Cost of medication

[Rupes79]

Does anyone else struggle with the cost of medication? I’ve just changed antidepressants and the cost has increased from $15 to $75 per script. I’m finding myself cutting them in halves sometimes to save money.

[Petal22]

Hi Rupes79,

That’s a huge jump in price for you….., in my experience on scripts it depends on what chemist I go to some charge more than others…..

[Guest9337]

Yeh my medications are multiplying too.

[geoff]

Hello Rupes, cutting your medication in half is not giving the full benefit of the medication and any doctor would advise against doing this because it's not achieving what it's designed for.

I know you can't name this medication but from what you've said that's a massive increase and you need to go back and talk with your GP.

Perhaps it includes several weeks joined together and if so then tell the pharmacist that's not how you want it.

Geoff.

[Rupes79]

Hi Geoff,

He did tell me it was a private script and more expensive but I wasn’t quite expecting that jump. He said it would be his recommendation and the best choice.

I don’t yet have any side effects (perhaps because dose is low?) which is good. The $75 is the cost for 28 days. There are 28 single tablets.

The chemist said that half a pill is still a therapeutic dose. The reason for cutting it in half is twofold. One reason is cost but also I find these doctors put you on such a high dose early on and it is too much for me. My other motivation was to ease into this medication slowly.

I feel part of the reason for my failure on the last medication was the starting dose was too high and I suffered immediate and severe side effects which never fully went away.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[geoff]

Hello Rupes, the medication you're taking that costs $75 is obviously not covered by PBS, is there a generic brand that costs less for you to take.

Geoff.

[Rupes79]

Geoff I don’t think so. I asked the chemist what the lowest price for the medication was and he said this is it. This is all we have. Anyway it costs what it costs I suppose. I need to give it a run and see what happens.

My experience with this type of medication has been poor to say the least. I only end up here out of desperation

[Guest9337]

G'day Rupes79, man that's an expensive medication, I hope it works for you. good luck. dng.

[geoff]

Hello Rupes, go back to your doctor and say you can't afford it, especially if your experience hasn't been the best.

Geoff.