostate Cancer treatment.

-Gedman
Posted 6/9/2015 1:57 AM (GMT 0)

Edwardo43 said...
I'd be interested in the "elsewhere" also. Either viagra or cialis.

You'll need to modify your profile to make your email ID visible to members only, or you can send me an email.

Post Edited (Nomar Schottzenkeister) : 6/9/2015 9:59:27 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/9/2015 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I am on the generic Sildenafil. My URO prescribed 1 20mg pill per day, and up to 100mg as needed. Some weeks I take 2 or 3 100mg doses. I ran into a similar problem with my insurance only covering part of the prescription. They will cover 20mg per day, but no more, so I am paying a cash price for a second prescription. 90 pills of Sildenafil costs me $55. That is a cash price via my Kaiser pharmacy. Combining the two prescriptions gets me through several months.
Posted 6/9/2015 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
I would also be interested in alternative methods of getting Cialis or Viagra
Posted 6/9/2015 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Kaiser has been switch everyone to sildenafil. I've been using it for a year, works fine and the cost is in my budget.

Andrew
Posted 6/9/2015 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Robert1957 – Welcome to Healing Well (sorry you have reason to be here). I was a patient of Dr. Mulhall who believes that optimization of erectile function is maximized by regular use of pills. I was on a nightly low dose of Viagra (25mg – a quarter of a pill) starting 2 weeks before surgery and continuing once I was discharged from the hospital. After the catheter was removed, I took 25mg 6 nights per week and 100mg once per week. The 100mg dose was taken in an effort to get an erection. After 6 weeks I was evaluated and since I was not responding adequately to the pills, he started me on Trimix injections, but I still continued the nightly low dose pills on non-injection days. I was told to inject 2 to 3 times a week, with the goal of getting to penetration hardness (or better) for 10 to 15 minutes.

Here’s a link to one Mulhall’s videos: www.mskcc.org/multimedia/penile-rehabilitation-after-treatment

The longer you go without erections after surgery, the more likely you are to suffer permanent erectile tissue damage (atrophy). Realize also that ED recovery takes time, usually around 18 to 24 months.

Hoping for “hard” times ahead for you -- Tigerfan
Posted 6/9/2015 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Strategy?

Roughly six years down the road from surgery for my favorable intermediate risk case (3+4, only 3 cores with low percentage, low PSA under 10 ng/mL), my "strategy" is to buy online from a popular site. I don't recall exactly, but a year's supply (tadalifil in my case) is roughly $150-ish.



Strategy?

My strategy is to encourage men newly diagnosed with low-risk PC (or favorable intermediate risk, like me) to EDUCATE themselves BEFORE jumping head-first into an aggressive, life-changing treatment. I'm a great example of PC overtreatment. Life-long treatment for ED is now just part of the "slippery slope" I experienced.
Posted 6/9/2015 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
I could also use an alternate purchase method, my insurance allows 4 pills/month. either cialis or viagra with a $35 copay.
Posted 6/9/2015 9:21 PM (GMT 0)

JFL1957 said...
I would also be interested in alternative methods of getting Cialis or Viagra

Board rules prohibit us from mentioning specific Canadian or off shore firms. If you open up your email to being visible to members, I can sent you an email, or reply to any email you send me.
Posted 6/10/2015 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
Would appreciate info on alternative sources of ED meds
Posted 6/10/2015 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
Ask your doc about Cialis for rehabilitation. it has a longer half-life and so provides its effect over a longer span of time, than PDE5 inhibitor drugs.

Ask your doc if he has free samples he can give you. My doc will give me two boxes with 30 5mg tablets in each, says he has a lot of those and to ask him again when I need some.

If using Cialis, get the doc to prescribe the 20mg tablets and cut them with a pill cutter into 4 parts each. Insurance coverage limits me to 5 tablets at a time, regardless whether they are the 5mg, 10mg or 20mg dosage, and although five 20mg tablets costs more then five 5mg tablets, my surcharge is the same in either case.
Posted 6/11/2015 8:06 AM (GMT 0)
In Oz, Viagra is not over the counter as yet, you still need a script. However, since its off patent in OZ, its only $23USD for 12 x 100mg tablets (from Pfizer). No point in ordering from "somewhere"!

Cialis 20 mg is in a "teardrop" shape and difficult to cut into fours. I stayed on Viagra for the first 6 months.
.
Posted 6/12/2015 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
PSA3DOT7, what country is "Oz"? Thx.
Posted 6/12/2015 4:35 AM (GMT 0)
Australia Robert.
Cheers mate! smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/12/2015 4:57 AM (GMT 0)
I recently got a prescription for sildenafil (generic Viagra) filled
at the local Walmart pharmacy for 30 20mg pills for around $42.

I'm not sure if that's a good deal or not.
Posted 6/13/2015 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Fulltit,

In 2013 when I had my prostatectomy, a 4 x100mg script was $AUD 85.00 (small f fortune) for a 2 week supply! It was about $AUD 2,200 for that first year! Add a few bottles of Trimix and you're talking about $AUD 2,500 per year. The thing to remember Viagra is off patent in OZ = Australia! I now pay $AUD 30.00 for 12 x 100mg.

So are you getting a good deal?

1) Well, its from your local Walmart so you can guarantee authenticity/quality/safety (its was not made in some shady lab next to a toilet in some God forsaken country)

2) you are paying $USD 42.00 for 6 x 100mg, which I reckon is not too bad at about $7.00/tablet whereas I paid $AUD21.00/tablet initially. Even factoring in the exchange rate you are way ahead of the curve.

3) Since you have to take 25mg for 4 nights and 100mg on the day of some serious action (handjobs count as serious action), you don't have to use a pill cutter, your dosage is already measured. I had to use a pill cutter and giving the shape of the Viagra tablet, some chunks were less than and some more than 25mg. At least you have "consistency" and you can measure your performance (reaction) better.

Take care!
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