Post Ablation & Watchman Arrhythmia

I had my touch up ablation(3rd ablation - first two Dr. Natale, this one Dr. Ellis at Vanderbilt) and Watchman on 12/14.
The first week while taking it easy all was well. However, when I started resuming more normal activity the afib or PACs have increased. I know it is only a little over 2 weeks since the procedure and discharge instructions say that afib / arrhythmia often happens, I still feel somewhat discouraged at this point. Prior to the touch up ablation, afib pop ups were controlled by Multaq- with no regular PACs / extra beats. I use the Kardia app, and it is often now showing Afib BUT the heart rate as per Kardia may only be in the 60s- 70s- but I definitely have irregular / extra beats / PACs.
I have a follow up in a couple weeks and should know more from an official ECG, and I have a Medtronic loop recorder that should be recording any afib. I'm hoping the PACs will diminish as healing from the ablation continues- but a little discouraged by it.
I was hoping the touch up ablation and Watchman would rid me of both Multaq and Xarelto as long term options. To compound the situation, I will have new insurance in January ( a United Health Medicare plan through teacher retirement) that is dropping Multaq from the formulary starting in January. Even if exemption is granted to use Multaq, I would be responsible for 50% of the cost.
Thoughts and feedback appreciated!
Ken

Re: getting stuck with having to pay 50% of the retail cost of Multaq:

Travis Van Slooten at Living with A-fib posted that he was enthusiastic about the Canadian online pharmacy YouDrugStore.com, but his post is dated 2017, and he doesn't seem to be currently active. In the comments on his post there are suggestions about other online pharmacies that might be OK as well. At that time he posted a link to that post here at afibbers.org entitled "How to Buy Eliquis and Xarelto Really Cheap". There are a number of comments from afibber.org types on that post.

When I was taking Xarelto 3 years ago I would drive up to Canada and buy it there. I verified with the US border officials that there would be no problem bringing prescription drugs back into the US prior to doing this. I declared what I had when I crossed back into the US and there were no problems.

At that time, 90 tablets cost about $200 CDN at a Canadian Costco. However, I had to have a Canadian doctor prescribe the drug. I would go to a walk in clinic in Canada, show them my medical records that indicated why I was prescribed Xarelto, including the prescription written by my American doctor and the Canadian doctor would write a prescription valid in Canada. Seeing a doctor at a Canadian walk in clinic cost around $75 CDN. Costco would fill a Canadian doctors prescription without question. The total cost was $275 CDN, which at the time was around $210 USD for the 90 tablets.

This whole process seemed a bit cumbersome, but I found the savings worthwhile. Also, I did it because I wanted to learn how to do it in case I or someone I cared about was prescribed drugs in the future that were even more expensive, or in case I had to buy combinations of expensive drugs that would add up. I was starting to think about how to get a Canadian doctor to prescribe 90 day prescriptions that were refillable for longer periods of time so I didn't have to go to the Canadian walk in clinics, but then my US doctor agreed that I could stop taking the Xarelto so I temporarily lost interest.

Now that I am taking Xarelto again, given that going to Canada requires a Covid test, I've been thinking about online pharmacies. I still haven't used one yet. I've written Travis just now asking if he still recommends any Canadian online pharmacies.

Compare whatever Multaq will end up costing you compared to this YouDrugStore.com price of $188 USD for 60 tablets. YouDrugStore.com claims their Multaq is manufactured by sanofi-aventis LLC in Canada.

GoodRx says the discounted retail cost of Xarelto for the uninsured, now, in the US is $1,372 for 90 tablets. Since I'm a certified geezer with Part D, I have some assistance. Depending on what its going to cost me when I go into the "donut hole" I'll no doubt be buying it from Canada somehow.

Susan D. a regular poster on this site has written that you can get Xarelto a lot cheaper at the Israel Pharm.com , I did and also got 50.00 off on my order. i paid $157.00 for 84 tabs. i will keep going through that pharmacy for my Xarelto, drugs are way too expensive in this country, they are going nuts.

For some odd reason they charge the same for both dose strengths…so if you are on a half strength of Eliquis get the 5mg and split it and you can get two months worth.

Both 2.5 and 5mg costs $105 for the month. If you use the following code, the $50 discount knocks it down to $55 a month using 5mg twice a day or if you only take a half dose you get two months worth.

Code: ref6604998

[www.israelpharm.com]

Xarelto
Brand Xarelto 20mg 28 Tablets
$69.00

Brand Xarelto 15mg 28 Tablets
$69.00

Brand Xarelto 10mg 10 Tablets
$23.00
Add to cart
Brand Xarelto 2.5mg 56 Tablets

15mg and 20mg are the same price. Maybe you can split them.


Eliquis
Brand Eliquis 5mg 56 Tablets
$105.00

Brand Eliquis 2.5mg 56 Tablets
$105.00
Same price for 2.5mg and 5mg. For those who take 2.5 it’s worth splitting the pill and order the 5mg.


And then subtract $50 using the code above.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2021 05:22PM by susan.d.