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Georgia

May 14, 2004, 1:16 PM

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More questions: drugstores

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Me, again. In a final frenzy of totally disconnecting from life in the frozen Northeast, I attempted to get a year's Rx from my doctor for prescriptions I am taking: no go. In the event they were not available, I was simply going to purchase a year's worth, and then explore what was available in the Lake Chapala area. It seemed like a good plan. Ah, well.....

There is one drug I can't seem to locate on any of the Mexican pharmacy websites (not to purchase from them, just to get the spanish names, see what was available, etc.). Does anyone there purchase Fosamax - the kind you take once a week to keep your bones sturdy???? If so, where and how much is it?? Thanks so much for all the help on the forum.

Grampy

May 14, 2004, 2:07 PM

Post #2 of 24 (2532 views)

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Re: [Georgia] More questions: drugstores

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The cheapest place I can find Fosamax, anywhere is in Canada
http://www.jandrugs.com/...e.x=6&image.y=15

Georgia

May 14, 2004, 2:34 PM

Post #3 of 24 (2524 views)

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Not terribly convenient if you're living in Mexico, though. I don't necessarily want cheapest - I just want to know where I can get it, what they call it, and how much it is for a one month (4 pill) supply.

PBGollaz

May 14, 2004, 4:09 PM

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Georgia,

The common (non-branded) name for Fosamax is alendronate. In Spanish, it's called alendronato. Using that name, you should be able to find what you're looking for.

Patrick
Zapopan, Jalisco, México

Georgia

May 14, 2004, 6:40 PM

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Re: [Patricio B] More questions: drugstores

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Thank you. That is a help.

Jerry@Ajijic

May 14, 2004, 8:56 PM

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Georgia,

We have to go to the pharmacy tomorrow. I am pretty sure that have it. I will ask and see what it costs. I will Email you tomorrow.

Jerry

Georgia

May 15, 2004, 5:02 AM

Post #7 of 24 (2448 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] More questions: drugstores

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Thank you! We're trying to get a handle on what our medical costs will actually be. All part of the insurance planning process.

Howard Botz

May 15, 2004, 7:48 AM

Post #8 of 24 (2411 views)

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Yes Fosamax (common name), Alendronate (generic name), is available in the local pharmacies. Sorry,but I do not know the price.
Howard

Jerry@Ajijic

May 15, 2004, 8:41 AM

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Georgia,

The generic version is 160 pesos for 30 tablets (this must be the daily kind). The "once a week" kind at Pharmacy GDL is 621 pesos for 4 tablets. No prescription required.

Georgia

May 15, 2004, 11:14 AM

Post #10 of 24 (2374 views)

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Whew! Pricey! Of course, it's not as pricey as my US health insurance.

Grampy

May 15, 2004, 11:16 AM

Post #11 of 24 (2374 views)

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This is cheaper
http://www.myrxforless.com/mexican_pharmacy.html
http://www.myrxforless.com/...osamax&Submit=Go

And its in Mexico

Georgia

May 15, 2004, 11:33 AM

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Re: [Grampy] More questions: drugstores

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It's certainly cheaper for a three month supply!

Bubba

May 15, 2004, 2:57 PM

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Georgia:

Be cautious using an internet drugstore such as myrxforless.com. I can't speak for all drugs but I take a Zestril 20 Mg. tablet every day. At Wal-Mart in Guadalajara I pay the U.S. Dollar equivalent of $26.20 for 28 tablets of 20 Mg. each. Zestril is a blood pressure/heart medication. That web site Grampy talks about wants $44.95 USD for exactly the same thing in the same quantity which makes them 72% more expensive than Wal-Mart in Mexico. Farmacia Guadalajara and the pharmacy in Plaza Bugumbillias, both in Ajijic, charge about the same as Wal-Mart. That site is certainly no bargain for my medication.

Except for certain controlled drugs, you don't need a prescription in Mexico for your medication. Shop around once you get here.

Georgia

May 15, 2004, 4:19 PM

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Re: [Bubba] More questions: drugstores

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Hey, thanks, Bubba. That's a lot less than here in NY. Of course, everything is less expensive than in NY ....

mepsi

May 15, 2004, 5:25 PM

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One other thing we ran into when buying drugs (make that medications!) in Mexico was that Costco Pharmacy in Puebla wouldn't sell ANY generics. You could go almost any place else and get your medications cheaper. Are they the same way in Guad? Here in Albuquerque Costco is the cheapest pharmacy in town.

Monte

Marlene

May 15, 2004, 5:38 PM

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Since we are on the topic, what is your take on Farmacia Similares? It seems to be popular here in Mazatlan judging from the crowds. They have signs posted saying 70 percent discounts and there is apparently a doctor on site that will examine and diagnose you for $20.00 pesos according to another sign. Not bad if you just have a cold or flu, but has anyone used them regularly or for something more serious?

Carol Schmidt

May 15, 2004, 6:15 PM

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Re: [Marlene] More questions: drugstores

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We found that Farmacia Guadalajara was the cheapest for Vioxx (for arthritis), even cheaper than Costco or Wal-Mart. The 25 mg tablets in a package of 28 tablets is 552 pesos, compared to at least $80 US a month in the states, and no prescription is required here.

I used to take Augmentin in heavy doses and a month would cots me around $500 US and we'd drive down to Mexico and get the same amount and kind for around $50 US, no prescription. That was a few years ago.

The newer, brand name heavily-advertised drugs that cost the most in the US are also pricey here, though I've found not quite as bad as in the US, and my HMO back in Phoenix didn't cover them anyway.

The drugs that do require prescriptions here are generally tranquilizers and heavy duty pain pills.

esperanza

May 15, 2004, 6:46 PM

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Farmacia Guadalajara also carries generics. I recently bought the generic of Cipro (for bronchitis)--12 250mg tablets for 39 pesos. That's very, very inexpensive; 3 days prior, I had bought 3 1000mg tablets of the brand name for 250 pesos. As I was making my purchase, I said to the clerk, "Vale la pena comprar similares." ('It's worth the trouble to buy similares.') She drew herself up tall and said, "No vendemos similares--vendemos genéricos." ('We don't sell similares, we sell generics.')

Oops. But I suppose similares is its own name-recognition sorta thing.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Papirex

May 15, 2004, 8:57 PM

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There is a difference between the words similares and generic when it comes to medicines in Mexico. A generic is a generic of course. But a similare has a different definition.
A similare means a different medicine for treating a similar condition. If a person takes Tylenol for headaches, then Acetaminophen is the generic. Aspirin is a similare, since it can be used to treat the same condition.
I’m sure the clerk that proudly stated that they sold generics and not similares was trying to make a point for her employer. I was here quite a while before I learned the subtle, but potentially important difference between those two words. I’m sure most people taking medications on a regular basis do know the generic name for their medications, and are not going to walk out with sugar pills.
Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

esperanza

May 15, 2004, 9:12 PM

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Yes, Rex, I know. Thanks.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Bubba

May 16, 2004, 9:37 AM

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My doctor at Lakeside warned me against buying Zestril substitutes at Farmacia Similares. She did not disdain "generic" substitutes and informed me that she would provide me with a generic alternative but indicated that I should not use that chain as a source. Now, this is not me talking, I am simply quoting my doctor who was not putting down that chain but warning me off of "similar" drugs. The earlier explanation as to the difference between "similar" and "generic" substitutes makes sense to me. Someone could sell you a "similar" drug reputed to have a like salutary affect in good concience but the down side of saving a few bucks by substituting one heart medication for another is unpleasant to contemplate. This is especially true in a land where the sole legal recourse for bad medical advice is to have a good will.

SteveInPVR

May 16, 2004, 12:09 PM

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Bubba.....a real good point! I had a problem getting my blood pressure meds for a few days in Vallarta; seems that every drug store was sold out. I had thought of going to get similares, but decided against it. I went back to Farmacia Guadalajara and asked for the medication by it's generic name and voila, they had it! I now ask for any meds by their generic names.
Steve
Steve

gedsm

May 16, 2004, 5:27 PM

Post #23 of 24 (2143 views)

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I am new to these forums. Here is just one online site useful to obtain generic drug names, although in English only I am afraid: http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/index.html

Source supposed to be the Physicians' Desk Reference(PDR).

gpk

May 17, 2004, 9:13 AM

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Medical malpractice (and other personal injury laws) are coming to Mexico pretty fast. IMSS now provides insurance for its doctors (in at least some locations), and a young resident just went to jail in Leon, Guanajuato for declaring a still-living newborn to be dead. There have been many other suits against negligent doctors, at least in the state of Guanajuato. I believe that simple, "bad" medical advice probably would still go unpunished--but if they kill you, your heirs may have some recourse!