Singulair users

[MELSMICE]

One of my DD's uses Singulair daily. Our wonderful insurance company that I pay out of my own pocket over just about $12,000 a year to has changed our coverage so now the 2nd & 3rd presciption tier is 100% - lovely!

Anyway, her Singulair will now be about $116 per month. I realize this script does not come in generic, but are there any other options?

I am going to the Dr. for my other DD & I am going to ask him about it, but thought if I could come with any information it might be good.

TIA!

 

[BCV513]

Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear that! I use Singulair too. Has your daughter ever tried Advair? It's an inhaler, not a pill. It gave me joint pain, so I had to stop using it.

My insurance company did the same thing to me with Allegra. They wanted me to take Claritin or Zyrtec over the counter. Nice, but those don't work for me. Allegra does. They refused to pay, so now I shell out $157 a month for Allegra. Without it, I literally use a box of Kleenex every day.

 

[SCHBR'smom]

I feel your pain. My oldest DD uses singulair. The other day we had to refill her singulair and xopenex (for the nebulizer) at the same time. WOW! $90 for both for only one month. I know it is better than the not getting them. But when I thought about the fact that that is how much we pay with insurance, I can't imagine what people without insurance must have to do. I came home and told my husband that we need to invest in pharmaceticals.

 

[MELSMICE]

Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear that! I use Singulair too. Has your daughter ever tried Advair? It's an inhaler, not a pill. It gave me joint pain, so I had to stop using it.

She does not use Advair, but does use Asthmanex. She also takes a generic brand of Zyrtec in addition to the Singulair.

In the past the Dr. has given us tons of samples of Singulair, so I'm hoping we'll get some today. She used to be on Claritin also, before adding the Zyrtec, so I'm wondering (hoping) if the Claritin & Zyrtec would work OK together for her.

 

[BCV513]

She does not use Advair, but does use Asthmanex. She also takes a generic brand of Zyrtec in addition to the Singulair.

In the past the Dr. has given us tons of samples of Singulair, so I'm hoping we'll get some today. She used to be on Claritin also, before adding the Zyrtec, so I'm wondering (hoping) if the Claritin & Zyrtec would work OK together for her.

Singulair is an antihistamine too, so that's probably helping her allergies a bit too.

 

[LindaG4458]

We are in somewhat the same boat with Allegra. My insurer will not pay anything for it, but it is the only thing that has worked for me and DH. Luckily we renewed prescriptions in the past as soon as we could so we have some to use for a while, but we will be paying full price for even the generic pill. They haven't said anything about Singulair yet but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[MELSMICE]

The Dr. said to see how she does without the Singulair. He said that Claritin & Zyrtec were pretty much the same product (which I didn't realize) so that taking them together wouldn't do much.

We'll see what happens.

It just really annoys me that the drug companies do this. Really......over $100 for one prescription. I feel for people that really need a certain medication & have to pay these kind of prices.

It's ridiculous.

 

[disney1990]

One of my DD's uses Singulair daily. Our wonderful insurance company that I pay out of my own pocket over just about $12,000 a year to has changed our coverage so now the 2nd & 3rd presciption tier is 100% - lovely!

Anyway, her Singulair will now be about $116 per month. I realize this script does not come in generic, but are there any other options?

I am going to the Dr. for my other DD & I am going to ask him about it, but thought if I could come with any information it might be good.

TIA!

Can you mail order for the prescription? Often it is like getting 1 month out of every 3 for free.

 

[CathrynRose]

If it were me - and this is just me - I'd pay the $116 for it. SIngulair works, and works very well.

I'd be as livid as you are - there's nothing that is 'comparable' to Singulair (like people mentioned Allergra / Zyrtec etc....) so the insurance company has a lot of nerve being like that. A whole lot.

WHat about ordering from a Canadian Pharmacy?

 

[MELSMICE]

WHat about ordering from a Canadian Pharmacy?

Someone mentioned that to me, so I think I'm going to look in to it.

 

[RNMOM]

I take injectable methotrexate weekly for my arthritis. This is a dirt cheap, first line of care medication that my insurance company is not covering now. Huh? If I were to take Humira or any of the other biologicals, which I can't take anyway, it would exceed $1000 a month. Okay..$10 a month vs. $1000 a month. You do the math. I really am so sick of being controlled by the apes at the insurance companies.

 

[monorailsilver]

That bites!

I just refilled my ds's & it was $25.

But today I refilled his Veramyst & I forgot the coupon so it was $40.

 

[ROIE01581]

When you go to the doctor ask for free samples. My husband just got 6 boxes of it from the doctor. Tell them your insurance will not cover it. So if you get some free samples you will not have to pay it every month at least.

 

[BCV513]

The Dr. said to see how she does without the Singulair. He said that Claritin & Zyrtec were pretty much the same product (which I didn't realize) so that taking them together wouldn't do much.

We'll see what happens.

It just really annoys me that the drug companies do this. Really......over $100 for one prescription. I feel for people that really need a certain medication & have to pay these kind of prices.

It's ridiculous.

I don't mean to criticize your doctor, but that doesn't make any sense. Singulair is an asthma drug. It's used to prevent and maintain asthma episodes. Yes, it's also an antihistamine, but it's main purpose is to treat asthma. Claritin and Zyrtec are only antihistamines. They treat allergy symptoms. They do not help asthma at all.

ETA: Claritin and Zyrtec are basically the same as each other. Could that be what he meant?

 

[luvmy3]

Someone mentioned that to me, so I think I'm going to look in to it.

If you do this make sure it is exactly the same as the US version of Singulair. Medications, even with the same name, from other countries can be different with different ingredients.

My ds was on Singulair briefly during the fall but we took him off. He will be put back on it in the spring when his allergies are really bad and trigger his asthma. I'll have to check my ins. company.

 

[bgirl29]

I take injectable methotrexate weekly for my arthritis. This is a dirt cheap, first line of care medication that my insurance company is not covering now. Huh? If I were to take Humira or any of the other biologicals, which I can't take anyway, it would exceed $1000 a month. Okay..$10 a month vs. $1000 a month. You do the math. I really am so sick of being controlled by the apes at the insurance companies.

Did you ever try writing a letter to your insurance company saying this same thing? I know it is not exactly the same but I had something similar when I needed an aircast for my ankle. My insurance would cover 50% but only from authorized sources. Well all of the authorized sources wanted over $120 for the aircast. So my cost would have been $60. We found the same thing at Walgreens for $36, so we sent the insurance company a letter letting them know what we thought about this (in a nice way) and they sent us a check for half of what we paid for the cast.

Just thought it couldn't hurt to ask your insurance and see what they say.

 

[MELSMICE]

I don't mean to criticize your doctor, but that doesn't make any sense. Singulair is an asthma drug. It's used to prevent and maintain asthma episodes. Yes, it's also an antihistamine, but it's main purpose is to treat asthma. Claritin and Zyrtec are only antihistamines. They treat allergy symptoms. They do not help asthma at all.

ETA: Claritin and Zyrtec are basically the same as each other. Could that be what he meant?

Thank you. I will speak with her asthma Dr. more about it.

 

[KATHINOWA]

She does not use Advair, but does use Asthmanex. She also takes a generic brand of Zyrtec in addition to the Singulair.

In the past the Dr. has given us tons of samples of Singulair, so I'm hoping we'll get some today. She used to be on Claritin also, before adding the Zyrtec, so I'm wondering (hoping) if the Claritin & Zyrtec would work OK together for her.

My DS takes Asthmanex, zyrtec and singulair too!! It killed me when zyrtec went over the coutner. I went from paying $10 co-pay for 3 months to $12 (i think) a month. I wish the dr. would take him off it, but he's doing so well right now I don't want to jinx it.

Sorry to hear about your insurance issues.

 

[KristaTX]

Singulair is an antihistamine too, so that's probably helping her allergies a bit too.

Actually, Singulair is not an antihistamine. It is a leukotriene blocker and is used for allergies and for asthma, or both. Just wanted to mention that since it has been assumed a couple of times in this thread this Singulair is an antihistamine.

People are often put on an antihistamine (e.g. Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra, Xyzal, Benadryl) plus Singulair, but that is because antihistamines and leukotriene blockers work differently physiologically in regards to the allergic response.

 

[MELSMICE]

My DS takes Asthmanex, zyrtec and singulair too!! It killed me when zyrtec went over the coutner. I went from paying $10 co-pay for 3 months to $12 (i think) a month. I wish the dr. would take him off it, but he's doing so well right now I don't want to jinx it.

Sorry to hear about your insurance issues.

DD's asthma Dr. told us to use the generic Zyrtec from Sam's Club.