Emend - why not start with it?

Kathleen808
Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I keep reading about the nausea and I feel like I keep reading that Emend works for so many people. Why don't they just start people on it? It seems like so many are suffering, why don't they give it first time around?
Kathleen

Comments

  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    emend
    I started my first round of chemo this month...I mentioned emend and my onc said...no no no...later....I don't know why?

    Is it a problem? I don't get anti nausea drugs? are they harmful...sorry Kathleen

    Mags
  • fighting for mom
    fighting for mom Member Posts: 96
    maglets said:

    emend
    I started my first round of chemo this month...I mentioned emend and my onc said...no no no...later....I don't know why?

    Is it a problem? I don't get anti nausea drugs? are they harmful...sorry Kathleen

    Mags

    insurance
    My mom had different nausea meds her first round- had terrible problems with nausea. She had to battle it out with her insurance company to get the emend. She just finished round 3 and no nausea. She does battle severe fatigue on day 3,4,5 after chemo. She says she'll take that over the nausea any day.

    Isn't it terrible to have to fight with insurance companies for things that will benefit a person and their recovery? She has had to fight for the neulasta shot as well. It just doesn't seem right.
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    insurance
    My mom had different nausea meds her first round- had terrible problems with nausea. She had to battle it out with her insurance company to get the emend. She just finished round 3 and no nausea. She does battle severe fatigue on day 3,4,5 after chemo. She says she'll take that over the nausea any day.

    Isn't it terrible to have to fight with insurance companies for things that will benefit a person and their recovery? She has had to fight for the neulasta shot as well. It just doesn't seem right.

    anti nausea
    is it a question of cost???
  • fighting for mom
    fighting for mom Member Posts: 96
    maglets said:

    anti nausea
    is it a question of cost???

    for mom

    It is around $300 for 3 days of emend pills per chemo treatment for my mom. Her insurance finally agreed to pay for a portion- but even with her still working- she has to for her insurance- it sets them back.

    I know that for each person it differs whether financials come into play.

    Her Dr. wasn't going to even try the emend until the first didn't work.

    I guess for mom it has been trial and error with meds- what works/doesn't work.
  • beachinmom
    beachinmom Member Posts: 73

    for mom

    It is around $300 for 3 days of emend pills per chemo treatment for my mom. Her insurance finally agreed to pay for a portion- but even with her still working- she has to for her insurance- it sets them back.

    I know that for each person it differs whether financials come into play.

    Her Dr. wasn't going to even try the emend until the first didn't work.

    I guess for mom it has been trial and error with meds- what works/doesn't work.

    It is expesive!
    I started w/ Anzemet, and attivan, and compazine....My anzemet was around 200 for 1 month supply (6 pills)...Then the nausea got worse towards the end and I mentioned it and we moved to Emend...I was suprised it was 306 for 6 pills....yikes.
  • Tonia11
    Tonia11 Member Posts: 57
    maglets said:

    anti nausea
    is it a question of cost???

    Probably so
    I just picked up my husband's prescription of Emend today. He has his second round on Monday. I'm blessed because with my insurance I only paid $20 but I think it retails at over $300 for only 3 pills. But you do ask a good question. On my husband's first round of chemo they gave him some type of anti-nausea IV before the chemo but is didn't last too long. He was up all night vomiting. The next day when we called, they called in 3 presciptions (Kytril, Zofran, and Compazine). I don't know why they didn't give us all of that the day he had the chemo. But I think they take a wait and see approach because chemo effects everyone differently.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    Tonia11 said:

    Probably so
    I just picked up my husband's prescription of Emend today. He has his second round on Monday. I'm blessed because with my insurance I only paid $20 but I think it retails at over $300 for only 3 pills. But you do ask a good question. On my husband's first round of chemo they gave him some type of anti-nausea IV before the chemo but is didn't last too long. He was up all night vomiting. The next day when we called, they called in 3 presciptions (Kytril, Zofran, and Compazine). I don't know why they didn't give us all of that the day he had the chemo. But I think they take a wait and see approach because chemo effects everyone differently.

    Cost
    I was told that the emend was very expensive....$108 a pill....I told him thats what I pay insurance premiums for. I was on the 3 pack the next treatment....at $27 my cost for all 3 pills.........
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    Buzzard said:

    Cost
    I was told that the emend was very expensive....$108 a pill....I told him thats what I pay insurance premiums for. I was on the 3 pack the next treatment....at $27 my cost for all 3 pills.........

    Yes....
    When I asked the chemo nurse during my first treatment for Emend, they said they don't usually bring out the big guns till later if needed, but they did end up giving it to me during the treatment, but when I went home that night with the pump, the second night till the next day was when the bad nausea really came on, since they had me on other anti-nausea meds.
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    Emend? Why not use it in the beginnig?
    I had horrible problems with nausea during folfox treatmet - the first two rounds they gave me zolfran, compazine and attivan. It didn't really work for me - I was talking the zolfran for 8 days, etc.

    They switched me to Emend with decadron - for three days, with zolfran, compazine and attivan for breakthrough nausea. It worked so much better. I was religious about staying ahead of the nausea.

    But, bottom line - Emend is expensive about 3 times the cost of Zolfran. My insurance paid for both - I don't know why they didn't start me out with Emend - I have since asked my oncologist and he apologized. I had virtually no side effects from the Emend - no headache, no constipation.

    Sometimes you just need to insist.

    I have noticed (I was in treatment two years ago) when I go up to visit a friend currently in treatment, Emend is being used more often. My chemo nurse mentioned to me that she had not used it before.

    If you have problems with nausea, and the regulars are not working. Be aggressive and insist on trying it.

    Pam
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    thanks
    Hi,
    I feel like your info has been very, very helpful. I get the entire insurance thing as we have a daughter with special needs and at times I have been on the phone to insurance companies for up to 15 hours a week. (Right now I am fighting them on $10,000 bill of something they have paid for 30 times before... go figure.)
    But, more importantly you have all made me think that we will insist on the Emend. The reason is **** had very, very bad nausea in the hospital. It is what really got him after surgery and it is the reason he was in the hospital 8 days instead of 4 (he lost 21 lbs. in 3 weeks and he is not a heavy guy.) All that being said, he was on Zolfran that entire time. He felt awful. He did not start to feel better until he stopped all pain meds and nausea meds.
    We talk to the oncologist on Monday. ****'s port was put in today. Full body CAT scan tomorrow. I know we will be leaning on you for support.
    Aloha,
    Kathleen
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    maglets said:

    anti nausea
    is it a question of cost???

    $$ Emend $$
    I have heard where it is around $185 for each pill and not all insurance will cover it. Also, remember we are unique, just like everyone else. Some people may not get as nauseous so it's better to wait and see before you shell out $450 to $900 per month on it. Nausea gets discussed quite a bit here. There are many schools of thought on this subject. Some prefer pharmaceuticals while others prefer herbal remedies.
    It's all enough to make you sick!
  • Kathleen808
    Kathleen808 Member Posts: 2,342 Member
    PhillieG said:

    $$ Emend $$
    I have heard where it is around $185 for each pill and not all insurance will cover it. Also, remember we are unique, just like everyone else. Some people may not get as nauseous so it's better to wait and see before you shell out $450 to $900 per month on it. Nausea gets discussed quite a bit here. There are many schools of thought on this subject. Some prefer pharmaceuticals while others prefer herbal remedies.
    It's all enough to make you sick!

    thanks
    Thanks Phil and everyone. All good scoop. I guess it does make sense to wait at least one round and see what the body does.
    Kathleen
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    What I believe....
    Hi Kathleen,

    I BELIEVE that it is because the side effects tend to be cumulative, and they want to save the biggest guns until last. It doesn't get any better than Emend, so if your nausea can be controlled with the other drugs, they can save Emend for the latter treatments. That's just my theory. I could be wrong.

    Kirsten
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    kmygil said:

    What I believe....
    Hi Kathleen,

    I BELIEVE that it is because the side effects tend to be cumulative, and they want to save the biggest guns until last. It doesn't get any better than Emend, so if your nausea can be controlled with the other drugs, they can save Emend for the latter treatments. That's just my theory. I could be wrong.

    Kirsten

    agree
    have to agree with you Kirsten...I really think that is what my onc was saying....let`s save it

    mags
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    agreement
    we are all in agreement, it's the cost of the pills. My insurance paid it and I only paid a $9 co-pay for the month's supply, which they would only pay for 6 pills in a 30 day period. In fact, I have some stocked because I almost had to do without Emend because of how my treatments fell, but managed to catch up when I had to delay treatment once. That was a scare! As far as accumulative effects, I have read that nausea is one of the side effects that doesn't tend to be cumulative. You either have it or you don't and it seems to be stable throughout, so they are really only "saving" it in case the other standbys don't work. I think, as in everything else, they are going to start having Emend as a standby when they realize how much better it works compared to others, but definitely be your own advocate! Exaggerate your nausea if you have to...
    mary
  • fez1
    fez1 Member Posts: 47
    msccolon said:

    agreement
    we are all in agreement, it's the cost of the pills. My insurance paid it and I only paid a $9 co-pay for the month's supply, which they would only pay for 6 pills in a 30 day period. In fact, I have some stocked because I almost had to do without Emend because of how my treatments fell, but managed to catch up when I had to delay treatment once. That was a scare! As far as accumulative effects, I have read that nausea is one of the side effects that doesn't tend to be cumulative. You either have it or you don't and it seems to be stable throughout, so they are really only "saving" it in case the other standbys don't work. I think, as in everything else, they are going to start having Emend as a standby when they realize how much better it works compared to others, but definitely be your own advocate! Exaggerate your nausea if you have to...
    mary

    didn't work for my husband
    I don't know why but Emend did nothing for my husband. He must be the only one in history. We started out with Zofran then Kytril then Emend with Decadron, Ativan etc. What finally helped somewhat was god old fashioned (and CHEAP) Compazine with Ativan and Decadron for 3 days. I also have great insurance and could get Emend for a $9 co-pay. Everyone is so different and you just have to keep trying.
    Carol