Prescription Meds in Mexico

[jdarbonne]

I am concerned about getting the same meds in Mexico that I use in the U.S. I don't take any controlled substances, but I do take meds that are vital (i.e., I take a med for insomnia and without it I don't sleep - not good!)

Can anyone tell me how I can find out if these meds are available in Mexico and what I will need to do to get them? I have my prescriptions filled at Wal-Mart here in the states and I know there are Wal-Marts in the Guadalajara/Lake Chapala area but that doesn't mean they will have the same drugs available as the Wal-Marts here - right?

Thank you so much for your help. I've been all over the internet trying to get some information on this.

[El Toro Furioso]

Send me the generic name of the medication and I'll ask at a local pharmacy, or even at WalMart.

[jdarbonne]

Originally Posted by El Toro Furioso

Send me the generic name of the medication and I'll ask at a local pharmacy, or even at WalMart.

I take the following - I'm really very health, just have insomnia and arthritis, even though there are several meds!

1. hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

2. mirtazapine (Remeron)

3. citalopram (Celexa)

Thank you so much. You are going above and beyond!!!

[El Toro Furioso]

Originally Posted by jdarbonne

I take the following - I'm really very health, just have insomnia and arthritis, even though there are several meds!

1. hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

2. mirtazapine (Remeron)

3. citalopram (Celexa)

Thank you so much. You are going above and beyond!!!

I only went to one pharmacy to check. Farmacia Express II in San Antonio Tlayacapan east of Ajijic on Lake Chapala. The paterfamilia (viejito) was busy with a supplier, so he was a little brusque with me today (and he knew I wasn't buying anything). They have all three meds. He asked me questions about dosage, especially for the benzodiazepine citalopram. Of course I didn't know but asked him for the price of a representative dose for a month. The prices were:
1. 300 pesos for 20, so about 450 a month it would seem
2. 430 pesos for 30
3. 640 pesos for 30

So you are looking at somewhere around $130 USD per month from this one farmacia. Prices vary widely from place to place and from generic brand to generic brand where generics are available. But this one place has all three, no problema.

[playagrandma]

Hi, I am not sure I can help since I live in Playa del Carmen, near Cancun. Prices are probably somewhat higher in that this area is strictly for tourist.

My husband and I both take medications for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholestrol. We have not found anything that comes close to the walmart prices in the states. And as to the walmart in Playa, yes they do have a generic program but the meds are very limited and the dosage and the number of pills make it really impossible for us or in the long run still much higher than the states.

example-40 mg of provastatin(30)pills at walmart in the states $4

I can only get 20 mg of provastain with only 15 pills -so I have to double both from the walmart in Playa

we both take provastatin-so our price goes from $8 a month to $32 a month

we have actually brought a years worth down at a time. We are fortunate

because our daughter pays for a ticket for me to go back to the states every 3 months.

also some of the generic drugs sold in mexico are from India. Not saying they arent the same, just wanted to point that out.

Hope this helps

[RVGRINGO]

Simvastatina is the generic statin that you may request and it is the active statin in the brand name cholesterol medications that most use. It is available in 80mg tablets, blister packed by the manufacturer, and is more economical that way. A pill cutter can be used to cut them in half for 40mg or quarters for 20mg doses. I've never had a problem with generic medications in eight years here, and I do take several. Another, that is almost free, is furosamida, available at Walmart for about 8 pesos per twenty 40mg tablets; it is identical to Lasix at many times the price.

[playagrandma]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

Simvastatina is the generic statin that you may request and it is the active statin in the brand name cholesterol medications that most use. It is available in 80mg tablets, blister packed by the manufacturer, and is more economical that way. A pill cutter can be used to cut them in half for 40mg or quarters for 20mg doses. I've never had a problem with generic medications in eight years here, and I do take several. Another, that is almost free, is furosamida, available at Walmart for about 8 pesos per twenty 40mg tablets; it is identical to Lasix at many times the price.

I can check into the simvastatina but I have discovered at least in Playa meds just are not that cheap. However if I do run out of the pravastatin, then I will look into the simvastatina. Thanks for the info. Yes I did know abut the Lasix-thankfully I do not have to take that anymore-water pills scare me.

[cathart]

Just wondering--if you have insurance for these drugs in the States, why don't you just have them shipped to you in Mexico. My husband and I do this. We have a mail service here, and we get all our drugs shipped to us from an internet provider. They come to us just fine. My husband is on Medicare, and I have Blue Cross. It is much cheaper than getting the drugs here in Mexico.

[RVGRINGO]

Cathart,
Please note that it may not be that easy for everyone, and that enforcement of the laws differs from one area to another. Here, only Mail Boxes Etc. has the necessary government permits to receive medications. Using regular mail, US to Mexico, can result in confiscation of the medications by Mexican customs.

Welcome to the forum an I hope you enjoy it.

[HolyMole]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

Cathart,
Please note that it may not be that easy for everyone, and that enforcement of the laws differs from one area to another. Here, only Mail Boxes Etc. has the necessary government permits to receive medications. Using regular mail, US to Mexico, can result in confiscation of the medications by Mexican customs.

On a somewhat related topic, if (when?) my wife and move full-time to Mexico, my healthcare plan as a Canadian government retiree pays 80% of the cost of prescription drugs. I'm corresponding with the insurer now to confirm what documentation they will require, considering that all the drugs we currently take are available in Mexico without prescription, and the receipt you get from a farmacia is the same as the one you get for purchasing a candy bar.
I'm betting they will insist we provide a doctor's prescription each and every time, at a totally needless expense to us and to the medical plan. Another example, perhaps, of why the costs of medical care are so high everywhere.

I'm curious about purchasing prescription drugs over the Internet. Can it be done without a prescription? Maybe that's our "workaround" ?