Parents who buy ADHD medicine?????

[tiggerlover]

Someone asked me how much ADHD medicine costs and since we are retired military and do not have to pay I couldn't answer them. If you don't mind sharing could you give me an idea of how much the meds cost?

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

We're trying the holistic route on my step-daughter, before we go to conventional meds.

She's been diagnosed by a psychologist, but none of the medicine choices appealed to my DH and his ex.

We just paid $69 for two bottles of Brightspark. We got one free with the order.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Someone asked me how much ADHD medicine costs and since we are retired military and do not have to pay I couldn't answer them. If you don't mind sharing could you give me an idea of how much the meds cost?

Do you have tricare? If so it's the normal 3 $ for Generic,9$ for brand name.

 

[Christine]

On my prescription plan, it is $25 per month for a 30 day supply of Metadate CD (20 mg). If I get a 90 day supply (mailorder), I only pay $50.

When we used Ritalin LA, it was $35 per month as it is off formulary.

If you get the regular Ritalin or the regular Adderall (NOT long acting) they are quite a bit cheaper.

Not sure what the "commercial" price is, though, without a prescription plan.

 

[tiggerlover]

Do you have tricare? If so it's the normal 3 $ for Generic,9$ for brand name.

It isn't for me, I get all our meds for free on the base, that is why I was inquiring. A friend might be considering putting her DS on Adderall XR and asked what my monthly costs were, since mine are free I don't know the market price.

 

[roseprincess]

If your friend has a prescription drug plan on their health insurance, the health insurance company should have a list or booklet to find the cost of the meds. I find most insurance co.,it is a lot cheaper to go with the generic, short- acting version of the med. For example, for Concerta(which is Ritalin long acting), it is twice as expensive as a generic short acting of Ritalin. the generic med of Ritalin is called methylphenidate(not to be confused with the meth club drug). Both my kids are ADHD and I order the generic Ritalin, short-acting, because it is a lot less expensive/month than Concerta. When my kids are at school, I supply the school nurse with the lunchtime dose of the meds, because it is a twice a day med, one dose at breakfast and one dose at lunchtime.
Usually Adderal XR, Concerta are in the same group of brand name ADHD meds and are more expensive because they are brand name, not generic.

Rosemarie

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

Call Wallgreens. My DD is on Adderall XR, but I don't even notice the cost anymore. Wallgreens posts the actual cost on the prescription information sheet.

 

[dhcoffey]

My DD12 is on Concerta and the cost is 98 for one month supply. That's with a prescription plan. Without it, the cost would be 125 a month.

 

[outstandinfarmer]

I spend 50 dollars a month on it.

 

[tar heel]

roseprincess -- You must have young children. Going to the office to get medication at the middle school might make you socially unacceptable! It would certainly call attention to your problem, which is not what you want at that age.

Our co-pay for a month of Concerta is around $45. I think we pay $100 for a three-month supply if we mail order.

 

[kikakeko]

I work as a nurse in a child and adolescent psychiatrist practice. I know that we will write out RX on a WEEKLY basis if thats how the family can afford it. I do this for at least 2 families. Also some drug companies have programs to help with cost.

On another note... aprox more than half of the 400+ kids that we see take medicine at lunch time. Lots of our older kids have harder subjects in the afternoon and need that boost to help them finish out the day and to get their homework/ after school studies done.

 

[clm3]

Our co-pay for a month of Concerta is around $45. I think we pay $100 for a three-month supply if we mail order.

How do you get a 3 month supply ?? Both DS's are on Concerta and my Dr. makes me go in every month for prescription refill. I would love to get 3 month mail order supply. I pay about $65 per refill each month with Aetna.

I agree about the 12 hr dose for older kids. My DS13 changed once he was in 4th grade, he didn't want to stop at the nurse everday at lunch. Before he switched he told the kids he had to go get allergy meds so no one would find out.

 

[Christine]

How do you get a 3 month supply ?? Both DS's are on Concerta and my Dr. makes me go in every month for prescription refill. I would love to get 3 month mail order supply. I pay about $65 per refill each month with Aetna.

My pediatrician gives me a prescription for a 90-day supply. Believe me, it's legal or the prescription company wouldn't do it. My adult friend with ADHD also gets his as a 90-day supply. The funny thing is, when my son was seeing a psychiatrist for this, the psychiatrist was "unsure" about giving a 90-day supply and told me that he would check on this with the DEA. Apparently, he just wasn't well-versed about it. At about the same time, we left the psychiatrist as we had found the right medication and let our pediatrician handle the prescriptions. The 90-day supply has been a real blessing.

 

[paigevz]

On insurance: 40 dollars per month name brand............10 dollars per month generic.

Actually, since they give us enough for every day of the month, and we don't use it on weekends, it usually lasts 6 weeks.

Oh, DS takes Ritalin................

 

[paigevz]

Wow. I wish we could get a 90 day supply. It's never been offered, and I didn't know to ask.

My son goes to the nurse at noon.........he's in 5th grade, and will do it in middle school too. He has never felt bad about his ADHD. In fact, I think he was quite relieved to know WHY he had these problems other kids didn't have and that we can do something about it. Plus there are a TON of kids going to the nurse daily.

I work in a school (elementary), and there are so many kids going down for all manner of meds during the day (we've got some that take pain meds for heart disorders and sickle cell, breathing treatments, ADHD, psych drugs, and a bunch I wouldn't know about). I'm sure most of these continue to need these meds in middle school. It's so well accepted as necessary and usual by all our kids, I just don't think they'd change that much in a year.

By the by, he has a different elementary from where I teach, and there are also plenty of kids going for meds there. He's never said anything about not wanting to go or feeling the need to tell the kids anything different when he does. He even takes meds on field trips, and is fine with having it given in front of all.

NOt, of course saying that the other poster's son/daughter didn't feel that way, but just that I've not seen it in any of my students or in my son.....or really any kids around me.