Lyrica In Mexico (Page 2)

Hi, I've learned a lot from other people's experiences on this site over the last few years and wanted to share my experiences with something that comes up on here from time to time, and I hope that I can somehow help out somebody out there wondering.

I live in socal (south of LA), and have been taking Lyrica (pregabalin) for fibromyalgia and migraines for about six or seven years now, and it would not be exaggerating to say that it has really changed my life. It's an incredible product, and the only thing I've tried after ten or fifteen years of doctors trying me on everything and mosf things they tried either not doing anything or else just making things worse. With no generic alternative available in the US, I have to pay $217 every time I pick up a refill (28 pills prescribed at 1-2 pernday means like every three weeks or so). I don't have insurance, so that's out of pocket, and that puts a strain on my budget. So after years of paying that, I finally tried going to Mexico to get my scripts filled.

For years I had been reading in the newspaper and on the internet and in local magazines about people doing that, but the part of Mexico that is easiest for me to go to is Tijuana, which I'd always been afraid to visit because you hear so many terrible things. But I finally got to a point where I couldn't afford my medications and still be able to buy groceries and pay the bills, so I went. It didn't seem or feel dangerous or scary at all. It wasn't as crowded as I was expecting, either. It is definitely a whole world different from San Diego, but it seemed reasonably clean and colorful and I never felt like I was in danger. Lots of guys trying to sell me all sorts of meds on the street but I went to a real pharmacy. Actually I went to like six or seven of them so that I could compare prices.

All the places I went had Lyrica, usually as it's Mexican generic Pregabalina, but once as US brand name Lyrica and once as a generic made by the same manufacturer (Pfizer). All of them had somebody who spoke English and all of them quoted prices in and happily accepted US dollars. Prices were around 25-35 dollars for 28, and a few of the places were willing to go down if I told them that another place had it cheaper. I bought my prescribed fill of 28 Lyrica for about 25 dollars. Nobody asked for my script so I guess it's OTC there, but I think most things are.

I brought my US script with me and showed it to customs when I declared the meds at the border coming back to the US. The customs agent asked if the meds were for me and looked at the bottle and that was all. YMMV, but that's how it went for me. I think the rule is that you can bring back up to a three month supply of prescription meds from Mexico if you have a US script for the same meds. I think that things that require a script in Mexico need both US and Mexican scripts to show customs when you come back. This is just what people have told me. I haven't had any trouble but maybe because it's just my fibromyalgia medication and not something that might get resold on the street or otherwise get misused.

You're supposed to have a Mexican script for antibiotics but about half of the pharmacies I went to offered to sell them to me when I asked. The other places needed a script, but either gave me directions to or actually had a doctor who could write it for three or four dollars. Tramadol is OTC and they all had that in stock but I don't really get migraines as often anymore so I haven't got a current US script for it. Mostly I was excited about getting Lyrica for a tenth of the price and wanted to share my experience.

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Re: Kate (# 20)

I have contacted AARP on more than one occasion and asked them to inform us retirees about Pfizer’s great program, and received no response. They are not out there to help us, just to sell insurance. Etc.

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Thank you for your info. I am desperate for the Lyrica, i can't afford it. In usa. Thank you again.

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Re: Dulcinea (# 12)

Not true. Pfizer's took all kinds of info. Made me wait for a week or so. Sent me a script card n it was higher, 435.00 than I could find it ar Walmart.

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Re: Sher (# 23)

Did you meet their income requirements? $48k annual for a single person and $96k for a married couple?

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Re: Dulcinea (# 4)


Would like to learn more about Pfizer covering the cost of Lyrica.

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Are you aware that if you have an income of less than $48k a year, you can get your RX for Lyrica for FREE from Pfizer? Pfizer is a great company, but AARP and organizations Like AARP never let their subscribers know about great programs like Pfizer. If you want more info respond in this forum.

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Re: Dulcinea (# 26)

Thank you for sharing this info. I just wanted to include more details for anyone who is wondering what to do next.

If you visit the manufacturer's site https:/­/­www.pfizerrxpathways.com you can start entering the requested information (what medication, current insurance coverage, etc), and it should guide you through the process if you qualify. You can also call them at 1-844-989-PATH (7284) which might be a bit easier to talk to a person.

If you don't qualify for full or free coverage on this drug, you might also find the Lyrica co-pay savings card from Pfizer to work. Check out https:/­/­www.lyrica.com/­co-pay-savings-card - it says "You may be able to save on your prescription. Eligible patients pay as little as $25 per Rx for up to 12 months with the Co-Pay Savings Card."

I hope this helps!

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Re: Dulcinea (# 24)

Yes, it's for my mom, and she is well below that amount.

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When the price of Lyrica went up to $200 a month I switched to Gabapentin and did not notice any difference. It is much cheaper and works as well as Lyrica.

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Re: Dulcinea (# 12)

Pfizer is a great company?? I respectfully disagree. Making you show your tax return in order to avoid getting gouged is obscene. Pfizer made 8.5 billion dollars off of Lyrica alone in 2017. Unfortunately, my income is a bit over 48K, but $700 is way out of my price range. And this stuff is addicting. I'm not looking forward to this, but I'm going to have to go off Lyrica. Wish me luck. $700 a month is "affordable" if you have regular income of a half a million a year or something. So, as far as Pfizer is concerned, their position is that people like my (I've got a fixed income, over 48K, but nowhere near six figures, and I've been on Lyrica since 2011) can just go ahead and pay $700 a month just for this one medication. The medication is generic everywhere else in the world except n the US. It was supposed to go generic back in 2014, then in 2017, and most recently their patent was supposed to expire at the end of 2018, but they've come up with yet another angle to continue to have their monopoly in 2019. I had it covered by my insurance for years. Now my insurance is changing, and Lyrica is no longer covered, so I'm searching for information about how to get the medication in Mexico. Having been through the wait at the border to cross back into San Diego more times than I can count, I can't imagine going through all that for a 28 day supply or even a 90 day supply. What a nightmare. But I'm glad to know it's an option, so thanks for the information. It's exactly because of companies like Pfizer and specifically their manipulation of the patent process that insurance prices are so high. And by the way, it was just announced that drug companies are hiking prices by an average of ten percent. In spite of just having had their federal income tax cut in half. Not because they need to, but because they can. So I'm sorry if I don't share your admiration for Pfizer.

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I've been doing some reading. One article covered this from the perspective of business and investment. The latest extension that Pfizer got for Lyrica only goes six months, and it sounds like the "buzz" is that they won't get any further extensions, and that'll probably be it for the name-brand monopoly that poor Pfizer has been using to bilk insurance companies. So the generic might be coming soon.

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