Atorvastatin

[Ravi98008]

I am running out of my atorvastatin/lipitor, wondering where members living in Chiang Mai are getting their atorvastatin from.

I take 80mg but will settle for 2 tablets of 40 mg strength. Buying simvastatin is not an option since my doctor switched me to atorvastatin from simvastatin. Thanks for your help

[Bill97]

CM University Pharmacy on Suthep Rd is usually best, Dara Pharmacy is second. Have tried many of the other recommendations over the years and always end up back at the Uni Pharmacy.


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[Ravi98008]

Thanks Bill97 any idea how much you paid and for what strength+what brand name/manufactured in ?

Do I need a prescription for the medicine?

 

[Ravi98008]

Thanks Bill97 this is what our next door pharmacy quoted and willing to match other prices in Chiang Mai.

 

400 tablets 40mg Sandoz company

B 11,965 FOR 400 TABLETS 40 MG.

 

1000 tablets 40 mg Sandoz company  B 29,000.  Not much of a savings  here. 

 

Milimed 900 tablets,  Chlovas

40 mg B 16,500. Good savings here.

 

 

 

 

[Bill97]

Thanks Bill97 any idea how much you paid and for what strength+what brand name/manufactured in ?
Do I need a prescription for the medicine?
 

Do not recall price, last use several years ago.

No prescription needed.


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[elektrified]

1 hour ago, Ravi98008 said:

Thanks Bill97 this is what our next door pharmacy quoted and willing to match other prices in Chiang Mai.

 

400 tablets 40mg Sandoz company

B 11,965 FOR 400 TABLETS 40 MG.

 

1000 tablets 40 mg Sandoz company  B 29,000.  Not much of a savings  here. 

 

Milimed 900 tablets,  Chlovas

40 mg B 16,500. Good savings here.

 

 

16,500 for the Milimed is a great price @ 18.30 Baht each. I would be surprised if anyone can beat that.

[Bill97]

I choose where to buy based on confidence the product is genuine. Lots of imitation around I hear. I do not know how to check that or to what degree it applies to this drug here.


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[scotty4243]

Please be aware that I was taking Chlovas 40mg and my cholesterol levels did not drop to what was expected, my doctor said that she does not trust Chlovas and told me to buy Sandoz, and sure enough my cholestrol levels dropped to what was expected!

[grin]

I had been taking simvastatin for years. Recently my doctor added amlodipine to my meds and changed my prescription from simvastatin to atorvastatin saying that simvastatin interacts with amlodipine and that atorvastatin does not interact to the same extent. She said the problem is that amlodipine changes the strength of the effect of simvastatin and it is difficult to predict the correct dosage. So keep in mind that other meds you are taking may interact with your simvastatin or atorvastatin. My advice would be to not switch without asking a doctor.

[Ginkas]

I buy this brand, Atorvastatin Sandoz from my local Pharmachoice.

They have 40mg, 20mg and 10mg.

40mg is about 1,300 baht for 30 tablets although if your a regular customer they give you a discount.

 

BTW In the UK they have found that once the correct dosage is calculated (starting high and working down) that taking the Statin every other day has the same effect as taking it every day. 

[beau thai]

You may wish to try the Pharma Choice next door to Darra Pharmacy opposite McCormick Hospital. Very helpful team, keen prices, and they have got stuff in for me that they dont have in stock, and quite quickly. They have drugs unavailable at other Pharma Choice, even near Suan Dok, and are my go-to to avoid Ram outrageous drug prices. In my experience cheaper and more helpful than Darra.

[elliss]

 Please , could  you inform me off cholestrol levels ,

     Above what level, is medication required . 

[Ravi98008]

13 minutes ago, elliss said:

 Please , could  you inform me off cholestrol levels ,

     Above what level, is medication required . 

First of all I want to thank all the responses so far and sure would appreciate to see even more. I am the OP guy.  Next I could answer Ellis question, piece of cake. But with respect to all the Senior members I will sit back and let the seniors respond to the chlolesterol levels question. Sincerely.

 

[elektrified]

7 hours ago, scotty4243 said:

Please be aware that I was taking Chlovas 40mg and my cholesterol levels did not drop to what was expected, my doctor said that she does not trust Chlovas and told me to buy Sandoz, and sure enough my cholestrol levels dropped to what was expected!

I would like to see some more scientific data on that one!

It's the same drug. Works exactly like the original Pfizer Lipitor for me.

[KittenKong]

3 hours ago, Ginkas said:

BTW In the UK they have found that once the correct dosage is calculated (starting high and working down) that taking the Statin every other day has the same effect as taking it every day. 

That's handy. I take my Bestatin at night (the other things I take in the morning) and I find that I forget them about half the time.

[Bill97]

 Please , could  you inform me off cholestrol levels ,
     Above what level, is medication required . 

Depends on a number of factors. See a cardiologist. There are none on this forum, only guessers, people who think you are just like them and a few miscellaneous who don’t give advice.


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[Ravi98008]

3 minutes ago, Bill97 said:

Depends on a number of factors. See a cardiologist. There are none on this forum, only guessers, people who think you are just like them and a few miscellaneous who don’t give advice.


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Yes it is absolutely true.  Everyone who is taking a cholesterol lowering medicine has been told by their doctors to Start the medicine. And just like BP medicine we take them for life, unless of course a blood test warrants a change in dosage Etc.  See a doctor and get your blood tests done. Some that I can remember are cholesterol levels, liver function, blood sugar levels, prostrate function, thyroid function, kidney function, typically most of your major organs are tested during a blood test. To get better results you are asked to fast 8-10 hours before the blood test draw.  Only water and any medicines could be taken during the fast. No food.  Don't be silly and eat a giant piece of Steak or feast on a gallon of ice cream 10 hours before the blood test.  Just eat a balanced meal and go to bed. I am happy that for a change I am contributing to the forum instead of feeding off it all the time.

[SantiSuk]

Based on my use of a prophylactic antibiotic, azithromycin, I trust Sandoz as being a front line western pharma company (it's manufactured in Japan and a division of Novartis), it having significantly reduced the regularity  of lung infections for me - whereas I twice developed a lung infection soon after trying a local cheaper Thai equivalent (that shall remain nameless unless you pm me!).

 

I'm being welcomed into the world of stuff like statins, potentially for the rest of my life having had a triple bypass 4 weeks ago. So far I just bought one month's supply of the same branded drugs that Bumrungrad to take me through to my next cardiologist/thoracic surgeon post-op review. So, in 10 days time I'll be back at my favoured discount pharmacy in Bangkok (On Nut - soi 77 near it's junction with Sukhumvit) looking to get a good balance between western reliability and discount and buying much larger quantities, subject to my medics giving me a steer on likely duration of popping these pills.

 

So in respect of statins. 20 "Lipitor" 20mg atorvastatins cost me 27 baht each in OnNut. Does anyone have rough price for "Sandoz" 20mg atorvastatins in larger quantities (at least 100s and maybe up to 500s). I can tell by the shape of the pills that it's likely unadvisable to try cutting 40mg tabs in half.

 

"Plavix" (clopidogrel) is even more expensive (41 baht a tab for 14 pill foils of 75mg tabs from my OnNut pharma) and I noted that even Bumrungrad used a generic at an earlier stage of my inpatient treatment. Unfortunately I did not make a note of that generic at the time. Anyone got a recommendation of a western company alternative and a price indicator for a "Plavix" alternative.

 

Sorry to take the thread off a Chiang Mai bent but hopefully my Bangkok quoted prices may have some relevance for some onlookers.

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by SantiSuk

[beau thai]

3 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Depends on a number of factors. See a cardiologist. There are none on this forum, only guessers, people who think you are just like them and a few miscellaneous who don’t give advice.


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I am no expert but my experience with a cardiologist here and his knowledge of Cholestorol levels led me to see a haemotologist to get proper interpretation. Others mileage may be different.

Cholestorol levels are well explained via google ( I find the Mayo Clinic site helpful) and I suggest that it is sensible to look beyond the simple total cholestorol number ( which the cardiologist only understood!), and look at the components of cholestorol and the ratios between them. Its not complicated but it is important.

Thinking changes, and current thinking among many doctors is that the really important number is total cholestorol minus HDL ('good' cholestorol).

Doctors will quite rightly in my view use almost any cholestorol reading as a reason to get patients to quit smoking, exercise more, improve their diet, reduce alcohol, and avoid trans fats etc. 

But the levels are a result of both genetics and diet and it is useful to keep a record so the trend of any changes in your levels can be monitored. For example my doctor was more relaxed about my slightly raised levels when she saw my 6 year trend (largely unchanged) and changed her mind about prescribing statins.

 

[marcusarelus]

4 hours ago, elliss said:

 Please , could  you inform me off cholestrol levels ,

     Above what level, is medication required . 

Google "cholesterol levels for heart patient"

[elektrified]

On 7/29/2019 at 12:40 AM, elektrified said:

16,500 for the Milimed is a great price @ 18.30 Baht each. I would be surprised if anyone can beat that.

So I miscalculated this price. I pay 13.50 Baht each. So if you are buying 900 pcs. you should get a much better price than 18.30 each.