I maybe on to something
Posted , 4 users are following.
I am in quit a pickle. My doc changed me from Humira to Enbrel and went on 2 wks vacation, his nurse, one week. I started calling my specialty pharmacy to check on the status and have been told for one week that they will have me in the computer in a couple hrs. I have went the full circle of insurance people and nobody can tell me what it is going to cost. I thought I could keep up the Humira until Enbrel was approved but they cut me off. Last Humira shot, I gave it in my stomach, it went through the skin, came out and shot me in the thumb and went everywhere so I didn't get a full dose of it. I am in a lot of pain even with medications so I started searching for an answer. I have always wondered about essential oils but blew them off as a scam. Desperate I am willing to try it so I found an article where they recommended 6 oils. These are to be taken internally. I chose Ginger and Wild Orange and combine them. A lot of people say don't take it internally but these are designed to be taken that way and say so on the bottle. Within 36 hours I felt relieve of pain and it has been at a lower level than it has in months! I pray it continues because God only knows when the Enbrel or if it will be approved and then if I can afford it. I may have to go through this again.
0 likes, 7 replies
Buckeyes Guest
Posted
With my humana/Medicare insurance it costs me $200 every 3 months. I think it is around $16,000 without insurance! Hope you get approved, it works for me and I am on nothing else except for vitamins. Don't know if Humira stings but Enbrel does!
Good luck!
Guest Buckeyes
Posted
Thanks for the encouragement Buckeyes
Yes humira stings like heck but I'm willing to take that if it does me good 
Guest
Posted
BTW, are you in the US? and how long did it take for Enbrel to take effect with you? I was in touch with the Enbrel people but they cannot assist me with payments until they know the copay and he did say they had a 16,000 limit and I may receive a litte surprise bill at the end of the year if I went over it. That scares the crap out of me knowing that Enbrel costs about 4000 to 4500 per shot. I don't know why they are so expensive. I've brought it to my doctor's attention that they have biosimilars now that we can try
Buckeyes Guest
Posted
I can't really tell you. I was in such pain when I went to the rheumy that she gave me a prednisone shot and RX for it. The pain was gone almost overnight! After that I was on methotrexate that caused lung issues and discontinued it. Next it was sulfasalazine (sp?). Even though I didn't have pain I still had swelling in hands and feet. Recently she changed to Simponi and it lasted 2 1/2 months. I was in severe pain again, went in for prednisone shot and resumed Enbrel. I think the site says it works in 2-3 months but I'm not sure if that is right. I can deal with the swelling and achy hands and wrists. Hope you are approved and you can afford it.
Good luck to you.
Buckeyes Guest
Posted
lyn1951 Guest
Posted
When I read this story I thank god I live in Australia where we have universal health care.
You do have to pay for prescriptions but there is a safety net even for wage earners, after a certain point of $ outlaid the govt pays, except if you are living on a pension or very low income, then your costs are $5.00 per fill per item, up to about $200.00 per year after that your prescriptions are free, we get about 6 months per year of free medications because we have reached our safety net figure.
Disadvantges of universal heath care is if it not life threating you have to wait to see specialists in the public system, but you can bypass by going private and paying to see specialist.
If it is life threating you are admitted to public hospital and treated no questions asked, my husand has heart failure, and for example a few weeks ago he near collapsed at home, I took him to the hospital, he was admitted, stablised, put on halter monitor and external defribulator, which reported to the nursing staff, then it was decided he needed a 3 lead pacemaker and defibulator, the electrical system of his heart had shut down, discharged the following morning, his health improved immediatly they turned on the pacemaker, you wouldn't think he was the same person, sitting up and talking which he hadn't been able to do in the days previous.
I hate to think how much that would have cost in the US.
My question is would he have been left to die in the US if he didn't have medical insurance.
Buckeyes lyn1951
Posted
No! Everyone is treated regardless! But it comes with a hefty price tag! If you are low income they charge according to your income depending on how many are in your family. The ones that are on welfare, really low income, go through Medicaid and the government pays for it. There is no wait for any doctors, specialist included. Most times you can get an appointment within a month if it's not life-threatining,sometimes 2 weeks.
glad your husband is doing well! Prescriptions are outrageous though, especially if you don't have good insurance!
best of luck!