I need a cheaper painkiller..
 

I am currently on Norco 10mg 325 and my pills went up in price from $72.00 to $99.00 and I cannot afford it. It has been the best pain medicine that I have found. I want to know what I can take without tylenol or motrin in it that would be cheaper....any thoughts. BTW I still have NO insurance and on my second SDDI try. Thanks, love you all!

Hi I am not familiar with as needed meds. I am not sure for this med but some med companies that have expensive meds and if you don't have insurance your doctor can fill out a form and the company will give the med to you for free. I am not sure if it is with this med though but many others it is available.
Hope you find something that works

Dear Cindi -

Plain old generic oxycodone is pretty cheap. While my insurance covers it, a few of months ago I had to fill a Rx that wasn't cover for some reason - I may have been filling it within 30 days of the last one in anticipation of going out of town or the insurance just wasn't going through due to systems issues on the computer, etc. - but, as I recall, 150 of the 5 mg. oxycodone tablets (short-acting but effective) came to roughly $32. And that's a pure opioid. Free of any acetaminophen (Tylenol).

I was transferred to oxycodone 7 -8 years ago when Vicodin (same thing as Norco) just wasn't cutting it anymore. And it really works. That said, the extended release version Oxycontin is available as either brand (expensive) or generic, and from what I've heard, the time release mechanisms on at least some of the generics are not as good as the brand, which means that you may get an irregular delivery of the drug in your system. Then too, I find that I have more issues with Oxycontin slowing down my GI system than oxycodone, possibly because the oxycodone tablets completely dissolve and enter the blood stream long before they reach the opioid receptors in the gut.

For reasons I don't know, hydrocodone - the active ingredient in Norco - is available (at least at the present) only in combination with other ingredients, such as acetaminophen. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...s/a601006.html

I hope this is useful. The principle issue may be in getting your doctor to move you to a somewhat stronger [read: effective] medication, may be (from where I sit) largely regional, depending upon how narco-phobic your part of the country is. And in West Virginia, that may well be an issue: sadly with some reason.

Finally, it bears noting that for those who need a very strong pain medication, Dilaudid (hydromorphone) was first introduced in 1926 and went generic many years ago. That said, it is considered to be a powerful narcotic, and will in general only be prescribed on an out-patient basis to patients with non-malignant chronic pain in the more "liberal" parts of the country.

I hope this is useful.

Mike

I don't know much about different pain killers, or what has worked for you. But sometimes the older pain meds are cheaper, such as morphine. Talk with your doctor they should be able to help you find something that you can afford.

Best of luck!

Can you not take the generic?

I am taking a generic and I love the Norco generic because it works so well. I went for my check up today and he and I decided that the Norco generic is the only way to go, so we just have to cut back on some of our household expenses.

I've been on generic methadone for 20 years. It's the ONLY thing that stops the burn. Although it's not perfect, I only pay $20 for a mos. supply @ 60 mg/day.
It's part of a cocktail, of course, with Diazepam, zanaflex,(bedtime), Cymbalta, and migraine meds. Eat well, and you may also need some vitamins but, that's another subject.

Pete

asb

Its that expensive for the Norco though? I know at Sams Club, and Costco (not sure where you live) you can also go there without having a membership. Their meds are cheaper than cvs and other pharmacies, and they have programs through their pharmacy to help out uninsured patients that REALLY help... maybe look into those... I know many pharmacies have those... But I am for sure that Sams Club, Maybe Walmart, and Costco have them! Good luck!

Yes, that expensive, Hannah...I get 240 10/325 generic. I just checked Walmart and they are $149 there. We have no Costco or Sam's Club near us, so I guess I will have to take the $99 script. Especially, since it's hard enough to get pain pills that work.

Have you tried the diladid? It works wonders more than norco and maybe it is cheaper? It is a stronger narcotic as well so you wouldnt need as much. Maybe call the pharmacy or your dr and ask how much you would need to take and call the pharmacy and ask how much. Unless it works, then keep the norco!!!

Also, look for coupons for groceries!!!! Alot of times there are 10-25$ gift card coupons for pharmacys (cvs, riteaid, etc, and other pharmacies will match it, or even target!) for new perscriptions so you can buy some household stuff and save on your rx. Also, check local newspapers for coupons... and there is websites online for coupons for things that you use daily and that could save maybe the cost of your perscription a month!!!


And I noticed the cost of ALL my medications went up too :(

Cindi -
You may want to check out the National Association for Injured and Disabled Workers. It is free to sign up. You DO NOT have to have been hurt on the job or related to your job. It's for anyone that has a disability. Signing up allows you access to their prescription reduction program, especially if you don't have insurance. I'm not sure if we are allowed to post websites or I would put it here for you. Also you can contact the brand name maker of the drug and almost all have a reduced cost program. Those companies don't mind keeping us on their drugs :) But take advantage of that fact and see if they have a program to help you. If you need the website for the NAIDW let me know. Hope you are able to find something cheaper that works!!

Cindi, I know methadone is great for pain and is very very cheap- when i was on it, it was like $10. for a bottle.