• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Price of Gabapentin?

kimy27

kimy27

Well-known member
I have just been charged £100 by my vet for one hundred capsules of 100mg gabapentin! Previously they had been charging £56 but have told me the price had went up. Please tell me there is somewhere else I can buy it cheaper? I mean that is £1 per capsule! She gets 3 per day! :yikes :lol:
 
You have every right to ask your vet for a prescription and then find a pharmacy that is willing to let you have them. My local pharmacy has no problems (in fact, is rather intrigued!) in providing Oliver's gabapentin: monthly prescription from vet £7.50 (apparently as gabapentin is not licensed for dogs, they can't/won't prescribe for more than a month at a time), 90 gabapentin, £24. I'm looking round for a chemist who can do it cheaper, but can only find £20 - the price of the 100mg has recently rocketed because there seems to be a shortage. No shortage of the larger capsules, apparently!

I know some people on this forum get gabapentin without prescription from overseas, but I haven't yet explored this avenue. But your vet is ripping you off! If he refuses to give you a prescription (and it is your right) you may have to find a different vet!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Kate H said:
You have every right to ask your vet for a prescription and then find a pharmacy that is willing to let you have them. My local pharmacy has no problems (in fact, is rather intrigued!) in providing Oliver's gabapentin: monthly prescription from vet £7.50 (apparently as gabapentin is not licensed for dogs, they can't/won't prescribe for more than a month at a time), 90 gabapentin, £24. I'm looking round for a chemist who can do it cheaper, but can only find £20 - the price of the 100mg has recently rocketed because there seems to be a shortage. No shortage of the larger capsules, apparently!

I know some people on this forum get gabapentin without prescription from overseas, but I haven't yet explored this avenue. But your vet is ripping you off! If he refuses to give you a prescription (and it is your right) you may have to find a different vet!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
Click to expand...

It does seem there is a supply problem with 100mg tablets Gabapentin, so prices can vary considerably. Nevertheless £100 is an excessive price.

Ask for a private prescription from your vet. He must give you one if you ask by law, but I think he can charge what he wants for it.

My vet charges just under £7 for the prescription and I pay £12.60 per 100 x100mg from the online chemist Hyperdrug, but you do have to phone in the order, you cannot order online.
 
Margaret wrote: I pay £12.60 per 100 x100mg from the online chemist Hyperdrug, but you do have to phone in the order, you cannot order online.

Do you post the prescription to Hyperdrug before you phone - or how does it work? I'd greatly appreciate being able to reduce Oliver's bill!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Kate H said:
Margaret wrote: I pay £12.60 per 100 x100mg from the online chemist Hyperdrug, but you do have to phone in the order, you cannot order online.

Do you post the prescription to Hyperdrug before you phone - or how does it work? I'd greatly appreciate being able to reduce Oliver's bill!

Kate, Oliver and Aled
Click to expand...

When you phone and order they give you a number and ask you to write it on the prescription.

I post the script 1st Class and you can choose to have the order returned post free within a couple of days, or you can pay for a special delivery.

There are other places that sell gabapentin and they can sometimes be cheaper, but I have found the supply and price from places like Tesco and Boots were erratic.
 
There certainly seems to be a supply problem with Gabapentin at the moment. My Megan has just been put on them now but even the vet is struggling to get them. He gave me a script and I phoned numerous pharmacies to try fill the script.

Most pharmacies came up with alternatives; Neuropentin (which is apparently the original form of the tablet) and another name I can't remember. After consulting with the vet I went with the Neuropentin. It is twice the price of Gabapentin here but still nowhere near what you have been quoted.

I paid R145.00 for 60 x 100mg capsules which works out to about £8. Considering it is the expensive alternative it is still much cheaper than you were quoted.

Maybe ask your vet for an alternative while there is this problem with Gabapentin.
 
Thanks everyone. I will give Hyperdrug a call today. I will also be going back down to my vets to ask for a prescription and a refund :lol:

EDIT- Well I called Hyperdrug and they quoted me £12.56 for one hundred 100mg gapapentin as long as I can get a prescription from my vet. I called the vet but they said I have to make an appointment to see one of the partners so I have an appointment on Tuesday. Think I will still be going down today to ask for a refund. There is no way I am paying £100 when I can get the same thing for £12.56 :bang:
 
Last edited:
Well I managed to get a refund from the vet although the receptionist wasn't very happy about it. She said I shouldn't be getting the gabapentin online because it's probably not the right stuff. I said I would discuss it with the vet on Tuesday but either way I am not paying £100.

Margaret I take it you are confident that the gabapentin from Hyperdrug is the real deal? :flwr:
 
As I understand things, vets don't have the major buying power that pharmacies have, and therefore aren't offered the same discounts as the pharmacies. This could be one reason why it is so much more expensive when you buy from your vet.
The mark ups are much bigger here in Ireland. When Bosco was on neurontin (Gabapentin), the cost from the vet was €76 for 100x100mgs, which would be approx £67. He is on Lyrica (pregabalin) now, which costs €200 more :mad:
Thank goodness we have insurance.
 
Shirley wrote: vets don't have the major buying power that pharmacies have

I agree, but there's nothing to stop Kimberley's vet asking the local pharmacy if they are willing to supply her and add 100 tablets a month to their wholesale order. The problem may in fact be a legal one. Gabapentin is not licensed for dogs in England (I thought the ban was for the whole of the UK, but Scotland often does its own thing health-wise), so vets are legally not allowed to dispense it themselves. They can only give a prescription for a pharmacy - who may not be allowed to dispense it for animals in Scotland.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
kimy27 said:
Well I managed to get a refund from the vet although the receptionist wasn't very happy about it. She said I shouldn't be getting the gabapentin online because it's probably not the right stuff. I said I would discuss it with the vet on Tuesday but either way I am not paying £100.

Margaret I take it you are confident that the gabapentin from Hyperdrug is the real deal? :flwr:
Click to expand...

You do have to be wary of some of these websites, but Hyperdrug (the dog section is called Canine Chemist) is one of the original online pharmacies. It is well established, has a stand at Crufts every year, and I have been getting veterinary medication from them for longer than I care to admit to.

I don't think all three of my dogs that have had gabapentin from them over the years could have all been improved through the placebo effect.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top