Restasis cost

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BBwithBC45
BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
edited January 2017 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I wasn't sure in which forum I should ask this question, so I decided on "hormonal therapy" since Tamoxifen most likely caused my eye dryness. I have been on Restasis for almost a year now. Last year when I was originally prescribed this drug I had already met my ridiculously high deductible and so I was only responsible for my copay of $40 every month when I got my Restasis prescription filled.

Now we have a new year and a new deductible. Yesterday my husband picked up my Restasis at the pharmacy. I almost fainted when I found out how much he paid - over $450! I just cannot see myself paying this amount every month for eye drops, in addition to all my other medical bills.

I'm writing this in hope that maybe some of you had a similar problem and found a more affordable solution.

I do have Restasis "savings card", but this gives me only $20 off, so I paid $450 instead of $470. I found another patient assistance program online, but it is for uninsured people or those at certain poverty level, which is not my case. At the same time, just because I don't live in poverty doesn't mean that I'm rich and can spend that kind of money every month just on eye drops. I'm angry, upset, anxious, you name it. This damn cancer is just a "gift" that keeps on giving.

BB



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  • peaches1
    peaches1 Member Posts: 137
    edited January 2017

    You should look restasis up on goodrx.com and see if you can get it cheaper somewhere. I just looked it up using my medicare part D plan though, and apparently my plan does not cover it, and the cheapest price was at Sam's Club for $417, and so maybe you can not get it really cheap. Restasis has been out for quite a while, and I suspect that it is going to be available in generic version in another year or two

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited January 2017

    Thank you,Peaches. I did try goodrx.com and nothing better there. I read somewhere that Restasis has the patent till 2024 so it won't be going generic anytime soon.

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  • Jackster51
    Jackster51 Member Posts: 357
    edited January 2017

    BB - Wow. I get all of my drugs from www.canadadrugsonline.com I just looked your drops up and they sell a generic for $77.00


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  • NoUGo-CA
    NoUGo-CA Member Posts: 46
    edited January 2017

    I feel your pain.  It will be nice when the patent expires on this Rx, until then there is no generic.  My Dr. advised that I only needed to use one vial per day rather than two.  There's enough in each vial to get 4-6 drops.  You only need two-three drops in the morning - then wrap the vial it so it stays clean and put it in the refrigerator.  You can use the other half for your second dose.  It's worked for me. Be careful to keep the vial clean and don't use it if it's touched an unclean surface or hasn't been refrigerated. This has helped me save a lot of $$.

    Vicki

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2017

    I hate that you had to spend that money on restasis. I had a pretty severe case of dry eye and restatis didn't help me. I was forced to discontinue my exemestane. That worked, I haven't try another AI I was so afraid when my eye got severe. I just use relenish eye drops it is completely healed now.

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited January 2017

    Hi Ladies. Thank you for all your kind replies.

    NoUGo-Ca - may I ask what do you use to wrap the vial so it doesn't get contaminated? I may give your idea a try for some time.

    Meow13 - before I started using Restasis I was using artificial tears for a few months, but they did not help me at all. I felt like I had to apply them every 5-10 minutes and I was getting blurry vision.

    I called my ophthalmologist's office to ask if they had any advice for me or if they knew of any patient assistance programs for which I would be eligible. They told me that the only other thing to try would be to get tear duct plugs. It's not something I want. I've had so many surgeries, procedures in the last couple of years that I don't want anything done to my eyes too. If I wasn't scared of getting eye surgery, I'd rather get Lasik.


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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2017

    bbwithbc, I tried the tear duct plugs before restasis. It didn't really help but it felt a little better. It was the exemestane that was causing all my issues with the right eye. It got bad I was afraid of losing my eye and sight.

    I tried the temporary plug tgat melts away.

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  • NoUGo-CA
    NoUGo-CA Member Posts: 46
    edited January 2017

    Hi BBwithBC45,

    I wrap the vial with a couple squares of tp or kleenex and then keep it in a clean glass in the fridge.  Before being empty-nesters I kept it in a sandwich/snack plastic bag and tucked in a place that didn't get much movement -- otherwise it would get moved and more than not, I would end up doing a mini-fridge cleaning while looking for it.  Who wants to do that just before going to sleep!  I hope you find that this works for you too.

    Vicki

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  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 723
    edited January 2017

    I would like to comment that I suffered dry eye from Chemo, and don't blame it on taxmoxifen, however I also had a brain tumour removed 7 years ago that did result in some eye issues on the left. That being said it doesn't matter what caused it, it's what cures it or relieves the symptoms.

    My opthamologist recommended to start with artificial tears that contain no chemicals, and to take omega 3 supplements. I found both to be quite helpful. I wish you all the best as you progress along this path. It sure a heck isn't easy.

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2017

    Well my eye problem was from the exemestane. Tried for months to get relief once I stopped the drug my eye healed. So it was pretty clear what was going on.

    Personally, if I had to pay over $400 a month for restasis and did it for 6 months just to find out it didn't help I would be upset. Luckily my insurance covered so I was only out $15 a month. The only thing that really helped was stopping exemestane.

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited January 2017

    Vicki - thank you. I'll give it a try. I'm a little nervous about introducing some infection to my eye by accident, but I'll take solace in the fact that you have not had such issues.

    Molliefish - I suspect my dry eyes started with chemo and then Tamoxifen took over and continued. I agree that ultimately it does not matter what caused it, but how I can help it. I do not intend to stop Tamoxifen just because of dry eyes. Too bad that artificial tears were of no help to me.

    Meow13 - Actually, I have been on Restasis since spring of last year and it has been helping me. Last year I met my huge deductible early in the year so I only had to shell out $40 a month for copay for Restasis. This year is a different story. It will take a while before I meet my deductible ($2,600! ) and until then they will continue charging me $450 for 30 day supply. I am not willing to stop my Tamoxifen at this point.

    BB


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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2017

    BBwith BC, that is good to know it works for you after paying all that money. Maybe I needed to go more than 6 months but my eye doctor was getting really concerned and so was I. I was only paying $15 dollars a month I guess because there was no generic. Something more was going on my onco was quick to take me off exemestane and never suggested I go to another. I am just so happy it healed and was just the right eye.

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  • Jackster51
    Jackster51 Member Posts: 357
    edited January 2017

    Did anyone see my post about buying it through Canada for $77.00? I get all my drugs there.

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  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited January 2017

    Jackster51 - thank you for the link. I did check it out; however, the generic version is produced in India and I'm not sure of the quality. When it comes to medications I prefer when they are produced somewhere regulated by FDA.

    Meow13 - sounds like your Exemestane did not agree with you at all. Thankfully you stopped taking it in time and the damage done to your eye was reversible. My ophthalmologist doesn't see any damage caused by Tamoxifen per se, no damage to optical nerve, etc., just the dryness.

    JO-5 - thank you for sharing your experience too. This is an extra reassurance for me which will keep my anxiety at bay when stretching the life of one vial.

    I feel frustrated at times that as if this stinking cancer wasn't dreadful and overwhelming (and expensive) to begin with, we keep getting it in the shorts all the time from so many directions...

    BB



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