posted
I finished my bottle of Mepron in 3 weeks. 1 tsp twice a day. I called for a refill and they said it should be a month supply, but I seem to recall others on here stating a bottle is only a 3 week supply as well. A little confused.
Posts: 306 | From NY | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
Two thoughts...but I haven't started Mepron yet.
1. Was the bottle factory sealed or filled by the pharmacy?
2. Were you mistakenly taking a tablespoon?
When I got my first 30-day supply. I got one factory sealed bottle that held 210mL of Mepron, and one the pharmacy had to fill that contained a remaining 90mL. Totaling 300mL. 10mL a day?
Posts: 829 | From MD | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
I have been making sure I took exactly 5 ml a day ( a teaspoon) and not a tablespoon.
Posts: 306 | From NY | Registered: Sep 2010
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I had the same issue with the Mepron. After my first course of it, I also ran out of it prematurely as well. I spoke with my pharmacist about it and he said that it comes pre-measured from the factory for the correct amount UNLESS, like Wolfed Out mentioned, the pharmacy had opened it and used a portion of it for someone else's prescription. My pharmacist gave me a little extra to hold me over.
I also brought this issue up to my LLMD who said that with the thick consistency of the mepron sometimes it is difficult to correctly dose it.
Good luck with it!
~tri
-------------------- ? date of bite/no rash 10/09 symptoms, 4/10 diagnosed, after 6 mos. ER visits, tons of docs/tests CDC+ 23/39/41/45/58/66/93 currently on oral plaquenil, doryx, rifampin, pyrazinamide, nystatin, numerous supplements Posts: 718 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
The mL listing should be on the bottle if it's factory sealed. It's listed at 210mL suspension.
The pharmacy didn't give me a leftover bottle of Mepron. I showed them a certificate for a 30-day supply and it was listed at 300mL. They told me the factory bottle was 210mL, and they would have to open another bottle and fill the remaining 90mL.
That would suggest to me that it's 10mL (suspension) per day.
Posts: 829 | From MD | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
5 ml is one teaspoon. A bottle contains 210 ml. That's 42 teaspoons, or twenty one days exactly....so you're right, it's three weeks.
Your pharmacy short-changed you on a months supply. How was your script written? Was it 1 tsp. twice a day? If so, they owe you more mepron.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
You are using the proper measuring device, right? A spoon meant for medications and NOT a measuring teaspoon? I stupidly make this mistake with Mepron. It's a BIG difference in dosing.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
The pharmacy can provide you with their measuring spoon to ensure you are taking the correct dose. 1 tsp. twice is day is no longer the therapeutic dose. It's my understanding you should be taking 2 tsp. twice per day.
Bartonella henselae 1:100 Posts: 2027 | From British Columbia | Registered: Jun 2010
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Tammy N.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26835
posted
Side note -- I've heard the dose needs to be about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons twice per day. There was talk of this at the recent ILADS conference. They are saying 1 tsp is not a strong enough dose.
Posts: 2238 | From East Coast | Registered: Jul 2010
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posted
Thanks for all of your help. The pharmacist gave me enough to hold me over not really sure what happened. I'm going to try and convince my LLMD to bump me up to 2 tsp twice per day at our next visit.
Just a little worried if insurance will cover it for a shorter amount of time if this change is made.
Posts: 306 | From NY | Registered: Sep 2010
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Could you elaborate? How is a medical measurement of a teaspoon different than using a measured teaspoon? Are you saying you used an actual teaspoon from your kitchen?
I don't know about people not tolerating 4tsps a day, but I assume it would be fine to work up to this dose. Maybe try moving up 1/2 a tsp every week or 2.
Posts: 829 | From MD | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
Wow my mepron is in individual teaspoon packets> I can't mess that up so glad I get it FREE.
-------------------- HERX is a Four Letter Word! Posts: 716 | From If you're going through hell, keep going......Winston Churchill | Registered: Apr 2007
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Camp Other
Unregistered
posted
Just another data point: I got one white 210 ml bottle that was the pharmaceutical company one, unopened, and a second smaller brown bottle each month. I took 5 ml 2x a day.
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
It is a three week supply. I am on it right now.
Some doctors take a week break (one in particular) continuing with zithro through that week but I was told to take it continuously.
Dr. B said recently that Babesia D is so resistant he recommends two teaspoons twice a day .
For those of us that can't afford that, you can add Bactrim DS to boost it's effect and artimisinin.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I had the same thing happen to me last month. Went to refill it, and the pharmacy said insurance would not allow it to be refilled for another two weeks! Thankfully, the pharmacist was able to talk to my ins. co. and get them to make an exception for me. I was using a regular teaspoon to take the mepron. The pharmacist suggested that I get a medicine dropper to measure an exact teaspoon. Upon using the dropper, I noticed that my teaspoons of it were a little too generous. Now I have to measure it all the time to make sure it's exact.. what a pain.
-------------------- "The simple things can get you through the hardest times." Posts: 628 | From Connecticut | Registered: Sep 2010
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
Hi basketball,
The amount of Mepron given you and the dosage you're taking (5ml/1TEAsp) are correct. The bottle should last 21 days and you should be taking a 7 day break before starting a new bottle. I know, it's confusing.
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Depends if you use a spoon or swig it out of the bottle.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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