Zyvox

[JennifersHope]

I am just wondering who has been on Zyvox, I took it IV when I first started culturing MRSA. I loved it so much.. I hated it going in, it took an hour by drip IV and made me feel real dizzy as well, but I loved how it cleared my infection.

Anyway, I did 21 days IV of it as a home infusion. I have really good insurance but I got a bill for over $5000.00 in co pays just for that one IV.

My question is two part I guess, one is for those who culture MRSA, have you ever taken Zyvox or has your dr stuck with Vanco because of the cost? It makes me kind of mad that their is such a good drug out there that some people are not getting just based on the cost of it.

I guess I have been reading more and more stories about ppl who are culturing MRSA and their doctors are not putting them on the Zyvox because of cost and it bothers me.

I was just in the hospital again for non cf reasons, but was on the verge of a CF exacerbation and they gave me an 8 day courses of Zyvox IV, and it really cleared my right back up.... Now I await the dreaded bill as I sit here wondering if it was worth me going on it...

 

[becca23]

I have taken Zyvox pills before. They were pretty expensive but the insurance paid for them. I have only taken them once and the culture after I was finished I did not culture MRSA, but it came back the next culture.

I have a question for you Jennifershope, does your job know about your MRSA, i see you are a newly graduated nurse. When I first started culturing it my docs told me I had wear a mask and everything, but the more I checked into it the only time I was contagious was when I was actively coughing. What do your docs say?

 

[JennifersHope]

I do not culture MRSA anymore... So it isn't an issue, when I did culture it, I had to get clearance from Infectious disease which I did, My CF doctor told me half if not more then half of medical professionals culture MRSA on a regular basis if they were to be checked for it.. He also told me that I was not infectious unless I was actively coughing stuff up.. and at the time I was to sick to work so it wasn't an issue

...I am cultured on a regular basis and remain clear..

Yippie for expensive Zyvox.

 

[coltsfan715]

Hey Jennifer,

I cultured MRSA for the past years or so - up until my last culture about 2 weeks ago (still staph but it is no longer considered MRSA as it is sensitive to more drugs now). Before I switched to adult care I did not receive treatment with either Vanco or Zyvox when I was sick and taking IVs. The peds docs only gave me Tobramycin and Fortaz. When I switched to adult care my doc said he wanted to treat me with vanco and zyvox but did not want to overdo treatment with either drug because he did not want to exhaust me options (fearing I would become resistant to those meds as well).

The past 3 years I have been on Vanco and Zyvox alternating between the two each hospitalization. I personally prefer Zyvox I do not get as many side effects with it, but the Vanco is jsut as effective with making me feel better and wiping the bug out. Luckily we have a basic copay for the meds if I get them filled through pharmacy but I have multiple insurances that cover all the meds for the hospital stay.

Lindsey

 

[MOME2RT]

Reece has Medicaid so all his meds are covered through the state. When he first cultured MRSA they put him on just Timemintin & Tobra. Then the second time they put him on Vancomycin.....he got "redman syndrome" BUT they continued it and gave him benedryl before each dose. The last two times he was in they gave him Zyvox through IV. When it was time to go home they put him on Zyvox by mouth.
This last dose I noticed him walking funny so I asked the doc and she said it could be from all the meds...joint problems or a balance thing....

 

[NoExcuses]

Jenn - I'm stunned you have a bill for $5000? I thought you had insurance through school/work?

 

[JennifersHope]

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

Jenn - I'm stunned you have a bill for $5000? I thought you had insurance through school/work?</end quote></div>

I do have insurance through work. Pretty good insurance, but because it was home infusion they go into this tier base payment thing and my bill was the result of that.. It is insane, the bill isn't new to me, this was in Sept/October that I did the Zyvox at home, In Jan and just recently I did it in the hospital. I was just saying, since it worked so well for me and KNOCKED my MRSA right out, first time I took it, and it never came back......I want other ppl to have the chance to go on it, but being that it is so expensive, I was wondering if others were not getting it prescribed to them.

I find it unbelievable that insurance companies, mine included, would rather have me in the hospital, (and I am always on a cardiac floor when admitted. RE: all the blood pressure and cardiac meds I take) so it is even more expensive to have me stay.....

Some day, if I get tired of being a patient nurse, I am going to work for insurance companies and straighten their butts out....

Jennifer

 

[NoExcuses]

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

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

I find it unbelievable that insurance companies, mine included, would rather have me in the hospital, (and I am always on a cardiac floor when admitted. RE: all the blood pressure and cardiac meds I take) so it is even more expensive to have me stay.....


Jennifer</end quote></div>

you are 100% correct. their cost/benefit analysis is WAY off....

While patients are paying a lot of money for meds/doctors visits, and pharma companies/hospitals are making less and less (its true), insurance companies are the ones that are coming out like bandits......

 

[anonymous]

I have been on Zyvox pills before and the were very expensive but I love the way they work. Within two days I was already starting to feel better. It did help with my MRSA but since I have been off it it has returned. I hate being on vanco iv they take so long. But my doc wants to hold off on using the zyvox because he doesn't want me to become resistant to it.