I have recently lost my health insurance. My husband work got slow money is tight and now I only have maybe 5 days of my lantus left with no refills and doctor won’t call any in for me because I have to go in to see her. Can’t afford Doctor visit PLUS MY lantus. Please help This is scary…Anyone have any helpful resources???
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Many doctors help out their patients by giving them sample insulin that the doctor’s office receives free from the pharma sales reps. I recommend that you level with your doctor’s office staff and doctor. If you have enough money for the doctor’s visit but not for insulin, tell them that. Also tell them you can’t afford to visit the doctor and buy your Lantus. Ask directly if there’s anything the doc could do to help.
Contact Sanofi, the makers of Lantus, and see what they can do. I’m sure they have a program to help people like you. This is also a good time to talk with the local JDRF and American Diabetes Association and let them know your predicament.
Start calling now, before your Lantus runs out. Do not skimp on your dose!
Good luck and please keep us posted.
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Well, I’m no doctor and certainly can’t advise you what to do. But what I’d do if I couldn’t get free samples of Lantus would be to go to WalMart and buy some Humulin N insulin and syringes. As I understand it, it is sells for around $25 a vial. Don’t know what the syringes cost. In my state and in many states it is available without a prescription, though it might not be in all.
I’d have to study up on the differences between it and Lantus. I know it has more of a peak and the time to the peak isn’t always consistent, so control is more difficult than with Lantus. I believe it lasts for about 12 hours, though I’ve heard some say only 8 hours. So a person may need to take it 2 or 3 times a day. I’d take a lower dose than I thought I needed initially until I figured the thing out. And I’d do a lot of testing.
Hope you’ll be able to get free Lantus samples to tide you over.
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With no insurance, you can get Lantus from Canada for $110 for a 10ml a vial, or $165 for 5x 3ml pens. Price per ml is about the same either way.
I’ve used these guys. They are reliable and fast. Just get a prescription faxed to them and then call them up and place your order. It’s pretty easy (and much cheaper than cost in the U.S.).
https://rxcanada4less.com/
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I had this problem for over a year before the affordable care act kicked in. For an entire year I had to get samples from my doctor of humalog and Lantus. I’d say your best bet is stopping by the local clinic that is for lower income individuals. They usually have you fill out paperwork that will give you seriously discounted doctor visits. Like $20 or less. Sometimes even free. If a doctor can’t see you right away tell them that you are diabetic, out of insulin (even if you do have a few days left), and will DIE without your medication. Be dramatic if you have to. I did. I told them I would wait until in the room until the doctor could come out and talk to me face to face in between patients. Once the doctor talks to you and understands your situation, I’m sure they will provide you with a sample (assuming they have some lantus but take whatever basil insulin you can get and maybe some short acting too if they can). Obviously it is not a guarantee, but they tend to understand the urgency of having insulin and will usually do what they can to help out (sometimes they have coupons for free insulin too). It’s shameful we even have to go through experiences like this in the United States. I wish you the best of luck.
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It is shameful.
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It’s third world.
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Gee my doctor gives out free Lantus Humalog pens and vials of insulin. When I was on MDI he would give me the pens and now that I’m back on my pump he gives me the vials. That way I don’t have to buy any insulin ever
We ALL need your doctor! Do you think the pharma companies would catch on? 
Pharmaceuticals provide the medications to his office
I get two medications for free from the manufacturers. One is Pfizer and the other one I forgot the name of
Over the counter NPH at Walmart. $30. No Rx required.Prepare for variable BG’s, but it will keep you alive.
Yes, NPH is the devil’s insulin as I like to call it
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The little things in life.
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Or…not. Almost killed me more than a few times.
Your Endo, a local shelter that provides low/no cost medical or Walmart is where I would start. FYI, Walmart is 24.99/10ml vial for NPH or Regular and needles usually run $13.00/100. I have also gotten needles from free clinics aimed at drug dependent homeless at no cost - just be willing to trade used needles for new needles. You should contact your Endo if you decide to use NPH/Regular, since you will probably need to adjust ISF and DIA. I use phone/email/healthplan (when I have one) dr mail so I don’t have to pay for an office visit. I wish you well - I have been there many times. Survive at all costs.
There’s a Type 1 Pay it Forward Group on Facebook where you can put out a call for assistance in an emergency like this one:
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A post was removed from this discussion, The TuDiabetes Community Guidelines prohibit the “sale, giveaway, or exchange” of items that require a prescription. We know and appreciate that our members wish to help each other but we cannot assume the legal liability with regard to prescription items. We hope you understand.
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Take an inventory of all your supplies down to the last lancet. See where you are starting from…
Do you use any short acting insulin(s)?
If (an important if) if so what quantity do you have on hand, how long does that usually last you?
You’ve gotten some good advice, the bottom line though, there are several ways to do this depends on different factors… never “ideal” but all kinds of ways none the less. Very doable… depends on the particulars.
Give us some more D background. Workarounds are every diabetic’s specialty. Had any luck so far?
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