What's new
Cystic Fibrosis Forum (EXP)

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

HTS for less

eloquent1

New member
So, my mail in pharmacy tier 3 drug co-pay is $150 for a 3 month supply... I don't know about you but spending $600 a year just on HTS was not something I was very happy about. Money is no concern when it comes to our health, I know...but if we can save some, why not, right?

Here is what I did: (total 1 time cost: $40 + $25 for every 3 month supply)
I asked my doctor to prescribe the OLD style HTS mix (10% and .9%) of which there are generics. It cost me a total of $25.

Mixing it (per the prescription is 6:3 ratio of the 10% and .9% respectively) so it is easy. instead of 6mL of 10% and 3mL of .9%, I do this in bulk and do 60/30 or 120/60 depending on the size of the bottle...

So how do I keep it sterile and easy to use?

I ordered measuring specialty bottles from usplastics. Specifically these:
$18.77 Variable Volume Dispensers
$6.01 8oz Nalgene® Drop Dispenser Bottle 24mm Cap
$4.73 10ml Polymethylpentene Cylinder

The first item is very neat, it has a graduated dispenser attached to it, graduations are 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 ml. Getting to 4mL is very easy. I fill to just under the 5mL graduation.

I keep the small graduated cylinder and drop dispenser bottle as an "alternate"...Always nice to have a backup <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

eloquent1

New member
So, my mail in pharmacy tier 3 drug co-pay is $150 for a 3 month supply... I don't know about you but spending $600 a year just on HTS was not something I was very happy about. Money is no concern when it comes to our health, I know...but if we can save some, why not, right?

Here is what I did: (total 1 time cost: $40 + $25 for every 3 month supply)
I asked my doctor to prescribe the OLD style HTS mix (10% and .9%) of which there are generics. It cost me a total of $25.

Mixing it (per the prescription is 6:3 ratio of the 10% and .9% respectively) so it is easy. instead of 6mL of 10% and 3mL of .9%, I do this in bulk and do 60/30 or 120/60 depending on the size of the bottle...

So how do I keep it sterile and easy to use?

I ordered measuring specialty bottles from usplastics. Specifically these:
$18.77 Variable Volume Dispensers
$6.01 8oz Nalgene® Drop Dispenser Bottle 24mm Cap
$4.73 10ml Polymethylpentene Cylinder

The first item is very neat, it has a graduated dispenser attached to it, graduations are 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 ml. Getting to 4mL is very easy. I fill to just under the 5mL graduation.

I keep the small graduated cylinder and drop dispenser bottle as an "alternate"...Always nice to have a backup <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

eloquent1

New member
So, my mail in pharmacy tier 3 drug co-pay is $150 for a 3 month supply... I don't know about you but spending $600 a year just on HTS was not something I was very happy about. Money is no concern when it comes to our health, I know...but if we can save some, why not, right?
<br />
<br />Here is what I did: (total 1 time cost: $40 + $25 for every 3 month supply)
<br />I asked my doctor to prescribe the OLD style HTS mix (10% and .9%) of which there are generics. It cost me a total of $25.
<br />
<br />Mixing it (per the prescription is 6:3 ratio of the 10% and .9% respectively) so it is easy. instead of 6mL of 10% and 3mL of .9%, I do this in bulk and do 60/30 or 120/60 depending on the size of the bottle...
<br />
<br />So how do I keep it sterile and easy to use?
<br />
<br />I ordered measuring specialty bottles from usplastics. Specifically these:
<br />$18.77 Variable Volume Dispensers
<br />$6.01 8oz Nalgene® Drop Dispenser Bottle 24mm Cap
<br />$4.73 10ml Polymethylpentene Cylinder
<br />
<br />The first item is very neat, it has a graduated dispenser attached to it, graduations are 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 ml. Getting to 4mL is very easy. I fill to just under the 5mL graduation.
<br />
<br />I keep the small graduated cylinder and drop dispenser bottle as an "alternate"...Always nice to have a backup <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

fourkidsmom

New member
sounds great- we were told that since the mixture doesn't have a preservative in it that we could not keep the remaining mixture after I mix his daily HTS. Is this not true?? We have always mixed it ourselves daily -- so I don't know.

Thanks
 

fourkidsmom

New member
sounds great- we were told that since the mixture doesn't have a preservative in it that we could not keep the remaining mixture after I mix his daily HTS. Is this not true?? We have always mixed it ourselves daily -- so I don't know.

Thanks
 

fourkidsmom

New member
sounds great- we were told that since the mixture doesn't have a preservative in it that we could not keep the remaining mixture after I mix his daily HTS. Is this not true?? We have always mixed it ourselves daily -- so I don't know.
<br />
<br />Thanks
 

cf4life

New member
For me, I don't think it is worth risking saving the extra. If you do, a couple days in the fridge then dispose. Also, to save time I personally would not get caught up in being so precise to make 7%. No one is going to say that 7% is going to work any better/worse than 6.8%, etc. I'd just take out my neb cup, put just shy of 3ml of 10% and then squeeze a bit over 1ml of .9% in. Throw the rest in the trash and start nebbing.

For a few years, I have mixed 5ml 10% with 2.5 ml of Duoneb in my neb cup and nebbed them together. Although, it took some time to neb, this worked really well for me. I then started getting the hypersal for free, so I have been using that separately in the trio. I don't really think this works as well, but think it is more the trio. As fast as the trio is, from a therapy point of view, I think the longer neb time allowed for more coughing stuff up.
 

cf4life

New member
For me, I don't think it is worth risking saving the extra. If you do, a couple days in the fridge then dispose. Also, to save time I personally would not get caught up in being so precise to make 7%. No one is going to say that 7% is going to work any better/worse than 6.8%, etc. I'd just take out my neb cup, put just shy of 3ml of 10% and then squeeze a bit over 1ml of .9% in. Throw the rest in the trash and start nebbing.

For a few years, I have mixed 5ml 10% with 2.5 ml of Duoneb in my neb cup and nebbed them together. Although, it took some time to neb, this worked really well for me. I then started getting the hypersal for free, so I have been using that separately in the trio. I don't really think this works as well, but think it is more the trio. As fast as the trio is, from a therapy point of view, I think the longer neb time allowed for more coughing stuff up.
 

cf4life

New member
For me, I don't think it is worth risking saving the extra. If you do, a couple days in the fridge then dispose. Also, to save time I personally would not get caught up in being so precise to make 7%. No one is going to say that 7% is going to work any better/worse than 6.8%, etc. I'd just take out my neb cup, put just shy of 3ml of 10% and then squeeze a bit over 1ml of .9% in. Throw the rest in the trash and start nebbing.
<br />
<br />For a few years, I have mixed 5ml 10% with 2.5 ml of Duoneb in my neb cup and nebbed them together. Although, it took some time to neb, this worked really well for me. I then started getting the hypersal for free, so I have been using that separately in the trio. I don't really think this works as well, but think it is more the trio. As fast as the trio is, from a therapy point of view, I think the longer neb time allowed for more coughing stuff up.
 

bkc3

New member
If you use any antibiotics like tobi or cayston; foundation care ships HTS for free
That pharmacy has been great for us
 

bkc3

New member
If you use any antibiotics like tobi or cayston; foundation care ships HTS for free
That pharmacy has been great for us
 

bkc3

New member
If you use any antibiotics like tobi or cayston; foundation care ships HTS for free
<br />That pharmacy has been great for us
 
Top