Topic: Cost of Arimidex

Check to see if your prescription insurance has a mail-away plan. If I get Arimidex at the local pharmacy my co-pay is $104 for 30 . If I use our prescription plan's mail away I get 90 days for a $60 co-pay. The tablets arrived in 5 days.

Also I saw something on the Internet but not sure it is true , that Arimidex is now generic in Canada and retails in Canada for $189 for 30. Someone else please comment as I don't know if this is true.

I have not started Arimidex as my Vitamin D was so low - 18 !. They put me on the Vitamin D 50,000 for 12 weeks and the calcium 'horse' pills.

I suggest you get a bone scan done. When they told me my D was low I asked for a bone density scan (DEXA) and was shocked that my bone mineral decreased 27% since I had it done 18 months ago (just as I hit menopause). (they say Arimidex decreases bone density 6 % in 5 years and my vitamin D deficiency decreased it 27 % in 18 months !!)

Also you need to ask them to check your calcium level in your blood when they recheck the D as if it is too high you can get a kidney stone !! Isn't this fun ??? !!!!

I am seeing an Endocrinologist this week to ask him to watch the D and calcium levels so I don't get a kidney stone nor osteoporosis. I feel I need a specialist so this doesn't get forgotten.

My doctors all told me that I need to watch that Vitamin D level stays up for life as low D is now implicated in cancer. Also if you are overweight your fat sucks up the Vitamin D and you need extra !! I found that on the National Institute of health web site . I asked my doctor if it was true and she said yes. That that info was found when they did blood tests on people asking for gastric by-pass.

So if like me  you are 'built for comfort ,not for speed' you need Vitamin D, Calcium and a bicycle !! :-)

chapstickmom 

O31\  Are you on Medicare or Medicaid? I know nothing about medicare prescription drugs programs, or Part D. If you are on Medicare, do you have a medigap insurance? Either medigap or Part D is the drug part. Best advise is to call the insuror. And if you have no drug coverage, Call Astra Zeneca as I said before.

I know Medicaid covers a lot of stuff......but have no idea if they cover Arimidex.

Sue

Sue 61:     I have medicare but not Medicaid.  My prescriptions are covered by BCBS, my suplemental secondary policy.  I am in my 5th week on Arimidex and am starting to feel some joint discomfort.  If it gets worse, I will be considering getting off arimidex.

Reading the price that Roseann pays makes me feel lucky to pay $50 for 90 day supply.  However added to the rest of my scripts, it is hard on my small income to affort all my medicines.   I just wish we could all get a break.  Cathey

My prescription plan is Caremark , now owned by CVS.  I am covered through my husband's company plan. If I go to a local pharmacy I pay 30% of retail - $105 for 30 Arimidex but mail away gives me 90 days for $60. Many people don't realize their prescription plan has two options - local and mail away.

Also anyone can go to CostCo for their prescriptions without being a member as prescriptions are federally regulated.. They are usually the cheapest around but don't seem to be for Arimidex. But for instance the Generic of Retin A is $85 at my local pharmacy but only $55 at CostCo. Also they sell smaller sizes of OTCs at the pharmacy counter at very good prices - claritin or Eucerin moisturizer. Definitely worth a look. Also Costco posts their prescription prices for their mailaway plan at costco. com . I always check it to see approximate prices.

Everyone should call the 800 number for their prescription plan and ask how is the cheapest way to get this? I have found them really really helpful to me.

chapstick mom 

Hey, y'all, be really, really careful about taking "generic" Arimidex and Femara.  I heard (read) that there are drug companies in Asia (okay, in India) that say they are making "generic" versions of drugs that are still protected by patents everywhere else.

Most brand-name drugs like Arimidex and Femara are covered by patents that are filed and recognized internationally.  That means there really is no "generic" version of Arimidex or Femara, at least not in N. America or Europe.  Whatever companies are claiming to make "generic" versions of those drugs are probably not following the recipes or complying with the FDA regulations that apply here in the U.S.

I don't doubt that there are "generic" versions out there.  Both anastrozole and letrozole are used by male body-builders.  They take androgen-type steroids but want to keep those steroids from being converted to estrogen, which will happen, if they don't block that conversion with an aromatase inhibitor.

otter