Had my 6 mo. neuro check up today and par for the course had CH hit during my road trip to Dr's office.  (*&$^

Anyway, he gave me a sample of the New Needle Free Imitrex/Sumavel Injector, I'd like to say it looks like something out of Star Gate or Star Trek but it looks more like something from the Jetsons LOL

Haven't tried it yet since it wasn't as handy as I needed during the trip home when CH hit floored me.
Will let you know how well it works when I have to use it, which the way things are going probably won't be long...

Here's the link for anyone who is interested, START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE  there is also a 35$ coupon/gift card you can get to save more on your prescriptions for it.  Coupon/gift card is good until May or June of 2011 (sorry left coupon/gift card Dr. gave me down stairs and after the day I've had the only place I'm moving to by choice is bed.)

PFDAN to ALL!

Hubby likes it. Leaves a nasty red welt after the injection but it goes away in about 12 hours.

The neuro gave him two new patient packs - one to keep in each vehicle.

My neuro was into it and prescribed it for me to try. The insurance company refused to fill it because the cost was too high! Went back to my neuro and said I guess I'll stick with the needles for now! :)

Joe

Hmm my Neuro said it was cheaper than the shots ?  Did he fib to me???  Guess I'll find out when I refill my prescriptions off of new script.  He also prescribed them for me, but I still have samples and older prescriptions left to fill before I hit the new ones.

Haven't tried it yet, makes me nervous trying  newfangled injectors...for now I have shots, and O2 machine that runs at 5 lpm.  Have been on one or both too often lately with air pressure changes exacerbating the CH. 

Pharmacists are better sources for the price of drugs. Perhaps he didn't fib, Ginger. Maybe he just didn't know or was confused. Call your pharmacist.

JustNotRight wrote on May 9^th, 2010 at 8:38am:

Hmm my Neuro said it was cheaper than the shots ?  Did he fib to me???  Guess I'll find out when I refill my prescriptions off of new script.  He also prescribed them for me, but I still have samples and older prescriptions left to fill before I hit the new ones. Haven't tried it yet, makes me nervous trying  newfangled injectors...for now I have shots, and O2 machine that runs at 5 lpm.  Have been on one or both too often lately with air pressure changes exacerbating the CH.

Does 5 lpm work for you?  I hadn't ever met anyone who had such a low flow work.

FramCire wrote on May 9^th, 2010 at 3:10pm:

JustNotRight wrote on May 9th, 2010 at 8:38am: Hmm my Neuro said it was cheaper than the shots ?  Did he fib to me???  Guess I'll find out when I refill my prescriptions off of new script.  He also prescribed them for me, but I still have samples and older prescriptions left to fill before I hit the new ones. Haven't tried it yet, makes me nervous trying  newfangled injectors...for now I have shots, and O2 machine that runs at 5 lpm.  Have been on one or both too often lately with air pressure changes exacerbating the CH.  Does 5 lpm work for you?  I hadn't ever met anyone who had such a low flow work.

Not well but beggars can't be choosers. My neuro refuses to prescribe the O2 I need, so I went around him so to speak and got the 2nd hand hospital grade O2 machine.  I have to stay on it for longer than most would be at a higher lpm and am on it more often as well, but if I get to it soon enough I can save a shot for work when I have no O2.  It is a help all be it a limited one.  It's an option for someone like me who can not get the O2 any other way.   

Yep, my neuro just gave me a sample as well.  For those of you not familiar with it, the whole injector is about 5 inches long, plastic, and is rather futuristic looking.  Rather than a needle there is a small, pressurized cartridge (probably CO2, but what do I know) behind the medicine.  You snap off the protective tip, pull back a plastic lever to "charge" the thing, pinch an inch on your stomach (or grab some flab if that's the case), press the tip of the injector FLAT on the inch, and press the charge.  The high pressure shoots the medicine into your system.  (If you were in the military in the last 25 years, you know what I'm talking about.)  If you don't have it flat against your skin you can wind up with a nasty cut.  And, these things are not reusable; use it, then pitch it.
Now, the cost.  My pharmacist said the cost of 6 injectors is nearly $3,600!  And, like a couple of you have found out with yours, MY insurance will not cover it...it's too expensive.  Back to needles or pills.
Hope that helps.

$3600 bucks....DAMN. Explains why CIGNA said thanks but no thanks! ;D

Joe

It's $145.00 for hubby's Sumavel script - he get's nine injectors every 30 days.

Edited to add we used the $35.00 off coupon from the drug company and paid only $110.00.

oh yeah.  $3600 is waaayyyy too much for them to make my piddling widdle headaches go away.  (putzes)
'Course, I haven't tried my sample yet (thank gawd).  The thing might not be worth 36 cents.

Asa wrote on May 12^th, 2010 at 11:19pm:

oh yeah.  $3600 is waaayyyy too much for them to make my piddling widdle headaches go away.  (putzes) 'Course, I haven't tried my sample yet (thank gawd).  The thing might not be worth 36 cents.

Actually Asa you may not be far off on the 36 cents comment.  Most drugs and their wrappings only cost about 5 bucks to make (My dad used to work for a major pharmaceutical co.).  What you actually wind up paying so much for is shipping, personnel wages and current research into other drugs.   I asked my Dad what he thought the actual cost of this new fangled injector was to make and he said at most 10-15 bucks with (inflation) medication, and injector active components and plastic included. :D

If we could only get chimps to do the research....

We could get 6 injections for two bunches of bananas.

Well, to let you all know.  I got the chance to use the Sumavel sample my neuro gave me a couple of weeks ago.  Got woke up Saturday morning at 1a.m. with the usual blinding pain.  Staggered into the bathroom, snapped the cap, pulled the lever back on the cartridge, sat down and pinched an inch on my stomach, and pressed the thing against the inch.  Slight hiss and quick injection.  It felt no worse than being snapped by a rubber band and left a dime-sized welt (or welp if you're from Missouri) that was gone by morning.  It was much quicker than trying to give a traditional shot and has no clean up afterwards...just throw away the now empty injector.

I can also say that the headache went away!  This is actually the first medicine I've tried that really seemed to knock the beast out.  So.  Now comes the fight with Tricare (military insurance, if you will) to fill the prescription.

Ooh Good Luck with the Ins. Asa!

By the way how long did the new needle-less shot take to work verses the old needle shot?

Thanks.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

As far as the needle vs. needle-less issue?  I never used the needle.  I initially got diagnosed with clusters from a Neuro but then went to my GP who, bless his heart, has tried many different meds over the the years but never the imitrex injection.  Fed up with all of it, I went to this recent Neuro a couple of weeks ago.  She's the one who wanted to try me on this Sumavel thing.  And, I have to admit, so far so good. 

JustNotRight wrote on May 17^th, 2010 at 7:45pm:

Ooh Good Luck with the Ins. Asa! By the way how long did the new needle-less shot take to work verses the old needle shot?

Oh shoot, sorry.  I never answered your question.  It took about 15 minutes for the Sumavel to work.