Cost of Pergolide!!!

montysmum1 said:
My horse is having the bloods done tomorrow as we are suspecting Cushings, will I HAVE to use Prascend as it will be a new diagnosis or can i request Pergolide?
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My pony got diagnosed just last November and I managed to get my vet to prescribe pergolide:D They have to prescribe you prascend HOWEVER i got my old chap onto pergolide as we have managed to get his levels to normal again on 250mcg. Prascend doesn't come in a tablet of such a small dose so we took the chance at giving him the smallest possible and once he was on it, I was allowed to keep him on pergolide. Luckily this got his levels from 74 (norm 46) down to 22 (norm 29) but is being reassessed in a month or 2. My vet understood my financial position so depends if your vet is kind enough to 'work around' the prascend and pergolide option. You have nothing to lose by requesting the smallest dose available only in pergolide.
 
My mare was tested 2 months ago and her levels came back at 85. After a month on prascend her re test came back at 27 on one tablet a day. I had to have prascend and get a vet prescription and buy them from vio vet, very good speedy service.
 
I have been getting Pergolide from my local pharmacy and was getting 100 for £44. Recently though, it went up in one fell swoop to £55 and the next lot I get will have to be £68/100.
Can anyone get their Pergolide cheaper than that?
 
My vet checks the pony every 6months and ive always had a prescription for this period. I also receive a 6month presciption for my dog via another vet. I pay £8 for the presciption for the dog and £12 for the pony. I would enquire with your vet as to why you cannot have a script for a longer period. :confused:
 
Our 13hh pony has just been diagnosed with Cushings which explains the recurrent laminitis bouts lately (she's been a lifelong sufferer of laminitis). The vet has said I can pick up 60 pergolide tablets on Monday (£70 thank you very much!!!) but as money is a factor she will gladly (against practice rules) give me a prescription so that I can get it online. In her own words 'i'd rather that than a horse not get the medication it needs' x
 
Just thought I'd revive this old post and see if anyone has found cheap Pergolide seeing as the price has been rocketing since Prascend has come on the market.
My last lot was from The Health Counter (on line) and was .53p per 1mg tablet. That's now gone up to £1.20!!!
Strangely though they still sell 50 mcgs and 25 mcg (or half and quarter pills) for much less per 1mg.
Anyone still getting their 1mg tablets cheap??
 
Platta said:
Our 13hh pony has just been diagnosed with Cushings which explains the recurrent laminitis bouts lately (she's been a lifelong sufferer of laminitis). The vet has said I can pick up 60 pergolide tablets on Monday (£70 thank you very much!!!) but as money is a factor she will gladly (against practice rules) give me a prescription so that I can get it online. In her own words 'i'd rather that than a horse not get the medication it needs' x
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Sympathise with you entirely BUT if your pony is a newly diagnosed PPID case and 'Pergolide' (generic) was prescribed rather than 'Prascend' (licensed product), not only has your vet gone ' against practice rules' but she has prescribed illegally.

If 'Prascend' was prescribed then your vet has acted legally and it is entirely appropriate for you to request a prescription to purchase online.

Unfortunately cost of medication is not a valid reason for working against the 'cascade system'.

Sounds like I'm harping on here but it concerns me that an increasing number of posts on these forums imply illegal prescribing /use of drugs & would be better kept away from the public domain?
 
Pasha said:
100 x 1mg Pergolide from Waitrose Pharmacy = £42.81
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Really?!?! I get for my pony on prescription and called round all chemists within about a 30 mile radius to get prices and the cheapest was my local village one but he's £85 for 100 x 1mg and that was by far the cheapest! I thought I was getting a great deal! We dont have Waitrose up here though :(
 
Keflavik said:
Sympathise with you entirely BUT if your pony is a newly diagnosed PPID case and 'Pergolide' (generic) was prescribed rather than 'Prascend' (licensed product), not only has your vet gone ' against practice rules' but she has prescribed illegally.

If 'Prascend' was prescribed then your vet has acted legally and it is entirely appropriate for you to request a prescription to purchase online.

Unfortunately cost of medication is not a valid reason for working against the 'cascade system'.

Sounds like I'm harping on here but it concerns me that an increasing number of posts on these forums imply illegal prescribing /use of drugs & would be better kept away from the public domain?
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Keflavik, no need to worry, this is an old thread I ressurected -I probably should have started a new one.
Perhaps the pony is getting Prascend but it is still pergolide so maybe a slip of the tongue?
On the continued prescribing of Pergolide, my vets have checked this out with the BVA, and if the horse was already on Pergolide when Prascend was launched, and it is stable on it, they are allowed to continue prescribing it. Unfortunately any newly diagnosed cases have to have Prascend.
Can I ask what the cascade system is please?










Second thoughts, I will start a new thread.....
 
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The vet did say Prascend but also said it's known as Pergolide. As I haven't collected the tablets yet (doing so tomorrow) I will not know what I am getting but be assured, I do NOT use dodgy vets and mine will NOT have done anything illegal. She will give me a prescription once we know our pony is on the correct dose.

I popped into my local Asda who have a pharmacy but until I show them the prescription they can't give me a price.......was quite funny as they didn't seem to know the drug I was talking about even when I used both Prascend and Pergolide names.

Either way, I will still need to find a cheaper supply of I am going to assume 1mg considering our mares history of laminitis.
 
Platta said:
The vet did say Prascend but also said it's known as Pergolide. As I haven't collected the tablets yet (doing so tomorrow) I will not know what I am getting but be assured, I do NOT use dodgy vets and mine will NOT have done anything illegal. She will give me a prescription once we know our pony is on the correct dose.

I popped into my local Asda who have a pharmacy but until I show them the prescription they can't give me a price.......was quite funny as they didn't seem to know the drug I was talking about even when I used both Prascend and Pergolide names.

Either way, I will still need to find a cheaper supply of I am going to assume 1mg considering our mares history of laminitis.
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As I said above, if your vet has prescribed Prascend (licensed equine preparation) rather than generic pergolide then she has acted entirely appropriately - at no point did I suggest that she is 'dodgy'.
Whether it is or isn't against her 'practice rules' I wouldn't like to comment on, however it is your legal right to request prescribed medicine via a prescription.

Good luck with your pony.
 
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