HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

PENTASA/APRISO/ Ulcerative Colitis

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/9/2017 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
HERE WE ARE IN 2017 still stuck with the same old chronic disease of UC
Much as I have tried everything under the sun to maintain my flares through diet, I still need the meds for maintenance or I go into a flare!
Because I am on Medicare and my doctor prescribes Apriso and Lialda for me, I am forced to pay $400.00 each 30 day refill because I have reached the donut hole. Im not eligible for low income prices AND I need these patented drugs
Desperate measures have to be taken for desperate times!
I went to Mexico yesterday and they sold me Pentasa which they said was like Apriso.
The mg is different. Its 500 mg verses Apriso1.0375.
Who amoung you are taking Pentasa for maintenance?
How's it working? What is your dosage?
If this works for me it will mean $160.00 a month verses $400.00.
I could lease 3 Honda's a month for the price of one 30 day supply of Apriso! God how I hate this disease
I have a call into my doctor for instructions but he is out of town
until next week..... anyone who can give me info on their experience with this drug , sure would appreciate it!
Posted 6/9/2017 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on Pentasa (switched from asacol hd), works better for me than the asacol did. My dosage is 2g/day maintenance and 4g/ day flaring. I take half dose in am and half in pm.
Posted 6/9/2017 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
The Pentasa is a tablet and says 500 mg for each pill.....
Posted 6/10/2017 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, that's what mine look like.
Posted 6/10/2017 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
I saw the FDA has just approved a generic of Lialda, have you tried this before? Could this be an option for you?
https://ibdnewstoday.com/2017/06/08/fda-approves-generic-lialda-mesalamine-delayed-release-tablets-for-ulcerative-colitis/[url]
Posted 6/10/2017 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
I take a 50 billion probiotic also
sooo is mg to g kind of like megabytes to gig?
My Apriso is a tottaly different equation...
I was taking 7 a day 0.375
The pharmacist at Walmart says that 8 Pentasa throughout the day at 500 mg per tablet, leaves me taking around 8 of the Pentasa same amount of pills....
Dang, wish my doctor were home today!
Posted 6/10/2017 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
I took Lialda. It worked great but was lead to understand that Lialda patent end date is in 2022....
Good ole google, Ill go check it out!
Posted 6/10/2017 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
You might check into apriso for free through the salix patient assistance program. If you call them they'll answer any questions. I qualified and am on medicare. My husband still works part-time and doesn't make much on paper since ins and 401k are before taxes. Anyway you should give it a try. I was surprised I qualified. Never hurts to try. I also get my uceris for free since they make it too. They are very helpful and nice when you call. They will have you go through the process of applying for medicare extra help so you might as well start that process since it takes a while (apriso will give you temporary approval and meds -if you qualify- until you are officially denied by medicare extra help
Posted 6/10/2017 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
I thought Salix was sold by Valiant to a Japanese Co late in 2016.
Would you happen to have a phone number?
Should I call Medicare for a denial? They gave me a verbal denial over the phone.
I was hoping Apriso patent would run out by 2018 but who knows?
It doesnt mean the drug price will go down even if it gets generic
competitors...
its not the 401's an IRA's that hurt but if you have annuities or real estate income they add it to your total.
We are not rich by any means but these meds are driving us poor.
I am ok today on the Pentasa today but its only my first day and it seems like all I am doing is taking pills all day
sooo depressd, will keep at it...
thanks for all your good info FlowersGal
Posted 6/10/2017 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately most of the discount card programs (such as the one for Apriso) disqualify anyone with government-subsidized insurance:

Eligibility Criteria, Terms and Conditions:

This offer is only valid for patients 18 years of age or older with commercial insurance, including commercially insured patients without coverage for APRISO. Patients without commercial insurance are not eligible. This offer is not valid for any person eligible for reimbursement of prescriptions, in whole or in part, by any federal, state, or other governmental programs, including, but not limited to, Medicare (including Medicare Advantage and Part A, B, and D plans), Medicaid, TRICARE, Veterans Administration or Department of Defense health coverage, CHAMPUS, the Puerto Rico Government Health Insurance Plan, or any other federal or state health care programs.

Source: https://www.aprisorx.com/apriso/savings-card
Posted 6/10/2017 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
Other UC meds are available, some generics can be a lot cheaper. Ask about price estimates at a pharmacy:
  • Apriso is brandnamed, comes in 375mg pills, a typical dose is 1,500 mgs or 4 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Balsalazide Disodium is generic of Colazal, comes in 750mg pills, a typical dose is 6,750mgs or 9 pills daily.
  • Colazal is brandnamed, comes in 750mg pills, a typical dose is 6,750mgs or 9 pills daily.
  • Delzicol is brandnamed, comes in 400mg pills, a typical dose is 4,800 mgs or 12 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Lialda is brandnamed, comes in 1,200mg pills, a typical dose is 4,800 mgs or 4 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Mesalamine DR is generic, comes in 800mg pills, a typical dose is 4,800mgs or 8 pills daily.
  • Pentasa is brandnamed, comes in 500mg pills, a typical dose is 4,000 mgs or 8 pills daily. A copay assistance card is available from the manufacturer.
  • Sulfasalazine is a generic,comes in 500mg pills, a typical dose is 4,000mgs or 8 pills daily.


Generic sulfasalazine is the cheapest but has a higher risk of side effects. Balsalazide Disodium is a close second on least expensive and doesn't have the elevated side effects of sulfa...
Posted 6/12/2017 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on Medicare and I still qualified for Apriso's program. I see they've changed their website, but if you look closely it says, download our application HERE -- and there's a phone # on the app, I believe.

https://www.salix.com/what-we-treat/patient-focus

Oh, here's the phone #: 866-282-6563

You need an official denial from Medicare Extra Help in writing. Salix qualified me tentatively for 90 days or so while I waited for my official denial from Medicare, but it still took a little longer than that to receive it. They worked with me, though, and took a preliminary denial letter Medicare had sent, and then I received the official denial a few days later. Once they accept you, it's good for a year.
Posted 6/12/2017 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much. I will get on it.
In the meantime I took the Pentasa I bought in Mexico at 500 mg each tablet.
My doctor called Sat and told me that 8 of them would almost be equivelent to the 7 Apriso I take 0.375.
The equivelants don't agree, but he said they were entirelly different.
So far I get really hot when I take them, and an upset stomach.
I'm going to take them for the rest of the week. They are mesalamine after all. I can save approx $1000. a year with these, but I like my Apriso.
How is the Entyvio working?
Prednisone is so harsh..does Uceris, the cortosteroid help at all?
Posted 6/12/2017 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Entyvio seems to be working. I've had my 3 loading doses and my next infusion is next week. That will be 8 weeks since the last one and a couple of weeks ago I started having some mild symptoms like mild cramping now and then but I'm off pred and the uceris foam and canasa as keeping things in check. I'm hoping the infusion next week will allow me to cut back on those to a maintenance schedule.

I didn't have a lot of luck with uceris in pill form. It was okay but not as effective as pred, plus it gave me headaches. The foam is pretty good though. Salix also makes uceris so if you qualify for their program you can also get it for free.

FYI for anyone else wondering, patient assistance programs are (usually) different from the low copay (usually 5 - 20 $) discount card programs. I don't know why. Maybe they get a little bit from insurance with the copay program?
Posted 6/12/2017 8:32 PM (GMT 0)

pltt19 said...
Thanks so much. I will get on it.
In the meantime I took the Pentasa I bought in Mexico at 500 mg each tablet.
My doctor called Sat and told me that 8 of them would almost be equivelent to the 7 Apriso I take 0.375.
The equivelants don't agree, but he said they were entirelly different.
So far I get really hot when I take them, and an upset stomach.
I'm going to take them for the rest of the week. They are mesalamine after all. I can save approx $1000. a year with these, but I like my Apriso.
How is the Entyvio working?
Prednisone is so harsh..does Uceris, the cortosteroid help at all?

So ironic that you are switching from Apriso to Pentasa for financial reasons--I had to do the opposite (switch from Pentasa to Apriso). I switched so I could use Apriso's discount program, but I liked the Pentasa a lot and took the 8 pills per day for like 3 years. Pentasa does not offer a discount card though.
Posted 6/13/2017 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
The Apriso is so much easier to swallow than the tablets I got in Mexico, but I suppose I can get used to it if I can save over $1000.
annual.
My doctor said to take 4 and 4 twice daily. Im trying to adapt my
system to it.
I was pretty lucky with the Uceris pill fo stop the flares but I hate the side effects which are feeling feverish, falling asleep, and a sence of paranoia when taking it!
I feel like my colon is a real person, and not a nice one!
Demanding, finicky, self absorbed, fickle, and like a dictator can bring you to your knees whenever it wishes!
FEED THE BEAST
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply