Generic Heart Drugs Thailand

[paul66667]

are their cheaper drugs available for cholestorol then vytorin etc in thailand, vytorin is costing me near 2000bt a month??

[Sheryl]

It is expensive because it is a brand name import, still under patent.

Vytorin is a combination of 2 different drugs which differ in their action:

- simvastatin, which is a "statin" and acts by partially blocking an enzyme required for synthesis of cholesterol in the liver

- ezetemibe, which works by blocking absorption of cholesterol from the intestine, in other fwords it partially blocks absorption of fat from the food you eat

Simvastatin is readily available in expensive local generaic forms, brnad names include Bestatin and Eucor and others.

There is no local generic equivalent to ezetemibe, however. Stil under patent. It is available only as Vytorin (combo form with simvastatin) or as Ezetrol, which is ezemibe alone. Both are made by Schering.

While you could take Ezetrol plus a local brand of simvastatin I don't know how much cheaper that would be than taking Vytorin. Suggest you compare price of the two drugs at a pharmacy.

Another option, since ezetemibe works by limiting absorption of cholesterol from your food, would be to manage that through diet i.e. minimize fat intake overall and especially avoid foods high in LDL cholesterol. If you can do that -- and only you know if you realistically can -- then might be able to dispense with the ezetemibe and just take the simvastatin which as mentioned is inexpensive here.

Thai foods high in LDL cholesterol include all fried foods, all fast/processed foods (because lots of oil used in making them). The oil used here in frying and food production is almost always plam oil which is very high in LDL choelsterol. So avoid these altogther or else limit your intake to stir fried dishes you make yourslef at home using moest amounts of an oil with a good LDL:HDL ratio.

Increasing fiber intake also helps.

[JAS21]

I take B Statin 40mg and Ezetrol 10mg and pay 1450 and 180 baht respectively. Purchased from a large Pharmacy just up the road from Ngam Wong Wan Mall. Also for those interested there is an alternative to Plavix and it's much cheaper and at present still available here. It's called Apolets but googling I see that the PLAVIX PEOPLE are unhappy and in the courts. I bought a few boxes, but you need to check the use by date.

I'm sure that I don't need to remind you to have liver function checks about every 6 months whilst on statins.

[dumball]

I came off heart medication over 5 years ago after 2 heart attacks , on advise given by a Thai doctor at BNH , change of life style and diet as sheryl mentioned , garlic is a good anti colesteral habit , I used to take it in tablet form but have added garlic cloves to my diet . Stay away from street vendor food , some of what they add for flavour and the cooking oil is your worste enemy , eat more vegetables and do not eat proccessed foods such as ham and cheese slices . I remove all fat and skin from chicken , pork etc and either cook it wraped in foil with holes punched in it , in the microwave or boil it , there is more to it but my wife has all the secrets now in regard to my food . I walk most places we go and climb stairs to our fourth floor apartment , the only medication I use on occassin is Yunnan Baiyou , a chinese medication that delates the aurturies and works on plaque , I do this because there are too many side effects of modern medicine that did not agree with me . My last check up in Canada my Bp was 120/60 and all blood tests were inside set prameters .

[bunnaag]

@dumball

did you ever had stents implanted?

[dumball]

No , I never had stents , there was talk about it but no action , Dr Wiwat asked that question at BNH , he put me on the track for a drug free future and I am eternaly gratefull to him , life without medication is by far preferable if you are able to live that way , but you must ensure it is for you and monitor the results as you go .

I had a high PSA reading for my prostate whilst in Canada and was offered surgery , having a young wife I did not want to risk the possibility of impotency so I deffered . I have added garlic and red peppers to my diet which has more than doubled my urine flow in the past 5 months , on my next visit to Canada i will have another PSA free test and find out the actual shrinkage of my prostate . Regards dumball

[khundon]

@dumball d

id you ever had stnts immplanted? [/

quote]

I have had stent fitted (the expensive ones) are coated in an anti coagulant drug, so asprin is usually all that is needed to keep blood platelets from getting sticky, though Clopiirol 75mg (Plavix)is usualy given as well for 12 months after an MI.

Here, the NHS is now not fitting the expensive stents if they think they can get away with the cheaper ones.

[dumball]

Ah , aspirin , that wonderfull blood thinner , the side effects including things you cannot have done whilst taking this medicine is why I got away from it , the Yunnan Baiyou does the same work on platelets but none of the nasties assocciated with Aspirin .

[TPI]

Ah , aspirin , that wonderfull blood thinner , the side effects including things you cannot have done whilst taking this medicine is why I got away from it , the Yunnan Baiyou does the same work on platelets but none of the nasties assocciated with Aspirin .

After 6 heart attacks (I finally stopped smoking!!) I cannot get Ezetrol in Thailand as my chemist says it's not available, I use Lipitor 80mg, the largest size in Thailand is 20mg! So it's 4 x boxes a month, the Canadian clopidogrel is the same price as the US one although you get twice as many pills! All in all after 4 stents I'm happy to be functioning at all, I gues it's just pay up and hope for the best

[Sheryl]

After 6 heart attacks (I finally stopped smoking!!) I cannot get Ezetrol in Thailand as my chemist says it's not available, I use Lipitor 80mg, the largest size in Thailand is 20mg! So it's 4 x boxes a month, the Canadian clopidogrel is the same price as the US one although you get twice as many pills! All in all after 4 stents I'm happy to be functioning at all, I gues it's just pay up and hope for the best

Your chemist is wrong, it is available and at least some TV members are able to find it (see post #3).

And the Lipitor is available in 80mg tabs.

Suggest you ell your chemist to order these in, or change pharmacies.

Or -- and this would save you a good amount, if you have the sotrage space and expect to be on these medications long-term -- can purchase in bulk (say 1 year supply) yourself directly from the distributor.

For both Lipitor abd Ezetrol:

Zuellig Pharma Ltd

8-9 Fl, Ploenchit Center

2 Sukhumvit Rd

Kwaeng Klongtoey

Khet Klongtoey

Bangkok 10110

Tel: 0 2656 9800

Fax: 0 2656 9801

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.zuelligpharma.com

For the Plavix:

Diethelm Ltd

Healthcare

280 New Rd

Bangkok 10100

Tel: 0 2220 9000, 1364 (Call Center)

Fax: 0 2220 9090

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.dksh.com

[JAS21]

After 6 heart attacks (I finally stopped smoking!!) I cannot get Ezetrol in Thailand as my chemist says it's not available, I use Lipitor 80mg, the largest size in Thailand is 20mg! So it's 4 x boxes a month, the Canadian clopidogrel is the same price as the US one although you get twice as many pills! All in all after 4 stents I'm happy to be functioning at all, I gues it's just pay up and hope for the best

Your chemist is wrong, it is available and at least some TV members are able to find it (see post #3).

And the Lipitor is available in 80mg tabs.

Suggest you ell your chemist to order these in, or change pharmacies.

Or -- and this would save you a good amount, if you have the sotrage space and expect to be on these medications long-term -- can purchase in bulk (say 1 year supply) yourself directly from the distributor.

For both Lipitor abd Ezetrol:

Zuellig Pharma Ltd

8-9 Fl, Ploenchit Center

2 Sukhumvit Rd

Kwaeng Klongtoey

Khet Klongtoey

Bangkok 10110

Tel: 0 2656 9800

Fax: 0 2656 9801

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.zuelligpharma.com

For the Plavix:

Diethelm Ltd

Healthcare

280 New Rd

Bangkok 10100

Tel: 0 2220 9000, 1364 (Call Center)

Fax: 0 2220 9090

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.dksh.com

Sheryl

As you can see from above I bought Apolets, the large Pharmacy that I use, recommended it and said that it is the same stuff and reading the packet it appears the same..but far cheaper than Plavix which I have been on since 2004. Their web site says that they are in the court with Plavix so Plavix must think that it is the same. Could you comment on this please. (edit manufactured by Apotex Incorporated)

Edited December 17, 2009 by John45

[bunnaag]

@John45

why do you have to take Plavix for such a long time?Do you also take ASS?

[JAS21]

@John45

why do you have to take Plavix for such a long time?Do you also take ASS?

Suppose the answer is because I was advised that the most favouriable outcome for me was more that likely to be his recommendation...........

If it helps...........

Ok Brief History In 1993 I had an MI, although I was extremely fit, in fact the guy said that is what saved me. I had a double bypass (one 90% blockage!) using the mammary artery . Both the UK consultant and surgeon were both highly thought of. I was put on Statins and asprin, my blood levels were kept lower than the then recommended values for my condition. He wanted my LDL less than 2.5 (PLAC study) and I could not keep it down any other way than on drugs (even cycling 25+ miles to work and the same back!) several times a week.

In 2004, I was still extremely fit, but had another MI (maybe the newish wife!), however the vessel re-opened. There was nothing conclusive as to why I had the problem and it was put down to a transient occlusion. The angiogram show narrowings but the consultant thought that Long term Plavix, Statins, Esterol and Ramipril (the hope study was all the rage then) was the way forward. Fortunately the Myoview Scintigraphy still showed uniform perfusion and I could still clear Stage 6 of the Bruce Protocol, lucky I guess.

I see Dr Nopparat at BNH twice a year, I rate the guy. Sorry I don’t know what ASS is, guess I should. Going to turn the pedals in front of the TV now. guess I'm fortunate to be alive and kicking at 63 years old.

[Sheryl]

Sheryl

As you can see from above I bought Apolets, the large Pharmacy that I use, recommended it and said that it is the same stuff and reading the packet it appears the same..but far cheaper than Plavix which I have been on since 2004. Their web site says that they are in the court with Plavix so Plavix must think that it is the same. Could you comment on this please. (edit manufactured by Apotex Incorporated)

I did not realize it was available in Thailand. Apotex's Clopidogrel is generic equivalent to Plavix. No difference in efficacy, just in cost.

There is a court case in progress (which the makers of Plavix appear to be losing) but it has nothing to do with the effectiveness of either preparation. They are the same thing.

[JAS21]

Guys as suggested by Sheryl...........I have e-mailed both companies asking for prices.

(Or -- and this would save you a good amount, if you have the storage space and expect to be on these medications long-term -- can purchase in bulk (say 1 year supply) yourself directly from the distributor.)

For both Lipitor and Ezetrol:

Zuellig Pharma Ltd

For the Plavix:

Diethelm Ltd

I'll update on what they say.......If feasable then I would be prepared to co-ordinate an order in the first instance. So maybe any interested parties would PM me

[ozterix]

quoted from John45

I'll update on what they say.....If feasable then I would be prepared to co-ordinate an order in the first instance. So maybe any interested parties would PM me

John, any news or update? pricing? availability?

oz

[JAS21]

quoted from John45

I'll update on what they say.....If feasable then I would be prepared to co-ordinate an order in the first instance. So maybe any interested parties would PM me

John, any news or update? pricing? availability?

oz

Ezetrol Price from suggested supplier 1850Baht/box of 30 Tablets (10mg). I then tried Schering-Plough and they would only sell to hospitals or pharmacy. Of interest I pay 1450Baht/box!! at my pharmacy and have paid that price for many months.

Plavix, I buy the equivalent and have already purchased a years supply, in case they loose the court case. Plavix at that pharmacy is 1175Baht/14 tablets. I haven't had any reply from the suggested outlet for Plavix.

[PMNL]

You can get Plavix from diethlem at 1238 B/14 tabs

[JAS21]

You can get Plavix from diethlem at 1238 B/14 tabs

Thats only a few baht more than I used to pay..of course Apolets, when you can get them, are about 790Baht for 30 Tablets..somewhat cheaper. Thats why I bought a years+ supply. Just hope that my wife won't ever have them up for sale!!