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Posted 1/8/2010 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
So I was so happy that my Flare was heading into remission-land...
& then BAM...I go to pick up my Asacol today & the co-pay has doubled.
What the heck, I knew it would be increasing but to double?? shakehead
So I called my insurance company to find out what they recommend since there
is no generic for asacol & I am told that colazal is the only cheaper alternative.
Only other choice would be mail order drug program which is 3 month supply
& you get a month free (gee thanks!) Which leads me to my questions...
-what are the differences if any between colazal & asacol based on anyone's
experience?
-How many use mail order for scripst? do you like it/trust it ( I have this fear that
if I don't know who's filling my script or where it's coming from it won't be right
or malfunction some how!) Fear that I can;t control that I guess.

Wanted to get some feedback before I call doc. I am so afraid to change my maint. drug after all of these years since for the most part I have never had many problems with it.
Posted 1/8/2010 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
I have had great success with the $10 copay generic colazal. I was on asacol and the reason I switched is because I lost 1/2 my hair. Some have not had success, but for me there seemed to be no differance. I was diagnosed July 2007 and was taken off of asacol in September. Switched to colazal, got completely out of the flare in Nov. and only recently, Sept. 2009 started my second flare. I contribute this flare to getting my wisdom teeth out! Go figure! I don't know.
I might not be of much help. Sorry!
Posted 1/8/2010 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
mail order scrips are the only way to go, as far as I'm concerned. I've been using that option for years now, simply for the ease of it. You get 3 months at a time, & the meds come straight to you! What could be easier? Plus, you do save $$$. I've used almost every mail order pharmacy out there, due to switching insurance numerous times, & not one has screwed up my meds or orders. I currently use 2 separate mail order pharms- one for my "regular" maintenance meds, Imuran & Asacol, & another specialty pharm for my Humira. So far, so good. I actually think they're probably better at quality control than some of the other pharms- you rarely hear of the mail order pharms shipping the wrong drug, yet you hear about the CVS/Walgreens, etc. giving someone the wrong drug all the time. I don't know much dofference between colazal & asacol, unfortunately- have only used Asacol. I say give the mail order pharms a try- you'll be happy you did!
Posted 1/8/2010 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
I use a mail order pharmacy for my BC and Asacol. I have never had any problems, and I like that i don't have to worry about remembering to get to the store when it comes time for me to get another refill. They send me 3 months at one time.
Posted 1/8/2010 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely, mail order. Three months delivered at once, for price of one month. And often the local pharmacies never had enough drug to fill my scrip for even one month. We use Caremark, and it arrives within 4 to 5 days, regular shippping is free and you can get overnight at extra cost if you need to. Never has a mistake been made on my order, I think they probably have more checks for accuracy than your local pharmacy would.

Just get out the handtruck when the giant box of enemas come to the door!
Posted 1/8/2010 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
I've used mail order for some years now and I love it. I get 3 month's worth for one copay, and I can request refills by phone or online. I've even received - get this! - 3 months' worth of Rowasa enemas via mail order -what a HUGE box that is! My son and I both get our Asacol mail order, 3 months at a time, and his HCTZ (for kidney stones not UC related) and the Rowasa. I had my GI try again and order VSL DS from the mail order place yesterday, too, which should save a bunch. Other, more short-term meds I get locally.

Only once in 8 years did we have a goof - I mailed them a script which had "3 refills" written on it and when I got the meds the tag said "no refills" - so I called and spoke to someone and they made a notation to fix it.
Posted 1/8/2010 8:25 PM (GMT 0)
I recently switched from Asacol to Lialda and Lialda gave me a loyalty discount card where my copays are only $10. For me the 2 meds worked the same. If Asacol's working for you certainly don't switch, but just another data point to consider. Not sure, maybe Asacol has the same thing. The mail order is probably a better option to pursue though.
Posted 1/8/2010 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
I do the mail order as well. It is cheaper, even though still not as cheap as Colazal used to be (my previous GI had me on it, but it wasn't doing much, so when I was put into this study with the new GI, he put me on Asacol)-I pay $50 for 3 months. And it is easier by a long shot.

Now that I have resigned myself to the fact that Canasa is not going to be a temporary thing anymore, since my symptoms are not being as well controlled as they were, I am mail ordering that one as well.
Posted 1/8/2010 9:14 PM (GMT 0)
Some time ago I tried Colazal for several months and it didn't work as well as Asacol for me.
Posted 1/9/2010 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
I love mail order and have it shipped to my work so I don't have to worry about it sitting on my door step when I am not home. There is nothing to worry about.
Posted 1/10/2010 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all, think I am going to try the mail order!
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