@A MyCOPDTeam Member Spiriva has 2 forms , a handihaler and respimat. Handihaler is round, open it up, put a capsule in it and press a button that pierces a small hole in each end of the capsule. Then you inhale the powder. Respimat is an inhaler type unit you put together once and turn a dial for each dose. On the top, there is a button that dispenses powder. I prefer handihaler. Respimat burns my throat by the way it is sprayed when activated. This is the only unit my assistance program has through the manufacturer. I tried using a spacer, but I think it decreased the amount of med I got...it was as if I hadn't taken it. I stopped the spacer. I doubt that the cost between the 2 per big pharma is the same The newer version is not the better of you ask me.

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A MyCOPDT...

@A MyCOPDTeam Member and @A MyCOPDTeam Member yes they may be ordered to offer it, that doesn't mean they are going to even if you ask them.. I've tried....cash, praying, begging and for some reason the cost is so prohibitive, you leave and say well to heck with it. Go home and find something else that you can manage to live with. I have many friends who fly out of the country to get daliresp (oral) which is so blasted expensive they won't cover it...Not only that the symbicort...forget it...Spiriva forget it. I could go on and on. The fact is deep pockets of Pharmaceutical companies could care less about the disease that kills more than any other disease in the world...so here we are ....Strong in numbers but looked over like the plague. I know you do a lot of work and advocate for us, but Jean it simply is not working....!!! Honestly, I appreciate all you do but cost efficiency is not there for the majority of us. Blessings to you and yours...You are a trooper....and Blessings to the rest who cannot afford their medications, may some provider somewhere find us and shower Mercy upon us. Breath Easy Breath Deep and Breath in Life.

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A MyCOPDT...

A MyCOPDT...

All Day Chemist is a good alternative for meds that have been around for awhile. The dry powder version of Spiriva is called Tiova and I know many people who use it. ADC does not carry any of the new meds like any that use the Respimat delivery system or any of the new LABA/LAMA combinations, but they do have things like Tiova, and I get my Advair from them, they have Symbicort I believe, and some of the HFA powered rescue meds. They are quite inexpensive. I get Advair and one of my eye drops there and save a bundle.

(Phone number can only be seen by the question and answer creators) Prescription lifeline is the new name. They work with you if you qualify under standards set by makers of symbicort and spiriva. Worth a try. It's the only way I can get meds.

atnea medicare, send a letter said they werent going to cover spirva anymore as of last year, to please change, so I did, but the strange part is I still have refills on spirva and there still paiding for it, so I don't understand