HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

VSL #3 DS dropped from insurance...again - what probiotic to use

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/19/2016 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
My old insurance company dropped VSL #3DS and my husband's company ended switching (not because of VSL) before I ran out. Our new insurance covered it and then dropped it from their formulary in July without notice. I appealed twice. Denied twice.

So now I am trying to figure out what to use. At this point I do not think it does anything to keep me in remission but I am a HUGE believer it helps in keeping me healthy.

I was on 2 packets a day so 1.8 billion. I'm on 10mg/kg of remicade every 6 weeks and 50 mg 6mp...so pretty immune suppressed. I believe the high doses of probiotics help in keeping my gut flora in a good state. Knock wood...no issues with colds, c diff etc.

It may be all in my head and I know 1.8 billion is crazy high...will never be able to achieve that over the counter.

I also just found out that they changed the VSL formula across the board and they now all contain corn starch which is a no no for me anyway. Visbiome I've read up on is VSL's rival (and supposedly the original patent holder left VSL to start Visbiome) and only one of theirs does but it's of course the one I would want 450 billion and non flavored packet. ARRRGHHH.

Any suggestions on otc brands?? Much love :)
Posted 11/19/2016 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
I would try to determine which strains seem to help you. Get some generics with only a few strains and try. Then try another with different strains. You could look for some with major strains from vsl.

There is nothing magic about numbers. It is all about which strains kar the key that fits the lock of you unique gut microbiome.
Posted 11/20/2016 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
My doctor in the hospital just started me on Florastor today.
Posted 11/20/2016 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Db- great point!! I will start comparing strains. Good to know on numbers. Is there a basic level people with ibd should intake?

Sara- yes I love florastor. It's the probiotic that I've been adding to my VSL over the years if I had to take an abx or had anything going on that could upset my gi tract. I hope you're feeling better!!!!!
Posted 11/20/2016 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
My insurance stopped covering me also and I have been paying out of pocket for VSL#3DS. I did the math if I were to switch to thenon perscription version and it wasn't that great of a savings over the course of a year. With non perscription,I would have to take double to get the same strength and also store all the extra boxes in my fridge. I found that Costco fills the VSL#3DS much cheaper than elsewhere. You don't have to be a Costco member, but if you are, there is even greater savings. And if you use their credit card, you will be earning cash back. If I remember right, it's about $7 per day for me to take VSL. :(

I also did the math for taking similiar quantities of other probiotics and unfortunately they are all quite expensive at the magnitude VSL gives us.
Posted 11/20/2016 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
My GI recommends a combination of Florastor and Culturelle instead of VSL-3DS. He wrote me a script for the DS but said if the instance wouldn't pay for it then use the combination of probiotics.

I found the cheapest place to buy them is at Costco when they run their sales on them about every 3 months.
Posted 11/20/2016 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
@Lol - did you notice any difference in the new formulation with corn starch? I stay away from corn in all forms and as of May 2016 the VSL contains corn starch. I have 20 sachets with the corn starch...guess it was the first of the new formulation I had gotten from my last filled prescription. I was scared to use it.

I have found Visbiome and their formulation is the exact same as VSL in bacterial strains and counts. Their regular sachets come in flavored and unflavored. The flavored is lemon and does not have corn starch. Their unflavored does have corn starch. Their extra strength does not.

Its so frustrating on what to do. I'm seriously at a cross roads. I dont want to switch anything up as I just got into remission after a 2 year flare but the cost is so high on these probiotics. Even if I take Renew Life its only like $30 cheaper than VSL. And its 80 billion vs 450 billion! Plus I know the strains in VSL/Visbiome work for me.

Also read this thread - https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=3557434

Looks like VSL is no longer the same formulation in more ways than one...
Posted 11/20/2016 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Boo, thang stinks.
I don't take such a high dose of VSL, but I did just order more last month and I swear that the newer version sits better with me than the old one. It makes no sense, but as soon as I switched my colon was much happier. I also take garden of life 100 billion probiotic every other day along with the vsl#3. I just found out that BCBS actually covers vsl#3 now. I tried a few years ago and it did t go through, but my pharmacist told me they just covered it for someone else. Too bad I bought 4 months worth in my last order. If you try visbiome, let us know how it works.
Posted 11/20/2016 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Mom that's very interesting!! Maybe I'll try a couple of the new packets and see how they feel.

I did just order one box of the visbiome 450 billion sachet. The one with lemon flavor but no corn starch. I guess I will try both. Like I said before I don't think it has any impact on my uc just keeps me healthy. So we will see. I'm done my last of the original VSL ds on thanksgiving day then have to figure out which I will try next.

I will keep you posted. I'm down to one sachet a day instead of two and feeling fine so that's a plus. Next step is seeing how I do going from 900 billion to 450.

Im staying positive. Maybe I don't need these high doses. Gol 100 billion was what I was going to buy but it's actually only $20 less than the visbiome sachets so I thought stay with the strains I know work.
Posted 11/21/2016 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
My insurance did the same with VSL#3 DS! The insurance operator said she would look in the formulary for any similar drugs...

...It turns out the formulary for my insurance does cover Visbiome--which is the same as VSL#3 DS. I think after their bitter corporate divorce, the break away scientist who left VSL#3 started his own company and decided to deal with insurance companies more efficiently.

It might be worth a check with your insurance company.
Posted 11/21/2016 8:23 AM (GMT 0)
I would suggest you to drop the VSL#3, they are not the same probiotic anymore since beginning of 2016. The creator and patent holder of probiotic formula prof. Claudio De Simone restricted the use of his formula for VSL pharma in late 2015. Instead he founded a new company and now sells thus formula under Visbiome name which is produced be ExeGi pharma. In Europe it's sold under Vivomixx.

To be sure you have the original formula check the package if it contains codes for bacterial strains, they shold be these DSM24735, DSM24730, DSM24733, DSM24734, DSM24731, DSM24736, DSM24732, DSM24737.

You can have more info here https://casetext.com/case/de-simone-v-vsl-pharms-inc
Posted 11/21/2016 8:31 AM (GMT 0)
Also, there are more things to take into account when it comes to probiotics and why some are good and some are not. The first thing is the exact strains, the second the ratio of strains to each other since they modulate immune response and thirdly how many of the bacteria are still alive when you consume the product. All producers overfill the bacteria to guarantee the number of live bacteria at the end of the term. But dead bacterial cells invoke different immune reaction than live ones. So I would suggest to go with only clinically tested probitotics. Othewise in my opinion it's just waste of money.
Posted 11/21/2016 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys!! Yes I asked my insurance and they don't cover visbiome either. The reason being stated as - if it's available without a prescription they won't cover it. I fought this under a second appeal trying to make a dosage point of otc vs prescription strength to no avail.

I should have a box of visbiome by Wednesday. We shall see how it works. It's the highest dosage I can get at a decent price but 450 billion is only a quarter of what I was taking 1.8 billion. Trying to stay positive and just know this is happening for a reason and I don't need that much. At least I know my body likes the strains!!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply