New prescription eye drop Xiidra

[morganjen]

I have been on it for 4 weeks and am stopping. I am getting a lot of photophobia. Much worse in the last 1 1/2 weeks. I never had a problem with the bad taste. It went away on week 2. I didn't feel I got any lasting help from Xiidra. Insurance refused to pay for Restasis and said I had to use cheaper alternative.

[Tharrell]

My doctor did warn me that Xiidra is still so fresh on the market that most insurance companies don't cover it yet. Mine thankfully did!

[SjoGirl]

I have been wondering about this, thanks for posting the questions and all of the helpful responses.

[Kadiddle]

Gurs,

Go online to the Xiidra site. They will give you a coupon and your first month will be free. I was told the prescription would cost me over $300, but after the first month free, I only paid $45. That's all it will cost me for 11 months. Maybe by then, my insurance will cover it.

[markpharmd]

I've just seen all this talk about side effects & cost of Xiidra & Restasis. I am not sure if any of you have heard of or tried amniotic fluid eye drops. I am a pharmacist, and I have connections with a company that produces them. A lot of resistant dry eye sufferers have had great things to say about them as far as relief they provide and no stinging side effects and simply an eye drop. Only thing is it does NOT require a prescription, so insurance doesn't pay for them. As you can imagine the cost to collect, sterilize, and package human amniotic fluid is significant; so it's $175-$195 for a month's supply. I have been able to hook people up with a free sample because of my connection,but I don't want to abuse that privilege so private message me if you want more info or want to see about getting a sample.

[Wal]

I'm about to start Xiidra. Is it supposed to help with MGD also?

[Tharrell]

I don't know about that Wal. My doctor prescribed me longterm antibiotic eye drops. I have to put a drop in each eye and massage the overflow into my meobian glands. It seems to be helping.

[eye2dry]

hello to all.

Saw my eye dr today and he gave me a RX for Xiidra and info for my pharmacy
to get me a months worth free. My dr said if it works for me I could notice a
change as early as 2 weeks...unlike Restasis which takes many months.

Who uses this and does it help you? I have tried Restasis in past and it never
worked for me.

To Tharrell......what is the antibiotic eye drop you use daily?

I have an RX for steroid eye drops but do not use it much b/c my eye dr
warned me not to use it but only as a last resort when my eyes are miserable.

thanks, shelly

[Wal]

I'm using Xiidra. My first month was free. About to get my second month. I started it with Prednisone eye drops so I'm not sure which is working. I've got one day left on the steroid drop. I did have a follow up appt last week with my eye doc who said my TBT had improved from a 3-4 to 6-7. My comfort level has been up and down since using all the drops but I have had an excellent day for the past 3 days in a row so that's good. I'll keep everyone  updated. It doesn't help everyone in 2 weeks but sometimes takes longer...what my eye doc said.

[Tharrell]

Shelly, I'm using azithromycin, azasite, 1% opthalmic solution once a day in each eye. I am to put a drop in my eye then rub it into my meiobian glands. It's been helping, a lot less flaking and crud in my eye.
Hope it helps!

[Sooki]

Wal - Don't forget to go onto the Xiidra website and get the discount coupon for the first whole year.  It applies if you have insurance but it doesn't cover it or something like that.

[Sweetcheex76]

When I was at my eye doctor appointment this week, I asked about Xiidra. I score 0 on the Schirmers test in both eyes. The dryness has gotten brutal and I've been on Restasis over 2 years and honestly, it does nothing to increase the tears. So, the doctor gave me a 20 day supply of Xiidra. He said he's only given out a few samples but no one has reported back about if it worked or not. Yesterday, I started using it. Last night when I was using the second dose, I realized my use of OTC eye drops was way down. I usually use them several times an hour. When I woke up this morning, my lids weren't stuck to my eyes. I used the Xiidra about 2 hours ago and haven't used any drops since. It's windy today with low humidity and we have the furnace on which usually means I'm putting drops in my eyes constantly.

I've read that Xiidra can take 2 weeks to work but I swear there's an improvement already. I'll keep my fingers crossed as I finish the samples. I've been pretty down lately as my Sjogren's symptoms have gotten so bad and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and TMJ in the last week. It's nice to have a positive thing happen.

[Sooki]

Sweetcheex - So glad it worked for you!  Keep us posted.

[Kadiddle]

Gurs- I hope you got your free prescription.  And every month for a year after that, you'll get a discount. It cost me about $40 a month. Hopefully, in a year, the insurance companies will cover it.

[Wal]

I started Xiidra with a steroid drop about 5-6 weeks ago. My eyes have been better. Still dry but not as bad and I'm not using drops as much. Perhaps the steroid drops helped th most, but I've been off of them for a week and still using the Xiidra. So far I haven't experienced any major rebound. My TBT had improved at my last visits 2 weeks ago. So, I'm going to say Xiidra has had a positive impact.