OT: Expensive Prescription

[mjkacmom]

I agree with the PPs who have suggested Prilosec. When Nexium first came out I was on a program to get it for free for a year; the maker ended that with no reason given after 6 months or so. My doctor suggested Prilosec; he said that since the drug company was losing their patent on Prilosec they changed one molecule and "voila!" they now had a new drug they could patent and make more money on. According to him there is very little difference.

I'm sure many are different, but it appears most doctors are herded like sheep by the drug companies these days. An example - my husband had a severe allergic reaction just recently and went to the doctor and got a steroid shot. Then he was told to get some Allegra and take it as needed. My husband didn't ask but I immediately thought it was odd, considering benadryl is a much more effective antihistamine and is cheap to boot. Yes it makes you drowsy but he wasn't going anywhere in his condition anyway! Why Allegra? Because it's new. What do the drug companies do for the doctors so that they will suggest particular OTC meds, I wonder?

I've been taking Allegra for close to 15 years - not new at all! As for benadryl, I can't even function after I take it, so I can see why a doctor would suggest allegra over benadryl.

 

[dhuba]

I have been diagnosed with acid reflux and barrett's esophagus and was originally given Aciphex, but would have cost more on my drug plan. I looked into my plan and seen what proton pump inhibitors were the lowest cost and I was given the generic Protonix (pantoprazole) which is free for me on my plan. Any proton pump inhibitor should do the trick. Call your prescription plan and find out what proton pump inhibitors they do cover. Prilosec, Prevacid, Aciphex, Protonix, Nexium and Zegarid are all Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI's) and surely one of them can treat your acid reflux with a reasonable cost through your drug plan. If your doctor is reluctant to switch I would be asking some serious questions about why he is insisting on Nexium and not one of the other PPIs which will cost you less.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I've been taking Allegra for close to 15 years - not new at all! As for benadryl, I can't even function after I take it, so I can see why a doctor would suggest allegra over benadryl.

I'm sorry, I was unclear - it's new as an OTC drug. I took it years ago as well. I don't think it's a coincidence that she suggested Allegra, and I don't think Allegra is more than mariginally better than Zyrtec or Claritin, if at all. Just my opinion.

 

[Madison'smommy]

Also ask your Dr. about Dexilant. It's fairly new and expensive but it should be covered and has worked for me whereas all the others have failed to control my Gerd/reflux.

This is what my DH switched to a few months ago. It has really worked for him! We have insurance that covers it with a $25 copay (much more than ANY RX we have had filled), but I got a card from the company that will cover up to like $50 of anything that I pay out of pocket, including my copay. So, now I am getting it for FREE! I just realized about this card last month, and I am so thankful! With so many other options, I would ablsolutly NOT pay what you are paying for that! I am 99% sure your doctor has samples, and you are the type of patient that he gets them for!!! If you really want Nexium, ASK him for samples if he doesnt offer!

 

[dhuba]

and some cases are medical and need to be treated with medication. You cannot fix everything by changing your diet.

It is absolutely true that diet (eliminating certain foods) along with losing weight, if that is an issue, will help with acid reflux, but they all can go hand in hand with the medication, if necessary. I would be surprised if her doctor didn't go over things that can trigger the acid reflux more.

 

[PatsMom]

I've been scoped a few times and have Barrett's esophagus along with an active ulcer. I took Nexium for years because the doctor thought it was the best thing for my condition. It was covered by my drug plan, but at the highest co-pay. And last year when that was getting to be prohibitive, I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and some other issues. While I was doing multiple surgeries and chemo, no one wanted to mess with my medications. Last October when it was time for my doctor to justify the Nexium, we decided to try one of the generic PPI's. It has worked just fine and it is $10 for a 90 day supply through my mail order plan.

Obviously, I agree with those that have suggested talking to your doctor about a cheaper generic version of a poton pump inhibitor.

 

[swilshire]

When Prilosec went OTC, my doctor switched me to Nexium so the insurance would pay for it. I had a lot more side effects with Nexium, so I switched back. I have used both the Walgreens and CVS generic versions and can't tell any difference.

Sheila

 

[crisi]

It is absolutely true that diet (eliminating certain foods) along with losing weight, if that is an issue, will help with acid reflux, but they all can go hand in hand with the medication, if necessary. I would be surprised if her doctor didn't go over things that can trigger the acid reflux more.

It isn't unheard of for doctors not to pursue root cause for something like reflux. At least, its really common in the celiac community to have been treated for years for IBS or acid reflux and then discover - Duh, celiac. I hear from the lactose intolerant that they have the same problem. It also is the case that a lot of time doctors will give you the "well, try cutting stuff out of your diet and see if that helps" lecture - and not everyone follows through in a fashion that would let them figure it out.

 

[auralia]

dh is on nexium and couldn't get it one month due to being away at work he bought oeprezole it is around 30$ for 48 pills and worked BETTER than nexium for him target sells it by a name i don't recall the name i put is what the actual drug is called! hope it helps... we don't pay anything for perscriptions being military so he went back to nexium but said if we had to pay he actually prefered this knock off!

 

[blanq]

It isn't unheard of for doctors not to pursue root cause for something like reflux. At least, its really common in the celiac community to have been treated for years for IBS or acid reflux and then discover - Duh, celiac. I hear from the lactose intolerant that they have the same problem. It also is the case that a lot of time doctors will give you the "well, try cutting stuff out of your diet and see if that helps" lecture - and not everyone follows through in a fashion that would let them figure it out.

Crisi, my Dr did not pursue the root cause of my reflux and just put me on meds. I questioned having reflux to begin with but now am convinced (I have horrible tooth erosion to prove it and would guess I had it for many years before my Dr indicating I probably have it) I do have it. Now that you mention the IBS issue, which is also something I have been concerned about having, I am going to have my Dr try to work to find the root. I have not been able to figure out any ryhme or reason to my reflux or bowel issues as it relates to cutting out certain foods. My symptoms seem so random. It is all really frustrating.

OP, my Dr has me on Omeprazole (20MG) for my reflux. I think it cost a couple hundred dollars for a 90 day supply.

 

[zscfan]

Prevacid.....it works like a charm!!!! Just make sure you take it every day as soon as you get up and before you eat anything.

 

[MEM]

Well my experience is that Nexium is the only thing that works for me. My insurance refused to cover it unless I tried Prilosec for one month first. After one month of misery, the insurance still refused to cover the Nexium unless my PCP wrote a letter verifying that nothing else worked. I had already tried every alternative to the Nexium. I now take Nexium twice a day and pay $60 a month co-pay for it. There is no generic for Nexium.

 

[disfan07]

Nexium is what they give me at the hospital for reflux (I only need it when on IV steroids)

I'm pretty sure nexium is a last resort drug or end of the line drug for reflux. Meaning that insurance companies wont cover it unless the doctor writes that you have tried all the other meds first and that the medication is justified. Since there are other OTC meds, they probbaly wont cover it unless your doctor says that you have tried the others and that the medication is 100% necessary.

We have had to do that with:
Methotrexate
Symbicort (had to try advair first)
Xoponex (had to try albuterol first)
Xyzal (had to try zyrtec and allegra first)
Flecainide (had to try calcium channel blockers first)
Folic Acid (the dose is a prescription dose...not the same as OTC)

Our insurance company LOVES me

 

[head2toewinner]

OP, my Dr has me on Omeprazole (20MG) for my reflux. I think it cost a couple hundred dollars for a 90 day supply.

You might wanna check into cheaper sources of omeprazole. If you were to get the otc version at cvs it would be roughly 60 dollars for 90 days for the regular (20 mg) dose.

 

[lilrooster76]

i too have to take Nexium, nothing else will work for me. We recently lost our insurance and it cost me $375 to refill my script. I did find the $50 card on the nexium site helpful. HOWEVER I found this link MUCH more helpful.


http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/help-affording-your-medicines/



I take 10 meds a day for my MS and I get them all for free. Nexium is made by astrazeneca so it qualifies. Always check the manufactures websites, and look to see if they are owned by a bigger company. I had to do that with 2 of my meds, the subsidiaries did not have a plan to help pay, but the Parent company did.

We even switched over to a couple of name brands because they would cover them for free. we only saved like $5 but hey when you take $5000 worth of meds a month it adds up quick

 

[girli565]

I had the same problem and when I spoke to my doctor about it he prescribed me Aciphex which treats the same problem but doesn't cost an arm and a leg like nexium does.

 

[schoen]

Thanks for all the advice. I am trying prilosec. Although, my Dr. didn't tell me to take it. I have an appointment with a GI specialist in six weeks. I hope to know more by then. I also am VERY hopeful that the prilosec will help. So far I have been on it for six days, and it IS a little better, but still not great.

I the meantime I am cutting out fatty foods and alcohol, and have SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on my diet coke addiction. I have also stopped taking advil at all since my Internal Medicine Dr. said it could be an ulcer because I am only having stomach issue, no real heartburn to speak of.

we'll see!

 

[Disnydad]

I recently switched from Nexium to Prilosec OTC without any problems. Buying the Prilosec OTC at the grocery store is cheaper than my co-pay was with the Nexium.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I'm sorry, I was unclear - it's new as an OTC drug. I took it years ago as well. I don't think it's a coincidence that she suggested Allegra, and I don't think Allegra is more than mariginally better than Zyrtec or Claritin, if at all. Just my opinion.

Not to hijack the thread, but DH has tried Claritin and Zyrtec (our kids take Zyrtec and do very well on it), but Allegra is apparently much better for his urticaria and for complications due to asthma. While I do agree that doctors are more likely to suggest drugs that are newer or that they have recently received sales presentations about, there are times that it is warranted. His doctor fought hard with the insurance company for Allegra.

OP, I second (or third) the suggestion to try Prevacid. DH was on Nexium for asthma-induced reflux for a long time until the insurance company balked. He switched to Prevacid and has done great. Of course, your situation might be different.