Helping my nephew who has been prescribed a time released Budesonide steroid for his Crohns. He was shocked by the sticker price of over $2000 copay with insurance. That blows his budget so we are looking at options to compare effectiveness.
Questions:
1- Is this the typical price for Budesinide ?
2- Does anyone have comparative experience for its effectiveness vs another less expensive steroid? Perhaps Prednisone or something we've not heard of. Let us know your experience. Thanks in advance
Hiya I’m from the uk so can’t advise re the costs. But I was put in Budesonide Following negative results from colonoscopy and pill cam. I was diagnosed with crohns in 2014 & had been in remission but had recent flares which were no showing on tests but did have raised calprotectin. GI thought it may be microscopic crohns so prescribed budesonide which worked quite quickly and effectively without all the side effects of pred. I didn’t take them for the full 3 months but I am on again and I just take 1or 2 for a couple of days if my flares get troublesome again. Only negative is they do make you constipated but that’s sometimes a welcome relief
Good luck 😊
Prednisilone costs pence, in UK pred 5mgs x30 tabs = 81p - £1.65 (depending on brand and if enteric coated) for Budesonide 9mgs x 30 tabs = £75. This is why pred is used so freely in UK as its extremely cheap. I cant understand why the budesonide is so expensive in US though.
There is also Methylprednisilone and hydrocortisone. Prednisilone is the cheapest option, and better tolerated but still usually requires omeprazole/lansoprazole/ranitadine cover as it can irritate stomach
Sorry I couldn't be of more help x
On steroids still not well. 
Coming off Steroids
Coming off steroids and UC symptoms getting worse
Colonoscopy side effects
Testing for azathioprone 
