I was recently speaking to a holistic believer and she recommend I try zyflamend. I have been on enbrel for 2 months now with no relief (my rheum said you usually need a good 3 months before making the decision but due to my $1900 a month copay I can’t afford it so I’m stopping it). I just ordered zyflamend and have been reading amazing reviews on it. Just curious as to if anyone has tried it or heard of it. I’m willing to give anything a try for some relief!
Your rheumatologist is right: you need a good three months to be sure of what Enbrel’s potential benefits might be for you. In my case it was a good six months, and I continued to see improvement for several more months after that. The long wait is not good news, though, if you’ve got a copay as hefty as that. But I’m wondering why you have a copay like that: Enbrel has an assistance plan in the US. What did they say when you called them and said that you’d have to quit?
There is. I thing wrong with trying Zyflamend, but. . . . You need to keep in mind that it will not slow the disease process in the way that the biologics can. Rather than thinking of it in place of disease modifying drugs, you can see if it offers you support in conjunction.
Plus, two months is a really short time to give it a chance to work. Contact Enbrel support and see what sort of copay assistance they can offer you.
I concur with Seenie and Stoney, I would be looking at it as a supportive and complimentary therapy alongside Enbrel not a replacement (but do also check with your doctor this is a safe combination). Definitely speak with Enbrel support and see what assistance is available. Don't make a mistake early on in your biologic treatment (ie. now) that could have serious and irreversible disease consequences for you in the future.
I definitely will just use zyflamend as a complimentary. I will be doing infusions now instead of enbrel because I can get more financial assistance that way. Trust me when I say I contacted them multiple times, verified with my insurance and talked to my doctor. Unfortunately when you have private insurance and your spouse is self employed and u don’t “qualify” for assistance you get crappy insurance with high copays. Enbrel offers people $8000 a year, and I will go through that in a few months. I know unfortunately I need biological to slow the disease but in the meantime while I try to find what’s right for me I am just looking for some relief.
Oh if only 'holistic' stuff worked! Tread carefully. I do not like taking the drugs, I hate it. But one year into Humira my joints are amazing. A few other little problems mind, but I walk so happily, I can nearly run, I have no pain at the moment & little fatigue, damn it I could probably dance given a good party. At the time of diagnosis I was down to one working arm & hand, both knees and one arm having been rendered nearly useless. I was much better on Mtx but Humira has completed the job beautifully. It has been a very slow release drug in some respects though it got the swelling down quickly.
If Zyflamend does all this for you, then get back on here & trumpet it. But sadly I am sceptical. Loss of mobility messes everything up. It is appalling, all that copay, but I've seen a lot of reports on here about people in the US finding ways around this.
Wishing you well.
Gosh EZ, that is rotten about the assistance. I’m sure you’re not the first, butyou’re the first I’ve heard of who has run into such an insurmountable co-pay.
Smart of you to be looking at whatever biological you can get assistance for.
I’ll move this thread to Complementary Therapies so that people looking for that kind of thing will see it.
Good luck with all of this, EZ!
Humira offers 5.00 copay for life. DO NOT move to the remicade for asitance or yo will really be holding the bag in a few years as it is the ONLY biological covered by medicare. It will take another 10 years for the donut hole to disappear for the other biologics under part D.
Now as far as Enbrel support goes, Have you actually talked to them? http://www.enbrel.com/HCP/support-program.jspx is the appropriate program. I've never heard of an 8000/year program. They either pay 50% of your copay OR 10.00 copay whichever helps you more, and it is not income based. That's the way it was when I was on it and I called to confirm,call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735.)
Incidentally for anyone considering Zyflamend, PLEASE check with your doctor. Its sets up sme very serious potential sideffects by dramatically increasing the toxicity of a number of meds including MTX and some NSAIDS these things are not naturally safe. There isn't anything more natural than hemlock or foxglove. Both will kill instantly in the wrong person.
Tntlamb thanks for all the I do but I have in fact called enbrel support multiple times, first to sign up and then twice to confirm that what I was reading was correct. When I signed up I was told the copay assist card is basically a pre loaded card with $8000 on it which for MOST people will cover u for 6 months with no copay and the next 6 months with no more than a $10 copay. That’s with them assuming the average copay is around $150. I confirmed that I cannot sign up for more assistance through them until next year. I also confirmed with my insurance that my portion is in fact $1900 a month and it is. My deductible for pharmacy is only $500 so that’s not the reason. I’ve always struggled with health care and insurance being in a profession that didn’t offer it. I have stopped at nothing to try and figure this out so for now my option is to try something else.