My doctor is deciding to give me IV rocephin or Bicillin. His office told me that Bicillin is difficult to get. Is that correct?
I had penicillin allergy testing done last week because I always thought I was allergic to penicillin. I found out that I'm not allergic to it and I felt so much better after having small amounts injected into my arms.
That evening my hands were warm for the first time in about 15 years, my hair wasn't falling out, my neck was less stiff and I was tired at night and went to bed at 11 p.m. instead of 1 a.m. for the first time in as many years!
I would rather start the Bicillin but they said it's difficult to get. Does anyone know about that? Thanks!
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Try CostCo!!!!! Cheaper there usually!! There was a shortage for a while-
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I believe that they bicillin freeze is over. You should be able to get bicillin without a problem.
Posted by David95928 (Member # 3521) on :
Plentiful and cheap generic is not far away, just south of San Diego.
Posted by hillaryb (Member # 10049) on :
I've had no problem getting Bicillin in Los Angeles for the past two months.
I've also heard about a pharmacy in Florida that has good prices and will ship frozen packages, but I can't find the info right now. Your local Costco could also have it. Call around different places for prices, because they do vary!
Also, where are you getting the injection? Doctor's office, clinic, home?? The cost of injection adds up quickly, too.
[ 17. September 2007, 10:01 PM: Message edited by: hillaryb ]
Posted by sunnymalibu (Member # 9586) on :
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions!
Sarah-I did call Costco and they charge $53.00 for bicillin. If I end up using it I'll have to find a better price. Do you know what the pharmacy in Florida charges?
My doctor wants to start me on IV Rocephin, which my insurance covers. I have an itching hypersensitivity to cephalosporins so I don't know if I'll be able to tolerate the rocephin.
My insurance doesn't cover bicillin. I may be able to get it pre-approved.
Hillary-My first treatment will be at my doctors office but after that I'll have to make other arrangements. Where to you go for the injections?
Posted by sfcharm (Member # 9392) on :
I was on bicillin LA for six full months. I heard of the shortage in the San Francisco area when I first started Sept 06, but I never had a problem getting it.
I ordered it through Walgreens pharmacy. I was on 4.8 million units a week. It really helped my lyme but I am now on Rocephin IV.
I have such neurological symptoms the bicillin didn't seem to put a dent in them. I'm hoping the Rocephin will help and treatment for bartonella will then follow.
Barb
Posted by Ellie K (Member # 12056) on :
I had a problem getting it from Costco here in the East Bay. They would only sell in 600 and 2.4mu units. (I needed 1.2mu, which seems to be most common.)
I tried Walgreens and Safeway to no avail. But was finally able to get it from Elephant pharmacy for about $500 (10 X 1.2mu syringes).
If you're willing to do some research, I don't think you should have much of a problem.
Good luck.
Posted by hillaryb (Member # 10049) on :
Sunnymalibu--
My situation is unusual because I get my Biciilin injections at my student health center, and it costs $53 for the Bicillin and the nurse's fee. My health insurance will cover the shots after I pay a $500 deductible. The insurance does not cover Bicillin as a prescription, so it's actually better for me to go through my student health service than do it on my own.
For most people, though, I believe that the cheapest way to do Bicillin shots in the U.S. is to order bulk from a pharmacy & get someone with a steady hand to inject you. If you have any friends or family members who are nurses, it would be great to get them to train someone in your household to do the shots. Some people self-inject, too.
Or if you see an allergist, you can ask if they can do it for a set fee. In my experience, it's often cheaper to get certain things through my allergist rather than through my regular doctor's office. I don't know why!
Posted by sunnymalibu (Member # 9586) on :
hillaryb-thanks for your reply. Interesting that your student health center can help you.
I had a rocephin IV yesterday and I may now be leaning towards continuing if I can find someplace to give me the IV's. My doctor does not take insurance. I paid $145.00 out of pocket yesterday for the rocephin and IV. I can't afford that again.
Now I'm looking for either an infusion center who can give me the IV rocephin or I will have to get a PICC line put in. I don't know how to go about that yet.
Interesting that your allergist office can help you with any injections. My allergist is Dr. Peter Parker in Bev. Hills. I've never asked them about shots other than the weekly allergy shots I get. That's a good tip though. Thanks!
Do you know of any local infusion centers? I hope you're having good results with the bicillin. How long have you been doing them? Thanks!!
Posted by hillaryb (Member # 10049) on :