"Any person paying cash will gladly fork out $11 over the option
of Glucotrol XL for $70 or $134. But long term use leads to
insulin resistance, so why take it?"
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2003
To: "Shelley Crabb" <crabbybeans@msn.com>
Dear Shelly Crabb,
Regarding your arrogant comment: "You
are completely inaccurate regarding Glucotrol XL having a
generic. It doesn't have a generic in the extended release form,
only in the plain Glucotrol - which means you have to take more
tablets of the generic per day to equal one single tablet of the
XL. Why don't you educate yourself before making comments on
things you haven't researched. Ms. Crabb"
XL doesn't mean much. It is just time release—while
you think this is an advantage because one does not have to
"...take more tablets of the generic
per day" (I thought you said there was no generic?)—what about the cost?
Glucotrol 10MG
$133.99/180
Glipizide 10MG
$22.00/180
[prices from
drugstore.com June 10, 2003]
While your insurance company may be gold plated so that you
don't care about the high cost, I do. More importantly Ms. Crabb,
what about the danger of long term use?
"Glucotrol XL
...negative effect is the possibility of becoming more insulin
resistant with long-term use of the drug. Now we have three
other classifications of drugs used to help control blood
glucose that do not contribute to insulin resistance. You might
want to discuss changing to one of these newer drugs with your
physician." Source:
http://www.lifescan.com/care/expert/expansoct97.html Glucotrol is very
expensive and Glipizide is cheap. You may enjoy gouging
the insurance companies out of ignorance or arrogance but I pay
cash for my medical care. People in this category discover
something you probably missed—that one obtains a pill cutter
and splits tablets to save a huge amount of money. There is only
a small cost difference between 10mg and 5mg; Glipizide
5MG $18.99/180.
Splitting 10mg Glipizide makes the cost $11/180 while buying 5mg Glucotrol costs $70/180. $11 or $70? THAT IS THE POINT.
Any person paying cash will gladly fork out $11 over the option
of Glucotrol XL for $70 or $134.
And again, Costco webpharmacy never told me this. I discovered
it myself.
And Costco webpharmacy never warned me about long term use of
Glucotrol XL leading to insulin resistance. My doctor warned me.
Now I take Actos for that reason. I only take 1/2 a 5mg
Glipizide twice a day.
Thank you so much, Ms. Crabb, for your wonderful contribution to
the website.
