Cost of perscription drugs, Up or Down in near future? Availability?

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Asked this question on the prep board and got only others who also wanted to know, but no answers that would help. My daughter and I are on Paxel (lots of others out there, too). It is costly as hell now. What will happen (guesstimate) when we are all worse off economically, i.e. loss of jobs, etc. due to lack of oil? As the cost of these medications are thousands of percentage higher than actual cost to make, does anyone think the companies will drop their prices? Will such drugs still be available? And on that pathetic note, is there a doctor out there who can offer a substitute, such as herbs, for Paxel when the SHTF? No, not St. John's Wort--too dangerous. Thanks for any info.

-- D.J. Phillips (gardengal@land.com), December 04, 1999

Answers

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic....got the same concerns. Going to pick up 6 extra bottles....that can last me a year if I stretch it....and if SHTF happens...I'll be busy working and defending/bugging out...lots of good exercise that way....less insulin...longer end date till my ticket is punched.

-- Satanta (satanta@zdnetmail.com), December 04, 1999.

oooo---Paxel (il?) That is one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, right?

Availabilty many be a problem, no matter what the cost. And you shouldn't go cold turkey off that stuff.

Dr. Ann Tracy (I think that's her name) has a web site on these drugs and their adverse reactions. She has a great fear of what will happen if these drugs become suddenly unavailable in Y2K, because the population taking them, (some just for a sleeping aid) is so effing huge.

She recommends something called Nonnie (Nony, Nonie, Noony?) Juice as as substitute while brain chemistry readjusts itself.

I'll see if I can find her web site and get back with it.

-- JIT (justintime@rightnow.net), December 04, 1999.


http://members.aol.com/atracyphd/index.htm

-- JIT (justintime@rightnow.net), December 04, 1999.

DJ,

The reason the drugs cost so much is because the drug companies are recouping their research moneys. As you can see, they don't make any money off drugs in the research stage. Of course, how many drug companies actually have the patient in mind vs the bottem line. I have read alot about SAMe that is suppose to be the NEW drug on the block. Still very expensive but you might try http://www.immunesupport.com/ for cost comparisons.

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), December 04, 1999.


Costco has the best price on SAMe. About $47 for 60 tabs.

-- Evelyn (equus@barn.now), December 04, 1999.


Great question. I'm on two prescription meds myself. One of them, Inderal, went from $7.60 to $16.40 for a bottle of 90 pills (generic). Price is going to be a function of supply and I believe there will be serious shortages of prescription drugs.

No substitute that I know of for the SSRI drugs. Somebody else made an excellent point...you can't stop these drugs cold turkey! That would apply to many other prescription items as well. Please, if you take prescription meds, consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

BTW...have read bad things about St John's Wort and SAMe. Just my opinion, but I would not fool around with either one.

Hope this helps.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), December 04, 1999.


My spouse left town on a trip without the Rx of generic sustained release propanolol (Inderal). Couldn't find a pharmacy with ANY in stock to fill an emergency Rx. Filled with Brand name instead.

Regular pharmacist says generic seems to be unavailable, they are out at present,......will have to use Brand (Inderal)

-- JIT (justintime@rightnow.net), December 04, 1999.


I'm a newbie to all this computer stuff, so hope I'm doing this right. I recently asked a pharmacist I know if he expected any supply problems. He laughed at me.

My hubby is ER doc at local rural hospital, to his knowledge {I ask almost daily} nothing has been done to prepare.

-- grannyclampett (don'thave@clue.com), December 04, 1999.


Granny--Welcome to the board. THANKS for the input. Just what I thought! The laughs! Hopefully with lots of exercise on the farm we just moved to, no more refined sugar, good food and less stress than in the city and just maybe we'll be OK without the drug help. I truly admire rural docs! They are the greatest. Best of luck in the New Mil.

-- D.J. Phillips (gardengal@land.com), December 05, 1999.

Guess that Y2K thing never materialized, huh? LMAO

-- (dumbasses@nosuchthingasy2k.com), August 05, 2004.


There's a 1999 USA Today article about Y2K and prescription drugs at

Y2K raises prescription fears

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000nLa

-- What (people@thought.then), August 08, 2004.


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