Prescriptions!!!

[kookycats]

Paul's kidney/diabetes dr. prescribed a pill for him to take for his kidneys. The pharmacist told us this morning that the prescription she wrote costs $115! A bit too much! Anyway, the pharmacist checked back with the dr. and he called us to tell us she changed it - and now it will only cost $5.00. Isn't that unbelievable --- the cost difference between a brand and generic -- oh I'm not even sure if it's generic or just another brand. Unbelievable difference in price.

 

[natalie_ca]

In Canada the pharmacist just automatically dispenses the generic brand if one is available: they don't need to call the doctor to be able to swap them out.

But yes, drastic price change. However, it could also be that the doctor ordered an entirely different medication. The price doesn't usually drop $110.00 from brand name to generic.
 

 

[dejolane]

There has got to be some help out there for your scripts somewhere.

dejolane

 

[angels mommy]

Yea, that is just crazy!!  It's robbery!

 

[kookycats]

The substitute prescription was just $5 - and it does the same thing as the expensive one.

 

[dejolane]

The substitute prescription was just $5 - and it does the same thing as the expensive one.

$5.00 is alot better than $115.00 we always check before we leave the house.

dejolane

 

[zohdee]

I wish they would get a generic for Advair. 
 

 

[Winchester]

For years, I had a $4.00 prescription for Lisinipril for high blood pressure; it worked well at keeping my BP down and it never gave me any side effects. But I developed swelling of the lips and mouth a couple years ago....the first thing allergy doctor did was take me off aspirin, advil, and the lisinipril (since then he's added Halls lozenges and Robitussin HPB to that list of things I can't take).

My family doctor switched me over to Bystolic (a beta blocker) which cost me $45 a month, a big, big change for us. It works well, too, at keeping my BP at a even roar, so I have to keep taking it. Thankfully, in January, the cost dropped to $25 a month for Bystolic. But still, I was used to that $4.00, so even $25 bites. There is no generic for Bystolic yet....at least, not that we know of.

 

[lindsayb]

I work for CVS and it's the same as Natalie mentioned it is in Canada. Unless the Dr. specifically requests brand, the generic will be dispensed if one is available. The funny thing is, some of the brand/generic drugs are manufactured in the same place. We had a "generic" brand of Protonix that was literally the brand Protonix and had "Protonix" written on the generic pill just like the brand. I see a lot of depressing things working there. Elderly people who can't afford their prescriptions while parents will pass up on buying their child's antibiotics or LICE MEDICATION so they can still afford their cigarettes or worse.