Generic Lexapro for a non insured person?

February 23, 2019 10:03 AM

Hello all! My friend is living in Hawaii and just took a job where she won't be insured until July. She asked me if I had any idea where to get generic lexapro online? I have no idea but she is a fantastic friend to me and I thought if anyone would know, someone here might. I have never had any luck with meds online beyond retin-a. Any ideas?
posted by pairofshades to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

If she has access to a Wal-Mart, it's a 30-day supply is $9 for 5mg, 10mg or 20mg pills. It's not on the value list at Walgreens, Target or CVS. GoodRx also shows prices for at least one online pharmacy.

She should also check if she has had a qualifying event and can buy insurance on the exchange (likely if she just left a job with insurance) or if she qualifies for Medicaid.
posted by hoyland at 10:17 AM on February 23, 2019 [4 favorites]

Celexa/citalopram is a close relative of lexapro and may be on more of the above value lists.

If she needs a prescription, I would take my current prescription bottle into an urgent care or PCP and see what they can do.
posted by 8603 at 10:31 AM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

Celexa is a close relative of Lexapro but it is not the same and had very different side effects for me (unlivable insomnia). The Wal-Mart idea sounds good.
posted by kerf at 10:39 AM on February 23, 2019 [4 favorites]

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers a free Helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) to provide information, referrals and support for people living with a mental health condition, and the NAMI online directory can be searched for local NAMI organizations.

The NAMI website also offers information about health insurance and prescription assistance. The Top 25 NAMI HelpLine Resources include a variety of resources, including:

NeedyMeds provides information on available patient assistance programs. Phone: [phone]

Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps qualifying individuals without prescription drug coverage get the medications they need.

Additional resources are listed at the MeFi Wiki ThereIsHelp page, including help with health insurance. It looks like Hawaii has an active Community Health Worker program, and they also may be able to provide assistance.
posted by Little Dawn at 10:40 AM on February 23, 2019 [5 favorites]

Blink Health. Prescription required, but if your friend has one - a 30 day supply of escitalopram runs less than $10, either sent to a participating pharmacy or delivered.
posted by agenais at 11:59 AM on February 23, 2019

Costco also allows non-members to use their pharmacies and I’ve found that their prices are great for many drugs.
posted by quince at 1:45 PM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

Seconding Costco, though you might get hassled at the front door when you dont' show a membership card. Not all employees know that nonmembers can use the pharmacy. It's never been a huge problem, but sometimes i have to push back with something like, "Check with your supervisor" and then all is well.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:30 PM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

If your friend is working more than 20 hours per week in Hawaii, the employer is required to provide health insurance after 4 weeks of employment. This page lists a handful of types of workers who are exempt from this requirement.
posted by entropyiswinning at 5:18 PM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]

Definitely do not substitute citalopram for escitalopram, especially if she's titrated up. The safest way is to use the existing prescription (or renew it online) and have it filled at a pharmacy, especially if she's had side effects in the past or is otherwise sensitive to dosage imo.
posted by ahundredjarsofsky at 10:58 PM on February 23, 2019

I've had good luck with canadian pharmacies. You can also ask for a prescription for double their dosage, and cut pills in half to save costs.
posted by gryftir at 1:31 AM on February 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

Is it that your friend can't afford a doctor to get a prescription?

My two suggestions would be to look for a nurse practitioner, maybe even a nurse practitioner psychiatrist. They are often cheaper out of pocket. Or else, try a Planned Parenthood. For Lexapro, even a drugstore doctor would likely be comfortable prescribing.
posted by Salamandrous at 4:24 AM on March 1, 2019