OT - ANY DIABETICS OUT THERE THAT CAN'T AFFORD INSULIN ?

I wrote about this a few years back and want to tell any new members or old ones who may have missed it. I used to buy the Diabetic pen to give myself insulin. I was at the CVS Pharmacy and my co-pay for a 90 day supply was $1400.00. I told the Pharmacist that was terrible and she said. "Go to Walmart as they sell a cheap insulin with-out a prescription" So I didn't buy the Pens and drove over to Walmart. I asked about the insulin and sure enough they sell Novolin N - NPH (Isophane Insolin) slow acting and Novolin R Fast acting for $26.00 a vile each. The vile contains 100 units/ml 10 mL. It says on the Vile "Manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S Denmark - Only for retail sale by Walmart and it's affiliates"

I asked my doctor about it and he didn't know about it. He looked up the insulin and told me the doses to take. I have to buy the syringes and have to give myself the long acting 2 times a day and the short acting 20 minutes before meals. It is a bit of a more pain (literally) but the vile has more in the injector pen and I now spend about $ 130.00 a month for 5 viles. No Co Pay. No Prescription. My doctor also put me on a sliding scale on how much to take. I take my blood sugar test and depending on the number I take either 1 to 6 units above my normal dose of 20 units before each (3) meal. My A1C is now lower than ever and I can afford the insulin. I'm not a big Walmart shopper as it seems like they sell a lot of Chinese merchandise, but The Insulin is SUPER!

To put even that price into context, the UK National Health service pays £15 for the same vial of NPH insulin and it costs about $6 to produce!

This line in your post says it all:

"Manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S Denmark - Only for retail sale by Walmart and it's affiliates"

Unlike a certain other country they don't sell crap. I'm still pissed that a DAK canned ham now contains a Plumrose USA product, not as good as the old Danish product.

As someone who has synthesized insulin analogues, the process is straight forward and the cost is pennies per vial.

Like him or not (I’m not a huge fan), Mark Cuban has started an admirable company called “Cost Plus” pharmaceuticals. Something the US desperately needs.

Listen to the Joe Rogan podcast #1873 with Brigham Buhler, very enlightening on why drugs costs are so insane.

My Doctor had me test the Freestyle Libre 14 blood sugar device that they put on the back of your Bicep (arm) . It sounds good, but there is a co-pay and you have to replace it every 2 weeks. I tested it for a month. It is convenient and you check with you cell phone, but I bumped it and it came off. It has a sticky glue that holds it on and a small needle that goes into your arm. I stopped using it and use my One Touch meter which is a pain but I prefer the old way.

On a recent 12 week road trip I forgot my Humalog insulin. I walked into a Walgreens in Ashland, Wisconsin and bought 2 vials for (I think) $140 each. Had to have them. They lasted me until we went into Quebec. In a Canadian pharmacy I got the 2 vials of Humalog for about $40US. Lots cheaper.

metalmagpie

For the guys with Type 2, look into fasting.