but can we afford it

BUT CAN WE AFFORD IT
thats what i thought when i read about these two treatments
one for stroke
the other for cholesterol which if controlled can help prevent
stroke heart disease and maybe alzheimers disease

now i have an elevated homocysteine level that some
neurologists believe is associated with an increased risk
of stroke heart disease and alzheimers disease


the treatment is easy
take folic acid 0.8 mgm a day
thats the amount in a prenatal vitamin

i take folic acid (folate) every day
and
buy it in a bottle of 120 for $9

a cheap treatment easily available without a prescription

a new study showed that those with high blood pressure that
took folic acid reduced their risk of stroke by a significant amount

so for $36 a year i could reduce my risk for stroke by a third
check that one off my list

the new alzheimers vaccine that is being studied extensively is
called solanezumab
if it works and comes to market
its expected to cost $20,000 a year

remember the ending of that drug ...umab

my ldl the bad cholesterol that increases ones risk for
stroke heart attack and alzheimers disease
is quite elevated off medication

the first time i had it done it was 240
thats heart attack stroke high

using diet and exercise that was lowered to 140
a reduction of about 42%
at a cost of $0 a year

adding generic lipitor for $5 a month at a cost of $60 a year
the ldl is lowered to 80
a reduction of 67% of my ldl
at a cost of $60 a year


now a drug company has developed at new drug
are you ready for this
called evolocumab
its an injection like the new alzheimers vaccine
that produces antibodies that grabs ldl cholesterol
and removes it from the circulation
at
a predictive cost of $10,000 a year
to get the ldl down to a 60% reduction

now i did that at a cost of $60 a year

i like my way better dont you

now
i can think of one patient i had who would have benefited
from taking this injectable medicine
sky high ldl like mine but she could not tolerate any medicines
of course there is no way she could afford this medicine

so thats the question we are going to have to answer about these
new treatments

can we afford them
and
are there better cheaper treatments

the organicgreen doctor