Wanting to know anyone’s experience with drug: Imipenem

Posted by judyhodgern @judyhodgern, Nov 29, 2019

Hi everyone!
I have Mac and abscessus and twice the doctor has ordered Imepentin & give it twice a day. The infusion center said that it is not on their formulary But can give it twice a day which is extraordinary (2x/day) my experience. Humana through my part D —IV’s at home Is way expensive(Thousands) and I can’t afford it. My Dr at NJH Who has been a doctor there for a long time is shocked that I can’t get this paid for. It seems that Medicare should be the same for everybody everywhere especially in the Infusion center under Part D
But if anybody is getting it or has gotten it in the past, I would be very interested in knowing where that was. Thank you so much I just want to get well. This med Is evidently very very good for abscessus Judy

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Hi Judy -- I wish you the best of luck with all of this. I think the drug name is actually IMIPENEM. It's a betalactam like penicillin -- here's some general information about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imipenem.
Sorry I don't have any knowledge about taking this drug (I wouldn't be able to take it -- I'm allergic to betalactams like penicillin). An informative website is Drugbank: https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB01598 -- but it's very technical.
Apparently it was first approved by the FDA in November 1985 and marketed by Merck & Co. I hope you can get it at a lower cost somewhere.
Good luck and hugs, Annie

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Yes, one of the mysteries of Medicare is how widely the formularies can vary. SOMETIMES the doc can appeal to the insurance company, and they may either approve the drug outright or they may approve a "step therapy" where the doc must order and try one or more covered drugs before an off-formulary med is approved. As for administration, I think a number of Medicare plans refuse to cover in-home administration and require you to go to an infusion center.

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