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Author Topic: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?  (Read 10438 times)

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Offline Disturbed

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  • Posts: 24
Hello,
I was wondering how it works with the supply of HIV drugs in other countries.
I got positive in Spain last year and there they give me strictly only one month supply without exemption, but later I moved to UK and here they can give me up to 3-6 months supply in one time, so I have much more freedom to travel and move around, this is really important for me so I am very happy with the system here.
In Germany they told me is same like in Spain, they give strictly only for one month. Is it everywhere in Europe like that except UK?
Jan'12 Diagnosed HIV+ CD4 26 VL 3.400.000
Dec'12 Diagnosed visceral leishmaniasis CD4 60 VL 560
May'13 Diagnosed CIDP CD4 180 VL UD
May'14 CD4 330 VL UD

Offline OneTampa

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2013, 11:57:05 am »
Hello,

Welcome to the Boards!

I live in the US and have received 2 and 2 months supply of my meds as allowed by my health insurance plan.

I do not have definitive information on the meds supply duration process in Europe.  Perhaps others on the Boards with experience in that area will chime in.

Take care.
"He is my oldest child. The shy and retiring one over there with the Haitian headdress serving pescaíto frito."

Offline ad2san

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2013, 11:58:43 am »
Germany and France:
Usually on the first time you get the meds you have one month supply, then you come back for a CD4/VL check, if everything is ok you get your supplies for 3 months. Same procedure if you change meds.

Feb   2009 CD4 358 VL 2000 16%
May  2009 CD4 305 VL 3069  14% <---- Started TVD+ATZ/r
Jul  2009 CD4 512 VL <50   18%
Jul 2010 CD4 418 VL <50 24%                     
Switched to Kivexa (Epzicom) + Norvir + Reyataz (due to sleep problem)
Aug 2010 CD4 606 VL <50 25%
Jul 2011 CD4 494 UD 23%
Switched to Kivexa (Epzicom) + Viramune XR (due to kidney problems)
January 2012 CD4 564 UD 31%
January 2013 CD4 594 UD 26%
Switched to Kivexa (Epzicom) + Isentress due to BIG increase GammaGT
Feb 2013 CD4 699 UD 28%
Aug 2014 CD4 639 UD 25%
Switched January 2015 to Triumeq
May 2015 CD4 807 UD 31%
Switched Nov 2016 to Genvoya due to gastric problems
November 2016 CD4 847 UD 32%

Offline aaware72

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2013, 12:33:18 pm »
I'm really not sure.  I have a 6 month prescription which I have been refilled monthly.   
"Yes, knowledge is power. Self-knowledge brings mastery of one's body."

Offline frenchpat

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2013, 01:39:42 pm »
Germany and France:
Usually on the first time you get the meds you have one month supply, then you come back for a CD4/VL check, if everything is ok you get your supplies for 3 months. Same procedure if you change meds.

As far as France is concerned this is incorrect:
though your doctor might give you a prescription for 6 months you only get one month's supply at a time. If you go on holidays across two months renewal dates you can ask for extra supplies after filing a form. Anything else is an agreement directly with your pharmacist but with more controls they are getting reluctant. It used to be easier but the state health agency is tightening the screws because of abuses of the health system in the past (not necessarily HIV related).
P.
People have the power - Patti Smith

Offline Valmont

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #5 on: June 04, 2013, 02:40:26 pm »
30 days in Ecuador, only available in my clinic (when there are no shortage...)
Apr 2011: Diagnotized
Jun 2011: CD4: 504  VL: 176.000
Dic 2011: CD4: 714  VL: 95.000
May 2012: CD4: 395 VL: 67.000
Jun 2012: CD4: 367
Agu 2012: Starting Emtricitabine 200 mg / Tenofovir 300 mg and Efavirenz 600 mg (2 pills) different brands or VIRADAY/ATRIPLA/Mylan....
Sep 2012: VL: 138
Dic 2012: CD4: 708 VL: <34  %CD4: 32%
Jan 2013: CD4: 707 VL: <20
May 2013: CD4: 945 VL: <34 %CD4: 33%
Agu 2013: CD4: 636 VL: <34 %CD4: 50%
Dic 2013: Latent TB, started Isoniazid

Offline newt

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  • the one and original newt
Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2013, 02:47:28 pm »
4 months in your hands is standard in the UK, sometimes it's 3 months, occasionally it's 6. 1 month when starting or changing is also common. In my case it's 4 months and the meds are posted to my home address.

- matt
"The object is to be a well patient, not a good patient"

Offline Jmarksto

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2013, 03:15:14 pm »
Here in the US, my prescription is good for 3 months - although my doc gives a one month extension each time.  My insurance company allows monthly refills, although they allow refilling after 3 weeks - so I have built up a 2 - 3 month supply over the course of the last year.
03/15/12 Negative
06/15/12 Positive
07/11/12 CD4 790          VL 4,000
08/06/12 CD4 816/38%   VL 49,300
08/20/12 Started Complera
11/06/12 CD4   819/41% VL 38
02/11/13 CD4   935/41% VL UD
06/06/13 CD4   816/41% VL UD
10/28/13 CD4 1131/45% VL 25
02/25/14 CD4   792/37% VL UD
07/09/14 CD4 1004/39% VL UD
11/03/14 CD4   711/34% VL UD
03/13/15 CD4   833/36% VL UD
04/??/15 Truvada & Tivicay
06/01/15 CD4 1100/50% VL UD
10/16/15 CD4   826/43% VL UD
??/??/2017 Descov & Tivicay
2017 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850
2018 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850

Offline TabooPrincess

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2013, 03:16:18 pm »
Same for me. 4 months and posted to my home address.  I do love the glorious Nhs!
09/ 2008 - Seroconversion
11/2008 - Tested pos, cd4 640 vl 25400
12/2008 - cd4 794 vl 27798, 35%
03/2009 - cd4 844 vl 68846, 35%
06/2009 - cd4 476 vl 49151, 33% (pregnancy confirmed)
08/2009 - cd4 464 vl 54662, 32%
Started meds for pregnancy (Kaletra, AZT, Viread)
09/2009 - cd4 841 vl 3213, 42%
10/2009 - cd4 860 vl 1088, 41%
11/2009 - cd4 771 vl 563, 38%
12/2009 - cd4 885 vl 151 42%
Discontinued meds after baby born
02/2010 - cd4 841 vl 63781, 38%
05/2010 - cd4 1080 vl 113000, 39%
08/2010 - cd4 770 vl 109242
12/2010 - cd4 642 vl 111000, 34%
06/2011 - cd4 450 vl 222000, 33%
11/2011 - cd4 419 vl 212000, 24%
03/2012 - cd4 280 vl 118000, 26% (repeated Cd4 at 360)
05/2012 -cd4 360 vl 99,190
10/2012 Atripla, cd4 690, vl 80
12/2012 Darunavir, norvir, truvada, Cd4 680, vl u/d
07/2013 cd4 750,ud

Offline LiveWithIt

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  • Posts: 535
Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2013, 06:55:27 pm »
Germany and France:
Usually on the first time you get the meds you have one month supply, then you come back for a CD4/VL check, if everything is ok you get your supplies for 3 months. Same procedure if you change meds.

That makes sense because if you have an allergy or bad reaction to the meds it doesn't make sense to give more than 1 month.
Pray God you can cope
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Offline nomatterhow

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2013, 06:56:26 pm »
3 months in France ... but i had to wait 1 year and become undetectable to receive 3 months supply , before it was one month.

Offline LiveWithIt

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2013, 06:56:47 pm »
I get my meds one month at a time.  I can refill them 5 days before they are due the next month, so I do that for several months and in 6 months I have an extra months supply.
Pray God you can cope
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Offline LiveWithIt

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2013, 07:01:48 pm »
Most prescriptions are good for a year in the US, but that's not what's being asked.  It tells you on the bottle that you can refill it within a year. 

What they are asking is how many months supply can you get at a time.

I think usually with health plans that make you get mail order they allow 3 months.
Pray God you can cope
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Offline elf

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #13 on: June 05, 2013, 12:48:24 pm »
6 months here in c.r.o.a.t.i.a.

Offline mecch

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  • red pill? or blue pill?
Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #14 on: June 05, 2013, 04:08:37 pm »
One month limits seem like a recipe for non-adherence or worse, treatment failure. What are the governments thinking?
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline darryaz

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #15 on: June 05, 2013, 05:15:40 pm »
In the US it depends greatly on insurance and which state you live in.

For me (Oklahoma ADAP) I can order a 30 day supply every 20 days.  So I managed to build up a 6 month supply.

Offline maxsa

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #16 on: June 05, 2013, 11:18:44 pm »
hi,its my first time to talk, cause my english is poor, I'm from China, the situation here is very serious,We have only 3 meds here to choose.....Doctors give you 15 days supply first time, if its ok for you, then you will get 3 months supply. :)
I need help

Offline Raf

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2013, 03:08:32 am »
Here in Venezuela is just like spain: 1 month supply.
Dx: 05/14/2008
Latest HIV Meds combo I've been taking:

Kaletra + Combivir (since 05/16/2008 - 05/09/2019)
Acriptega (05/10/2019 - today)

Offline Ann

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    • Num is sum qui mentiar tibi?
Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2013, 09:16:40 am »
I can get up to a six month supply all at once in Liverpool. :)
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline elf

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #19 on: June 07, 2013, 10:44:18 am »
I can get up to a six month supply all at once in Liverpool. :)

Are you on meds Ann?
 ??? I thought you weren't.
Kisses and stay well  :)

///
I asked my doctor yesterday if I could switch to a 12 month supply ''plan'' if I moved to another European country, he said: no problem.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2013, 10:50:39 am by elf »

Offline Ann

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #20 on: June 07, 2013, 12:09:23 pm »
Are you on meds Ann?
 ??? I thought you weren't.
Kisses and stay well  :)



I started on Prezista, Norvir and Truvada last July 12th.

labs before starting:

                     VL         CD4

2010/02/09      N/A     392   29%
2010/05/18   20,500   368   26%
2010/10/12   08,000   576   28%

2011/01/18   27,500   332   20%
2011/04/20   38,700   581   28%
2011/08/10   41,000   471   24%

2012/02/21   33,800   340   24%
2012/05/15   30,900   491   22%

2012/07/12    started meds

2012/08/21    00,414   674   26%
2012/10/23    00,065   776   33%

2013/01/15       UD     1050   34%

I had blood drawn on April 13th, but I won't find out my numbers until my next appointment in August.

You may notice a six month gap in labs between August 2011 and February 2012. I got fed up with complaining of feeling sick and tired all the time and being told that because my numbers were good, treatment wasn't indicated. I knew my body was telling me it WAS time to start - after all, I'd been poz for 14/15 years by then and I could feel it taking its toll despite what my numbers looked like. (infected in the spring of 1997)

When I finally went back to the clinic that February and was asked why I hadn't been for so long (I never went more than 3-4 months between appointments before) I told them "What's the point of coming? I keep telling you that I feel like shit and you keep patting me on the head and telling me my numbers are fine and that I don't need treatment. I know my own body and I'm telling you it IS time." That's when they finally started taking me seriously and I was on meds by July.

I do feel a lot better these days. I don't regret having all those med-free years, but I do wish they had let me start when I started asking to in 2010 when I was in the 300 range and was feeling like crap more often than not. I kept occasionally popping back up over 500, so they kept telling me everything was fine.

My doctor now wants me to go to six-monthly appointments, but I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with that just yet. I'm looking into having at least some of my labs done locally (everything except VL) in between clinic visits, for my own peace of mind.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2013, 12:17:41 pm by Ann »
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline xasxas

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #21 on: June 10, 2013, 12:28:28 am »
Well my doctor gives me six month prescriptions here in Thailand.  But I am not a local and not covered under the health scheme, so I have to go buy my own meds. 

Luckily they're not overly expensive here in Thailand, so I tend to pick up a 6-month supply at a time.

Offline Anqueetas

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #22 on: June 11, 2013, 04:45:17 am »
Up to a maximum of 6 months at the Anonymous clinic here in Thailand but my doctor can write me a second prescription at up to six months and i can go there for a second time to get more medication, without waiting for 6 months interval.  Currently I'm stock up meds because I will go oversea for up to 6-7 months for work and I need some extra meds just in case I stay longer, i already have up to 9 months supply. 

Discuss this with my doctor, get a viral load test at 8 months interval because i'm oversea is safe if my adherence is 100% which is it did for the past 1 years that i'm on medication.
ARS, hospitalized for very high fever-July 2011
diagnosed HIV positive - October 16 2011
CD4 460 19.5% VL 49000 - late October 2011
CD4 625 19.5% VL 50030 - January 2012
CD4 369 19% VL 69000 - March 2012
Start Sustiva+ Truvada - April 17 2012
CD4 524 24.5% VL UD - August 22 2012
Switch to Nevirapine+Truvada
CD4 490 26% VL UD - November 2012
CD4 539 29% VL UD - February 2013
CD4 621 28% VL UD - May 2013

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #23 on: June 11, 2013, 06:40:41 am »
My prescription authorizes 4 months of refills, but you can only obtain them one month at a time, as my funding comes from state programs and not private insurance. When I obtain a refill at most I can obtain it five days in advance, and that's days not "business days". So yes, this makes travel cumbersome indeed so I always make sure I've built up a month's extra supply at home. The pharmacy used to make a monthly courtesy call when your refills were due asking if they should refill them for you but they stopped doing that last year for some reason, so I have to call them in every month. It would be nice if they had some way to log on to a web site and just check off what you needed.

Back in the 90's before HMO private insurer's allowed for those 3-4 month supplies by mail I still had to do what I described in the above paragraph so I'm used to it. The larger problem is that I have a minimum of a dozen scripts from three doctors, more if any more specialists get involved, so everything gets out of sequence and I sometimes find myself going to the pharmacy several times a month. And the more scripts you coordinate and the more visits you make the more room there is for the pharmacy making errors. I just had to spend 30 minutes reading them yesterday about something they fucked up.

Fortunately my pharmacy is a specialty pharmacy that only (or mostly) deals with HIV, and is on the ground floor of my HIV clinic's building though not at all affiliated. This makes it easy to solve any problems because most of their clients are from that clinic and they know all of the staff. As well they will also deliver to your home at no cost (but I never use that service because it's only two subway stops away).

All the same, I find the monthly (or in my case often bi-monthly) pharmacy jaunts annoying. More annoying certainly than going to my HIV doctor every four months or having lab work done.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline LiveWithIt

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #24 on: June 12, 2013, 02:10:39 pm »
The pharmacy used to make a monthly courtesy call when your refills were due asking if they should refill them for you but they stopped doing that last year for some reason, so I have to call them in every month. It would be nice if they had some way to log on to a web site and just check off what you needed.



Walgreens lets you order online, you can log in and see how many refills you have left and you just check the box when you want it filled and tell them when you want to pick it up.  They actually add everything to auto refill the first time you get it filled which I don't like so I always have to remove it and fill it when I want.

I love Walgreens for most things, but if you ever have a problem good luck.  You can't call your location they have a "care center"  which is a call center and they don't care about you.   I had a problem when a medication I take was changed from two pills a day into one.  They requested a refill after a week of being told that it was not in stock, when I went to pick up my other two I was told what I wanted was discontinues and I needed a new scrip for the new strength.  So 2 weeks later I'm running out of the meds and they don't even have the old one to give me.

 Then they send out blank faxes, or my doctors office fax machine is not working.  You ask Walgreens to call your doctor and they say they don't do that.  The nurse at my doctors office was  a B too and wouldn't call it in and said my doctor was too busy with other patients to just keep Walgreens faxing stuff.  She can't interrupt the doctor, but every visit I have with him has at least one interruption.  The doctor told me about this new system about doing scrips online.  Doesn't sound hard but it's hard to get thru to him to get him to do it.
Pray God you can cope
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Offline notaswede

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #25 on: June 21, 2013, 06:35:49 am »
I just picked up my first batch of meds (Atripla) and was surprised that i got 3 months worth of pills. Seems to be standard here.

Another surprise: HIV treatment is completely exempt from any co-payments here in Sweden (you usually pay a small fee for every doctor's visit and for your drugs). I was standing there with my credit card, ready to pay when the pharmacist explained to me that it is all free. :-) 

Offline bufguy

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #26 on: June 24, 2013, 07:56:28 am »
I get a 1 year prescription that allows for a 3 month supply refillable 4x
5/29/08 confirmed HIV+
6/23/08 Vl 47500  CD4 511/29% CD8 .60
start atripla
8/1/08 Vl 130  CD4 667/31% CD8 .70
9/18/08 Vl un  CD4 not tested
12/19/08 Vl un CD4 723/32% CD8 .80
4/3/09 Vl un CD4 615/36% CD8  .98
8/7/09 vl un CD4 689/35% CD8 .9
12/11/09 vl un CD4 712/38% CD8 .89
4/9/10 vl un CD4 796/39% CD8 1.0
8/20/10 vl un CD4 787/38% CD8 1.0
4/6/10 vl un CD4 865/35% CD8 .9
8/16/10 vl un CD4 924/37% CD8 1.0
12/23/10 vl un CD4 1006/35% CD8 .9
5/2/10 vl un CD4 1040/39% CD8 .9
8/7/13 vl un CD4 840/39% CD8 .
11/29/18 vl un CD4 1080/39% CD8  .86

Offline loop78

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #27 on: July 30, 2013, 07:07:25 pm »
Hello,
I was wondering how it works with the supply of HIV drugs in other countries.

(...)


I'm also in Spain and I'm in the same boat as you, though I'm told things may vary between individual hospitals.

I get a prescription valid for 6 months of treatment, but I have to go monthly to get my meds. At the most, I get away with two months of meds once a year, with the excuse of the summer holidays.

Even worse: before, my hospital's farmacy opened from 9:00 to 15:00, only working days, so I could rush to and back during lunch time to get my meds without missing work. There was also an answering machine where you could request your meds in advance and go pick them up later in the afternoon, when the farmacy is already closed.

Starting a couple of months ago, they've done away with the request-your-meds service and reduced the opening hours from 9:00 to 14:00, so now it's impossible not to miss work for a couple of hours once a month.

I'm quite stressed about this, one thing is having to justify at your workplace going for lab work and to see your doctor twice a year. Add skipping worktime monthly to pick up your meds and you get a recipe for trouble. So much for facilitating adherence!

By the way, long time no see. Glad to read the same nice people who helped me get through my diagnosis relatively whole some years ago!! ;)

Offline mecch

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #28 on: July 30, 2013, 07:40:33 pm »
Loop, just wanted to say, that's a terrible set up!  Would it help to make sure the hospital director knows how dumb it is?  What about some local government official or your city's health director, etc etc. ??  Honestly what are people thinking!
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline pioneer II

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2013, 03:21:31 pm »
In Brazil we get 30 days prescriptions, only, you can use them twice.

It works like that: you do your blood work, go to the doctor and he gives you the new prescription for a 30 day supply. When you go to pick it up (for free), the clerk writes and signs up something on the back of the prescription authorizing you to come back in 20 days and get a new full 30 day supply using that very same piece of paper.

It usually works well. In one year, keeping the 20 day pick up interval, you end up with a 120 day extra pill supply.

Also, once a year, you can take the double (60 day) supply. You choose when and if. It happens due to the fact that in Brazil we have 30 day vaccation per year (it's a right guaranteed by the Constitution) so, you can take your jumbo pack of pills and vanish for at least 2 months.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2013, 03:27:29 pm by pioneer II »
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Offline mecch

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #30 on: August 21, 2013, 03:31:42 pm »
Bravo Brazil! That's the way to do it!
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Offline eric48

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #31 on: August 21, 2013, 04:46:31 pm »
Here in Socialized health care, you do not have to pay for your meds.

It is  a 6 months prescripton but the pharmacist will deliver only one month at a time.

Recently I found out why.

She buys from a wholesale pharma and has to pay within 30 days, so she has only that period of time to get the money back from gvt so that she can pay without using her own money.

Meds are ca; $1000 /months.

Last time I had time for an in depth discussion with her about that, because it is silly.

I suggestted : if I buy upfront 6 months for $ 6000, will you supply it? She said yes, I would only have to send the paper work to gvt to get my money back on a monthly or quarterly basis. If the gvt does not lose the paperwork, it will then work fine. If the mail gets 'lost' I loose $ X000.

We will give it a try next year

Eric
NVP/ABC/3TC/... UD ; CD4 > 900; CD4/CD8 ~ 1.5   stock : 6 months (2013: FOTO= 5d. ON 2d. OFF ; 2014: Clin. Trial NCT02157311 = 4days ON, 3days OFF ; 2015: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02157311 ; 2016: use of granted patent US9101633, 3 days ON, 4days OFF; 2017: added TDF, so NVP/TDF/ABC/3TC, once weekly

Offline oksikoko

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #32 on: August 21, 2013, 08:45:39 pm »
In Brazil we get 30 days prescriptions, only, you can use them twice.

It works like that: you do your blood work, go to the doctor and he gives you the new prescription for a 30 day supply. When you go to pick it up (for free), the clerk writes and signs up something on the back of the prescription authorizing you to come back in 20 days and get a new full 30 day supply using that very same piece of paper.

It usually works well. In one year, keeping the 20 day pick up interval, you end up with a 120 day extra pill supply.

Also, once a year, you can take the double (60 day) supply. You choose when and if. It happens due to the fact that in Brazil we have 30 day vaccation per year (it's a right guaranteed by the Constitution) so, you can take your jumbo pack of pills and vanish for at least 2 months.

Out of curiosity, do they let you have a prescription upon diagnosis if you want or do you have to wait until your numbers are low?

Lee

PS - Vacation?! What do you think this is, 1975?
Code: [Select]
2014-11-14: CD4 Wars Episode II: Return of the Stribild (released in Europe as Stribild II: Werewolf Bitch)
2014-11-06:                ☣ VL (→) 12,627      ☣ CD4 (→) 639
2014-??-??: off treatment  ☣ VL (?)              ☣ CD4 (?)
2013-10-03:                ☣ VL (=) undetectable ☣ CD4 (+) 1105
2013-05-23:                ☣ VL (=) undetectable ☣ CD4 (-) 945
2013-02-25:                ☣ VL (-) undetectable ☣ CD4 (+) 1123
2012-12-16: Enter Stribild
2012-11-20: HIV+           ☣ VL (→) 132,683      ☣ CD4 (→) 920
2012-04-01: HIV-
Dates in this signature file conform to ISO 8601. ;-)

If no one complains, nothing will ever change.

Offline pioneer II

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #33 on: August 22, 2013, 07:16:54 am »
Out of curiosity, do they let you have a prescription upon diagnosis if you want or do you have to wait until your numbers are low?

Lee

PS - Vacation?! What do you think this is, 1975?

LOL!!! Yes, paid vaccation! They pay you full 2 months salary upfront and you just go for whatever you want, free from work for 30 days and with money in your pocket. You know, our old fashioned work laws are very good for the workers, not so good for the employers. And that law exists since 1950...

About the meds: your must discuss with your doctor first, but if you say you want to be trated anyhow, they'll let you. It's a right, also granted by law.
Life is rough with or without hiv. Enjoy it likewise.

Offline Newguy

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #34 on: August 28, 2013, 08:27:42 pm »
Here in Ontario, Canada I get 3 months supply at a time but I have to pay 4% of my salary. Since each province delivers its own health care it is different so I can't comment but I do know some provinces provide HIV meds completely free.

Offline JungleJungle

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #35 on: August 29, 2013, 04:27:26 am »
Here in Italy meds supply are provided for 2 months and are totally free
You need coolin', baby, I'm not foolin',
I'm gonna send you back to schoolin',
Way down inside honey, you need it,
I'm gonna give you my love,
I'm gonna give you my love.

Offline Bowie-esq

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #36 on: August 29, 2013, 05:29:53 am »
Heer in Netherlands i get a prescription of 6 months but my insurance company only supply 3 months worth of medication, so I get a repeat prescription. The medication is free under basic social health care, apart from the first €350 which is the "own risk" of health care everybody has. At the end of each year I get this money back plus tax money due to my condition being considered chronic.
Infected: +\-01/2010

Tested positive 08/2010
28/07/11 CD4 420 9% v.l. 20500
16/10/11 CD4 320 10% v.l. 185000
10/11/11 begin Truvada/Viramune
29/12/11 CD4 410 13% v.l. 115
14/4/12 v.l. undetectable
05/7/12 CD4 520 19% v.l. UD
21/08/13 CD4 470 20% v.l. UD
19/12/13 CD4 430 23% v.l. UD
8/12/14 CD4 600 21% v.l. UD
4/2/15 CD4 600 v.l. UD. Cholesterol 6.2 ....

Offline emex27

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #37 on: August 31, 2013, 08:53:13 pm »
In Nigeria, meds and lab tests are free if you register with a government hospital. The process of registering with a government hospital (HIV Section) can take up to 6 hours and all people assemble in the same location. Supplies are given monthly for people on meds for the 1st 6 months and later supplies are given 1-3 months at a time.

I am not registered at a government hospital as I don't want to be seen there (Stigma). I buy my meds (now Atripla made in India) through a doctor attached to a HIV Center. I make a bank payment of $30 for a month's supply directly to the pharmaceutical company's account. I bought 10 months supply at a go for $300 and I do my CD4 & VL  ($450 for both) tests every 5-6 months and other tests every 2-3 months. 

I started meds in June 2008 and have always bought 6-10 months supply at a go.

best regards,

Emex27
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Offline LukasFRA

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Re: For how long do they give you medication supply in your country?
« Reply #38 on: September 01, 2013, 06:00:50 am »
I am still learning on how it works in Germany as I just started medication a week ago (Eviplera). We have 2 health care schemes: either you are part of the public health care system and pay something like 13,5% of your salary (half comes from your employer) or you are in a private health insurance, then you pay a fixed amount per month (in my case about USD 800 per month, again half comes from the employer). If in the public scheme you just pay a small amount when you pick up your meds (I believe something like USD 5 per prescription).

I have now a prescription for the first 30 days. If I am ok with Eviplera I will go on a 3 months basis as the triple pack is less expensive.  For a 1 month bottle I pay USD 1800 upfront which is then normally refunded within 7 days once I submit it to the health insurance. The refund is a 100%, so at the end I just have to cover the cost upfront. The insurance at the end prefers a 3 month prescription as the cost goes down by roughly USD 45 per month. They advise to not go beyond 3 months in case a switch in medication is necessary. In case of travel or long term absence a 6 or 12 months supply is possible even thought they strongly advise to stay under medical control. I will be in B.C., Canada mid September for 3 weeks of vacation and seeing my family. The insurance has already provided me with medical contacts along the trip I will take in case I need support and my doc is available 24/7 back home. Right now I feel that the support system is almost making my life too easy, but then I am happy that I do not have to fight with the insurance company or some public health worker - I guess the part with the insurance company will come, once they are in a next cost cutting exercise or the government changes in Germany in September (the current oppositions plans to abolish private health insurance).

Greetings
Lukas


 


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