Where to buy cheaper Xyrem or GHB for treating narcolepsy...

charles757 · Joined: 11 Jan 2003 Posts: 16

It's reported that Xyrem/GHB can enhance restorative sleep stage 3 & 4 that are not enough in narcoleptic patient. In addition, narcolepsy with or without cataplexy are characterized by the symptom that patient may often directly fall into REM sleep in sleep attacks everyday. I have this disease.
There are no insurance plan covering the payment for Xyrem treatment in our Asian country and it is said that Xyrem is expensive. Could you please tell me what current price it is available for Xyrem? Where to buy cheaper Xyrem or GHB for treating narcolepsy?

It's said that the trade name of GHB in Italy and Australia is Alcover. Is it still available now?

Thank you for your reply in advance.
e-mail: charles757c@yahoo.com

yawningdog · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 1598 Location: planet utah

Sorry to tell you this but, all the xyrem available world wide is controlled by Jazz Pharmeceuticals. They had other companies manufacturing and distributing it in other countries but Jazz sets the price and gets a royalty on each sale.

Current price, just upped in October 2009, is $2400 for one month's supply for a full dose of 4.5g per dose with 2 doses a night.

According to my chief of police a similar amount of GHB would cost you about $100.

Xyrem is not GHB. I have no idea what GHB would do to you. I have read descriptions of its effects and they just don't match up with my experiences with Xyrem. I would not recommend trying ghb as a replacement for xyrem.

I hope that if the FDA allows Xyrem to be prescribed for fibromyalgia that the price will have to come down. Maybe this year, but that might just be wishful thinking.

sleepysusan · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Posts: 121 Location: St. Paul, MN

Xyrem = sodium oxybate = GHB

I suppose there are issues with purity with the street drug version, but it's the same drug. It's supposed to be cheap and easy to make, and it just doesn't seem like Jazz should be able to charge a small fortune for it. That's just wrong.

charles757 · Joined: 11 Jan 2003 Posts: 16

Hi, Sleepysusan,

I agree with your opinion.

It's better for Jazz Pharmaceuticals to reduce the price of Xyrem for narcoleptic patients in developing countries because it would be helpful to develop new market and increase the sales amount in the hospitals in developing countries due to their large number of narcoleptic patients (based on huge population) and thus the profit would even be better.

yawningdog · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 1598 Location: planet utah

Xyrem is NOT ghb. Jazz actually has a patent based on the fact that not only is it not ghb, it cannot be readily converted to ghb. Basically, the DEA is treating it like it is GHB, while the patent office is confirming that it isn't.

charles757 · Joined: 11 Jan 2003 Posts: 16

Anyway, the pharmacological effect of Xyrem is same as GHB, both interacting with GABA-b and GHB receptors. Xyrem is just a sodium salt of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), no more secret but its price quite high.

yawningdog · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 1598 Location: planet utah

Much better explanation than mine.

sleepysusan · Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Posts: 121 Location: St. Paul, MN

Oh please. Xyrem is sodium oxybate is GHB. From the Xyrem.com website:

yawningdog · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 1598 Location: planet utah

My mom once told me that I would regret doing poorly in high school chemistry. Gee, I really thought she was nuts at the time.

The line about xyrem not easily being turned into GHB is in Jazz's patent paperwork.

narcoslumbers · Joined: 26 Jan 2010 Posts: 2 Location: Olympia, WA

Its been a very long time since I've been on the boards.. so long that I couldn't log in with my old name narcosleepy. Feeling like venting today though. It pisses me off that Jazz Pharmaceuticals can charge whatever price they want for our Xyrem! Its ridiculous that it costs over $2000/month.

I happen to have a pretty decent job with what was pretty good insurance, but now the insurance has jacked up all of its prices too. The $20 copay. Now they want to charge me $80 because I guess Xyrem went from Class 1 to Class 2? AND because its being shipped! Its not like I have any other options of where to get it. I know that $80 dollars is still a lot better off than a lot of you... I remember what it was like to try to pay for it on my own when it was still only $1000. That was bad enough. Its sure a big chunk of change for me though.. I don't have a large income and my rent just went up too.