Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

After finally convincing the doctor to prescribe minocycline, I find that the

insurance company will not pay for monocine and have been offered Cyclimycin or

Apo-minocycline.

Should I pay the extra US$0.40 cents a tablet for the minocin takne the

Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

Mike G

Botswana

[Guest guest]

Mike,

I've been told that you need either brand name Minocycline or the

Lederle generic, other generics are not as effective. I've also been

told that occasionally insurance companies will cave and authorize

payment for the appropriate minocycline if the doctor orders no

substitutions, plus you might also want to point out the much higher

cost of traditional arthritis meds, which you are not asking them to pay

before because you're taking this much cheaper approach. It's worth a

try. Good luck.

a Peden

> Mike Guinney wrote:

>

> Hi,

>

> After finally convincing the doctor to prescribe minocycline, I find

> that the insurance company will not pay for monocine and have been

> offered Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

>

> Should I pay the extra US$0.40 cents a tablet for the minocin takne

> the Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

>

>

> Mike G

> Botswana

[Guest guest]

a,

I agree it is worth getting the best medication you can afford but for

many people, " afford " is the problem. If someone is having difficulty

getting coverage for brand name Mino, you can bet getting coverage for

Zithromax would be even harder. Since Mino is the recommended first

choice antibiotic for RA, which is what Mike has, it's worth fighting

for the appropriate form of Mino and trying it first. If further or

different antibiotics are required after that, then that battle can be

fought at that time. But to start with, it's more important to get an

effective form of mino.

a Peden

a Carnes wrote:

>

> a to a,

> I always think your advice is soo good. I am serious. This seems to me to

> be right on. I would add from my experience taking Zithromax at $12 a day,

> of which I pay $2 a day after insurance - to get a drug which really works

> is worth the extra money if you can afford it. I did not get better on the

> other antibiotics. I'm not saying take Zithromax, I'm saying spend the

> extra money to be sure you get a drug that has a chance of working. It is

> your life.

> a C.

>

> Re: rheumatic Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

>

> > From: a Peden <paula.peden@...>

> >

> > Mike,

> > I've been told that you need either brand name Minocycline or the

> > Lederle generic, other generics are not as effective. I've also been

> > told that occasionally insurance companies will cave and authorize

> > payment for the appropriate minocycline if the doctor orders no

> > substitutions, plus you might also want to point out the much higher

> > cost of traditional arthritis meds, which you are not asking them to pay

> > before because you're taking this much cheaper approach. It's worth a

> > try. Good luck.

> > a Peden

> >

> > > Mike Guinney wrote:

> > >

> > > Hi,

> > >

> > > After finally convincing the doctor to prescribe minocycline, I find

> > > that the insurance company will not pay for monocine and have been

> > > offered Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > >

> > > Should I pay the extra US$0.40 cents a tablet for the minocin takne

> > > the Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > >

> > >

> > > Mike G

> > > Botswana

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Mike and a,

Yes, I am agreeing with you, a. I am NOT recommending Mike should take

Zithromax at all. I am saying that if you can possibly afford the brand

name minocyn you should pay the 40 cents if necessary - if you can't get the

insurance to cover. I have almost no money. I live on disability. I have

paid the $2 out of my pocket to get what works for me. This is my point -

not that everyone should take what I am taking.

Your friend,

a C.

Re: rheumatic Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> >

> > > From: a Peden <paula.peden@...>

> > >

> > > Mike,

> > > I've been told that you need either brand name Minocycline or the

> > > Lederle generic, other generics are not as effective. I've also been

> > > told that occasionally insurance companies will cave and authorize

> > > payment for the appropriate minocycline if the doctor orders no

> > > substitutions, plus you might also want to point out the much higher

> > > cost of traditional arthritis meds, which you are not asking them to

pay

> > > before because you're taking this much cheaper approach. It's worth a

> > > try. Good luck.

> > > a Peden

> > >

> > > > Mike Guinney wrote:

> > > >

> > > > Hi,

> > > >

> > > > After finally convincing the doctor to prescribe minocycline, I find

> > > > that the insurance company will not pay for monocine and have been

> > > > offered Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > > >

> > > > Should I pay the extra US$0.40 cents a tablet for the minocin takne

> > > > the Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Mike G

> > > > Botswana

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear a,

Okay, I will reply to the list. I want to say that you have misunderstood

what I wrote. Please read it again. I have stated twice that I did not

think he should switch to Zithromax, just that it was worth extra money if

you could possibly afford it to get the name brand, ie a drug that you KNOW

will work. If I could have used mincyn I would have as well. My point is

that money is not the key issue if you can possibly afford the name brand

antibiotic. I will not reply on this silly issue again. I hope Mike got my

point, which was barely worth making and certainly not worth all this

hassle.

Sincerely,

a Carnes

> a,

> All responses should be posted to the list, that's why they're there.

> However, I do feel it's important to answer people's questions based on

> what they asked, not on what your particular regime is. Mike asked

> whether he should be taking brand name minocycline or could accept a

> substitute, not whether he should be taking a different antibiotic

> altogether. For RA, this is an important point because minocycline is

> the first drug of choice but generics are not effective so it is

> important to get the right form. Some people have abandoned mino

> without realizing their lack of progress was the result of receiving an

> ineffective generic.

> a Peden

>

> a Carnes wrote:

> >

> > Hi,

> > Did I send that back to the list or just you? I think I forgot to

change it

> > to the list. I also was not clear. I was not saying he should take

> > Zithromax, just that 40 cents a pill is not a lot to get what works. I

have

> > very little money, no job, on disablity. I still pay the $2 a day to

get

> > what works for me. I couldn't possibly pay $12, nor do I think he

should

> > take Zithromax. Should I repost this to the list?

> > a C.

> >

> > Re: rheumatic Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > > >

> > > > > From: a Peden <paula.peden@...>

> > > > >

> > > > > Mike,

> > > > > I've been told that you need either brand name Minocycline or the

> > > > > Lederle generic, other generics are not as effective. I've also

been

> > > > > told that occasionally insurance companies will cave and authorize

> > > > > payment for the appropriate minocycline if the doctor orders no

> > > > > substitutions, plus you might also want to point out the much

higher

> > > > > cost of traditional arthritis meds, which you are not asking them

to

> > pay

> > > > > before because you're taking this much cheaper approach. It's

worth a

> > > > > try. Good luck.

> > > > > a Peden

> > > > >

> > > > > > Mike Guinney wrote:

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Hi,

> > > > > >

> > > > > > After finally convincing the doctor to prescribe minocycline, I

find

> > > > > > that the insurance company will not pay for monocine and have

been

> > > > > > offered Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Should I pay the extra US$0.40 cents a tablet for the minocin

takne

> > > > > > the Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

> > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Mike G

> > > > > > Botswana

> > > >

[Guest guest]

http://www.edoc.co.za/medilink/products/634.html

http://www.lung.ca/cgi-bin/lung/resp.cgi?function=blist2 & id=34

Hi Mike, A quick run through a search program found these two references on the

brands you named. I would go for the Lederle Minocin brand if it is possible

financially. Ethel has told us before that people in the past have had not as

good a response to the generics, and there are some people who react to the

fillers used in the generics also. Would you have to pay full cost, or just the

difference?

If you cannot afford the cost without serious hardship, perhaps you could

look at the sites above for the manufacturers names, and ask your doctors

whether one has a better reputation than the other. I had to settle for generic

minocycline when I tried it, becuse I absolutely had no money for the brand, and

it certainly did seem to be producing a herxheimer reaction in me. I had to

stop it because of an unusual reaction to it, and to this day still don't know

for sure if it might have been a reaction to the fillers. When I get some

insurance hassles straightened out, I may pursue getting special permission to

get the brand, and try it. Sometimes you can get an exception made if you do

not respond well to the alternatives. Just as a cost comparison you might make

to your health care providers, consider Enbrel, this is an up-and-coming drug in

the US market for RA, it costs about $1,000US a month, and they still don't know

if it prevents disease progression or just provides symptomatic relief! Ask

them to consider what they might be spending on you if you and your doctor had

chosen this or other alternatives!

I see that one of these generics is marketed in Canada as well, and the other

in South Africa, and we have members from both places, I believe, so perhaps

someone has tried one and will tell you of their experiences with it. Regards,

Liz G

[Guest guest]

The Lederle generic for Minocin is nearly exactly equivalent to Lederle's name

brand (looks identical too), I have been told by pharmacists, folks here on the

list, and Henry Scammell himself. I had to ask the Walmart pharmacist to order

it special for me, since they only carried a brand made by Barr. Slightly more

expensive than Barr,but way cheaper than brand name Lederle.

Mark

Re: rheumatic Cyclimycin or Apo-minocycline.

http://www.edoc.co.za/medilink/products/634.html

http://www.lung.ca/cgi-bin/lung/resp.cgi?function=blist2 & id=34

Hi Mike, A quick run through a search program found these two references on

the brands you named. I would go for the Lederle Minocin brand if it is

possible financially. Ethel has told us before that people in the past have had

not as good a response to the generics, and there are some people who react to

the fillers used in the generics also. Would you have to pay full cost, or just

the difference?

If you cannot afford the cost without serious hardship, perhaps you could

look at the sites above for the manufacturers names, and ask your doctors

whether one has a better reputation than the other. I had to settle for generic

minocycline when I tried it, becuse I absolutely had no money for the brand, and

it certainly did seem to be producing a herxheimer reaction in me. I had to

stop it because of an unusual reaction to it, and to this day still don't know

for sure if it might have been a reaction to the fillers. When I get some

insurance hassles straightened out, I may pursue getting special permission to

get the brand, and try it. Sometimes you can get an exception made if you do

not respond well to the alternatives. Just as a cost comparison you might make

to your health care providers, consider Enbrel, this is an up-and-coming drug in

the US market for RA, it costs about $1,000US a month, and they still don't know

if it prevents disease progression or just provides symptomatic relief! Ask

them to consider what they might be spending on you if you and your doctor had

chosen this or other alternatives!

I see that one of these generics is marketed in Canada as well, and the other

in South Africa, and we have members from both places, I believe, so perhaps

someone has tried one and will tell you of their experiences with it. Regards,

Liz G