Pergolide - HELP!

[MagicMelon]

I did a deal with my local chemist to give me pergolide x 100 at a cheap rate of £60 (cheaper than anywhere else I tried, including online)- however going in today, they have told me prices have gone up so they wanted to charge me £90?!?! Is this correct? What is everyone else paying??? I'm horrified to the point that Im thinking of turning to Agnus Castus instead which Ive heard is similar to pergolide (but herbal obviously) - does anyone know if this is as effective and if so, how many human-pills a 13.2hh would need daily (he's on 1 1mg pergolide pill a day).

 

[Kellys Heroes]

I know some people have said that it isn't as effective and stopped working after so long - these are people who tried it as a first resort!
Our vets prescribed us a months worth of Pergolide (ours is on 1mg a day too) - charged us 180 for the meds and 11 quid for the prescription!!!!
Sorry I'm not more help
K x

 

[brighteyes]

Didn't think you could still get Pergolide?

 

[alsiola]

12 animals showed a reduction in eACTH during the period of the trial though only 2 animals had final concentrations of less than 30 pg/ml. 9 animals showed an increase in eACTH and the concentration in 4 animals did not alter during the trial.

9 animals showed a reduction in plasma insulin concentration during the period of the trial, 7 of which had concentrations of less than 50 UIU / ml in their final samples. 13 animals showed an increase in plasma insulin while the concentration in 3 animals did not alter over the 12 months.

In short...
In terms of ACTH, 12 animals improved, 13 stayed the same or got worse.
In terms of Insulin, 9 animals improved, 16 stayed the same or got worse.

27 horse (out of 120) were euthanased during their first year of treatment (22.5%).

Not the results I would expect with a superbly effective treatment.

 

[maresRus]

hi
I used it 2 yrs ago and it worked out about £1 a tablet from the vets.

There are other herbal possibilities. Look at trinity consultants
http://www.trinity-consultants.com/ or you can all and speak to Roger there who is very helpful. I'm sure they do natural product.

 

[MagicMelon]

Thanks for the info so far.

Alsiola - sorry, could you explain? I dont even know what ACTH is?!

Brighteyes - I certainly didnt have any issues today getting pergolide.

 

[ameeyal]

Mine has just started prescend from the vets i paid £72.00 or 60 tablets

 

[Kellys Heroes]

MagicMelon - ACTH is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland and its levels are elevated when a tumour is present on the pituitary gland. If their ACTH levels are up in the blood tests, its a sign of Cushings - the hormone produces changes like the coat, fat deposits, increased stress hormone which could bring on lami etc etc.
brighteyes - yes most places are Prascend now but I think the odd few still give out Pergolide - we are on our second batch and this is the first lot of Prascend we have been given - same drug, different name, more expense!
K x

 

[Jodies9154]

Your vet will have prescibed your horse to be on Pergolide for the reason as stated by somebody else that he has Cushings disease due to increased production of ACTH...look up Cushings online. I wouldn't use a herbal supplement that may not work in the slightest...as your horses levels of ACTH will be too high still. There is also risk of your horse developing laminitis due to the cushings. Has your vet diagnosed your horse as having Cushings? If not...why are you giving your horse pergolide?

 

[Britestar]

Yes, the price of Pergolide (human) has leapt up unfortunately.

Works out pretty much the same as getting Prascend from your Vet now.

 

[MagicMelon]

Your vet will have prescibed your horse to be on Pergolide for the reason as stated by somebody else that he has Cushings disease due to increased production of ACTH...look up Cushings online. I wouldn't use a herbal supplement that may not work in the slightest...as your horses levels of ACTH will be too high still. There is also risk of your horse developing laminitis due to the cushings. Has your vet diagnosed your horse as having Cushings? If not...why are you giving your horse pergolide?

Yes, vet diagnosed cushings. I had read somewhere in the past that agnus catus was very good for cushings so I was trying to work out if it was AS good as pergolide, then obviously I'd prefer to use that since its a lot cheaper. But from the sounds of things, pergolide is the way to go. Shame its so darn pricey. My chemist has phoned me this morning to say their supplier has increased their price on pergolide hence the £30 extra they were trying to charge me - have managed to knock him down by £20 to £70 for 100 tablets, so I guess thats better than nothing.

 

[Puppy]

Despite my vet warning me that I would have to switch to the new drug, through my local chemist I have now managed to get two more batches (100 tablets each time) of pergolide at about £43 per box. Have you looked at online pharmacies? My vet mentioned they could be the best place price wise. Certainly getting them direct from the vets is the most pricey.