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Was diagnosed and uninsured. Pricy meds

Posted , 7 users are following.

tech45627
tech45627

I have no insurance, still went to an ER. Turned 26 in December, so no longer had parents insurance. I am a freelance web developer and haven't had projects in a long while so I haven't been able to get any insurance as I've had no funds. Anyways...

They gave me a prescription for FAMVIR (famciclovir) 500 MG and NORCO (hydrocodone-acetaminophen) 5-325 MG. I was only able to pick up the pain medicine. The antiviral price was like $150, and that was after asking about discounts. I had them keep it on hold, basically i'm curious if I magically get together enough money soon would it even be helpful by the time. I first developed the blisters about 3 days ago.

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • Lotsofpain
    Lotsofpain tech45627

    Posted

    I am not a doctor but when I had a rash that was something like shingles the other day I was on the anti virals within 4 hours of seeing the rash

    I am pretty sure that they are only of value if you take them really early on 

  • Lotsofpain
    Lotsofpain tech45627

    Posted

    This from web md maybe too late for you to have any benefit Also look at Nice guidance on shingles .  if you google it should come up.  If i put the weblink it usually stops post till moderated which is fine.

    How Well It Works

    Antivirals may reduce the severity of shingles and speed healing. When acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir are taken within 3 days of getting shingles, these medicines can significantly reduce the duration of pain associated with shingles. These medicines also reduce the pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia

  • tech45627
    tech45627

    Posted

    Thanks for your response jon. I am kind of thinking it won't be as helpful before I asked. After looking up some more stuff, I think I will go grab it IF I round up the money and am finding new blisters popping up. I have not noticed any new ones, I'll just keep up with the home remedies I guess.
  • steve_1
    steve_1 tech45627

    Posted

    Realistically you just have to go with it now and let it take it's course, antivirils only work within the first 3 days.

    I have to ask..... what sort of backward country lets it's citizens be ill and suffer when medication is available just because they have no money?

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 steve_1

      Posted

      This is politics at play, Steve. You are required to have health insurance in the US. The Congress is playing games with our health insurance. Sad, isn't it!
    • tech45627
      tech45627 Merry19451

      Posted

      Yep. The 'good old' USA. Required to have health insurance or pay tax penalty, which I will have to next year. They give you a short deadline at the beginning of the year and if you don't have money to pay the first month premium, you're screwed like me. I don't qualify for my state's health insurance either.
    • steve_1
      steve_1 tech45627

      Posted

      Here in the UK it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor., insured or not, homeless or live in a palace,,,,,,you get ill,,,,,you get treated and no questions asked, Are we doing it wrong? neutral Surely money has more value than a mere lifeeek
    • tech45627
      tech45627 steve_1

      Posted

      Not wrong at all. More places should be like that! Even if not insured and you go to the ER here, you have to be treated. The problem, much like my case, comes in the form a hefty bill later on and paying to have the prescriptions they give filled.
    • steve_1
      steve_1 tech45627

      Posted

      We don't get a bill at the end of treatment and If we;ve got no money we don't pay for the pills either
  • Shoe_Lady
    Shoe_Lady tech45627

    Posted

    You can try taking the supplements lysine and olive leaf extract. These can get expensive also, but definetly less than the prescription. I am using them, hoping to keep my shingles at bay. I have not used them when I actually flared up, but many people have, and say it works. You have to take more than is recommended on the bottle if active at the time. Google the max amount allowed to take per day and then taper down when it subsides. It's worth shot.  
  • Bronco46
    Bronco46 tech45627

    Posted

    Tech: With your next outbreak ask them to prescribe acyclovir. It's a first generation anti-viral, but it's still can be very effective. It's been on the market for quite a while, so it's now a generic.  You should see big savings in cost. And will probably work just as well. The Famvir is new and improved. But that doesn't mean you won't get similar benefit from the Acyclovir. 

    I'm just coming out of an outbreak. And acyclovir helped me - a lot.

     

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 tech45627

    Posted

    Dear Tech,

    Unfortunately, the antivirals work best by keeping the Herpes Zoster-Shingles from replicating. If you take them on day 4, they will still help, just not as well. The research the pharmaceutical companies did was on days 1-3, and that is where the three days come from. As Herpes Zoster-Shingles can become a lifetime of excruciating pain, I would opt to spend the $150.00. My Herpes Zoster-Shingles was not diagnosed promptly the first episode, and I suffer with recurrent excruciating Herpes Zoster-Shingles every three to five weeks for the last 20 years in my right ear.

    Best Wishes

    Merry Juliana

    • tech45627
      tech45627 Merry19451

      Posted

      Thanks, but it's not a matter of me OPTing to spend the $150.00. I don't have $150 to spend. I've asked several people if I could borrow some money. They either tell me they don't have it or they are unwilling to lend someone money, when the lendee can not tell them exactly when they will be paid back. I have no idea when I will get another project to work on and thus have money.
  • tech45627
    tech45627

    Posted

    Thanks for alll the responses.
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