miralax is now OTC

[me again]

My son and I both take Miralax on a regular basis. A three-month supply (generic) from the mail-order pharmacy cost $18.

I was just informed by our mail order pharmacy that Miralax is now OTC, so they will not pay for any more perscriptions for Miralax starting June1. We have time to get one more three-month supply, then that's it. I was shocked by the OTC prices, even at Costco, it will cost about $18 for one bottle, I believe 8 oz.

Is there any way to get around this? Just because a drug is OTC doesn't mean that those on long term usage should be obligated to pay OTC prices, like someone who just needs it for occassional usage. I also take Naprosyn, which is sold OTC, but my mail order pharmacy pays for my perscription because its in a higher dose (500 mg) than is sold OTC, hence, not the same thing. I wonder if I could get the doctor to prescribe a higher dose of Miralax so it would be considered perscription, but since it comes in a powder you can, obviously, adjust the dosage.

OUr OOP is going to soar with this, Anyone know of a good place to buy this cheap?

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't think that you can just get a prescription for a higher amount of the drug (especially if you are already on what is considered the 'top' dosage).

I'd suggest you contact the company that makes Miralax, the insurance company and your doctors.
The news release from Schering Plough says it's available as OTC for "occasional constipation." If that's what it was licensed for, then that doesn't fit how you are using it. You might be able to find a loophole.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Wal-Mart

 

[zumbergc]

It sticks when a prescription drug you take every day goes OTC.

I have to take claritan D everyday, all year long.

I hated it when it went OTC. Yuck, cost went way up, I was doing mail order too. For a while it wasn't to bad becuase meijer would do big sales, and then I would really stock up.

It got even worse last year when pseudofederine the part that makes it the D, is now behind the counter. The bigger pain is you can only get so much in a 2 week period. Since my hubby takes the stuff too, it a real pain because he can't buy 2, 2 week supplies.

Since its behind the counter and the restrictions on the psuedo(dp?) stuff, sales don't really happen and if they do, its just for a 2 week dose.
So, now the cost is a lot higher.

I even asked the pharmacist if I got a Rx from my doc if I could buy more than a 2 weeks supply at one time. She told me no, since the insurance company doesn't pay for it. So, its just a major inconvenience too, every week we have to pick it up!


GRRR, medicine is so expensive!!

 

[dclfun]

Is Glycolax the same thing? If it isn't, what about having your physician write a prescription for Glyolax vs. Miralax? ---Kathy

 

[belle&beast]

Is Glycolax the same thing? If it isn't, what about having your physician write a prescription for Glyolax vs. Miralax? ---Kathy

Glycolax is the generic for Miralax.

 

[dclfun]

Oh well...I was hoping the same thing was available under a prescription only. I'd then take the suggestion of calling the manufacturer to see if there's any way to be on an assistance program...or ask your physician the same thing.---Kathy

 

[me again]

My son and I both take it on a daily basis. We were getting it from our mail order under insurance, $18 for a 3 month suppply for each of us, so $36 total for 3 months, or $13/month. now with it being OTC it will run $40-$50 per month total. Quite a difference.

The only good thing is I don't have to beg a doctor for a perscription. They always put both me and my son on it long term, but hold the perscription over us for office visits, tests, etc. I finally found a primary care doctor for myself who will just write the perscription without wanting a bunch of tests. It was first perscribed by a GI doc who wants to do a complete battery of tests 2x year, just to write the script. Same with my son, his ped refuses to write a script for long-term use, says that should be handled by a GI specialist, so had to drag poor kid through all those tests just to tell us what we already know, the kid has irritable bowel syndrome (same as me) and benefits from long-term use of Miralax.

Well, perhaps if its otc I might be money ahead and time wise, too, if I can just buy the stuff as needed and manage our problems without spending a fortune on all those useless office visits and tests. Both my son and I have developed problems when the perscription ran out and we couldn't get refills until we paid homage to the doctors.

I think the OTCprice will come down in time. Right now all I can find is the Miralax, brand name. We were getting the generic through insurance. Probably they will start making generic, store-label brands soon, such as Equate from WalMart. Kind of reminds me of when Monistat was perscription only, you had to go through the whole office visit, tests, etc, just to get a tube! Then they wouldn't write refills! It went OTC several years ago, and was quite expensive at first, but you were still money ahead by not going to the doctor. Now there's a ton of brands out there, Krogers, Walmart, actually quite reasonable. So hopefully the price of the Miralax will come down over the course of time.

I just cancelled my appointment with my GI specialist next week. That would cost $75 for my oop, not to mention all those tests. Just to get the script for Miralax (that's all he ever perscribe). So we're money ahead already!

 

[SueM in MN]

I think the OTCprice will come down in time. Right now all I can find is the Miralax, brand name. We were getting the generic through insurance. Probably they will start making generic, store-label brands soon, such as Equate from WalMart.

That does usually happen after something becomes OTC, so in the long run, you should have an easier time finding it and it should be less expensive. One of the reasons that companies want to make things OTC is that they can sell more of it. By selling more, they usually make more at a lower price. And competition usually brings the price down.

 

[worm761]

my DS is on miralax. at our walmart it is only 8.83. which is less than the $10 co-pay i was paying, so i was actually happy to see it on the shelves.

 

[me again]

my DS is on miralax. at our walmart it is only 8.83. which is less than the $10 co-pay i was paying, so i was actually happy to see it on the shelves.

Thanks for the tip!

It depends on the quantity--I get a jar of 557 gms, 3 jars for $18, so that was $6 a jar. Assuming the Walmart jar is the same size, I'd still be paying $2.83 more per jar. however, like I pointed out in a previous post, it saves me from running to the doctor and needless tests just to get refills, so overall I'm happy with the situation.

Aslo, noticed they sell Prilosec OTC at Costco, forget the price, but much more reasonable than my oop for perscription Prevacid. According to the pharmacist, its the same thing. That saves not only on the drug, but all the visits to the GI doc. Ok, its prudent to have a chronic medical condition checked periodically, but not 3-4 x/s a year, like this guy wanted. Once a condition is diagnosed and stable, 1-2 visits /year is more than enough. I'm saving $$$ already by shutting this GI doc down!

 

[slowmo]

BJ's Wholesale has a great generic version of Miralax that will not financially break you. It is the Berkley & Jensen brand and the cost for 2 huge bottles is $14.99 vs Miralax at $29.99.

I think it works even better for me at least.

Hope this helps