Elmiron installations

[carolynwk]

This question is for the people who have undergone the Elmiron installations. Has your medical insurance covered the costs of the medication and supplies? Do you have it done in your doctor's office or at home? I am considering doing this as the RIMSO treatments have not helped to the degree I want.
Thank you,

[trytofight920]

Carolyn,

I love the Elmiron "cocktails"! I self cath and do the installations myself.

My insurance does cover the compound drugs BUT I have to call them every single time I refill the cocktails ( I also take the Elmiron capsules). It was odd the first time I got the cocktails filled, it said my insurance copay was $40. . . then I found another pharmacy that can compound the drugs (most pharmacies are just pill counters!) and the past 2 times I have had them filled, (and I got 12 syringes) they only charged me $19!!!! Which is awesome.

The first time my doc gave me the cocktail, I used a 14 fr cath. Then when I had a follow-up appt, he wrote another prescription with more lidocaine with an 8 fr cath (infant) and it is great!!! My main problem is pain and lots of it. I never have a day without pain, therefore, having the "cocktails" around helps so much. They numb the bladder for about 3 - 4 hours.

I do have about 10 of the old cocktails in my fridge. I'm not sure what to do with them. They last about 3 months when in the fridge. I wouldn't mind donating them but you know how it is with giving others your meds.

Good luck . . .

SV

[Katrina]

SV

:welcome: :welcome: :welcome:

I am very interested in Elmiron installations...am hoping my doc will go for it.

[Indy]

I have received 16 of these over the last 2 months. I thought I felt better after the first 6 or 7 but then I seemed to be back where I started. It's so hard to tell what's working and what's not. I plan to ask the doctor tommorrow if we should continue these. He claimed to have an 80% success rate.

[trytofight920]

When I first started the installations, I did not have immediate relief. It was due to the cath being "large" because when I would pull the cath out (or put it in), it hurt so bad I would take pain meds before so that it wouldn't hurt. When I had a follow-up with my doc, he said that the cath could be too big which is causing more discomfort. He also said that he would give me another prescription for Elmiron, sodium bicarbonate, and I want to say 20 cc (????) of lidocaine to numb the bladder. I can tell you that the 8 fr cath is great, even though it takes longer to "drain the bladder". I still have to take Darvocet at work for the nagging pain of sitting most of the day. I also have my heating pad here too! For my really bad days, I have oxycodone. I do not think that I will ever be pain free for a whole day but at least I can function and most of all work so that I can continue to have insurance. I am also on other meds too. . . .and maybe it is the combination of everything.

I take. . . . Elmiron 4 a day; Hydroxyzine 25mg (2 daily); Trazodone 50mg before bed; Urimax (2 daily) sometimes 3 when needed; Hyoscyamine under the tongue as needed for spasms. I have tried to do without the Urimax but I had to go back on it. It helps with spasms.

SV
:thumbsup:

[Ginny]

Tomorrow I will have my 6th installation with Elmiron. I have it done in the doctors office once a week. The only thing I have paid is my $5.00 co pay each time and I was billed $8.20 which I am guessing is for the catheder. I had the prescription filled myself so that was a $5.00 co pay (total for 12 pills) and that is it.

As far as it helping I have to say it works better than DMSO but as soon as I have something to eat or drink that I should not I end up back where I was. If you are a person who stays on the diet I would give this a try.

Ginny