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Economizing on Blood Thinners

Posted by realitytest @realitytest, Nov 24, 2021

It was not good news when I was diagnosed with AFIB, but when I learned the prices it was twice as bad.
Since then, I've discovered that there are reputable pharmacies in Canada selling Xarelto (I'm sure others too) for far less, and now generics for pennies on the (American) dollar.
There are ~ 70 CIPA (Canadian pharmacy accrediting bureau) pharmacies listed, and though they mostly price match. you have to do quite a lot of research to find the best prices.
Here for now is one of THE best prices I've found for Xarelto 20 mg. ($139.90 for 84) and for the generic, (Rivaroxaban) $44.90 for 90, same strength. The first is made in Turkey (no idea why the odd #), and you can find the origin of the second by calling.
https://www.medicationscanada.com/drugsstore/xarelto/
+1-866-481-5817 | Fax : +1-866-330-2410

Enjoy. saving! (Mailing is usually ~ $10-15). After your first one or two orders the bureaucracy is much less.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

Profile picture for suerte
suerte | @suerte | Jan 31 8:32am
In reply to @foundryrat743 "@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply)..." + (show)
Profile picture for foundryrat743 @foundryrat743

@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply) for $143.00? I had to pay $650.00 for a 90 day supply, which blew my budget. You think that $143.00 is expensive? I tried getting help from the manufacturer’s foundation, and the Cardiologist’s, and got nowhere! I had to pay full price, even with my Medicare Plan D prescription insurer. i’m almost 80, and never am offered senior discounts, on anything!

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@foundryrat743 If you want to be really unhappy with the cost of Eliquis, I have been on the drug since December 2024. 1st month was $530.00. Same with the 2nd month. Then it dropped to $235.00. Now on December 16, 2025, I picked up a 3-month supply and it was $30.00. Go figure. I know that the cost of Eliquis was going to go down because it was one of the drugs that were in the Biden administration package, but I thought it would only be about 1/2 of the previous cost. My Medicare drug plan is through Humana, but it is nothing special.

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Profile picture for cherylzz1964
cherylzz1964 | @cherylzz1964 | Jan 31 8:35am
In reply to @margaretfriel "@predictable When I was diagnosed with A-Fib by the Physician Assistant for my GP, the 1st..." + (show)
Profile picture for margaretfriel @margaretfriel

@predictable
When I was diagnosed with A-Fib by the Physician Assistant for my GP, the 1st drug prescribed was Warfarin ... within a week or 2 after starting it I felt (& was acting) like "A Space Cadet"! My next appt. was with my GP (Internist), I told him I'd like to either Go Off or have this Med. changed. His answer was, "Just Keep taking it, sooner or later the side effects will go away." I asked him why I wasn't seeing a Cardiologist, his answer, "If you want to see one, I'll refer you, but we can take care of this, you really don't need to see a Cardiologist!" Reluctantly he referred me to one, but she couldn't change a drug another Dr. had prescribed ... I asked her, "WHAT Do I Have to do to get off this Poison?" She advised, 'leave the practice you're using, I'll refer you to a new GP, then I can change your prescription.
Turns out I'm Much Happier with the new GP, & the Cardiologist can now prescribe appropriate Meds for A-Fib. I'm one of the 'Lucky Ones', from the beginning I'm totally unaware that I have A-Fib. I've Never had any noticeable symptoms ... Lots of problems with the Drugs prescribed, though!
Recently my Cardiologist referred me to an Electro-cardiologist, who performed a TEE & Electric Cardio Version ... (shocked my heart back into a more normal heartbeat). In addition he prescribed a daily medication. I still wonder just how serious my A-Fib was ... From Day 1 (4-1/2 years ago when 1st diagnosed) I never feel anything more than some fatigue from time to time. Reading side-effects of some of the drugs I've been given Fatigue can be one of the "side effects"! So ... I Have to wonder just how "life threatening" is my A-Fib really is!

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@margaretfriel

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cherylzz1964 | @cherylzz1964 | Jan 31 8:38am
In reply to @cherylzz1964 "@margaretfriel" + (show)

@cherylzz1964 Lucky you found yourself a cardiologist! I was misdiagnosed by my primary care physician about 5 years ago! The thought I had COPD! (I had been a previous smoker ) I had me on and inhaler and a nebulizer! And to be just 6 weeks of doing that I became very ill and ended up in the emergency room in AFib 😱 I also had to have my heart shocked back into rhythm. And by that time I had heart failure! Have been on Xarelto in a couple other meds for a few years now. Just had a cardio ablation 4 months ago which so far has worked well!! Good luck to you.

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Profile picture for moski
moski | @moski | Jan 31 9:13am
In reply to @foundryrat743 "@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply)..." + (show)
Profile picture for foundryrat743 @foundryrat743

@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply) for $143.00? I had to pay $650.00 for a 90 day supply, which blew my budget. You think that $143.00 is expensive? I tried getting help from the manufacturer’s foundation, and the Cardiologist’s, and got nowhere! I had to pay full price, even with my Medicare Plan D prescription insurer. i’m almost 80, and never am offered senior discounts, on anything!

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@foundryrat743 try warfarin. $15 for 90 days. Every 30-90 days I do a finger prick blood test to make sure the tiny amount I take is still the correct dose I need. Eliquis gave me so many adverse reactions

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Profile picture for Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor
Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor | @predictable | Jan 31 10:48am
In reply to @foundryrat743 "@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply)..." + (show)
Profile picture for foundryrat743 @foundryrat743

@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply) for $143.00? I had to pay $650.00 for a 90 day supply, which blew my budget. You think that $143.00 is expensive? I tried getting help from the manufacturer’s foundation, and the Cardiologist’s, and got nowhere! I had to pay full price, even with my Medicare Plan D prescription insurer. i’m almost 80, and never am offered senior discounts, on anything!

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@foundryrat743, my medical service, Kaiser Permanente, put my request in with a mail order firm I had never heard of, and the supply and the charge both arrived day before yesterday. I'll try to get detailed information on the supplier and post it here. Another factor may be the standard daily dose. Mine is 5mg tablets served in 1/2 pieces morning and evening. That's as small as Eliquis gets at the pharmacy. Martin

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newtoni48 (Jim) | @newtoni48 | Jan 31 11:27am

I get my Apixiban from https://www.pharmacychecker.com/apixaban/5+mg/!
I've used Canadian Prescreption Drugstore. Now $47 for 90 days, free shipping first order.
After that it's now about $65 with shipping and tariffs, I believe.
The product is made in India and ships from (last time) Turkey. Health Canada approved supplier.
Delivery time isn't too bad, but you'd better plan ahead and allow a month.
Also, Pharmacy Checker audits all their referred suppliers regularly.

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henry81 | @henry81 | Jan 31 12:09pm
In reply to @predictable "@margaretfriel, I recognize the feelings of doubt you have dealt with effectively. I have had them..." + (show)
Profile picture for Martin Jensen, Volunteer Mentor @predictable

@margaretfriel, I recognize the feelings of doubt you have dealt with effectively. I have had them too, primarily because my A-Fib has been asymptomatic from almost its diagnosis. I was on Warfarin for years but my surgeons switched me to Eliquis as I approached my colectomy surgery a little over two years ago. It's easier to start and stop around major surgery. One difference is the high cost of Eliquis (now $143 for a 90-day supply). The other difference is less need for regular lab tests to make sure its anticlotting level remains in effect. My cardiologist is content with my status and endurance, partly because a specialist in these "blood thinners" is on my medical team, so I can ask my cardiologist for less time and attention. He's pleased to see that a 50-year hypertensive patient (me) has found a way to normal blood pressure every day since the first week of 2026. I call it a miracle, but I know it results from great medical advice and attention from my medical team. Martin

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@predictable Many Medicare Part D provider plans cover Eliquis at roughly $145 for 90 days AFTER you have cleared the deductible. Until you have cleared the deductible, you pay full cost, of roughly $45 a month which could be higher than $650/3 = $217. per month. If you have a high deductible plan, then you may need to pay part of all of the higher abount, but deductibles seem to be about $500 or less except for much more expensive plans that cover the deductible with the monthly fee. You may also have a copay which could raise your post deductible cost by 20% or less.

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tekkie50 | @tekkie50 | Jan 31 12:14pm
In reply to @foundryrat743 "@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply)..." + (show)
Profile picture for foundryrat743 @foundryrat743

@predictable Martin, I am jealous! Where in the world did you get Eliquis (90 Day supply) for $143.00? I had to pay $650.00 for a 90 day supply, which blew my budget. You think that $143.00 is expensive? I tried getting help from the manufacturer’s foundation, and the Cardiologist’s, and got nowhere! I had to pay full price, even with my Medicare Plan D prescription insurer. i’m almost 80, and never am offered senior discounts, on anything!

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@foundryrat743

I get mine from Canadian Pharmacy Store, online pharmacy, for about $74 for 3 months.

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1 reply
Profile picture for foundryrat743
foundryrat743 | @foundryrat743 | Jan 31 12:45pm
In reply to @suerte "@foundryrat743 If you want to be really unhappy with the cost of Eliquis, I have been..." + (show)
Profile picture for suerte @suerte

@foundryrat743 If you want to be really unhappy with the cost of Eliquis, I have been on the drug since December 2024. 1st month was $530.00. Same with the 2nd month. Then it dropped to $235.00. Now on December 16, 2025, I picked up a 3-month supply and it was $30.00. Go figure. I know that the cost of Eliquis was going to go down because it was one of the drugs that were in the Biden administration package, but I thought it would only be about 1/2 of the previous cost. My Medicare drug plan is through Humana, but it is nothing special.

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@suerte Thanks for your reply! Perhaps, in the future, the price will be lower for me.

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Profile picture for foundryrat743
foundryrat743 | @foundryrat743 | Jan 31 12:48pm
In reply to @moski "@foundryrat743 try warfarin. $15 for 90 days. Every 30-90 days I do a finger prick blood..." + (show)
Profile picture for moski @moski

@foundryrat743 try warfarin. $15 for 90 days. Every 30-90 days I do a finger prick blood test to make sure the tiny amount I take is still the correct dose I need. Eliquis gave me so many adverse reactions

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@moski My cardiologist has insisted that I must take only Eliquis! Warfarin is out for me! Thanks for your reply!

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