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Hi there, I have the exact same question and I was wondering if you had received any information or replies to this thread. I will be heading to CR in May next year for 2 years, but as a type 1 diabetic, I need to know if my insulin supplies will be available to me.
Regards
LaurenI’ve investigated this matter before for other diabetics, but since I’m not conversant with the various forms of injectable insulin, I don’t recall the details.
What I do recall is that the pharmacist in the commercial pharmacy said that, while some of the brand names are different, they do have ready access to short-acting and long-acting insulin. The packaging may be another matter, however. That is, pre-loaded pens may not be available. Both of these types of insulin and syringes and needles are available over-the-counter without a physician’s prescription.
As I recall the postings of others, the CAJA (the national health care system) also provides both types of insulin but they only provide one needle per day and no pre-loaded pens.
I’m headed downtown this morning and will try to get a more specific answer, but for now you can rest assured that, one way or another, your insulin needs can be met.
Okay, here’s what I learned at the [i]farmacia[/i] today . . .
According to the tech, Humalog and Lantus are both rapid-acting forms of insulin. Humalog is not available in Costa Rica, but Lantus is.
He showed me a Lantus package marked: 100ui/ml . . . 3ml. Inside was a pen-type delivery device. The cost, at this one farmacia in Grecia, is c15,780 or about $30.88. That cost can vary from day to day.
I asked about long-acting insulin but the fellow was not able to help. I’m sure I’ve been told before that it’s available here, but today there was no one to ask further. If you want to know about long-acting insulin, please give me some brand names to ask about.
Hope this helps.
FYI–Lantus is definitely NOT fast acting insulin. It is long acting and is taken once a day in many cases in combinaation with fast acting insulin such as Humalog. Lantus is sold in vial form as well as pens (Lantus Solostar). The pens come 5 to a box. If the package he showed you was a package with 5 Lantus pens and that box cost $30 that’s pretty good considering here in the US 3 boxes of 5 (90 day supply)thru the mail order pharmacy costs somewhere around $400. If, on the other hand the package contained just 1 pen then no bargain at all.
Sounds like the “tech” was not very knowledgeble.
Well, like me, the tech in the pharmacy was doing the best he could.
The box he showed me, and which he opened, contained one medium-brown cylinder, not five, that looked suspiciously like a pocket fountain pen.
I’ve asked about long-acting and fast-acting insulin before and gotten the same answer — Humalog is not sold in Costa Rica. But there is an alternative long-acting product available. How it’s packaged I can’t say.
With respect to insulin or any other medication, it would be a mistake to think that it’ll be cheaper in Costa Rica than in the U.S. To be sure, some meds are cheaper but others may be as expensive or moreso. And not everything is available at any price. The glucometer and strips I use are not available here, f’rinstance.
What’s more, not all medications are dispensed by the CAJA, the national health care system.
It’s best not to assume . . .
I checked this out on our last visit to CR as I am also type 1. Best I could find out was that CAJA will supply one needle per day, no strips, no meters. There are both kinds of insulin available (fast and slow) under different names. Couldn’t find out the prices yet. I just posted an inquiry 10 minutes ago trying to find out about insulin pump supplies being shipped in. I only use Humalog with the pump but also use a Continuous Glucose Monitoring system (sensor implant) that I want to import from the states. If not, it’s back to Lantus for me too. Share anything else you learn while you’re digging around and I’ll do the same. Vikki
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