Online Drug Discounters - Too Good to be True?

[MichaelOM]

I take COMTAN and it is not covered under my prescription drug plan and is VERY expensive, even in generic form (entacapone). My neurologist wants me to stay on it and I'm not poor enough to qualify for the manufacturer's needs-based discount program. So, I searched the web for alternatives and found Rx Relief, a free pharmacy discount card that claims to save you up to 75%. I'm going to show it to my pharmacist to see if it's legit. I also found several online stores that offer steep discounts via mail order. For example, while my insurance company said I'd have to pay between $300 and $350 a month for COMTAN, the following are some of the discounts I found:

1meds.com -- 100 tabs for $190

Internationaldrugmart.com -- 100 tabs for $113.62

edrugsearc.com -- 100 tabs for $88.52

This all seems too good to be true. Is it? Do you have any experience with these types of companies, good or bad?

[PatV]

Wikipedia: When administered in conjunction with dopaminergic agents such as L-DOPA, entacapone prevents COMT from metabolizing L-DOPA into 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-L-phenylalanine (3-OMD) in the periphery, which does not easily cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Pharmacologically, entacapone is somewhat similar to carbidopa or benserazide, in that it is an inhibitor of an enzyme that converts L-DOPA into a compound that cannot cross the blood brain barrier. Carbidopa and benserazide inhibit aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, which converts L-DOPA into dopamine, which cannot cross the blood brain barrier.

I don't have any experience with these companies. But given your circumstances, doesn't sinimet work for you? There is a generic.

[MichaelOM]

I do take Sinemet as well. The Comtan is supposed to keep the Sinemet from wearing off too quickly, which seems to be working for me.

[debbie66]

My husband takes Sinemet and takes Amantadine hydrochloride(Symmetrel) with it to stop Sinemet wearing off as quick.We live in the UK and I assume that all meds are universally available.My husband gets his scripts free so we have never had to try any of the on-line companies,hope you find out if they are any good.

Good luck.