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Cost of ASACOL

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Posted 1/12/2012 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
The price of ASACOL has just skyrocketed. A month for me is up 700%. I can no longer afford this but I need this drug to keep me "normal". Does anyone have any solution?
Posted 1/12/2012 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
There is this patient assistance program if you qualify.......

http://www.pparx.org/resources/2009-08-10.Procter__Gamble_Pharmaceuticals.Procter__Gamble_Pharmaceuticals_Patient_Assistance_Program.35.pdf

I believe it will be going generic ~2013, which will obviously help. However, I understand you need a short-term solution now.
Posted 1/12/2012 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Ask your doc for samples, I went a whole year on samples awhile back.
Posted 1/12/2012 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Proctor an Gamble ended their ASACOL Patient Assistant Program in 2010. At least that is what they told me.
I don't even know what lab is selling ASACOL now.
Posted 1/12/2012 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Is there any generic form of it?
Sorry im not in the US so I don't know all of it.
Posted 1/12/2012 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Do you have insurance and what is your insurance like if you do?

The truly affordable generic if you are uninsured is sulfasalazine,
Balasalazide(generic colazal) is on most plans if you have generic insurance
Generic asacol is available in Canada with RX by mail but is still somewhat costly.
Many brandname alternatives have coupons or programs for uninsured
Posted 1/12/2012 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I have the same problem -- I have a high deductible health insurance policy at my large aerospace company and I take one medication...Asacol -- which I now have to pay dearly for. I don't have any options -- I think my husband and I researched them all. The only place might be Canada as they are about 1/2 the price.

Posted 1/12/2012 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have drug insurance. I am allergic to sulfa so I can't take sulfasalazine.
What are the alternatives?
Posted 1/12/2012 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
Well im canadian and i remember asking for the generic asacol and it was 3 times cheaper.
Really worth having a look.
Posted 1/12/2012 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
That would be my question to the manufacturers of Asacol; why is there a generic in Canada and not in the US? FDA issues? I too am allergic to Sulpha's, so I don't have any other option other than Asacol.

Posted 1/12/2012 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
You could try Asacol HD. They do have a patient assistance program or you could try Lialda, which is very similar and you only pay $10 a month with there patient assistance program
Posted 1/12/2012 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
Jano -- I cannot remember which one you take Asacol HD or Lialda. If you now are on Lialda, did you find a difference from the Asacol?

Posted 1/12/2012 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
I am on Lialda. And no, they both are about the same. I can tell no difference from the two
Posted 1/12/2012 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
I can't imagine Asacol really helping anyone. But Kudos. It hasnt done a single thing for me.

Reg price: $400
With Insurance: $30-40 usually
Posted 1/12/2012 10:34 PM (GMT 0)

stereofidelic89 said...
I can't imagine Asacol really helping anyone. But Kudos. It hasnt done a single thing for me.

Reg price: $400
With Insurance: $30-40 usually

Hmm, in your sig, it shows you are still taking asacol daily? It's not working anymore or something?
Posted 1/12/2012 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
I started taking asacol after I was already doing better on prednisone. When i taper just a little bit on prednisone, wait a week or two, symptoms return, so asacol hasn't really benefitted me in any way.

I'm currently in search of another GI doctor in the area because my current one is a full blown ____. Until then, I don't really want to get off asacol without consulting with another doctor. When I ask questions about my disease, or asacol for example, he has no patience and i don't get a clear answer other than "eat what you want, and take the asacol forever or your symptoms will come back."
Posted 1/12/2012 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
"I don't have drug insurance. I am allergic to sulfa so I can't take sulfasalazine.
What are the alternatives?"

I am really not up on patient assistance now but somebody must be.

Canada generic asacol is currently 30-40 cents per tablet in quanitity.

Are you insured at work(group)? You might be able to buy drug insurance if work offers it. If you have had no health insurance
for 6 months or more, most states have a high risk plan for people with preexisting conditions. These are part of the health reform and the cost has dropped alot. The coverage isn't great for drugs but a lot better than nothing.

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/choices/pre-existing-condition-insurance-plan/index.html
Posted 1/12/2012 11:01 PM (GMT 0)

stereofidelic89 said...
I started taking asacol after I was already doing better on prednisone. When i taper just a little bit on prednisone, wait a week or two, symptoms return, so asacol hasn't really benefitted me in any way.

I'm currently in search of another GI doctor in the area because my current one is a full blown ____. Until then, I don't really want to get off asacol without consulting with another doctor. When I ask questions about my disease, or asacol for example, he has no patience and i don't get a clear answer other than "eat what you want, and take the asacol forever or your symptoms will come back."

Hey, you should try Remicade. When I go there for my infusion, there's a few crohn's people there and they swear by remicade, it's like their holy juice. For me, I have UC, it doesn't seem to do anything, but since in your sign it shows Crohns, it might work for you.


Give it at least a go, far better than predinsone safety wise, and potentially far more effective long term.
Posted 1/12/2012 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
stereofidelic89
I get the same story from my doc. I wanted to take a break from Asacol & Imuran only to be told "well if you want to go back to the hospital".
I understand these docs don't want the liability, but if it was THEIR liver processing all these meds, they'd probably have a way to take a break and recover.
"The rest of your life" is not an answer I accept although thats what I am being told.
Posted 1/12/2012 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I was thinking the same thing because I was on Asacol and Pred and didn't do anything but as soon as I started Remi, things became so much better. I don't like to push things so I'm not doing that, just telling my story.

Posted 1/12/2012 11:14 PM (GMT 0)

beatUC said...
stereofidelic89
I get the same story from my doc. I wanted to take a break from Asacol & Imuran only to be told "well if you want to go back to the hospital".
I understand these docs don't want the liability, but if it was THEIR liver processing all these meds, they'd probably have a way to take a break and recover.
"The rest of your life" is not an answer I accept although thats what I am being told.

Yeah, I echo that....life f.... sucks man. The GI doesn't know much more than you, he/she will cycle you through meds no problem. That's all they know...oh and it's fo' life, dawg!
Posted 1/12/2012 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not willing to accept those types of answers either, its time to keep moving until I find a good doctor, I guess.

I've heard of people taking Remicade, is there side effects or long term effects?

I keep reading more and more about Primal Defense, and even though I tried it for 2 weeks with worsened symptoms, I'm wondering if it takes a month or so to truly take hold of a body thats so messed up. =/ I'm willing to look into anything alternative at this point, I can't taper anymore without getting symptoms back....
Posted 1/12/2012 11:19 PM (GMT 0)

stereofidelic89 said...

I've heard of people taking Remicade, is there side effects or long term effects?

Some people don't have any side effects at all. I don't know if I have side effects, but it doesn't work for me, so I'm slowly going out of options.

As for long term effects, your GI's guess is as good as yours.
Posted 1/12/2012 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
I was on it for five years, and I didn't have any problems until the sixth year, and I had a reaction to it. It healed my colon of the ulcers and I've had two clear colonoscopies. My doctor told me that I could go off of it before I had the reaction, but I was feeling so good that I didn't want to chance it...so I guess my body decided for me!
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