I was just diagnosed with babs after 6 weeks of treatment for Lyme.
The doc prescribed mepron and zithromax. I got the zithromax for $10, but insurance would only cover $150 of mepron, leaving me with $750 out of pocket.
Would malarone be as effective for a cheaper price?
Are there other alternatives that are as effective as mepron?
The doc (LLMD of course) thinks that 3 weeks of this combo will kill everything, so I'm tempted to just pay for it and hope she's right. My symptoms are not very bad...
But then again, if it doesn't work and she prescribes more, there's no way that I can afford that.
Thanks.
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
check the pricing of malarone. It is basically the same thing but in pill form. Another one that works (sometimes) is larium - 1 pill per week.
Then there is the old treatment, quinine and clydimycin. Lower cost but does not work so well due to reported frequent relapse.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I never took mepron for my babesia. I took many rounds of clindy/Q and later artemisinin with zith.
No more babs!! Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
There is a service that gives you Mepron at no cost. You can either search here or wait until someone posts on this thread about it ... sorry, I don't have the information.
I've been taking Mepron at 2 tsp. twice daily (2 1/2 bottles per month) for SIX months. I think I've finally licked the babs! I'll switch to Malarone, which is not quite as strong according to my LLMD, for a while to be sure we got it all.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi hat
you can get mepron for free from -- Bridges to Access --
There are some requirements but you dont have to be completely broke--
If you need further info Pm me --JAY--
Posted by hatpianka (Member # 12244) on :
I looked up Bridges to Access and it doesn't look like I qualify. I do have insurance and prescription coverage, it just won't cover more than $150 of this drug. I also make too much.
So why can't I afford it? I guess I could afford one bottle without a problem, but I'm already in a bunch of credit card debt after buying a house and such. Just trying to be cost effective.
I'm not used to these kinds of out of pocket expenses for my health care!
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
I believe a bottle of Mepron is around $800 so $150 is actually a great price, as digusting (and wrong) as that sounds.
I pay out of pocket for Malarone and pay $164ish. Check that through your insurer and see if it's cheaper, it sure can't hurt to ask.
Malarone has a lower dose(250 mg) of the same drug as Mepron with another anti-malarial/anti-parisitic Proguanil.
Posted by lucy96734 (Member # 8372) on :
I had to pay out of pocket for Mepron for a few months before I convinced my insurance MD to work with my LLMD.
I got it through Canadadrugs.com for $500/bottle when it was about $1,000/bottle at the local pharmacy.
Posted by hatpianka (Member # 12244) on :
Thanks for all the feedback.
I just found out that my insurance covers 80% of the cost of the mepron, I just have to pay for it myself and then I'll get reimbursed the 80%.
I started taking the zithromax last night and I'm now, for the first time, experiencing the GI issues. I'll tough it out. Yes, I'm taking probiotics.
Posted by valbeth (Member # 12715) on :
Just as an fyi, I took Mepron in the past but the babs came back. I am now taking Arteminisin (under direction of my LLMD) and I belive it's working better than the Mepron. It's certainly no comparison in terms of cost.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
I've been on artemisisnin for a few months now, added Biaxin last month.
Today I picked up my first bottle of Mepron. Total cost was $1128! I pay $25! I have great insurance.
So far the only thing they wouldn't cover was Diflucan. Go figure!
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I pay $25! I have great insurance. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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