Re: [CMLHope] Re: Price of Gleevec keeps going up

[Guest guest]

Hi

lets see This will be my 34th year in December 2011 It may as well have been

longer but that is when they told me ... My wife and I remember it well,  the

doctor said " how do you want the news standing or sitting " .  They

did not hold much hope back then for any leukemia patient.   It is funny

but Lottie sent me an email, about the drug they put me on ,  It kept

me alive for 27 of those years.  No doctor has ever been able to explain why?

Lottie sends me great little articles, she is well informed,  I may have it

longer

but she is much more informed than I.  I hope she does not mind me sharing

her email. The other name for Busulfan is Myleran. There is a difference once

I re-read how it was given.  I got 0.2mg until my wbc dropped to 20K then

I was taken off and put back on when it reached 90K or above.  Not sure

if this made the difference of my survival or not..

SkipD

" Skip, thought you might be interested in this article about Busulfan still

being used in treatment of CML.  It is also used for myeloma patients ready for

transplatation.

 

Conventional chemotherapy

Busulfan (Busulfex, Myleran) and hydroxyurea (Hydrea) were the chemotherapeutic

agents used most frequently in CML until the development of imatinib. Busulfan

is usually given at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/d until the WBC count decreases by 50%,

at which point the dose is reduced by 50%. Therapy is discontinued when the WBC

count drops below 20 * 109/L and is restarted when it rises above 50 * 109/L.

Busulfan is associated with lung, marrow, and heart fibrosis and can cause an

-like disease. In 10% of patients, prolonged myelosuppression may be

observed. Hydroxyurea has a lower toxicity profile than does busulfan. The usual

dose of hydroxyurea is 40 mg/kg/d; this dose is reduced by 50% when the WBC

count drops below 20 * 109/L. The dose is then adjusted individually to keep the

WBC count between 2 and 8 * 109/L. Both busulfan and hydroxyurea can control the

hematologic manifestations of CML in more than 80% of all patients, although

hydroxyurea results in a longer duration of chronic phase and overall survival

than does busulfan.

Blesssings,

Lottie "

 

 Re: [CMLHope] Re: Price of Gleevec keeps going up

>

> >>>A very simple answer as to why the insurance company won't let you buy from

> >>>another pharmacy: The insurance co owns the pharmacy that they make us

>purchase

> >>>the gleevec from.

>

> >>>In a message dated 1/2/2011 4:03:43 P.M. Eastern Standard

> >>>Time, sheila.a.wat...@... writes:

> >>>Dawn:

>

> >>>>When I was getting mine from Walmart Pharmacy,  it was right around

> >>>>2800$ to 2900$ for a 30 day supply.  That was just about two years

> >>>>ago.  I received a letter from Anthem B/C stating I was going to have

> >>>>to start mail ordering it from this place out of Indianapolis called

> >>>>Px Specialty Solutions or  start paying a percentage out of my

> >>>>pocket.  So, I called the Pharmacy people to begin mail ordering.  The

> >>>>woman said, " maybe we can get you a 3-month's supply at a time " .  I

> >>>>thought,  well that would be nice.  Well, she called back later and

> >>>>said my insurance would not ok a 90 day supply. (no reason given)  The

> >>>>first time I saw a price they included.....I told my husband it was

> >>>>much higher than what it was when I got it from Walmart,  so I do not

> >>>>know why my insurance decided to do this.  It made no sense to me then

> >>>>and it still doesn't after two years of mail order.  I do have to say

> >>>>though,  these people have been very good to me and helpful.  And, so

> >>>>far Anthem has not balked at paying for the Gleevec.  Course,  my

> >>>>husband informed me what it's costing each month for my coverage.

> >>>>It's awful,  but what does one do but pay it if they can.  I did

> >>>>wonder though after seeing what you pay.....if they get a cheaper rate

> >>>>for 90 days supply verses 30 days?  If so,  one would think an

> >>>>insurance company would go that route in order to save money.

>

> >>>>Thanks everyone.....it does bring up questions, doesn't it?

>

> >>>>Keep on fighting with every breath you have,

>

> >>>>Suzieq

>

> >>>>-- 

> >>>>[CMLHope]

> >>>>A support group of http://cmlhope.com

> >>>>-------------------------------------------------

>

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