11/5, Bell, AMPS 328 +2 304 +5.5 311 PMPS 223

Seth&Bell

Very Active Member
Yesterday

I upped Bell's dose to 2.75, and it looks like she may be clearing her bounce. Maybe an active night. Currently doing the worst thing for my mental health and following the election stuff. Palpable dread for tonight. I need to shut it off and lay down with the cats.

I've had a somewhat frustrating experience trying to get new insulin. I convinced my vet to write a prescription in the suggested format from this board for the 5 pens for $35 deal. I actually was smart and started this process with ~50 units still in my pen. That was last Monday when I dropped off the prescription at the Walgreens. I made sure that they would accept the coupon before they took my prescription and they said, sure, should be fine. The next day they let me know that they didn't have it in stock but it should be available soon - sure, no problem still had plenty in reserve. Didn't hear any updates, so I called in and they told me it will be ready Monday. On Monday, got an update it was going to be ready today. Today, got an update it was going to be ready tomorrow.

I ended up just going in today and they told me "yeah there's a hold on this because we need to make sure it was for a pet" (????????). But they said they did have 4 pens in stock and I said that was fine, I didn't want to wait any longer since I was down to about a week's worth of insulin at this point. Then the pharmacist comes out and says they can't fill a prescription without dosing information on it, they need to price based on what a 30-day supply is for Bell. They said we need to contact the vet and we'll call you :spam::spam::spam::spam: . At this point, I figured they were going to charged me ~$70 to $100 per pen since Bell is on a relatively small dose. Sigh. I got a call that they worked it out the minute I got back home :rolleyes:. Headed back there. The vet told them she was on a 2 unit dose (she's actually on 2.75 :rolleyes:), so I was even more worried about how much they were going to charge (figured 30-days with 2 units, twice a day would be ~$88 a pen). When they rang me up, I got two pens for ~$60! I'll take it!!! No idea how they came up with that price, and it isn't $5 per pen, but that made me very happy. The whole system is bonkers. I am lucky enough to have been blessed with health to not have to deal with it at all until Bell's health issues. Truly sympathize with folks that have to deal with this nonsense regularly.

It is nice to have two full pens that don't cost an arm and a leg. @Staci & Ivy, I owe you and DH a nice dinner for explaining how to get the deal, way back a few months ago. Really appreciate it, thank you so much!
 
boop
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She's so cute.
I got my last one for $20. The one before that was $115. I don't get it. In France you have a price on medication, like for anything else, same price in every pharmacy and same price whatever your insurance is.
 
Yesterday

I upped Bell's dose to 2.75, and it looks like she may be clearing her bounce. Maybe an active night. Currently doing the worst thing for my mental health and following the election stuff. Palpable dread for tonight. I need to shut it off and lay down with the cats.

I've had a somewhat frustrating experience trying to get new insulin. I convinced my vet to write a prescription in the suggested format from this board for the 5 pens for $35 deal. I actually was smart and started this process with ~50 units still in my pen. That was last Monday when I dropped off the prescription at the Walgreens. I made sure that they would accept the coupon before they took my prescription and they said, sure, should be fine. The next day they let me know that they didn't have it in stock but it should be available soon - sure, no problem still had plenty in reserve. Didn't hear any updates, so I called in and they told me it will be ready Monday. On Monday, got an update it was going to be ready today. Today, got an update it was going to be ready tomorrow.

I ended up just going in today and they told me "yeah there's a hold on this because we need to make sure it was for a pet" (????????). But they said they did have 4 pens in stock and I said that was fine, I didn't want to wait any longer since I was down to about a week's worth of insulin at this point. Then the pharmacist comes out and says they can't fill a prescription without dosing information on it, they need to price based on what a 30-day supply is for Bell. They said we need to contact the vet and we'll call you :spam::spam::spam::spam: . At this point, I figured they were going to charged me ~$70 to $100 per pen since Bell is on a relatively small dose. Sigh. I got a call that they worked it out the minute I got back home :rolleyes:. Headed back there. The vet told them she was on a 2 unit dose (she's actually on 2.75 :rolleyes:), so I was even more worried about how much they were going to charge (figured 30-days with 2 units, twice a day would be ~$88 a pen). When they rang me up, I got two pens for ~$60! I'll take it!!! No idea how they came up with that price, and it isn't $5 per pen, but that made me very happy. The whole system is bonkers. I am lucky enough to have been blessed with health to not have to deal with it at all until Bell's health issues. Truly sympathize with folks that have to deal with this nonsense regularly.

It is nice to have two full pens that don't cost an arm and a leg. @Staci & Ivy, I owe you and DH a nice dinner for explaining how to get the deal, way back a few months ago. Really appreciate it, thank you so much!
While that’s great, it’s still not the $35 you should be charged for a box of 5 pens.
The script needs to be written as maximum units per day 50 and not specify dose since that will change.
Ivy had 3 different vets write me the script. I explained to them how I needed the script worded so the pharmacy would honor the deal.
I was honest with my vet what I was trying to accomplish. And all of them honored my request.

I may work on getting your next script soon and try again. Maybe go to CVS or another pharmacy to try to get it done within headaches.
I’m sorry you are having such issues, Seth
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I did not, unfortunately. Should have. Today feels pretty bleak.

Regarding the Lantus script, my vet filled out the prescription exactly how you described in the “Exact Prescription Wording” section, with no dosage information. Does the maximum units per day of 50 need to be on the prescription from the vet? Or is that just information that the pharmacist would need to enter? I doubt my vet would agree to include that on the prescription.

Next time I will shop around and try and find a more agreeable pharmacist. I should have made them figure out the coupon thing before I handed over the prescription, so that if they put up a stink I could just try elsewhere. By the time they expressed reservations about the lack of dosage on the prescription, I had already waited over a week and didn’t want to risk starting the process over at a new pharmacy. $30 per pen is still pretty great for Bell’s relatively low dosage. I am very thankful for all your help, Staci!
 
I did not, unfortunately. Should have. Today feels pretty bleak.

Regarding the Lantus script, my vet filled out the prescription exactly how you described in the “Exact Prescription Wording” section, with no dosage information. Does the maximum units per day of 50 need to be on the prescription from the vet? Or is that just information that the pharmacist would need to enter? I doubt my vet would agree to include that on the prescription.

Next time I will shop around and try and find a more agreeable pharmacist. I should have made them figure out the coupon thing before I handed over the prescription, so that if they put up a stink I could just try elsewhere. By the time they expressed reservations about the lack of dosage on the prescription, I had already waited over a week and didn’t want to risk starting the process over at a new pharmacy. $30 per pen is still pretty great for Bell’s relatively low dosage. I am very thankful for all your help, Staci!
Here is a copy of one of my prescriptions and how it was worded, per the instructions. And it did work for me.
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I hope the next time it’s even more successful!! You’re getting there, Seth!
 

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Perfect, thank you!! I bet the lack of 50 units per day is what got me. Here’s what mine looked like:
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Perfect, thank you!! I bet the lack of 50 units per day is what got me. Here’s what mine looked like:
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I think so. Just Try to explain to your vet that it’s very costly to have to pay per pen and if it is worded correctly, you will be able to pay only $35 which will help you enormously.
I think if you’re honest with the vet, there’s no reason they shouldn’t honor your request and explain to them that you have friends who have it worded exactly this way and it’s worked well.
Hopefully they will be sympathetic to what you were explaining.
There’s no reason they shouldn’t honor your wishes you are in fact, being honest.
 
Wow... can't believe what you have to go through to get your insulin. I will never understand this coupon thing. Here it is the same price in every pharmacy. I even buy it from the vet because she has many cats who need Lantus. As you said: Can't imagine people being sick themselves have to go through this. I'm happy you could stock up in time. I can imagine that made you very nervous, to maybe run out of insulin.

Bell is cute as always and seems to be totally unimpressed by this strange day. :bighug::cat::bighug:
 
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