Hello Pretty Ladies🌺🎀
You all know that my hip metastasis has been decreasing Thank God. My treatment is Ibrance 125 / Lerrozole / Falsodex / Xgeva. My insurance is not covering a high amount of injections ($ 985 per month). I cannot cover this. The point is: Is the injection really necessary to strengthen the bones or is there any other option ??? I don't have any fractures I take calcium Happy day and thanks for always guiding me 🎀🌺
I also take Xgeva because I have many bone metastases. I started having the injection every other month and my bone pain decreased a lot and all are stable, so now I’ll switch to every three months. My oncologist said it stays in my system at least that long. Maybe you can save a bit by having injections less often. Since the aromatase inhibitors can weaken bones too your oncologist may want you to stay on some kind of bone strengthener . I hate the cost too but am so grateful I haven’t had any fractures.
You might look into Zometa which is also a bone strengthener. It is only infused by IV once every 3 months because it stays in the bones longer. It is also supposed to be much cheaper because it is an older drug. It’s the one my oncologist recommended to me.
Hi! I don’t know if this is relevant to you , but maybe check it out with your onc or doctor if you need to find a suitable substitute . I have low volume mets , also in the hip area, and as I have so far been stable , (on Ibrance 125mg and Letrozole ) , I have not yet been on zometa or Xgeva . I had a Dexa bone density scan to check for osteoporosis and although that was okay at present , I may be at risk in the future . Therefore I have been prescribed ibandronic acid tablets 50mg (one a day) , the brand is Iasibon, along with Adcal D3 caplets (2 tablets twice a day ) which is calcium carbonate and vitamin D3. I don’t know the cost as I’m in the U.K. (fortunately medication is free here on the NHS ) but oral tablets are often cheaper than IV . Wish you well in your search x
You can find more information on Ibandronic acid on the Macmillan Cancer Support site
macmillan.org.uk and search Ibandronic Acid x
Because Xgeva is new, it has drug assistance program. You can look into that. As far as I know there is data that shows that both Xgeva and Zometa is as effective when given every three months as opposed to monthly. They both are so similar in their effectiveness in protecting bones with Xgeva being slightly superior. Hope this helps.
Hi,
What type of insurance do you have? If it is a private insurance (not state or federal funded like medicare or medicaid) then most drug companies have coupons that reduce your out of pocket. They generally don't care about your income and do not even ask. You just have to get a new coupon every year.
I have copied 2 links below, you might have to copy and paste. It looks like the one for xgeva can lower monthly cost for the drug to $5. a month.
Let me know how it works out.
Lisa
xgeva.com/financial-resourc...
I have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO deductible 3000$ and Out pocket 7500$. I can not change because is the insurance my husband job
Then this will work for you. Most of the drug companies have similar coupons, Ibrance has one that knocks copay to zero. The others probably do also. Anytime I change meds I always search for coupons. Never wind up paying more than $20 for 3 month supply.
Lisa
xgeva.com/financial-resources/
I just posted this for you in another spot. But, I also remembered PAF Patient Advocate Foundation. They can also help with copay assistance if they have funding available. patientadvocate.org/
Hi! I second what everyone else is saying! The effectiveness of these drugs at a 3 month vs 1 month is only a 1% difference. And the efficacy at 3 years is only 9%...🤦♀️...but the difference in cost is rediculous! I’ve had both...Zometa about $280 plus $800 infusion room charge...XGeva $5600 a shot (my mom gets this as a bone strengthener Prolia for $1500)
I’d look into the coupons others have posted and aim for a 3 month regimen...😀
Oh thank you. 👍
Hi. How working this coupons ??? My injections are placed in the hospital. I do not know how to do so that they apply me some discount. I'll investigate. They are giving me monthly injections for a year
Hi,
Do you have a copy of the bill for the last treatment? There should be a phone number on it to call. generally there is a spot on the back of the bill to fill in insurance info.
The coupon goes to whoever is billing for the drug. It will have a "BIN # GRP# and ID#" that they will need as well as where they should send the bill on the coupon card.
These coupons kind of act like a second insurance. Once they get the response from your insurance they submit to the coupon.
Lisa
I thought I had terrible arthritis before diagnosis, my bones and joints hurt so bad! now, since taking ibrance and letrozole, no pain hardly at all; so I tend to think it is the ibrance and letrozole that takes the pain away, plus I take ginger root daily. No pain meds, aspirin a day for blood thinner, and an occasional tylenol, that's it. God bless you! Oh, I had some pain this morning getting up, but then I slept 12 hours ... and it wore off as I got moving ... just to be totally honest.
Hi! I had bad bone and joint pain with the XGeva. So I asked to be switched back to the Zometa. XGeva was quicker but not worth the pain! 😀
glad you found something that gave you relief and took away the pain! I'm fixing to test the waters and refuse a bone scan and see if my onc will still give me my ibrance and letrozole if all I do is bloodwork for tumor markers. I just don't FEEL like being on their test treadmill; I'm just a hard-headed woman and I want what I want and don't want what I don't want and afterall, if I have stage 4 MBC shouldn't I CHOOSE WHAT TREAMENTS I DO AND DON'T DO? Feeling testy today ... tomorrow may be a totally different story LOL God bless!
Another option would be AlgaeCal(pill).it’s FDA approved in Canada for osteoporosis...it’s algae calcium with a strontium boost...they have a 7 year money back guarantee to consistently increase bone density...people use it for MBC but it’s not FDA approved for that use. (Yet) ..but I have had increased bone density. (Sorry I don’t have specifics on that. Getting my Onc to talk in quantitative terms is near impossible. Everything is looks good. Very good. Good. Your bones are healing nicely. 😂)
I have a lot of bone Mets and had to have my left hip replaced due to the damage I have never had any of the drugs mentioned in this post to rebuild bones. I’m not sure why seeing as so many of you have them.
I am adding it to my list of questions.
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