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Old 06-02-2011, 08:37 PM
verbose verbose is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2011
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Default Lantus Insulin in Mexico near Arizona Border

I am not a DR. or an expert in these affairs, only, I am involved.

Thought I would weigh in. I buy Lantus Insulin in Mexico. My crappy health insurance allows me to pay $100 per vial at COSTCO! Although I haven't shopped around PHX. I assume it is hard to beat this price.

For I time, I found what I needed just over the border. One key to this is finding a Pharmicea with a refrigerator, as insulins must be chilled.

I found a place that was about $52 a (larger) vial. Very pleased, it was a good buy, so long as we were making the trip.

One day, that all dried up and they refused to sell it anymore. Another 50 miles down the road were countless pharmiceas. A search of over 20 turned up zilch, nada. You mean out of 26,000 peoples there are no type 1 or 2's?

The last store we visited had Lantus. For some reason it was about $60 per vial and has now dropped to $56... Still reasonable. The staff told us to call a few days out to place an order.

As for declaring it, I don't. But, I will be seeing my Dr. soon and will request a letter that will clear up any misconceptions regarding the use and need to carry vials and syringes. One in spanish too! Ha, wouldn't that be great.

It wasn't difficult to ask for a long range perscription (permission slip) from the Dr. once she understood that it was for the border and not much else.

My original place told me that because of the new policy in MX, Insulin would come under a Mexican Dr.'s permission ($30 consultation fee) and was now controlled. Hence, no longer carrying it. Further, the use of pesos was to become mandatory and US $'s were being phased out because of sanctions put on the shopkeepers limiting them to how many dollars they could deposit during a specified time.

The good news is that after several months of using the Lantus of MX it looks to be exactly the product sold in the states except a different label on the vial and the box to, same graphics and have had no side effects.

Hope that helps. There are a lot of diabetics out there, no matter where you go around the world, eh?
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