Short acting Ocreotide

@sophiarose
I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time with treatment. I have been taking the 28 day octreotide injections for 3.5 years and have side effects but don’t feel sick. If you are taking PRRT treatments (make people feel sick) and octreotide at the same time, how do you know which side effects are from octreotide?

Something to consider: Be sure to check insurance coverage for home injections. My octreotide injections are very expensive but since they are given by the oncology office they are covered under Medicare part B and my supplement plan so paid in full as medical services. If I did home injections, I would think it would now be under part D prescription drugs and would be an expensive copay. I’m also reading it may not even be covered under the drug plan. Don’t know which insurance you have, but you don’t want financial surprises.

I would also think if the medication level is at an effective dose, that level would be the same for daily or 28 day injections and cause the same side effects. I don’t know for sure so just food for thought. Maybe you’re just thinking you could stop and get it out of your system faster. Prayers for you.

Thank you for your quick response
I took 3 infusions of Lanreotide in 2022 had to stop because side effects were severe I was switched to Ocreotide 2022-2023 for 9 infusions
The side effects weren’t as bad but it didn’t stop the cancer from taking on a life of its own so it was stopped
I was told that the way the long acting works is to give you doses of the drug at certain intervals during the 28 days
I was hoping that the short acting will just be daily level doses instead of heavy interval doses
However insurance I didn’t think of that
I have Medicare and pay for separate drug and medical coverage
I will have to check into that
Thank you so much
I wish you the best

Makes sense on why you want to try the short acting octreotide. I hope insurance covers it and it works well for you. If covered under the Medicare Part D plan, the good news is in 2025 there will be an out of pocket (copays) limit of $2000 for prescription meds. You are likely taking other meds that will be included in that limit. If home injection octreotide is not covered then unfortunately there wouldn’t be a limit. Blessings.

I have received the short term Octreotide while in the hospital. It was given to me in the abdomen 3 times a day. I was really sick at the time and cannot speak as to specific side affects. It is a very small amount compared to the monthly 120mg Lanreotide I currently get.

Thank you for your reply
In the stomach so I guess like insulin injections
That’s ok
I can do that
Thank you that is what I needed to know now to see if my insurance will cover
I hope you are feeling better and have fully recovered
Again thank you
Be well

My husband does the Lanreotide 120 every 28 days. Medicare B covers 100%. He then did the Octreotide short lasting shots self injection was under parts cost $700. He took it for flushing. He stopped using it. He then did 4 cycles of PRRT.

We did find this out that there is extra help for Medicare patients with the drug companies or the hospital pharmacy that might help you. My husband was diagnosed in January 2022 with SBNET Grade2 stage4 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor. Had a successful surgery to remove primary tumor and 5 ft of his small intestines. Surgeon removed lymph nodes and 22 lesions on liver. He also had some on bones. The Octreotide 28 day infusion shot worked for 10 months. Then we got the scan that showed 6 lesions on liver. This is when they switched him to Lanreotide 120 mg 28 day injection. Then 6 months later scan done and showed too many lesions on liver to even count. I regret that we didn’t ask for a scan to be done in 3 months instead of 6 months. He then completed 4 cycles of PRRT and he had no problems even with having a serious heart condition. the scan shows his cancer is stable but because we waited to do PRRT he now has over 100 lesions on his liver and more on his bones. He now is getting MRI done every 3 months of his liver and a CT scan. Don’t be afraid to ask for a CT scan sooner . He is only 67 years old and we sure wish that there would only be 6 lesions on his liver instead of 100 lesions to watch and stay hopeful. The cancer doctors think he has this for a very long time. We were told that everybody is different with treatments. Good luck

Oh no
I feel so sorry for your husband
I have been told that sometimes it takes the PRRT treatment time to fully work
I hope that is your husband’s case
Thank you for the short acting shot information
I will check it out
Good luck to your husband and you
Best wishes

Thank you. My husband still continues to stay positive. You are correct the PRRT is suppose to work for a couple of years prayers for all cancer patients