Dang I wake up from a nap yesterday early evening and right ear really itching, hurting, and hearing loss. I was ready to put a nail in it for some relief. I was pretty sure it was an infection as I had one before a few years ago.
With the weekend coming up I figure I better do something about it so I make trip to local Immediate Care that is in our primary network. Nice young lady PA says yeah you have an outer ear infection after she says "does this hurt" after she pokes scope all the way in the ear and moves it around about bringing me to tears. I was in and out of there in 20 minutes which made me happy.
Go to my local pharmacy for ear drops and nice lady Pharmacist says "these are kind of expensive", $64 for ear drops after my 25 percent copay which would have been $249 without! But she tells me this is "really good stuff" Ciprodex name brand. So I say I just want to get rid of this ear infection and pay, thank her, and leave. Much better this morning after first dose.
I don't remember paying near that much for ear drops last time and my primary care Doc always tries to use generics which typically cost me $10. Anyways I am just happy to be feeling better already.
Dang. Depending on insurance (private vs govt), there is a copay card to drop it to $40. If the drug is Brand Name, there is usually a copay card. Good stuff though. You should be feeling better quickly.
GW.
Posts: 642 | Location: Auburn, AL | Registered: August 24, 2012
Yeah, thanks. That certainly is the most important thing. All in all being able to go to a doctor late on a Friday on a moments notice, getting in and out quickly, and feeling better already for well under $100 is a steal.
Originally posted by fgwilliams1: Dang. Depending on insurance (private vs govt), there is a copay card to drop it to $40. If the drug is Brand Name, there is usually a copay card. Good stuff though. You should be feeling better quickly.
I noticed that when I got home. I could have gone to the hospital pharmacy, preferred for our network with 15% copay, which would have been about that price too but not worth the drive and time involved. My daughter has to take a couple expensive name brand drugs and we were able to find copay cards for her that dramatically dropped the cost of those for her. I am surprised more people don't seem to know about the copay cards.
I have used Grapefruit Seed Extract in the past. Here is the mixture:
Thoroughly mix 4-10 drops of NutriBiotic GSE with 1 oz. of glycerin or alcohol. Apply 1-2 drops of this solution in affected ear 1-2 times daily. ... Do not use full strength in ears.
A Dr. taught my Dad to do the following to my sister 50 years ago because as a kid she had frequent external ear infections and drainage. I still find it helpful for me maybe once or twice a year If I sense a problem coming on.
Lay on your side and fill the ear with Hydrogen Peroxide. (some now say you are supposed to dilute it but I don't) When it quits bubbling I turn to the other side and let it drain out onto a washcloth. Repeat for additional rinsing or especially if any gunk is visible on the cloth afterwards.
This should kill any external infection and clean out the ear canal as well. I usually follow up by carefully drying out the ear with a q-tip.
I have also used, the 50/50 mix of alcohol and vinegar Gostofer mentioned, it supposedly cleans, disinfects and adjusts the canal to the proper PH.
Thanks for the suggestions! I don't regret spending the money on the expensive ear drops as it has to get pretty bad for me to go to an Immediate Care and I am feeling so much better now in that ear but I am going to continue the drops for the full 7 days as instructed.
Next time I feel something coming on in that ear I will try some of the suggestions first before it gets as bad as it did.
Yep, Cipro is pretty costly. I had a serious tissue infection once and got a buddy to drain it for me. He wrote a script for cipro and I went to the in-house pharmacy and nearly shit when the pharmacist told me the costs. I told him to put it back and get me some ampicillin!
Hope it gets better quick.
RMD
TL Davis: “The Second Amendment is special, not because it protects guns, but because its violation signals a government with the intention to oppress its people…” Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.
on the bright side, Cipro is also the specific for Anthrax. And every Mexican pharmacia has a copy of a 'scrip under the counter, so you don't even need that!
I was also surprised at the cost of Cipro/Ciprodex the last time. There are alternate meds but - gasp - those have somehow wound up being almost the same price.
The pharmacist checked and found what he termed a 'coupon' that he could apply, and that knocked down the price a bit. I don't know if there are actual coupons for prescription meds....that would seem to be an odd promotion method for something one has little control over ...but anyway I suggest at least asking the pharmacist if there are any price reduction options.
Posts: 15022 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: October 15, 2007
Well the Ciprodex really kicked my ear infection's ass and in short order and I only had to apply twice a day for a few minutes. Sure is nice to have my hearing back too.
In retrospect I am glad I got it and if someone asked which ear drop I wanted my first question would have been "what is the best". Still I was a bit surprised at the price of a name brand ear drop and glad it is something I don't have to buy every month. Bottle is about 40 percent full and does not expire until middle of next year so I have some of these liquid gold ear drops if another outer ear infection pops up.
But she tells me this is "really good stuff" Ciprodex name brand. So I say I just want to get rid of this ear infection and pay, thank her, and leave. Much better this morning after first dose.
I may try that if there is a next time which there probably will be.
