Overpriced hypertension drugs pattaya

[ableguy]

For you guys who have high blood pressure and buy your drugs in Pattaya beware.

i was recently prescribed a new medication by my doctor here in Korat which is the following

Exforge

Amiodpine 10mg

Valsarton160 mg

 

i checked a couple of pharmacy where I live in Korat but none carried this medication,  I was in Pattaya and went into a very popular pharmacy with farangs to ask if they carried this during the past weekend, they did and I was charged 1,340 baht for twenty eight days supply one tablet per day, I should add I did not know the real price as my first prescription was in the hospital pharmacy and we know the mark up on medication in these places..

The pharmacist gave off a very smug smile when I paid for them, and the price was on the box prior to him giving it to me, got back home and called my regular pharmacy in OM Nut in Bangkok, a very large and very busy pharmacy, much has been written on this forum about the propriety of this establishment and I have bought my medication there for several years. 

There price for the same drug 740 ฿.

 I cannot name the pharmacy as I could be sued for be smirching the character of a blatant rip off artist, if this will save any of you guys money pm me and I will pass on the relevant information where not to buy and directions in OM Nut.. Can also pass on the OM Nut phone number to check other prices.

regards to all.

my gf and I are in Bkk 3or 4 times a year so I usually buy three months supply at a time.

[SheungWan]

Suggest buy your prescription at Boots for a decent price.

[TheJayMan]

It may cost less to buy these drugs separately instead of in one pill.  It will have the same effect on your blood pressure.  I have purchased Amlodipine in Thailand before and it was inexpensive.

 

If Valsartan is expensive, you may want to check the price of other drugs in the ARB class.  If another drug in that class costs less, you can ask your doctor if he would  consider changing the prescription.

 

 

[KittenKong]

I take Amlopine for which I pay under 300B per box (100 tabs) at Fascino, with their discount card. I only take half a tab per day. I also take a local statin that costs about the same price.

[KittenKong]

12 hours ago, SheungWan said:

Suggest buy your prescription at Boots for a decent price.

 

Really? I always assumed that they would be one of the most expensive places. They certainly aren't cheap for toiletries etc.

[SheungWan]

28 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

Really? I always assumed that they would be one of the most expensive places. They certainly aren't cheap for toiletries etc.

 

yes, really.

[ableguy]

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

I take Amlopine for which I pay under 300B per box (100 tabs) at Fascino, with their discount card. I only take half a tab per day. I also take a local statin that costs about the same price.

Thanks for the info, is your a loping 10mg ?  Also never heard of Fascino what and where is it your help much appreciated.

[ableguy]

Just now, ableguy said:

Thanks for the info, is your a loping 10mg ?  Also never heard of Fascino what and where is it your help much appreciated.

I mean Amlopine, not sure what happened there.

[luudee]

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

Really? I always assumed that they would be one of the most expensive places. They certainly aren't cheap for toiletries etc.

 

 

Most pharmacies will try to push name brand drugs, which are usually very expensive.

Sometimes it helps to ask if they have Generic versions - saved me bundle a couple of times ...

 

luudee

[KittenKong]

10 hours ago, ableguy said:

Thanks for the info, is your a loping 10mg ?  Also never heard of Fascino what and where is it your help much appreciated.

 

I buy Amlopine 10 and Bestatin 20. I take half an Amlopine daily (they separate very easily) and am about to reduce the Bestatin from a whole tablet every evening to half. It's generally cheaper to buy larger tabs and halve them.

 

Fascino is a big chain with many branches. http://www.fascino.co.th/store-locator.html

 

Dont forget to ask for their free discount card.

 

 

[KittenKong]

8 hours ago, luudee said:

Most pharmacies will try to push name brand drugs, which are usually very expensive.

Sometimes it helps to ask if they have Generic versions - saved me bundle a couple of times ...

 

This is true. Both the pills I take are local generic versions, but the exact same pills from the hospital that originally prescribed them cost me over 5 times what I pay at Fascino.

 

NEVER buy medicine at a Thai hospital unless it is something powerful that pharmacies cant sell.

[KittenKong]

On 23/08/2016 at 7:12 AM, SheungWan said:

Suggest buy your prescription at Boots for a decent price.

 

Well, I need to stock up again soon and so I will go to Boots and check their current prices for the drugs I buy. I will only check those two particular local generic drugs though.

 

I will report back.

[BruceMangosteen]

Related...the new blood thinners(to prevent strokes) are very expensive. No generics. The blood pressure medications as mentioned, are generic and very inexpensive in Thailand, available without a prescription. One thing to be aware of is some pharmacies will attempt to switch you to a drug they stock claiming "it's good". No need to do so as a pharmacy almost every block. 

[ableguy]

On 24 สิงหาคม 2559 at 9:53 AM, BruceMangosteen said:

Related...the new blood thinners(to prevent strokes) are very expensive. No generics. The blood pressure medications as mentioned, are generic and very inexpensive in Thailand, available without a prescription. One thing to be aware of is some pharmacies will attempt to switch you to a drug they stock claiming "it's good". No need to do so as a pharmacy almost every block. 

Are you saying that the two drugs I mentioned in my original post are generic ? Or that they are available in the generic form.

on a second side I used a blood thinner called by HIDIL gemfibrozil 300 mg very cheap at most pharmacies , I took am and pm, this was prescribed by my doctor.

 Have an appointment with my GP early next month I will check out the generic aspect, I am not a cheap Charlie but on the other hand I don't believe in throwing money away.

appreciate your comments .

[KittenKong]

On 24/08/2016 at 8:27 AM, KittenKong said:

Well, I need to stock up again soon and so I will go to Boots and check their current prices for the drugs I buy. I will only check those two particular local generic drugs though.

 

I will report back.

 

Amlopine 10. One complete box.

 

Fascino: 300B

 

Boots: 550B

So Boots are much more expensive, exactly as I thought they would be.

[SheungWan]

11 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

Amlopine 10. One complete box.

 

Fascino: 300B

 

Boots: 550B

So Boots are much more expensive, exactly as I thought they would be.

 

That's useful to know re buying boxes of the stuff. Is it pro-rata for a couple of strips?

[BruceMangosteen]

7 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

 

That's useful to know re buying boxes of the stuff. Is it pro-rata for a couple of strips?

Usually exactly pro-rata. Like anything in Thailand, I suppose you could bargain down for a box or two. 

[BruceMangosteen]

13 hours ago, ableguy said:

Are you saying that the two drugs I mentioned in my original post are generic ? Or that they are available in the generic form.

on a second side I used a blood thinner called by HIDIL gemfibrozil 300 mg very cheap at most pharmacies , I took am and pm, this was prescribed by my doctor.

 Have an appointment with my GP early next month I will check out the generic aspect, I am not a cheap Charlie but on the other hand I don't believe in throwing money away.

appreciate your comments .

 

No, I was referring to the new blood thinners, one is "Eliquos" or something like that. There are three in this new generation which replace the rat poison warafin. With the new ones, no every two week blood clotting test. You take one in the morning, one at night. 80 Baht per tablet at Thai Government hospitals, 300 Baht per tablet at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. Pilsner product. Please excuse the spelling, didn't search for correct as not a real medical discussion and I'm not a Doctor. The commitment is for life, not just a month or two. Most insurance won't pay for these as the warafin very inexpensive and it's consider "not medically necessary" to use the new stuff. 

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, SheungWan said:

 

That's useful to know re buying boxes of the stuff. Is it pro-rata for a couple of strips?

 

I think Fascino charge a little more per strip compared to a box (or give a discount per box if you like). It's less than 10%. Boots seem to charge the same per strip regardless of whether you have a strip or a box, as do all hospitals I have come across.

 

Fascino do have a free discount card and I am including that discount in my quoted prices.

[balo]

Always check the prices at Fascino before you go somewhere else. They never cheat you and use standard prices for drugs in Thailand.  Sometimes you will find cheaper generic drugs in the smaller pharmacies , especially in Bangkok. 

[ableguy]

Many thanks to all you guys who mentioned Fascino, visited them today their price 450฿

one hell of a saving.

[balo]

1 hour ago, ableguy said:

Many thanks to all you guys who mentioned Fascino

 

Also remember the 10% membership card, you will get 10% on everything except on special promotions .  

[i claudius]

On 8/23/2016 at 10:14 PM, ableguy said:

Thanks for the info, is your a loping 10mg ?  Also never heard of Fascino what and where is it your help much appreciated.

 

Gosh i thought it was Farcino you were talking about in your original post as its the main one for us expats here in Pattaya , they are the best on pricing and yes Amlodopine is really inexpensive .

[MikeyIdea]

On 8/26/2016 at 0:16 PM, BruceMangosteen said:

Usually exactly pro-rata. Like anything in Thailand, I suppose you could bargain down for a box or two. 

 

I pay 280 for Amlopine at the local pharmacy I've been going to for years, only 20 baht difference

 

Clearly shows that Boots is a rip-off though

[ThaiBob]

19 hours ago, balo said:

 

Also remember the 10% membership card, you will get 10% on everything except on special promotions .  

I believe the card gives you a 5% discount.