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And just like testing your blood-sugar, it's one more thing that diabetics without decent health insurance just can't afford to do
zocor sells for about 0.50 - $2.00 per pill depending on your insurance provider (even the indecent ones). How about buying your medication today instead of that super sized Big Mac?
Never mind that patient compliance to chronic disease management/regimens should save Americans about $29billion per year. Take your meds and your costs actually go down. Keep b!tching about insurance and you get a $1 trillion tax-payer funded insurance law.
We all have the option to continue with a generic version of both.
I still say quitting smoking is inducing a lot of diabetes most of the people I know who have quit smoking in the last 5 years now have type 2
AND blood pressure medication increases your blood sugar (Read the tree that comes with the drug)
Phil,
While there is a study to back up your assertion, the researchers still attributed weight gain as a primary cause for the diabetes. An important note, quitting smoking is still by far a better option than not quitting.
Risk for Type II diabetes can be significantly decreased by never smoking in the first place, as well as maintaining a healthy body weight and eating a healthy diet.
Generic Zocor is on the $5 a month prescription plan at most pharmacies under the name Simvastatin.
Januvia is what is expensive. There isn't a generic out yet and it runs well over $100 a month. The patent doesn't run out until 2017. I would be wary of anyone selling you generic Januvia.
This is just a ploy to get you on one very expensive pill rather than one generic and one moderately expensive pill.
No insurance, even high deductible insurance means that if you pay cash for everything. If you don't have $100+ to test your blood sugar, you don't have it. Ditto for going to see your doctor. No cash, no doctor, no prescription.
Generics are a way to go, but this "new" drug won't go generic until the generation not yet born graduates from college.
As for the supersized Big Mac, the last time I checked, it came in one size only, but it's been a while since I had one I would have to check AND if you are ever intown 4:45AM during the week, you can find me at the Y.
On the label they should write "To the +90 % that have caused this to themselves, lose weight you fat #@$%s. To the 10% that actually can't control the factors in your lives that caused this, enjoy!"
I was in Europe for 3 weeks and hit 5 countries. When we got lost, we looked for the fat people. They were either American or British.
Wake up folks! There's more to life than taking a pill to solve everything, get some initiative! I work with a bunch of fellow 30 somethings and most of them are very overweight, it's scary....Join a gym!
My parents both joined a gym in their late 50s and said it was the best thing they ever did for their health. They sleep better at night, have more energy, and are much happier. If pharma had their way, they'd have you on 3 separate prescriptions for the same effect!
Use the generics. They’re significantly cheaper and just as effective. Lipitor is just as effective as Zocor and at a lower dose. Additionally, Lipitor comes off of patent in November 2011 so generic versions will be available shortly after. There are numerous generic drugs that are just as effective as Januvia, so save your money and use one of those.
You don't have to be fat to be a diabetic (5'6" 130 libs) type II for over 15 years. So don't assume anything. Plus Statins can kill you faster than the diabetes. Each person has their own tolerance or intolerance for drugs. Even though my choloesterol was less than 180, My new doctor insisted I take a statin drug. When I explained that I wouldn't because10 years ago, I almost died from a severe kidney infection, she backed off. It took 5 months for my HMO to admit my medical problems stemmed from the statin drug. I went from walking 4 to 5 miles a day to barely making it a block, thanks to statin drugs.
Don't make generalizations or take any pills without personally researching the potential side effects.
statins are probably one of the most signficant medicinals of the twentieth century, just behind antibiotics
I've never heard of statins leading to kidney infection
You'll probably respond to this post angry. Please don't. Just make sure statins REALLY did cause your problems, because if you are a diabetic, the leading cause of death is heart disease, and statins are your best weapon against that
I was on statins one month. Severe headache and muscle pain, blurred vision, 20 pound weight gain (yes 20 pounds in one month), but the doctor swore I was about to have a heart attack. But the big thing was the last three days before I took myself off it, I was unable to urinate more than a few drops a day. Within two days of stopping statins on my own, I was able to urinate again, within a week 10 pounds dropped, when I talked to the doctor again she wanted me to go on the statins again to see if it would happen again. My new doctor said my heart is fine, cholesterol is only borderline high, I still had some kidney problems that developed on the statins, and my thyroid dosage was seriously too low. (Under treated hypothyroid is a cause of high cholesterol.) She put me on omega 3 suppliments for the cholesterol.
Statins cause damage to muscles that cause them to shed cells into the blood. This does three things: weakens muscles, pain, and kidney problems as they cannot keep up with cleaning the blood.
Incidently, my husband has been on statins a number of years now, walks like an old man, has increasing severe muscle pain, neuropathy in his hands and feet, and has developed diabetes while on statins. (Every now and then the pain gets so bad he takes himself off them for a while to until it gets better, then lets the doctor scare him back onto them.)
Recent studies show that there is an increase in diabetes, something like one extra case for every 500 people on statins above certain doses. Doesn't sound like much until you realize millions are now on statins and people stay on them for years. Or unless you or a loved one is one of those people who develop diabetes.
Incidently, I was on the lowest dosage of statin they make, but my former doctor never even considered that I could have such serious side effects so quickly since they are supposed to be "rare."
Our modern drugs can indeed work almost miracles for those who truly need them, but they are often over used without proper caution. Even old standards like penicillin which has saved so many lives, can be deadly to the wrong person. The more complex our drugs become, the more side effects are possible. And many side effects are not seen until a drug is in use in the general population.
EAE, you were very lucky and you are right on with the symptoms. The medical people don't tell you how many have died. In 2001 Mevicor made headlines for the number of people who died as a result of severe kidney problems as a result of taking that statin drug. I have other family members who have had reactions too.
n August 2001 the statin drug, Baycol, was removed from the market after causing at least 60 deaths. As a result, the safety of all statin drugs has subsequently come into question. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that statins in common use cause considerably fewer adverse side effects than Baycol, the agency acknowledges that their use does pose some risk.
All statins increase a patient's chances of developing myositis and rhabdomyolysis, potentially fatal conditions that cause muscle pain and muscle deterioration and may lead to kidney failure. According to the FDA, the chances of developing myositis or rhabdomyolysis from statins are low. As such, they remain on the market.
92 deaths were attributed in England to Statin drugs also. So be warned. You may be in the 5% that has a reaction. Statins are not a wonder drug for everyone.
Despite only being a combo of two drugs that have long since paid for their R&D costs, this is going to be so expensive that the general public will not be able to afford it. I realize that there is considerable expense in getting the combo approved as well, but if they would price it so that people who don't have "the best" insurance could purchase it, they would make more, I suspect, in the sheer volume of sales than they will by essentially making it possible for only a small, elite percentage of the public.
People refuse to take statins now because the cost is too high and they are tired of having to choose between taking their meds and feeding their children and themselves. Putting yet another astronomically priced drug on the market is not likely to change that.
And you base that assumption from...what? The product hasn't even hit the market yet. The predecesors sell for about 0.50 - $2.00 per pill depending on your insurance provider (even the indecent ones). Hardly cost prohibitive. I don't know many people who can feed their children and themselves for 50 cents to two bucks per day.
In any case...an RN like yourself should be an advocate for chronic disease management. You should know that patient compliance to their regimens should save Americans about $29billion per year. That's not Fox News, took that from an MSNBC article!
Bottom line: take your meds and your costs actually go down. Keep b!tching about insurance and you get a $1 trillion tax-payer funded insurance law, which wont' do anything to drug prices anyway.
Retired RN - it must have been a very long time since you were working as a nurse because your statement simply is not true. There are many statins available that are no longer under patent that are just as effective as the newer medications. I asked my doctor to prescribe an older statin for me rather than Lipitor when I lost my health insurance after losing my job. The older meds are available under the 4 dollar plan at pharmacies such as Walmart and Kroger. I pay 12 dollars for three months worth of meds.
I second that
simvastatin is 4 bucks a month. I think pravachol is cheap as well
The only reason for the combo drug is increased profits for Merck. Take the drugs separately at the same time. Is it that hard to keep track of two pills instead of one? (BTW, I'm a type II diabetic. My doctor will not prescribe a statin for me because my cholesterol is in the 160s. He believes in a good diet, monitoring regularly, medicating only when necessary.)
How about, instead of worrying so much about the drugs, the doctors start prescribing a healthy diet, losing weight, stopping smoking, and getting exercise? I realize there are exceptions, but if you consistently get exercise, are not overweight, and consistently eat healthy, chances are you won't need so many drugs.
You come over as a pompous ass; madam
Mom of four - The problem isn't doctors recommending eating healthy and exercising, it is patient compliance. It is easier to take a pill than to make significant lifestyle changes. But yes, a healthier lifestyle would eliminate a lot of pharmacologic needs, but a doctor can't go home with every patient and make sure that happens.
Mom of four may come across an pompous but she is right. People are just too lazy and would rather take a pill than "gasp" change their diet or exercise. Too bad the public as a whole gets stuck with the bill for these expensive drugs (i.e. through health insurance premiums or Medicare/Medicaid), just because most of the people on these drugs are too lazy to lose a bit of weight and get their health in control. And I say MOST, because there are people with diabetes and high cholesterol who try to be in good health.
Must be nice to be able to afford to be so very judgmental about others. As you have not walked in their shoes, you have no idea why they are diabetic or have high cholesterol but it is certainly easy to sit back and criticize from your computer. We had several groups of diabetic people here who planted big community gardens......because buying fresh veggies is simply too costly, and the neighborhood punks stripped the gardens and destroyed everything. So what did that prove? All that work and no fresh food for them or their families. You are nuts if you think eating fresh fruits and veggies are cheap as they are not. Farmer's markets are not common in many areas any more. Nor are they inexpensive either. Just because they may be in your area does not make it so everywhere else. The poor have limited amounts to spend and yes, they could do a lot better in food planning, buying and cooking but many simply do not know how. In talking to many of the women and men in stores today, I find that very few actually know how to cook a simple sensible meal. Soups are pretty much unknown unless it comes from a can. Stew is beyond their ability. Stop thinking there is a simple answer to everything!
Mom of Four - not only are you a pompous ass, but you are also ignorant. Like Meezermom said, you need to walk in the shoes of others before passing judgement. There are countless people who have high cholesterol due to the genes that they inherited and it has nothing to do with their diet or exercise regimen. One does not have to be stagnant and overweight to develop Type 2 diabetes at an early age or later in life. That is also an inherited disease. Try educating yourself and/or reading a book on the topic before opening you mouth.
Mom of four:
I think your post is of an understanding formed by good knowledge.
I wish you had been my mom 71 years ago - I would be better off than I am today.
Mom of four,
Not only are you right, but I found out the hard way that I had a doctor who was quick to reach for the prescription pad, slow to find out the root cause of my problem (in this case hypothyroidism had not been identified as progressive form so she thought once dosage was OK, it was OK forever), and did not even consider that I had two health conditions that should have been a big caution sign that I was high risk for serious side effects to statins.
I truly believe that the root causes of 80 or 90% of problems like diabetes and heart disease are found in what we eat, modern stresses, poor lifestyle choices, etc.
My parents had the advantages of modern antibiotics and vaccines and the old-fashioned advantage of having grown up on farms at a time when everything was still pretty much organic; but until their very last years, many of our newest modern medicines were not available. They both lived into their 80s and my dad had siblings who made it into their mid 90s. I really wonder when I see all the lifestyle caused diseases and the multitude of chemicals we pour into our bodies if my generation will be as long lived or as healthy in their old age.
What a great pharmaceutical accomplishment it is putting two pills together and getting a new patent for it. NOT!
For the most part, just more smoke and mirrors on the part of a drug company.
One drug goes off patent, and so they combine it with another to charge an horrendous cost to the patient, the insurance companies, Medicare, whichever applies to your situation.
For the patient's part, it's easier to take one outrageously expensive drug rather than two often much cheaper ones? In most cases, I think not.
One of those two drugs, simvastatin, may be gotten for mere pennies a day. The other, Januvia, may or may not be necessary. If the patient can use Metformin instead, it too is available for only pennies a day. In my book, lower costs dramatically outweigh the "inconvenience" of swallowing twice.
Correct.
Metformin and Januvia act in different ways and are often prescribed together.
Januvia and Metformin are sold together as Janumet. I haven't checked closely, but I don't think the combination is more expensive than the two separate prescriptions.
yeah, this is often a tactic used by pharma to squeeze so more money off a drug going generic or is generic
John & wankel are correct. Januvia and Metformin are very different drugs. I take both. Metformin actually works on the liver, not the pancreas, controlling the sugar that your liver dumps *into* your blood. Januvia works in an odd way: it slows down your body's elimination of insulin, so the insulin your body makes stays in your blood longer. I switched to Janumet for a simple reason: my doctor got a stack of promotional coupons from Merck that reduces my cost for the combo to far less than what I was paying for them separately. The promo is only good for a year; after a year I'll probably go back to buying them separately. FYI, while metformin is dirt-cheap as a generic, the earliest that generic Januvia (sitagliptin) could be marketed is 2017. It remains to be seen if Merck will win any extensions.
I'm just "BLOWN AWAY"!!!!! They "COMBINED THE TWO DRUGS!!!!!! It's a miracle!!! This has to be the most amazing medical breakthrough in the history of modern medicine. I smell a Nobel prize in here somewhere. Now, who was that guy or team that came up with that gem of a idea???
Seriously. With the millions of people who have this disease/condition, my god, when is someone going to find a faaking cure for this sh$t instead of continuing to treat it with crappy drugs that basically ruin most people's normal lives?
The pharmaceutical companies don't WANT to cure diseases.
No PROFIT in that.
They want to TREAT diseases and conditions and make a double ton of money and then the execs can get multi-million dollar bonuses.
Actually, there is something of a "cure" for Type 2. Bariatric surgery:
For Type 1, there is promise of pancreatic transplant.
I always get a kick out of people that think pharma doesn't want to cure disease because of profits. How about because its hard as hell to! Miracle drugs that could cure diabetes are just simply not possible at this time---maybe in the near future with gene therapy
forgawdsakes, people. Put down the doughnuts and get off the couch. It really is that simple.
You should be the poster child for "Ignorance Abounds" when it comes to the common person's understanding about diabetes. It's not that simple, Jack.
Oh wait...you're not one of those esteemed scientists that discovered the combine the two drugs breakthrough.
Come on now, fess up.
Its not ignorant at all. Drop the weight, eat right and you wont be a type 2. It is that simple and I know a great deal on the subject. More so then you will ever know.
Ok, a few people still will be type 2 diabetic, but not nearly as many. Why do people get so defensive whenever anyone mentions trying a healthy lifestyle instead?
And yes, I know many of us, even with exercise and healthy eating would still be officially moderately overweight, but very few of us would be obese. And yes, there are a few people with other health problems that cause obesity, but for most of us our problems have to do with lifestyle choices.
This is a method for Merck to "create" a new product that will have patent protection. Anyone hear the cash register ringing?
Januvia almost killed me. I was getting systemic inflammation. After 7 months on the drug every joint hurt, I was getting constant GI problems that antacids and fiber wouldn't help, I have cysts in my skin. Two days after stopping Januvia I started feeling better. Two weeks later the cysts started shrinking. My GI system is settling down, but three weeks ago I had an EGD, they found gastritis and polyps.
I believe all of this is Januvia, be careful if you take it and at the first signs of trouble see your doctor!!!
For many people diabetes and high cholesterol can be reversed naturally by losing weight in a safe, healthy manner. Medication treats the symptoms, www.TheThinGrin.com treats the cause... and you can do it for free.
All of you who are so quick to comment that diabetes 2 and high cholesterol are due to poor dietary habits and lack of exercise are obviously the ones who don't have either or both diseases. Your lack of empathy is only superseded by your ignorance.
you are in denial....the epidemic of diabetes is directly associated with the epidemic of obesity....not each individual of course.
You are correct 11 madness. My wife had an a1c of 11.9 and has dropped some pounds and started eating right and is now a 6.1. I'm really proud of her. She did not take a single drug to her doctors dismay and proved him wrong. I am totally convinced that most people and I say "most" have it totally in their control if they want to be a type 2 diabetic or not. If you are one of those who didn't eat your way there dont get your panties in a knot. I said most.
Wow, so you base your opinion on one case (your wife's experience).
Discard (most) everything else that has been studied and written?
Really? Seriously?
When they can come up with a drug that doesn't make me sick AND is covered under Medicare and NOT over $100 I will take it. The last prescription the doctor gave me to "help" raised my blood sugar to dangerous levels and I was so sore I couldn't move. Within days of stopping it, the blood sugar levels dropped back to 100 or less and the muscle aches ceased.
Oh, and I exercise 5 days a week if not 7 days, and eat very healthy 1200 calorie a day diets...
Granted, there are those diabetics who do not take care of themselves. But, walk a few days in the shoes of a diabetic, whether it be Type 1 or Type 2. You might be quite surprised at the extent of the careful planning a well managed diabetic must do. It is not so simple as putting down the Big Mac or omitting sugar from the diet.
If there is one thing that I've learned in the 10 short years of being diagnosed is this: every diabetic is different. In that how it was acquired to how it is treated. Sometimes, it seems, nothing works. For others, it is as simple as diet and exercise - losing some pounds. In the meantime, diabetics who monitor themselves closely are referred to as "hypochondriacs" because of their seeming obsessiveness with testing and eating carefully - this by their ignorant associates. Others who are not as diligent are faulted for their laziness. Easy enough to make either condemnations by the un-educated.
Diabetes can be caused by so many different factors that even researchers are finding new causes. Sure, obesity can be a contributing factor; so can be genetic factors. But so can childhood diseases that many of us have had. I've heard that continual bouts of Step Throat and Tonsillitis can lead to onsets. There is a belief that continual inflammations takes it toll on the body causing insulin resistance and/or loss of pancreatic function (amongst other problems such as adult heart problems, etc).
To the topic at hand - the combo drug of statin and Januvia: I was on Januvia until it became too expensive (over $140 per month). I self-discontinued it, telling my endocrinologist it was simply too expensive. He put me on glimerpiride. That seemed to work much better and was only $4 per month.
I follow a plan I term "right triangle" for eating and living. My A1C is now down to below 6.0 after always being near 7.1.
I thought population control was the answer, no more than 2 children per family? You know we are running out of water and other natural resources because people insist on having 3-4-5 children
I was a Naval aviator until 30 when I was diagnosed with type II Diabetes, 5'10", 170# and 4 hours daily workout
Explain it to me please. why? While you an hubby were popping out puppies I was risking my ass to keep your pompous ass safe, NOW I get diabetes and have to listen to your rewarmed pablum, thank you no!
Disbetes is caused by a virus--proven by vaccination for juvinal type one diabetes. Diabetes will NEVER be cured as USA does NOT cure any disease! Drug Co's make billions on "patch" drugs--just masking the disease and in this case lowering blood sugar. Until gov't gets out of bed with drug cos and demands cures--we all take useless pills. The disease is still raging. See Jonas Salk story--he cured polio--Y? his wife got polio! That is only disease ever cured since 1950!!
wow,
so type 1 is THOUGHT to be related to viral infection, but type 2 is clearly genetic and environmental (ie, weight)
That has got to be the most incoherent, ignorant statement I have ever heard about the cause of type 1 diabetes.
Was on Avandia then taken off because of heart attack risk,was switched to Actos which is now a bladder cancer risk,this new one will probably make your crank fall off. Trial lawyers make about as much money off these drugs as the drug companies do.
I have been taking Metformin/Zestril/Lovestatin.. for @a decade. My Dr. has the same conditions and takes the same meds. This condition(s) used to be called 'factorX'..high chloresterol/diabetes2/high blood pressue. Now, the (3) are just treated all at the same time; by, (sorry to say)..(3) different meds. In Ca., I am fortunate (or not) to receive Medi-Cal. This program (I am 61) covers all (3) meds./free! I recently had a diabetes full blood panal done..w/random urine albumin check..6.0 for diabetes..no other organ complications. I am 5'8"/240#. exercise moderately by biking,walking/eat properly..and hopefully am at the 'mid-line' in the spectrum of all diabetic individuals. Hope any of this helped at least one person.
Merck took two medicines that have been available for years and combined them in one pill? That's the big news? All that did was prolong Merck's patent on those medicines and keep generics off the market, and thus keep the price artificially high. If there is any news here, it's that once again Americans get snookered. And we wonder why health care is so expensive? Get a clue Americans, and shame on the media for playing right into Merck's hands. God help us, does anybody play fair?
Merck needs the money for these new-old drug combo to finance Perry's campaign.
Seriously, there are many diabetics with high cholesterol that is caused by genetics. This group of people are not overweight, nor ever been. Exercise is the key in lowering both, high blood glucose numbers and high cholesterol. Just 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week on a bowflex will do wonders in lowering both conditions.
Isn't it interesting Sean, that all of the so-called experts blogging and trolling here choose to ignore your post (and mine as well)?
Their overly sarcastic, simplistic, and ignorant comments demonstrate their intelligence. They think it is just that easy,
Like I said folks, walk a few days in our shoes - there are so many different factors that you cannot make a judgment call as you've done - what works for one, doesn't for another, what might have triggered one, didn't trigger it in another.
One size does not fit all.
I agree John. I personally don't have type 1 diabetes and have never had to walk in somebody's shoes who has it. I do, however, have to deal with it on a daily basis, as my 7 year old daughter has it. It's not fun, I can tell you that.
The arm-chair doctors here will never listen to anybody who has it, they can't hear reason over the shrill of their "knowledge".
Another drug pushed out that doesn't solve the problem itself. Quitting smoking doesn't cause diabetes..it's the food and bad diet that people replace the smoking with that does.
Better diet and exercise is known to prevent and even reverse diabetes, but it's easier to pop a pill than it is to make a real effort.
Another so-called expert.
So quick to judge aren't you Bridget?
So what should Sean (post #14) do?
The few weeks I was on simvistatin, I experienced lots of side effects. I cut it down to a half pill & the kidneys started being in so much pain. My upper arm muscles hurt so much I couldn't sleep with their pain. I called a Nurse & she had me stop immediately. Now 6 months later I still have severe pain in upper arms... No relief in site.
It's like a poison to my system. I will never take a statin drug again. I've also had bladder problems ever since, also.
Side effects can kill you!
This is a blatant attempt by Merck to combine two drugs and charge a premium for them to sustain their profit margins. Zocor is now available as a generic -- simvistatin -- and Jenuvia has been show to be no more effective than older, now generic, medicines such as metformin. A one month supply of simvistatin and metformin should only cost about $5.00. The combined drug will likely retain for much more than that to cover the costs of advertising, visits by drug reps. to doctors, and to meet the profit requirements of Wall Street. I guess Merck will excuse whatever high price they want to charge for their combined drug as a way to "enhance shareholder value", i.e. "jack up falling profits".
everybody is worried about the drugs and the drug copanys makeing so much money off your inability to control your habits[bad] take more time eating better and doing a little exercise[not alot] and we will cut thease problems by 1/2 to 2/3.just my observation from my experence.
The FDA like a Merck convention strikes again.