| Author |
Message |
Stephanie
Member
Username: Casmr36
Post Number: 18
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 07:28 pm: | 
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I was just wondering if there was any difference besides the cost? |
Frank J.
Forum Leader
Username: Txaggie86
Post Number: 275
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 07:31 pm: |
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According to the doctors and my coordinators at Emory University that there is no difference. I have had several discussions with them regarding that subject. They are giving their patients in the hospital the generic versions.
Frank Jones
Liver Transplants at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA April 2005 and April 2006.
Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. - Mark Twain |
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Stephanie
Member
Username: Casmr36
Post Number: 20
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 07:39 pm: |
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Thanks so much. I was just wondering because we recently had to switch pharmacies and CVS only has Generic. My husband got transplanted right down the block from you at Piedmont.  |
Frank J.
Forum Leader
Username: Txaggie86
Post Number: 276
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 08:04 pm: |
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I have the option of paying for name brand, but I can't justify the cost difference. I am on generic 'Prograf' and using up my name brand Cellcept before switching to generic.
On a side note, have you and your husband been going to the Georgia Transplant Foundation conferences? They are well worth it.
Frank Jones
Liver Transplants at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA April 2005 and April 2006.
Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. - Mark Twain |
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NewMan
Member
Username: Reganreed
Post Number: 3
Registered: 01-2012
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 08:21 pm: |
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My doctors WON'T let me use the generic Prograf because the formula guidelines aren't as strict unless they are branded. They said it didn't matter as much for Cellcept. On a side note, did you get the prescription card that takes off a huge amount off the cost? If not, you should ask for that!
Liver tx - 3/14/11
The Liver Institute - Methodist Dallas |
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Stephanie
Member
Username: Casmr36
Post Number: 21
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 08:41 pm: |
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Frank, no we haven't. I'd never heard of them before.
Newman, I'll have to double check with the doctors now. We have a little bit of cellcept and prograf left since the doctors haven't changed it so he's still getting 600 prograf and 240 cell cept lol. |
Richard Owens
Member
Username: Richardindy
Post Number: 720
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 08:57 pm: |
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Stephanie,
I was transplanted in Indianapolis, but have moved to the St Louis area. In Indy, the transplant doctors and surgeons stressed branded immunosuppressant drugs. When I moved here, Barnes-Jewish doctors are quite satisfied with the generic. So, I've changed to generic and have seen no difference so far. I heard/read somewhere that trough levels of Tacrolimus are lower than with Prograf, but have no idea where that bit of trivia came from. The doctors have not mentioned any change in lab values since the switch, so that item is probably not valid. As you can see from the different responses here, there are differences in opinions.
Richard
Kidney Transplant - Aug 30, 1986 - Type One Diabetes
Liver Transplant - May 15, 2007 - Hepatic Carcinoma due to Hepatitis C |
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health journey
Member
Username: Health_journey
Post Number: 45
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 09:26 pm: |
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.
I have been using generic for 2 1/2 years and am doing OK. Both prograf and cellcept. My insurance and medicare B, refused to pay for name brands which my doctor first prescribed. . I did notice my pharmacy changing generic brands and I asked them to at least give me the same generic all the time.
There was a difference in my blood work at one point and I wasn't sure if the change in generics was responsible or it was coincidence so I was just playing it safe.
.
Liver Transplant 10/25/2009
UMDNJ |
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health journey
Member
Username: Health_journey
Post Number: 46
Registered: 04-2011
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - 09:29 pm: |
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.
I have been using generic for 2 1/2 years and am doing OK. Both prograf and cellcept. My insurance and medicare B, refused to pay for name brands which my doctor first prescribed. . I did notice my pharmacy changing generic brands and I asked them to at least give me the same generic all the time.
There was a difference in my blood work at one point and I wasn't sure if the change in generics was responsible or it was coincidence so I was just playing it safe.
.
Liver Transplant 10/25/2009
UMDNJ |
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Abbe
Member
Username: Asunlesssea
Post Number: 16
Registered: 02-2012
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2012 - 11:59 am: |
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I'm wondering why anyone would bother to spend the extra cash for the name brand when the generic does the same damn thing!
Diagnosed: Age 24
Transplanted: Age 30
July 8, 2010
God bless my liver donor
´´Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it´´ |
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Terri
Member
Username: Terri
Post Number: 255
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 - 03:48 pm: |
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OMG Frank I was wondering why they looked different when I was in the hospital. I dont think there is a difference. When I had my transplant, I was taking the name brand Cyclosporine and later switched to the generic....never noticed anything.
Terri Lynne - 20 Year Liver Transplant Survivor
"Whatever doesn't kill me had better start running!"
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Frank J.
Forum Leader
Username: Txaggie86
Post Number: 284
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 - 04:16 pm: |
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I checked the prices of the generic and name-brand versions. This is what I found on my insurance:
Cellcept: the generic is 15% of the name brand price ($59 vs $529) for 60 500mg capsules
Prograf: the generic is 66% of the name brand price. ($156 vs $207) for 60 1mg capsules
Frank Jones
Liver Transplants at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA April 2005 and April 2006.
Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. - Mark Twain |
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Mashka
Member
Username: Mashka
Post Number: 124
Registered: 11-2009
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 08, 2012 - 10:44 pm: |
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For me, I had to switch to generic and it took a while playing around with the generic to get my blood number to be ok. And now for over a year I developed very thick mucus, that becomes very strong especially when I work out, basically halking, its gross really. First I was trying to drink an absurd amount of water and water with electrolites or salt it myself, but after a while I'm just trying to deal with it. Just no more coffee for me.
I guess everyone's bodies react differently.
Liver transplant 8.14.09
Mount Sinai, NY |
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mikesimon
Member
Username: Mikesimon
Post Number: 58
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 09, 2012 - 10:32 am: |
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I use the Astellas Prograf Value Card and don't spend one penny for my Prograf.
I've been in this program for almost 2 years and I've not paid anything for my Prograf. Astellas will pay up to $200 per month for a total of $2,400 for 12 months.
I don't know how long this program will last but it's easy to qualify and certainly worth the time.
IT'S FREE!!!!
Here is the link for registering.
https://www.activatethecard.com/loyaltyscriptgenrc_web/appSecLoyaltyScriptGenrcWebWelcome.jsp?pgmId=prograf2
mikesimon
Liver
Starzl Transplantation Institute 6/16/2000 |
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Zeke
Member
Username: Zekebas
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2012
| | Posted on Monday, May 14, 2012 - 12:49 pm: |
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With regard to generic Prograf, there is no difference in efficacy from the brand. In fact one of the leading generic manufacturers of tacrolimus is Sandoz, which is the generic division of Novartis. Novartis is a pioneer in immunosuppression meds, and is the developer of the first effective anti-rejection drug - cyclosporine (or Neoral) |
