[RandyHere]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by RandyHere on Wed Dec 31, 2014 2:51 pm

Kevin J wrote:

I went on 10 mg Revlimid maintenance at the beginning of 2014. ... About mid year, my M-protein started to rise, and I was bumped to 25 mg Revlimid ...

Kevin,

Saw you posting bout the 10 mg Revlimid.

Dad is being treated for multiple myeloma. The doctor started him out on the 20 mg Revlimid right away. After two weeks, his kidneys failed and he has been in the hospital ever since.

From what I am reading, it appears that amount was too high. Killed too many cancer cells, overloaded his kidneys, and now the Revlimid is stuck in his system.

Did you doctor provide any reasons why you started on the 10 mg?

All cancer treatment has stopped for Dad and have a just renewed 21 day supply of 20 mg Revlimid here that we cannot use.

Thanks,

[Kevin J]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by Kevin J on Thu Jan 01, 2015 11:03 am

I was in a clinical trial for 2 years and reached a complete response, then started relapsing about a year after the trial. My M-protein [M-spike] and IgA were increasing slowly at the time, so they started me at the lower dose of Revlimid, looking for the lowest dose that would reverse, or at least stabilize, the relapse. Unfortunately, my M-protein and IgA levels started increasing more rapidly in July, so they bumped me to 25 mg. That brought my levels back down a bit, and I've been stable since.

This latest treatment for me has been more maintenance than full or initial treatment. From what I experienced in my clinical trial and what I've read, it's more common to start the Revlimid at the higher does for full / initial treatment, monitor it closely, then drop the amount if there are issues - which appears to be the case with your father.

[RandyHere]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by RandyHere on Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:04 pm

Thanks for the response. The Revlimid has destroyed his kidneys.

He was having weekly blood tests before this was noticed. The nurse called after one of his blood tests and said to come to the emergency room now.

He will need three sessions of dialysis a week lasting four hours each session. Very difficult news to hear since he had only been taking it for the first two weeks of the three-week plan. His blood was so thick this morning that it would not work in the dialysis machine. They had to add some "thinner".

He will likely need dialysis for the rest of his life.

I did not realize it could cause this much damage this fast. I saw the below FDA warning too late or would have asked for a lower dosage to start.

https://myelomabeacon.org/news/2009/04/17/new-revlimid-warning-for-patients-with-impaired-kidney-function/

[ethomas]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by ethomas on Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:05 am

Yes, Revlimid is very expensive. However, you can get cost assistance from the manufacturer for $25.00 a month. Check out the following link:

http://celgenepatientsupport.com/commercial_insurance.aspx#commercial

[Larmo222]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by Larmo222 on Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:53 am

My specialist is transitioning me from a 25 mg / day Revlimid consolidation therapy dose to a 10 mg / day maintenance dose. As the online pharmacy called to arrange the delivery, I asked them what the price of the 25 mg vs. the 10 mg capsule is. I was told the price (if I didn't have insurance) would be $844.70 for each capsule, regardless of the dose!

Can someone explain that??

Yes I have insurance, thank the Lord, but wow.

[ethomas]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by ethomas on Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:05 pm

Try this site: http://www.Revlimid.com/mm-patient/resources/co-pay-card/ .

[mikeb]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by mikeb on Sat Feb 07, 2015 1:25 pm

Hi LarryM,

Holy Moley! $844.70 per capsule! I just did the arithmetic and that works out to $616,631 per year for my 10mg per day dose. Wow!

I wonder how they came up with such a strange number as $844.70. Like, why bother with the 70 cents when you're talking huge numbers like that??!!

Mike

[LauraScot]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by LauraScot on Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:45 pm

I currently get my lenalidomide as part of a trial here in Scotland, and it is paid for by the drug company. But I recently read the Scottish approval document for pomalidomide published December 2014, and it laid out the costs of various multiple myeloma treatment options (this i,s what NHS Scotland pays for drugs; as patients we pay nothing):

Cost of relevant comparators
Drug Dose Regimen Cost per cycle (£)

Poma​lidomide plus dexamethasone 28-day cycle
Poma​lidomide: 4 mg orally on days 1 to 21
Dexamethasone: 40 mg orally on days 1, 8, 15 and 22
£8,946

Dexamethasone 40 mg daily on days 1 to 4, 9 to 12 and 17 to 20 of a 28-day cycle.
£62

Lenalidomide plus dexamethasone 28-day cycle
Lenalidomide: 25 mg orally on days 1 to 21
Dexamethasone 1st four cycles: 40 mg orally on days 1 to 4, 9 to 12, and 17 to 20
Subsequent cycles: 40 mg orally on days 1 to 4
1st four cycles: £4,555
Subsequent cycles: £4,430

Bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2
Subcutaneously or intravenously on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 of a 21-day cycle
£3,050

Converting British pounds to dollars, works out lenalidomide is about $330 a capsule here.

Laura

[Cassye49]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by Cassye49 on Sat Apr 04, 2015 3:02 am

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on Sep­tember 10, 2014. I've been on Velcade / dexa­meth­a­sone since that time. My insurance notified me that they approved 4 treatments of Revlimid. Plans after treatments is bone marrow transplant. I don't know the exact cost of the med at this point, but I know it's costly per my oncologist.

I'm 65 years old and I'm scared I have big delayed plans well, but plan on going through with it. I still big plans, delayed for now, and I intend to keep them

[Chromiumblue]

Re: The cost of Revlimid - what do you pay?

by Chromiumblue on Mon May 04, 2015 7:02 am

I have been on Revlimid since 2011. The full cost is $11,186.72. I only pay 15 dollars.