Morphine 100mg Er Vs Lower Cost Alternative (Page 2)
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I am a cronic pain patient. I have been taking Morphine ER 100mg for about 2 years. The price on my pills just doubles at my local pharmacy, My Dr is very open to recommendations, Can anyone recommend an alternative drug with the same pain killing potency with a lower cost. He had prescribed my Oxycontin, but the price at the pharmave was going to be about $700 per month out of pocket for me. The Morphine ER 100MG (qty 90, 3 per day) had been costing me $97 with my drug discount card, today when my wife refilled, they charged $190. When I called about it they said that the retail price of the pills had gone up.

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Good luck with Costco. Had my same prescription filled today that have been getting about a year. Last month the price was 76 dollars generic. Today I had to pay $220. Same med. I was told due to Obama Care. I only have medicare. nothing else. I am still sitting here trying to figure it out

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I too just got taken by my pharmacy & humana medicare prescription drug plan.I'm having no luck resolving this.I'll be checking back here to see how everyone is doing and let you know how it's going for me.

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I live in Memphis TN, and recently needed a dose increase from my MSContin 60mg's (3 a day), after I had been taking this dose for 2 years. I always ask for generic. The cash price for all 90 pills was $250 a month at Walgreens pharmacy...there is a Walgreens about every 12 blocks here....The majority of Memphians use Walgreens because of this convenience. $250 is actually a rather huge chunk out of my small income, but you do what you have to do.....

When my pain management agreed to raise my dosage to 100mg's 3x a day, I took the script to my local Walgreens, and was told the price for this small increase in dosage now made the script cost ELEVEN HUNDRED dollars!

I was stunned, and of course could not (and would not) afford this, and had to carry the script back to the Dr's office so she could change it back to the 90mg's....and I just suffered some for a couple moths, as 90's were no longer truly effective for my pain, but certainly better than nothing.......

Eventually a friend of mine told me about how much lower her pharmacy costs were at a local membership only big box store called Costco (there's 2 of them in the Memphis area, and you don't need to BE a member to use their pharmacy) (most people who aren't members are not aware of that fact).

She asked could she call and check prices ther for my meds (Here in TN, pharmacies don't have a problem quoting class 2 drug prices over the phone, btw), and I said sure.

She called me back afterwards and we were both STUNNED by what she had found out!!....the 60mg pill price, which was $250 at Walgreens, was only $43 dollars at Costco (that's a lot of money wasted for 2 years prior for me...close to $5000 dollars, in fact.

But the real kicker to the story is this: the 100mg pills, (which were $1100 at Walgreens, remember?)....were only $67 dollars at Costco!!!!!

I am very curious that if Costco is able to make a profit selling a generic drug for $67.....how can Walgreens justify selling the exact same generic drug for $1035 more????

That just seems obscene to me....can anyone explain this to me?

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Call on 1-866-617-9813 Ext-1

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I take the same dosage I've been looking for some aid for morphine and have not been able to find any.i think I pay 148.00 for 90. Ive found if you check some of the smaller mom and pop pharmacies you might have better luck.if you ever just feel like talking pain e-mail me most people really don't know what chronic pain is unless you have lived with it as we have hope this might have helped

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FYI.

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Oxycontin financial assistance is in fact still available for new patients at 1-800-599-6070.
I called them today.

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Well the previous message said there was no more financial assistance for morphine products but there still is for oxycontin at 1(800)599-6070. This Purdue place is still taking new customers who need financial help with oxycontin. I called them today and they said they are still in fact taking new patients.

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GOOD NEWS The place at this phone number said they still offer assistance for oxycontin. I called them today and they said they are taking new patients that need assistance with oxycontin.
1-800-599-6070. (the Purdue assistance place).

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I'm sorry, I meant Lynn and Pat.

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Pat, I wanted to know if you were able to get your medication you needed. The cost of morphine has doubled. Were you able to find a cheap generic or medical marijuana or something? Did you get help?
Maybe you can get Medicare.

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Both Patient Assistance Programs have been terminated - for the Kadian (Actavis) and MS Contin (Purdue). I just called Actavis about my application today and they informed me they've discontinued the PAP for Kadian because they were notified on Nov 15, 2011, the generic form will now be available through Watson Pharmaseuticals (who doesnt have a PAP for generics). The MS Contin PAP has not been accepting new patients into their program for some time now. So there are NO Patient Assistance Programs available for any morphine product at this point. Since the Kadian generic costs about 15% less than the brand, its still not affordable for non-insured patients and I hear is not covered on the discount card either. Im new to this discount card and Im going to investigate if I can get the generic of MS Contin through this and see how much it costs.

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Sorry I need to clear up what I was asking. When I asked how it worked after the Doctor gets the application I was taking about MSContin. I just read it back and thought what are you talking about. LOL

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One question, after the Dr. gets the application and you are approved then what happens? I mean are you sending the scripts to them every month or are the doctors? Is the medication sent to your home or the doctors office? With Kadian I would get the scripts then I sent them in and the medicine came to my home. Just wondering if this program was the same.

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I just wanted to let you all know that I was on Kadian for years and when I received my meds this month they said after Dec. they are no longer giving Kadian out any more. So now I am trying to find something to take it's place. I can't afford Morphine but really need it because I am in a lot of pain because I injured by back. Been on this for five years and in one month can't get it any more.

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I have RSD, fibro, + and am also on Morphine ER. I am a disabled, retired Nurse Case Manager. I also ran into the price jump (almost $40 more a month at Walmart, Walgreens & with mail order pharmacies). I also had the same problem with Publix and Walgreens not taking discount cards! And the very irritating, "We can't tell you how much it is over the phone!!" Hello I can't drive now!!! Grrrr!

Anyway solutions:
If you have NO prescription insurance and low income, you can recieve KADIAN for $5 from Alpharma Patient assistance Program. (phone 1-888-206-9743). The application is available at :
http:/­/­www.needymeds.org/­papforms/­kadian0071.pdf (They will NOT help if you have Medicare A & B but NO Medicare D as I do. With other drug manufacturing companies they will with many medications.)

The other answer: If you have low income, no prescription insurance you can get MSContin for Free thru Purdue Frederick Patient Assistance Program ( http:/­/­www.purduepharma.com/­Programs-and-Resources/­Pages/­Patient-Assistance-Programs.aspx phone 800-599-6070). The major hoop is that ONLY the doctor office can get the application. This has been an obstacle because the staff says, the dr has to say they can call first, the dr can be leary. I had to explain to my dr that because it is a narcotic medication, they do not accept patients printing up the application it is Purdue's requirement that it must be requested by the dr's office and faxed right then. Most nurses and Pain Mgmnt drs have no problem calling Purdue to request the application to be faxed.

Hope that this helps! Hang in there!

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I ran into the same problem at my local store pharmacy (Publix). However, I found out from them the real truth about why the cost went up by 100 bucks per month, and that was because the discount insurance card they'd been accepting every month (that I'd found online, and there are several other similar cards like it) they are no longer taking, because that company (that issues that discount card) charges the pharmacy for me to use the card, but there is nothing in it for my pharmacy. I'm finding out that other area pharmacies aren't willing to take any of these "discount drug cards" now either, and for the same reason. You will just have to do what I'm currently doing, call around for better pricing. However, most pharmacies won't quote class 2 drub prices over the phone, so you may need to take your prescription bottle into pharmacies in person for pricing (and even that may not work, as most want your actual written prescription in their hands before they'll tell you what they'll charge). I think this is HIGHLY unfair to operate in this manner. I see no reason they can't simply quote the price over the phone, like non-class 2 drugs. It's not like we're trying to scam them or something. We just need to compare pricing like anyone else for any other medication, for Pete's sake! Good luck in your quest.

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I am afraid that you're not going to find much else on the market that is available in high enough doses to equal the effectiveness of Morphine.

You could try something like Dilaudid, which contains Hydromorphone, but the price will probably not be a lot better.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Hydromorphone/­

While it does greatly help some people, it is also not available in doses as high as the Oxycontin or Morphine.

You are, however, not restricted to that pharmacy, you can try calling around or stopping at other pharmacies to see what prices they offer.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­OxyContin/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Morphine/­

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

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I have run into the same problem this month. My insurance will only pay for Morphine immediate release, and nothing else. If you find anything that might help both of us, I would appreciate it.

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