well i just encountered the classic your money or your life situation at my local pharmacy. i am prescribed lantus pens for diabetes along with metformin. lantus is a long acting insulin taken once a day by injection. the pens come preloaded with 100 uls of insulin and are portable meaning they dont need to be refrigerated like regular insulin. convenient hugh only 1 problem 254.00 for 5 of them basically a two month supply that cant be broken down into a lower cost. (meaning i cant buy say 1 or two pens) So i call my doc shes also my trans physician, and ask for the old fashion method vial and box of syringes this should save me money. i was wrong 2 vials of 10 mls is 223.00 not including the syringes. metformin will not hold my blood glucose down by itself so im f...ed yay american health care system i could ask for humolog which is 50 a vial but the action is different its a combination of fast acting and slow acting insulin. my doctors do not want me on fast acting insulin so again im f...ed god i miss the military when meds were free but then again transition would be hopeless sometimes it feels the stars are lined up against us.
jesse
Jesse, have you asked about contacting the manufacturer? Many of them have programs that help defray the cost for those who cannot afford it. I know, you have to do what you have to do, but that med is a good one, I have been looking at it. I am borderline for needing it myself and am on Glocophage right now. Since it does not come in generic at this point it is going to cost a lot. :( Please let us know what you find out.
my father has encountered a similar problem with his diabetes meds. Albeit he isn't trans; but the meds have become very expensive recently.
I tracked down some information from the lantus manufacturer they do have a program. for low or no income people. It requires a little effort on your part to fill out the application, kind of like applying for food stamps but not nearly as invasive. Once approved they will send your supplies to the doctors office who wrote the script. The patient has to pick them up there. Im not sure why they wont send them to your home address but they wont.something to think about. lantus according to my pharmacist is a unigue med and hence tghe ridiculous cost of it. the closest thing to it is humalog which is a fast and slow acting insulin combined. Basically a step up in treatment. the docs dont like to increase the strength of the meds until they have too.
alternative too which i chose is to purchase lantus in the vial which can be purchased 1 at a time and will last 30 days depending on your dosage level for 113.00 dollars plus 17.00 dollars in syringes. about half the cost of the pens. i need ajob with frigging insurance lol
jess
Great, Jesse! I hope you do it. Picking them up from your doc is a lot cheaper than buying it outright.