posted
I have Lyme Dr. after many years of being undiagnosed . He prescibed bicillin shots. I got them when I was on Medicaid but now that I work and have health insurance they won't pay for the prescription. Any one have any suggestions how to get the bicillin covered or where to but it at a reduced cost? I can hardly afford the medicine that is covered. Posts: 4 | From ny | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Welcome mcpny...
I am posting your link in the Medical Section in hopes someone there will share a source for the Bicillin. I know it can be had much cheaper than what you probably have found... so maybe someone will respond soon.
just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
Someone just told me they bought biccillin from a pharmacy in Spain and cost was MUCH less than here.
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
Have you checked the ivaluepharmacy.com? They are offering lyme patients special pricing for IV balls so they may have others too.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
| IP: Logged |
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
the stuff from Spain is the same drug but it's not pre-mixed like bicillin. It's a powdered penicillin and sterile water in separate vials, and you have to mix them. the powder can clog a syringe sometimes. It's SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper- I haven't had any luck pricing it yet but others have said that it's something like $5 a vial and that pharmamondo (farmamondo?) in Switzerland is one of the places to get it. Extencilin is one of the brands. I might be spelling it wrong.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
extencillin is what I tried, but found it clogged way too much. It was from spain but dont recall the pharmacy..
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
My insurance co. rep gave me a tip -- bicillin was not on the list of covered drugs on my pharmacy coverage, but they said that because it was being administered in a Dr's office, it was coverable under medical benefits as opposed to pharmacy benefits. I used to bring my bicillin in to my primary care's office and they did the injections for me, even though it was my LLMD that prescribed it.
Posts: 227 | From South of the North Pole | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged |
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
Extencillin(e?) is one brand of the 'right' kind of powdered penicillin identical to Bicillin in terms of the active drug but not in the pre-mixed form. Here's a page listing a lot of other manufacturers of it. A lot of overseas pharmacies list it: http://drugs-about.com/ing/benzathine-benzylpenicillin.html
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
quote:Originally posted by merrygirl: extencillin is what I tried, but found it clogged way too much. It was from spain but dont recall the pharmacy..
Also- I think merry and I talked on Chat one night and it sounded like she was using a smaller needle than some of the powdered penicillin users (I might be thinking of a different lymenet/chat person), so there might be better luck with a 19 gauge needle. Am I remembering right, Merrygirl?
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
posted
Mexico. Go to any Mexican border town and they are loaded with farmacias for american drug tourists. I have done this a few times now. You can buy Benzathine Penicillin or "Benzatina Bencilpenicilina" 1.2 MU everywhere. It has many names, generic or brand name. I like the generic brand GI which is only 3ml to shoot instead of 5ml like some generics. It ranges from $1 to 3$ but is usually about $2 US for a shot.
It's cheaper for me to fly from Victoria Canada to San Diego, get a hotel for a night, and bus/walk into Tijuana and buy a (legal) 3 month stock and fly home than it is for me to visit and American LLMD, and then buy my meds in the States.
ordering online is a good way too but I like to get my stuff in hand.
Posts: 410 | From Victoria BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
I know, but there are lots of reputable online pharmacies from Europe (or elsewhere) where you can order something like extencilin without having to go on a trip.
I've seen it on some sites, it just doesn't come up on pharmacychecker.com as one of the drug options, so I haven't personally pursued it fully yet. I know the prices I saw were all really low.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
Does anyone have leftover topical numbing cream they'd be willing to send? I have Extencillin on hand and am supposed to be using it, but I accidentally got injectible lidocaine rather than the topical numbing cream, and can't afford to get the right product right now.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
posted
In some states in Europ 50 vials of Extencilin 1.2 Mil you can get it for 5-7 Euro dont know do they mail them .
Posts: 482 | From Nebraska | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
Yes, they don't have to be refrigerated, so they can be mailed. A few different people here have gotten it in the past. One of them sent me some of the vials she ordered, which is why I have it but don't have a pharmacy recommendation.
I did read that several people here got it from this place: http://www.farmamondo.com/e/default.cfm Their website's 'search for drug pricing' function is broken. you may have to call them to find out more informaiton- they're in Switzerland. I emailed them a few weeks ago and didn't hear back.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
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!
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic