POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Nutrition & HIV => Topic started by: risred1 on May 16, 2008, 01:42:54 pm
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For those who are interested in KPAX formula but not the price of 140 per month.
http://nybcsecure.org/product_info.php?products_id=271
The usual disclaimers apply - Do not take any supplement without discussing with your Doctor.
Supplement Programs are controversial. The Science may be based upon small studies. Anecdotal feedback varies from good results to poor or no results.
However, for those who are interested, this formulation can be had at about half the price of KPAX.
It is important to note that many ADAP programs allow a prescription of KPAX. So if your situation warrants it, your doctor may be willing to prescribe.
Even at half the price, it is not a trivial amount. I have not found a way to make this more affordable.
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I use to buy Centrum, now I just get the generic equivalent at Walgreens or Rite-Aid to save money.
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It is important to note that many ADAP programs allow a prescription of KPAX. So if your situation warrants it, your doctor may be willing to prescribe.
Which states exactly? I know they don't in Pennsylvania where both you and I live.
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I use to buy Centrum, now I just get the generic equivalent at Walgreens or Rite-Aid to save money.
I would've pegged you for a Geritol girl.
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So basically this is the "reduced pricing" generic version of KPax and it would still set you back $720/year (plus shipping) for something with no real proven benefit.
As I've stated previously, I used to drop serious dough on such things back during the Medieval days of AIDS treatment, pre-HAART, but beyond sensible things like a multivitamin, omega-3 fish oil for my lipids, and calcium for my viread brittlized bones I don't see doing what seems like overkill in 2008.
However, I suppose if you're not on meds yet this fulfills the mental health needs to assert some sort of control on what can be easily seen as an uncontrollable situation. You'd probably get as big a cd4 boost spending that same amount of money on a week at the Sandy Lane in Barbados.
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I buy the Meijer equivalent of women's daily vitamins.
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Which states exactly? I know they don't in Pennsylvania where both you and I live.
New York State ADAP allows K-PAX.
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As I've stated previously, I used to drop serious dough on such things back during the Medieval days of AIDS treatment, pre-HAART, but beyond sensible things like a multivitamin, omega-3 fish oil for my lipids, and calcium for my viread brittlized bones I don't see doing what seems like overkill in 2008.
Overkill? I believe it's more like a quixiotic quest to be anomaly of striking success, rather than dealing with more rational and less costly approaches. KPAX is "loaded" with micronutrients of dubious merit, but few of its adherents seem to massively supplement (5-10g/day) with bulk glutamine, though glutamine represents the principal metabolic substrate for all rapidly proliferating cells and is consequently a boon to CD4s and CD8s for roughly $5/month if purchased sensibly..... just don't do glutamine if you're on Dilantin, as a friend learned following his first seizure in 15 years (um, yeah, buddy... glutamine makes the G in your forbidden MSG)
My supps: a multi bid, 1500mg niacin bid to improve HDL, 5g qd glutamine, and 5g ground flax seed for its omega-3/omega-6 mix.
Cheers,
David
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New York State ADAP allows K-PAX.
Dear, I know that. I used to live there. My point is what other of the glorious 50 allow it? Pennsylvania, I would figure, has a relatively good forumulary compared to most places and it's not on it here. We rank #7 in total number of HIVers on ADAP in the country.
Furthermore, if this supplement package listed above in the thread is 60% off the K-Pax price then someone in Albany isn't doing their job very well.
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http://www.k-pax.us/medicaid.html
Medicaid Coverage
K-PAX Protein Blend may be provided by the Medicaid program in the following states with a prescription from your health care provider (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or registered dietitian). Click on your state of residence for more detailed information:
California
Florida
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New York
Vermont
Other States (see below)
Questions?
Call 1-877-777-5729
Other States - 20% Discount for Medicaid Clients
If you have Medicaid coverage in a state other than those listed above, K-PAX offers you a 20% discount on any of our products. To obtain this discount, you must place your order by telephone and send us a copy of your Medicaid card. This offer is not valid with any other discounts. For more info, call us at: 1-877-777-5729.
We at K-PAX believe that micronutrient therapy should be covered by insurers and government programs if prescribed by your doctor as medically necessary. We are currently working hard to show Medicaid programs in other states the evidence behind this safe and beneficial method of immune system support. Stay tuned!
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Medicaid has nothing to do with ADAP, and keep in mind it's not Medicare either. But hey, aren't these local governments wasting tax payer dollars when they can obtain the same stuff (by your own admission) from other sources?
Frankly, if one had to make the choice, wouldn't it be more prudent to offer EVERY HIV'er in EVERY state a multi-vitamin and omega-3 fish oil rather than K-PAX to a marginal amount of people in 3 states (plus 100 others in 3 tiny states) ?
Would still like to know which state ADAP's have this though.
By the way risred, since you believe so strongly in this have you made any appeals to the Ryan White Planning Council to include this for ADAP folks in PA?
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David...I just wanted to add to what you said: " As I've stated previously, I used to drop serious dough on such things back during the Medieval days of AIDS treatment, pre-HAART, but beyond sensible things like a multivitamin, omega-3 fish oil for my lipids, and calcium for my viread brittlized bones I don't see doing what seems like overkill in 2008.
However, I suppose if you're not on meds yet this fulfills the mental health needs to assert some sort of control on what can be easily seen as an uncontrollable situation. You'd probably get as big a cd4 boost spending that same amount of money on a week at the Sandy Lane in Barbados."
......
There was a good interview on NPR yesterday with someone (sorry cant remember his name or the title of the book) who has written a book on nutrition/food/supplements and the American way. Well, in a nutshell he said that any independent review of supplements has shown that people who take supplements are healthier. :o
BUT, and here comes the kicker, those individuals are better educated and wealthier and make better lifestyle choices ( in food and exercise etc) than people who do NOT take supplements. Which is all to say that it probably is NOT the supplements that make them healthier. :'( Because, he said, independent studies of supplements have shown that most are worthless in terms of what they claim to do. :o
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We at K-PAX believe that micronutrient therapy should be covered by insurers and government programs if prescribed by your doctor as medically necessary.
I'm sure you do. Cha-ching$$$$$
Bear hits right on the nose.
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We at K-PAX believe that micronutrient therapy should be covered by insurers and government programs if prescribed by your doctor as medically necessary.
I'm sure you do. Cha-ching$$$$$
Bear hits right on the nose.
More capitalism masquerading as compassion.
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BUT, and here comes the kicker, those individuals are better educated and wealthier and make better lifestyle choices ( in food and exercise etc) than people who do NOT take supplements. Which is all to say that it probably is NOT the supplements that make them healthier. :'( Because, he said, independent studies of supplements have shown that most are worthless in terms of what they claim to do. :o
BINGO! Supplement makers rely on the anecdotal evidence of relatively affluent people with access to adequate medical care for their claims, not properly structured, controlled research studies. Even the recent so-called breakthrough "research" on selenium and HIV was flawed in that it followed people with substance abuse histories and poor adherence to HAART.... adherence improved during the selenium supplementation, and so HIV-related markers followed--to claim that selenium alone improved immune response to HIV would be an unsubstantiated claim.
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There is a current study being done in Canada regarding K-PAX (mostly proteins) and HIV. It is called the MAINTAIN study:
http://www.hivnet.ubc.ca/clinical-studies/canadian-hiv-trials-database/ctn-238/
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Natthai,
this thread is over 2 years old since the last time someone posted. That's what we call a zombie thread.
Some people aren't even around anymore. It would be more helpful to start a new thread about your subject.
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Perhaps it just an outdated idea, and of course a profit for the doc. Maybe it didnt start on a mercenary agenda. I think this Dr. Kaiser had some good points to have been treating HIV as globally as possible and trying to reduce the impact of HAART when it wasn't so great as it is now.
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Ah zombie trap.