groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi All
Bridges to Access -is a program from the maker of Mepron (GSK)
They will give for Free --Mepron-- to those people that qualifie--
Its fairly easy to Qualifie-- You dont have to be Flat broke like me but it helps--LOL--
The Forms are Real Easy to fill out about 10 questions--
You have to have 2 perscription for mepron from your doctor -one for 3 month and one for 9 months--(1 year total)
Bridges to Access(GSK) will give you Free Mepron supply for 1 year total--
Your doctor or nurse or pharmisist health care professional - --HAVE-- to make One phone call to Bridges to Access people--
Nothing will happen- Until -this phone call is made-- the phone call takes 8 minutes Tops-Easy-
You can print out the forms from the Bridges web site--
The Forms Have a number at the top-(ID#) each time you down load these forms downloaded the form number --Changes--
Make sure the forms you use ALL hae the same ID # --Important--
The bridges folks will give you the amount of mepron that your doctors perscribe-- Make Sure your doctor perscribed amount is sufficent for you- Big folks take more-- and its Hard to change amount later --
Your First Mepron from Bridges you will pick up at your local pharmacy-- If avaiable --Same Day---
Make sure to accept Only sealed bottles of Mepron from your pharmacy-- Mepron is HIGH Dollar- Tempting-
I cant prove this but I think the pharmacy I used -Thined my mepron out- -Long story-
Anyway accept Only Factory sealed bottles-
After 3 months--Bridges sends the Mepron to- Your Home -using UPS--Awsome--
The Bridges to Access people are Real Nice- Very Helpful -and Very willing to help you-
They talk to doctors and sick people everyday so they know where you are coming from-
Hope this helps--Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Daisy Posts: 122 | From at the computer | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged |
Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Thank you, Jay - very helpful!
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
What makes you think your pharmacy thinned out your Mepron? WHo is telling you to watch out for this, and based on what information from whom? Who is your pharmacy?
I don't think any of my bottles have ever been sealed. And the one I just got -- which is 300ml instead of the standard 210ml -- definitely was not.
-------------------- Suzanne Shaps STAND UP FOR LYME Texas (www.standupforlyme.org) (Please email all correspondence related to protecting Texas LLMDs to [email protected] with copy to [email protected]) Posts: 977 | From Austin, TX, USA | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Drugs that are expensive are the ones most likely to be tampered with/counterfeited. Makes sense, doesn't it.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
Thanks for your private message. Will respond soon. Have you taken the Mepron that you believe was tampered with back to the pharmacy to ask him why it could be so much thinner? You could bring your other bottle to show him the difference.
If this happened to me, I would ask for a replacement.
My latest bottle is in a pharmacy bottle (I am assuming) because the amount is 300ml, not the standard 210ml, so the contents of one full bottle would have been combined with that of about half of another bottle.
Of course, now you've got me wondering. I've been using a syringe to measure and squirt it directly into my mouth and haven't noticed a difference, but will use a tsp tonight to get a better look.
-------------------- Suzanne Shaps STAND UP FOR LYME Texas (www.standupforlyme.org) (Please email all correspondence related to protecting Texas LLMDs to [email protected] with copy to [email protected]) Posts: 977 | From Austin, TX, USA | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
up
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mepron is documented to be one of the drugs most at risk of being adulterated (counterfeit drugs are encompassed by the term adulteration). This happens because it so expensive.
It may not have been the pharmacy. It may have been the drug wholesaler.
Save the packaging and remaining liquid contents, report it to your prescriber, and make sure that the prescriber reports it to the state board of pharmacy in your state, and/or the state that holds the orginating license for the drug wholesaler and/or the pharmacy.
For example, if you get your drugs by mail-order, contact the board of pharmacy in the state where the prescription was filled/dispensed.
Glaxo, the pharmaceutical company that has a patent on and manufactures the drug should also be alerted, and you need to ask them for a new dispense.
If the prescriber will not report this, report it yourself.
Posts: 183 | From US | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
My pharmacist just ordered me a 210ml bottle yesterday. I start treatment for Babesia again next week.
I have BCBS insurance. Will I be able to get this medication free ?
Do I qualify ?
I will read the website... but it sounds too good to be true.
800+ per 3 week supply and over 1000+ for a month supply.
Can this be for real ?
Please let me know if I can do this with me having insurance !!!!
Thanks !!!
EDIT : AHHHHH, the Mepron PDF file cannot be found !!! AHHHHH. HELP !!!!!
EDIT : Nevermind. That is just a file to the medication properties. I don't need that.
Also, I don't think I will be able to apply because of BCBS : (
Any thoughts ?
Posts: 20 | From Ga | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Up for people starting mepron now.
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
What a WONDERFUL resource!!! Several of my daughter's medications are listed.
Now...for Geodon. That's another high dollar med...
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
The fact you have insurance does not necessarily mean you can't get Mepron from Bridges.
I believe you're eligible if you have insurance but your insurance won't pay for it. (I.E., the usual scenario.)
They are really nice at Bridges to Access and things aren't necessarily black and white.
For example:
My monthly temporary disability was pretty high due to high earnings while working. Thus, I didn't QUITE qualify....
However:
With no health insurance any longer, my needed monthly meds now amounted to hundreds of dollars a month.
They agreed to look at a faxed printout of my past year of meds from my pharmacy (Walgreens, available online) and were suitably impressed that putting out that kind of money monthly would render me broke enough to easily meet their guidelines, and THEN some!
So don't give up easily. It's a great program.
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I remember this thread from a while back.
Tonight I went to my pharmacy to get my Mepron. When I took it, it was noticeably thinner. I immediately took it back to the pharmacy and told them it was thinner.
The pharmacist took my bottles (he had put them in bottles that weren't the originals whereas before I would get the originals and half a bottle). After several minutes, he called me over to another window, showed me another bottle of Mepron and poured both mine and that bottle into a beaker to show that they were the same.
When I went home, I realized the stuff I now have is thicker than the thin stuff. I think when he was in the back, he replaced mine with some that wasn't watered down.
I didn't believe this would happen! I obviously can't prove it, but both my husband and my daughter saw the thinned down stuff. There's nothing to report now, because the stuff I have now is correct.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I took Mepron/Ketek/Zith for 4 months last year, writing a check for the full price with tears each month. I started relapsing a few months after I stopped.
Imagine my surprise when I went to a different pharmacy to have my script filled this year and I received sealed bottles from GSK and the Mepron was so thick I could barely pour it out on the spoon.
The other bottles were much thinner.
Also, my doc wrote the script for 60 days - the pharm gave me 3 - 210 ml bottles. Each bottle contains 21 days - 2 tsp per day. The pharm said they weren't going to split out the 3 days from the bottles they were giving me. I just finished the first bottle and it has lasted the entire 21 days - I used to have to wash the other bottles to get the last 2 doses each month.
elle
-------------------- When I feel blue . . . . . . its time to take another breath Posts: 296 | From East Coast | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
You know, you expect your pharmacist and your banker to be honest. This is scary.
It makes me feel better going to a chain like Kroger or Walgreens ... this happened in a small, family owned pharmacy.
Where were you getting your thinned down Mepron? Was it family owned, or a chain?
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
I'll be starting mepron soon and I'm a bit confused by some of this discussion. From what I can tell, mepron is a brand. Are you all taking the brand mepron or are you taking Atovaquone of different brands? If you are taking different brands, they may legimately have a different thickness.
Thanks, Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Terry, Mepron is not available in generics. Be sure you get bottles sealed from the manufacturer so you know how thick it's supposed to be.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi All
Mepron is made by GSK -- only --
Like any other Liquid med they have no control over medicine once it leaves there hands-- only bottle seal protects from being messed with-
If mepron is put in New bottle you have Zero safety control to protect you--
I got my thinned mepron from Albertsons - Large chain store-
I am 100% sure employees at local Albertsons messed with mepron --
In my younger days I was a show car and motorcycle painter--
I had to adjust viscosity (thickness) of High $$$ paint daily --
Every bottle of sealed mepron that I have received has been Very Thick -- So thick it is hard to pour into spoon --
The messed with mepron was so thin that it gushed out quickly -- Easy to spill --
The mepron I got from Albertsons was 3.4 bottles of mepron poured into ONE Large Bottle--
ZERO Reason to do this--Except-- Even Head pharmacists said there was NO reason to do this--
I figure the mepron was thinned about 25% -- 25% of this amount of mepron is worth about $700 --
After your first supply of mepron that comes from local pharmacies --
GSK sends the rest of mepron using UPS and sends to your home--
GSK dose this for reasons -- One of witch is to make sure medicine is Not Jacked with --
Most pharmacies will have to order the mepron- Tell them you will Only except Sealed Bottles --
If you are taking 2 tsp of mepron aday you will get a small Open bottle 60 ML -- No way around this --
Others Must be sealed --
Learn from my experience and Insist on Only Sealed bottles -- Jay --
Ps the thick mepron works Much better-
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Thanks sixgoofykids. Awful that some people would cause so much suffering by giving a substandard dose just to make a buck.
Similar thing happened to me with some highly desirable liquid medication in that it seemed that sometimes it wasn't very effective and it was a random event. I thought it was my imagination but now I wonder...
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Groovy, I thought the same, about 20-25%. I think that what they do is take two bottles and stretch it to cover the month's worth.
My problem happened at a small, family owned pharmacy where the pharmacist is the owner. I wouldn't think the pharmacist at a large chain would have the motivation to do that ... but then again, I wouldn't think the pharmacist at the family owned place would lack integrity either.
I think I'm being switched to Malarone next month, but if I get Mepron again, I will only accept unopened bottles ... except for that partial bottle. But I think they're less likely to tamper with that one since you have the other two to compare it with.
I'm just happy that the pharmacist saw fit to switch it back before he argued with me about how thick it's supposed to be! At least I ended up with the right stuff ... and they ended up with a loss for trying to cheat me!
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
This watering down of Mepron has me concerned. I get my rx filled at Walgreens and it is not sealed. I saw that it came in a box but I guess they put it in this other container. I just got my 2nd month supply and it seems to be the same consistency as the first.
But it is not supper dupper thick. It has the consistency of Kefir or maybe a heavy whipping cream. But it does pour easily. Is this the consistency it should be? How would you describe the correct consistency?
Also I guess I will ask my LLMD to rx for 300ml of Mepron so that it lasts the entire month.
Just wondering if now my million dollar Mepron is getting watered down? Remember that pharmacist that got busted for watering down chemo agents...
Posts: 188 | From ID | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged |
sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Elle, the Mepron is premixed, they do not need to add water to it. So it's pretty error proof ... all they can error on is not giving you enough. Or they can cheat you by watering it down.
It's fun having six kids! My oldest is 19 and the youngest is 9.
Doomer, if you pour it in a teaspoon and it is rounded, then it's full strength. If it lies smooth or flat like water would, then it's thinned down. Kefir is probably a good description, but it might be slightly thicker.
If you're taking at least two tsp. daily, you should be able to get a sealed bottle. I don't see the point in them pouring it into another bottle, it's a hassle to get it all out, and why would they want to take the time to do it?
I think the bottles are 210 ml.
For those of you that did get watererd down Mepron and knew it, did the pharmacy fix it? I actually feel fortunate that they fixed it for me ... even if they didn't admit doing it to begin with!
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
Vanilla
Unregistered
posted
I noticed when mine arrived UPS it seemed different then the stuff I had gotten at the drug store. I do not remember why I thought it was different but I think I even made a comment to my LLMD about it.
I do not think my drug store would cheat anyone but it could have been the wholesaler. The man that owned our local drug store died recently but he kept his prices as low as possible to help people. I really doubt he would water down anything. Too bad he died because now that the drug store was sold the prices went way up so I have to drive for 40 minutes to Costco now.
No wonder my 4 months of babesia treatment did not work....
I like Malarone better anyway and I am happy that I am on it instead.
For anyone who can not afford Mepron switch to Malarone. You can get it from Bridges to Access too but they only give you half of your daily dose which is absurd. Luckily half a dose is working for me anyway.
IP: Logged |
cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Bumping this for anyone who needs it now -
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[cussing]](graemlins/cussing.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic