Zithromax issue

[nma1031]

Can anyone here please help me. I have been on brand name Zithromax for a long time, there was a period where my insurance company didn't want to pay for it, and they switched me to generic Zithromax. I take Zithromax 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
When I got on the generic form, I got really sick, my lung function dropped around 15%, and I needed to get IV's.
Now in order for me to get the brand name the insurance company wants a letter written why I need the brand name, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter, and my adult CF doctor said she doesn't know anything about it period. Which isn't true because she already wrote me a letter when I first started going to see her.
I need help.
Has anyone else ever had trouble when taking the generic Zithromax, if so <u>PLEASE</u> post your stories here so that I can bring them to my appointment and show my doctor's that I do <u>NEED</u> the BRAND NAME and hopefully get them to write a letter.

 

[nma1031]

Can anyone here please help me. I have been on brand name Zithromax for a long time, there was a period where my insurance company didn't want to pay for it, and they switched me to generic Zithromax. I take Zithromax 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
When I got on the generic form, I got really sick, my lung function dropped around 15%, and I needed to get IV's.
Now in order for me to get the brand name the insurance company wants a letter written why I need the brand name, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter, and my adult CF doctor said she doesn't know anything about it period. Which isn't true because she already wrote me a letter when I first started going to see her.
I need help.
Has anyone else ever had trouble when taking the generic Zithromax, if so <u>PLEASE</u> post your stories here so that I can bring them to my appointment and show my doctor's that I do <u>NEED</u> the BRAND NAME and hopefully get them to write a letter.

 

[nma1031]

Can anyone here please help me. I have been on brand name Zithromax for a long time, there was a period where my insurance company didn't want to pay for it, and they switched me to generic Zithromax. I take Zithromax 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
When I got on the generic form, I got really sick, my lung function dropped around 15%, and I needed to get IV's.
Now in order for me to get the brand name the insurance company wants a letter written why I need the brand name, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter, and my adult CF doctor said she doesn't know anything about it period. Which isn't true because she already wrote me a letter when I first started going to see her.
I need help.
Has anyone else ever had trouble when taking the generic Zithromax, if so <u>PLEASE</u> post your stories here so that I can bring them to my appointment and show my doctor's that I do <u>NEED</u> the BRAND NAME and hopefully get them to write a letter.

 

[nma1031]

Can anyone here please help me. I have been on brand name Zithromax for a long time, there was a period where my insurance company didn't want to pay for it, and they switched me to generic Zithromax. I take Zithromax 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
When I got on the generic form, I got really sick, my lung function dropped around 15%, and I needed to get IV's.
Now in order for me to get the brand name the insurance company wants a letter written why I need the brand name, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter, and my adult CF doctor said she doesn't know anything about it period. Which isn't true because she already wrote me a letter when I first started going to see her.
I need help.
Has anyone else ever had trouble when taking the generic Zithromax, if so <u>PLEASE</u> post your stories here so that I can bring them to my appointment and show my doctor's that I do <u>NEED</u> the BRAND NAME and hopefully get them to write a letter.

 

[nma1031]

Can anyone here please help me. I have been on brand name Zithromax for a long time, there was a period where my insurance company didn't want to pay for it, and they switched me to generic Zithromax. I take Zithromax 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
<br />When I got on the generic form, I got really sick, my lung function dropped around 15%, and I needed to get IV's.
<br />Now in order for me to get the brand name the insurance company wants a letter written why I need the brand name, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter, and my adult CF doctor said she doesn't know anything about it period. Which isn't true because she already wrote me a letter when I first started going to see her.
<br />I need help.
<br />Has anyone else ever had trouble when taking the generic Zithromax, if so <u>PLEASE</u> post your stories here so that I can bring them to my appointment and show my doctor's that I do <u>NEED</u> the BRAND NAME and hopefully get them to write a letter.

 

[JORDYSMOM]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>nma1031</b></i>

, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter </end quote></div>

Where is your file? He needs to check HIS notes on it if he can't fully remember the incident. Good grief!

Sounds like you're going to have to get pushy with the docs to get the letter. Good luck.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>nma1031</b></i>

, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter </end quote></div>

Where is your file? He needs to check HIS notes on it if he can't fully remember the incident. Good grief!

Sounds like you're going to have to get pushy with the docs to get the letter. Good luck.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>nma1031</b></i>

, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter </end quote></div>

Where is your file? He needs to check HIS notes on it if he can't fully remember the incident. Good grief!

Sounds like you're going to have to get pushy with the docs to get the letter. Good luck.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>nma1031</b></i>

, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter </end quote>

Where is your file? He needs to check HIS notes on it if he can't fully remember the incident. Good grief!

Sounds like you're going to have to get pushy with the docs to get the letter. Good luck.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>nma1031</b></i>
<br />
<br />, my child CF doctor doesn't fully remember the incident so he won't write the letter </end quote>
<br />
<br />Where is your file? He needs to check HIS notes on it if he can't fully remember the incident. Good grief!
<br />
<br />Sounds like you're going to have to get pushy with the docs to get the letter. Good luck.
<br />
<br />Stacey

 

[robert321]

in a perfect world there shouldn't be any difference at all, but since with cf the zithromax is being used more as an anti-inflamatory med than an antibiotic, it may come into some issues there. It does seem odd that the off brand would cause trouble because when the drugs come off thier copyright, literally the same thing should be available in a generic. I hope you get this figured out, maybe someone that knows more about it than me will post. I do understand that from the insurance standpoint the generic is signifigantly cheaper but if it doesn't work it doesn't work and the doctor shouldn't be being such a pain with it. The only problem I see with getting the note would be since we are perscribed the zithromax off label, now the insurance company will have its attention brought to that and then they'll want to know the reasons for the way it's perscribed

 

[robert321]

in a perfect world there shouldn't be any difference at all, but since with cf the zithromax is being used more as an anti-inflamatory med than an antibiotic, it may come into some issues there. It does seem odd that the off brand would cause trouble because when the drugs come off thier copyright, literally the same thing should be available in a generic. I hope you get this figured out, maybe someone that knows more about it than me will post. I do understand that from the insurance standpoint the generic is signifigantly cheaper but if it doesn't work it doesn't work and the doctor shouldn't be being such a pain with it. The only problem I see with getting the note would be since we are perscribed the zithromax off label, now the insurance company will have its attention brought to that and then they'll want to know the reasons for the way it's perscribed

 

[robert321]

in a perfect world there shouldn't be any difference at all, but since with cf the zithromax is being used more as an anti-inflamatory med than an antibiotic, it may come into some issues there. It does seem odd that the off brand would cause trouble because when the drugs come off thier copyright, literally the same thing should be available in a generic. I hope you get this figured out, maybe someone that knows more about it than me will post. I do understand that from the insurance standpoint the generic is signifigantly cheaper but if it doesn't work it doesn't work and the doctor shouldn't be being such a pain with it. The only problem I see with getting the note would be since we are perscribed the zithromax off label, now the insurance company will have its attention brought to that and then they'll want to know the reasons for the way it's perscribed

 

[robert321]

in a perfect world there shouldn't be any difference at all, but since with cf the zithromax is being used more as an anti-inflamatory med than an antibiotic, it may come into some issues there. It does seem odd that the off brand would cause trouble because when the drugs come off thier copyright, literally the same thing should be available in a generic. I hope you get this figured out, maybe someone that knows more about it than me will post. I do understand that from the insurance standpoint the generic is signifigantly cheaper but if it doesn't work it doesn't work and the doctor shouldn't be being such a pain with it. The only problem I see with getting the note would be since we are perscribed the zithromax off label, now the insurance company will have its attention brought to that and then they'll want to know the reasons for the way it's perscribed

 

[robert321]

in a perfect world there shouldn't be any difference at all, but since with cf the zithromax is being used more as an anti-inflamatory med than an antibiotic, it may come into some issues there. It does seem odd that the off brand would cause trouble because when the drugs come off thier copyright, literally the same thing should be available in a generic. I hope you get this figured out, maybe someone that knows more about it than me will post. I do understand that from the insurance standpoint the generic is signifigantly cheaper but if it doesn't work it doesn't work and the doctor shouldn't be being such a pain with it. The only problem I see with getting the note would be since we are perscribed the zithromax off label, now the insurance company will have its attention brought to that and then they'll want to know the reasons for the way it's perscribed

 

[hmw]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>literally the same thing should be available in a generic</end quote></div>
Well, not really. The same active ingredient, yes. The same amount of the active ingredient? Not necessarily, even though you'd certainly think so when terms like 'therapeutic equivalence' and all that are thrown around. The laws governing the manufacturing of generic medications (Hatch-Waxman) require that the serum levels of someone on a generic medication fall within 80-120% of what they are on the same dose of brand- and they can call this significant range in level the 'same.' With many generic medications, taking in a moderately different amount isn't going to really matter, or if you've always taken the generic formula you'll never have known the difference. But some meds are very dose-dependent and if you've been on name-brand for a long time, switching to generic where formulation might be quite different could make a substantial difference in how you do w/ it. With today's means of QC in manufacturing, there is no reason to allow for such a wide range of difference, imo.

 

[hmw]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>literally the same thing should be available in a generic</end quote></div>
Well, not really. The same active ingredient, yes. The same amount of the active ingredient? Not necessarily, even though you'd certainly think so when terms like 'therapeutic equivalence' and all that are thrown around. The laws governing the manufacturing of generic medications (Hatch-Waxman) require that the serum levels of someone on a generic medication fall within 80-120% of what they are on the same dose of brand- and they can call this significant range in level the 'same.' With many generic medications, taking in a moderately different amount isn't going to really matter, or if you've always taken the generic formula you'll never have known the difference. But some meds are very dose-dependent and if you've been on name-brand for a long time, switching to generic where formulation might be quite different could make a substantial difference in how you do w/ it. With today's means of QC in manufacturing, there is no reason to allow for such a wide range of difference, imo.

 

[hmw]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>literally the same thing should be available in a generic</end quote></div>
Well, not really. The same active ingredient, yes. The same amount of the active ingredient? Not necessarily, even though you'd certainly think so when terms like 'therapeutic equivalence' and all that are thrown around. The laws governing the manufacturing of generic medications (Hatch-Waxman) require that the serum levels of someone on a generic medication fall within 80-120% of what they are on the same dose of brand- and they can call this significant range in level the 'same.' With many generic medications, taking in a moderately different amount isn't going to really matter, or if you've always taken the generic formula you'll never have known the difference. But some meds are very dose-dependent and if you've been on name-brand for a long time, switching to generic where formulation might be quite different could make a substantial difference in how you do w/ it. With today's means of QC in manufacturing, there is no reason to allow for such a wide range of difference, imo.

 

[hmw]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>literally the same thing should be available in a generic</end quote>
Well, not really. The same active ingredient, yes. The same amount of the active ingredient? Not necessarily, even though you'd certainly think so when terms like 'therapeutic equivalence' and all that are thrown around. The laws governing the manufacturing of generic medications (Hatch-Waxman) require that the serum levels of someone on a generic medication fall within 80-120% of what they are on the same dose of brand- and they can call this significant range in level the 'same.' With many generic medications, taking in a moderately different amount isn't going to really matter, or if you've always taken the generic formula you'll never have known the difference. But some meds are very dose-dependent and if you've been on name-brand for a long time, switching to generic where formulation might be quite different could make a substantial difference in how you do w/ it. With today's means of QC in manufacturing, there is no reason to allow for such a wide range of difference, imo.

 

[hmw]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>literally the same thing should be available in a generic</end quote>
<br />Well, not really. The same active ingredient, yes. The same amount of the active ingredient? Not necessarily, even though you'd certainly think so when terms like 'therapeutic equivalence' and all that are thrown around. The laws governing the manufacturing of generic medications (Hatch-Waxman) require that the serum levels of someone on a generic medication fall within 80-120% of what they are on the same dose of brand- and they can call this significant range in level the 'same.' With many generic medications, taking in a moderately different amount isn't going to really matter, or if you've always taken the generic formula you'll never have known the difference. But some meds are very dose-dependent and if you've been on name-brand for a long time, switching to generic where formulation might be quite different could make a substantial difference in how you do w/ it. With today's means of QC in manufacturing, there is no reason to allow for such a wide range of difference, imo.