damn! Suboxone is expensive!

[bretttp]

How do they expect you to pay  for this stuff if you want to quit. Luckily I have insurance but my work switched providors and I went to pick up my script and it was $700.00! They said my new providor needed prior authorization and that it would take AT LEAST 72 hours. So I am out of subs and freaking out. I talked to the farmacy and they let me buy a couple at a time as I needed them. 19.95 for 2 (8) MG pills. With these kind of prices most of us addicts would rationalize that its no cheaper than just using. Its to bad they dont have programs to heelp with costs of detox meds. Or maybe they do? Does anyone know?

[bretttp]

Thank you all for your comments. Much appreciated.

[snowqueen227]

Continued............$550. So for them it dropped it like a hundred bucks.  I honestly think that any pharmacy that gives you a big discount like that is probably highly overpriced to begin with.  The places I go are pretty cheap and I've only gotten a discount of a few bucks.  The place I currently go to gives me like a $3-$6 discount on 30 pills.  When I went to Walmart they gave me $10 off.  It depends on what you're buying, how much, and where.  I printed off all the cards I could find online and took the one I got in the mail and when I went to the pharmacy I made them try them all to find out which one saved the most money.  Mine only saved me like $5 bucks.  But hey, $5 bucks is lunch, ya know?  It's worth printing off.  You only have to do it once and then they keep the card on file and you'll never need it again unless you switch pharmacies.  Before I decided on where to have my doctor call in my prescriptions I called every pharmacy within an hour of my house.  I found out who was the cheapest and who was the highest.  The highest for 45 8mg pills was $334 and the cheapest was $245.  That's $90 right there.  CALL EVERYWHERE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!  Even if you find that the cheapest place is an hour from your home.  You may have to fill it there once, but then keep your receipt and go somewhere that matches prices like Rite Aid.  From then on have it filled there at the matched price.  You might not need the receipt, you might be able to have them just call the other pharmacy.  I'm not sure.  Find out all who matches prices and pick the most conveinent one for you.  I'm not sure whether or not everyone knows this, but you can buy suboxone in parts.  You can buy 1 days worth at a time if you want to.  Most people find it easier to pay once a week or twice a month than a whole month's worth at once.  If you buy a weeks worth though, you can't pick up more until they're all gone.  You can't get them early.  Some may allow a day or two early, but not most.  Especially, not if you have insurance.  However, the more you buy at one time the cheaper it is per pill.    The other thing I found out is that Costco's pharmacy is pretty cheap and I don't think you have to be a member to use their pharmacy.  I'm not sure, that's what another blog said.  Also, if you are a AAA member you can use your card as a prescription savings card because they are affiliated with Carefirst?  Not sure if that's the name, but the card does work.  Hope this helps for those of youy who didn't already know this stuff!!  Suboxone is expensive and it *****!!  Even if you have insurance you can possibly be labeled a drug addict if you use it for suboxone or **************.  That may cause you problems to not be able to get health or life insurance in the future!!!  That's what another blog said, so be careful!!! ~Holly

[snowqueen227]

I've read a BUNCH of blogs, posts, and forums about the cost of suboxone.  This is what I have found out.  There is no generic version of suboxone and there will not be until the patent runs out, which isn't for another year or maybe more.  There is a free program that the manufacturer's of Suboxone have where they will let 2 patients of every doctor get their medicine for free every month.  If the doctor has more than 60 patients then they can have 3 patients in the program.  You can not have insurance and can't make over about $25,000 a year.  There are a couple more rules.  Go to www.needymeds.org to find out all about it.  ASK YOUR DOCTOR!!  If your doc is full and you found someone who is not, then switch.  Make sure you qualify first though.  There are several FREE prescription discount cards that you can print off online.  Two are YOURRXCARD & FREEDRUGCARD.US .  Search them on Yahoo or Google and print them.  There are one or two more that I don't know the names of.  Search "Free Prescription Discount (or Savings) Card" on a search engine and you'll find a couple more.  I've also got a couple prescription savings cards in the mail mixed in with the flyers.  They will say that they are a FREE card and it IS TRUE.  They ALL (online & in mail) do work.  Not every place will take them.  If they have problems make sure they call the number listed on the card to make sure.  Most big name pharmacies will take them.  I go to a small individually owned one and they take it too.  I've read blogs that said they went to CVS and one of these cards dropped their presciption of Suboxone from like $650 to

[worried878]

flmagi has a point....she has alot of knowledge on this subject..and flmagi i am sorry you are not where u want to be ):  but u will be...i feel it in my bones

some need long term sub to change behavior or they would relapse..others need it just short term to help with wds so they can work...fact is many who take sub dont need it at all and coulda detoxed in a few days and not had the risk of sub addiction....i have used it..not to quit but when my pills were low etc....i was an awful taperer from my doc/hydro/so i would imagine if i was on sub for a while and had to taper i would suck at that as well..alot of it is psychological..but that is a big part of addiction/the mind component......good luck and be safe

[flmagi]

Doctors make big bucks off of the Sub program along with the drug companies. Reduce your dose down as far as you possibly can and try to get off it soon. It's very hard to get off of if you take it long term. You need to be in control because the doctors will keep you on high doses for long periods. You're paying for their big houses, cars etc. If I could do it all over again, I'd have reduced my dose in the first week and been off the Sub in a month. Don't make the same mistake alot of us long term Subbies have made.

[morganave]

why if the subs should only be taken for 2 weeks do the drs prescribe it for longer period of time.  Some have  posted here that they have been taking them for 2 or more years.
When you go to the Dr you hope to be getting the best advice. After all, they have the degree, not us.  

[onthefence]

drug companies usually have eight years of patent holds before cheaper generics can be made available, it looks like this drug was patented on oct, 8, 2002 and the "ORPHAN DRUG EXCLUSIVITY" will expire oct, 8, 2009 . looking at how much $$$ they have made off sub (doctors too) generics will follow but may not be that much cheaper.
It's all about $$$.
                                   http://www.drugpatentwatch.com/premium/preview/detail/index.php?searchtype=alpha&category=Tradename&searchstring=SUBOXONE

[worried878]

be safe with the sub..there is no generic for it yet..will be one day but they are raking it in right now...that pharmaceutical company is making millions...and they have trained doctors to give people bu11loads of that drug/more than they need..remember less is better and be safe

[wannabefree330]

They do have an assistance program for suboxone but if you have any kind of insurance you don't qualify.  I know it is expensive, but the reason you are taking it is to get your life back and for that, there should be no price limit.

[ochooked]

The worst part is most doctors tout Sub as a long term solution to your problem.  I encourage you to go to the Health Pages (upper right of this page) and look for a post titled "Members Experiences Coming Off of Suboxone"  It may help as you make decisions about how much and how long to stay on Sub.  Sub can be extremely difficult to come off of if you stay on it longer than 2 weeks.  However, as a short term tool, it is very effective -- (should be since it is 40 times more powerful than morphine).  Another thing the doctors fail at is knowing how to dose it --  You should only be taking the smallest amount you can tolerate -- Start with one or two mg and if that doesn't take you out of W/D's in an hour take another one mg.  When you are no longer in severe W/D's then stop there --- then begin immediately to taper --- Off in two weeks and you will be alright -- any longer and you have just changed your drug of choice -- and like you point out - at a very expensive amount.  All the best and may you be FREE by New Years.

[Sam113]

I'm not sure about that. But I do agree that its rather expensive be on a sub program. No insurance = $100 doctor appointment + $200 prescription (30  8mg subs) (and sadly greedy doctors with their pockets ful). This is just WEEKLY expenses for my bf (who shares with me). It's crazy to think that we've been funding this for a little over a year! yikes, I can't wait until I'm free of this!!