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01-19-2008, 12:32 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,380
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Kriss,
I think you should at least consider staying on the AI until you finish Herceptin. The two have some synergy and appear, at least in metastatic patients, to work better together than alone.
Have you considered looking on-line to find some independent type of group coverage that would at least pay for part of the rx?
This is a crappy choice to have to make. I hate to say this, but I think, if all else fails, this is what credit cards are for!
Hopeful
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01-19-2008, 12:55 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 232
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Kriss,
I would talk to my doctor or call the pharmaceutical company directly and see if they can help you out.
Karen
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01-19-2008, 01:23 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Kriss,
My Femara cost $262.00 per month/not much savings.
But you may want to research ordering your medicine from
Canada. A few years ago my husband's elderly Aunt (91)
could not keep up with her medicine costs. We began to
order her medicines from Canada and saved 2/3's. I have provided a
link for one which you can check. Kriss, also to note we did not
get generic drugs.
Let us know how you make out.
That is lousy that your insruance company has dropped your coverage.
Wishing you the best
Jean
http://www.canadadrugs.com/index.php...FQHgPAod338MFQ
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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01-19-2008, 01:24 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,154
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Consider this...
Kriss,
My Femara cost $262.00 per month/not much savings.
But you may want to research ordering your medicine from
Canada. A few years ago my husband's elderly Aunt (91)
could not keep up with her medicine costs. We began to
order her medicines from Canada and saved 2/3's. I have provided a
link for one which you can check. Kriss, also to note we did not
get generic drugs.
Let us know how you make out.
That is lousy that your insruance company has dropped your coverage.
Wishing you the best
Jean
http://www.canadadrugs.com/index.php...FQHgPAod338MFQ
__________________
Stage 1, Grade 1, 3/30/05
Lumpectomy 4/15/05 - 6MM IDC
Node Neg. (Sentinel node)
ER+ 90% / PR-, Her2+++ by FISH
Ki-67 40%
Arimidex 5/05
Radiation 32 trt, 5/30/05
Oncotype DX test 4/17/06, 31% high risk
TOPO 11 neg. 4/06
Stopped Arimidex 5/06
TCH 5/06, 6 treatments
Herceptin 5/06 - for 1 yr.
9/06 Completed chemo
Started Femara Sept. 2006
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01-19-2008, 02:00 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Kriss
How lousy!! Jean has a great suggestion. Regardless, Hopeful is right on about the synergy of an AI and Herceptin. You don't have that much longer to go on that.
Also, you can consider the credit card option (there are some 0% cards out there too).
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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01-19-2008, 02:18 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Kriss
Femara is made by Novartis, which is part of the together access network. Try this link, you should be able to get it free or at a greatly reduced proce.
http://www.togetherrxaccess.com/Tx/jsp/home.jsp
If not contact Novartis directly...I think they are at
www.novartis.com
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
Last edited by Sheila; 01-19-2008 at 02:21 PM..
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