Rapamycin Cost

Let me clear some things up for people considering rapamycin (generic sirolimus).  I am taking it and so are my dogs!!  (I have a very open-minded vet who trusts my judgement.)

Dr. Green, a very impressive individual, gave me my personal prescription for sirolimus.  I have a very good PPO (Blue Cross/Blue Shield).  I took it to CVS, the affiliated pharmacy, and got a great price of about $2.90/mg.  (Remember, you are only going to take about 3-6 mg/week.)  With a PPO you can probably do this also.  CVS wants to meter it to you with a month's worth of doses at a time, but that's just how they do things.  You still have access to the full quantity prescribed. 

With the prescription from my vet for my dogs, I was forced to take to the open sea.  Armed with only a prescription and no insurance, the picture is quite different, but you can still get a good price.  Cutting to the chase, I ended up at Walmart.  The prescription was for 90 mg - price $1440.  But wait! after presenting a coupon downloaded from GoodRX (that's right, just anonymously downloaded and printed) - price $396!!!!  As my vet remarked, that's a hell of a charge for not looking around first!  ($4.40/mg is better than taking a risk buying online, in my opinion.)  Costco is pretty close to that price.  At CVS/RiteAid, etc., you will pay vastly more.

You can't touch the original drug rapamune (Pfizer) unless you are wealthy or go to Canada.  The problem with the online pharmacies is that a lot of them are scams.  Just because they have a website doesn't mean anything.  At least check to see if they have a brick and mortar location.  Example: At one point I was excited by the online infomercials and wanted to take NMN instead of NR; however, when I looked up the reputations of the suppliers only one was unsullied, and on further investigation their brick and mortar location turned out to be a residential dwelling!

FYI, more than one company makes sirolimus.  From CVS the sirolimus was made by Greenstone, LLC, apparently a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer.

Hope that helps some people who are considering rapamycin but think it might be out of their reach.  If you know a doctor, great, but if you don't a visit to Dr. Green is worth the trip, and I live in CA!  (round trip less than $300)  Do your homework first and you will learn a great deal.

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    • Don
    • Don
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Profound Products doesn't sell directly to consumers. I tried several companies they list but so far haven't found one that carries Rapa-Pro. I don't have a prescription. Angie4life, whom did you get yours from and did they require a prescription?

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    • hi Don,

      i got my Rapa Pro (rapamycin), my Metformin (also made by Profound ), and just recently my low dose naltrexone (also by Profound ) from International Anti - Aging ; I believe It may be called Anti- Aging Systems now .The only one I’ve tried by Profound so far is the Metformin and it works fine .  I usually get my low dose naltrexone from Israel Pharmacy and order through the Buy LDN website that takes me to the link . On this website , you can buy smaller doses of LDN and work your way up to the top dose of 4.5 mg , whereas the Profound product only comes in 4.5 mg . I got it from Anti- Aging this time , as they were having a good sale . Works great for autoimmune issues and gives very vivid dreams sometimes!

      Like 2
      • Rudi Hoffman
      • World's Leading Cryonics Funder
      • Rudi
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      angie4life 

       

      Hello, Don, Angie, and RescueElders group,

      This is Rudi Hoffman from Florida, new to this group and a 25 year LEF and antiaging/cryonics enthusiast/lay scientist.  Having met them at the last RAAD (my third) I ordered a week ago RapaPro and Metformin from International Anti-Aging Systems.  I read the magazine these folks put out, the endorsements, and they seem very legit and reputable (although I could of course always be wrong.)  
      I will be taking the Rapamycin at the recommended 5 mgs/week level for three months, unless side effects occur.  I currently take Metformin (India offshore source, my doctor won't provide script because my sugar is normal) at 500 mg time release 2/day.  And a bunch of other mostly LEF products I will provide on a different format so we can try to do something that looks like real science on the universal problem of aging.  

      The easiest person to fool is ourselves.  I understand my tendency toward "magical thinking" and try to counteract it.  Which is why I have just taken the AGE PANEL BLOOD TEST recommended by Bill Faloon on this site.  We/I want HARD DATA as well as anecdotal reports of effects.  I commit to reporting what is REAL, whether it is good, bad, or indifferent. 

      This will be interesting.  Thanks to you all for your candor, integrity, sincerity, and willingness to be "Health expansion test pilots!"  May I respectfully join your ranks?
      Rudi

      Like 1
      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      angie4life Hi Angie. Thanks for your prompt reply. I had put in an order for Rapa-Pro through IAS and their payment request likely wound up in my spam folder. They never replied to my inquiry using the link to their "expert consumer support team". I'm submitting a new order today and shall see how this one works out.

      My original order included metformin. For the present I'm staying away from metformin as it reputedly depletes B-12 and raises homocysteine levels. Those problems could be counteracted by supplements, I suppose, but sometimes I feel I'm over-supplementing and bringing on digestion issues. 

      My dream life is strange. Weeks go by without dreams (none I recall, anyway) and then I'll get a vivid dream or two. I can't relate my dreaming to anything I'm taking. If I could, I'd take more of whatever it is.

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      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Rudi Welcome, Rudi. I'm a most infrequent contributor here. I like reading here when I can scrabble up the free time.

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      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Rudi By the way, are you confident enough about the quality of products you get from your  India source to use it to get rapamycin?  

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      • Dennis
      • Retired USAF pilot, biochemist.
      • Dennis
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Don Hey Don and Rudi! I got my rapamycin from India twice and China once and the products certainly look genuine but getting a lab test is not something I'm up for yet. Great that you are getting the lab work done Rudi! I'll look to see if their is a separate senolytics section since I ordered fisetin which Bill Faloon didn't mention but very recent research shows is fairly close to dasatinib in senolytic ability at least in mice. They have started human trials with it (available as supplement, 100 mg Swanson, etc.) and it is much  cheaper than dasatinib and has no reported side effects since it has been around for years and is found in fruit, etc., so I'll likely try a few hundred milligrams next week w/ some quercetin.

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      • Dennis
      • Retired USAF pilot, biochemist.
      • Dennis
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dennis I should mention that I haven't noticed the huge improvement on met/rap that Dr. Alan Green did but my DNAm test last month showed 71 vs. my actual age of 74 and I'm sure my cancer risk is way down and I do feel better after a year on the two drugs! Will be trying NAD patches also, along w/ NR.

      Like 1
      • Rob8311
      • Rob8311
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Rudi Hi Rudi,

      Thanks for info about IAAS.  I absolutely agree with the need for measurement data.  I am going to be doing some experimenting with senolytics both with myself and with my aging pups.  Long shot, but I am wondering if there are tests that specifically indicate changes due to senescent cell removal.  One thing to keep in mind for those of us who are trying a lot of different things: if you see a sudden improvement, it might be the last thing you tried, but also (from a knowledgeable vet) our bodies/systems can reach threshold levels where the results only seem sudden.

      Rob

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      • Danmoderator
      • skipping my funeral
      • dantheman
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Rudi Welcome Rudi, as a friend and client I'm delighted to see you here, welcome! And thanks for the IAS recommendation, I've been hunting for a source but have been unsuccessful so far. Though now I have to decide if I actually want to try this modality. I already practice regular 4+ water only fasting (which addresses synololitics and lowered calorie as met/rapa do), and I'm only 52 biologically going on 32. Decisions ...

       

      Rudi or anybody can you tell us more about this company? Where are they based out of? They seem rather 'cagy' on their website. 

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      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dennis I Thanks for the information on fisetin. I hadn't heard of it. Seems worth checking out.

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      • Dennis
      • Retired USAF pilot, biochemist.
      • Dennis
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Don Definitly worth checking out! Start at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03430037 .

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      • Rudi Hoffman
      • World's Leading Cryonics Funder
      • Rudi
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Don 

      Hi Don,

      Re: Confidence in my India source for Metformin...no, I have no way of ascertaining actual quality/content/purity of the Metformin I have been getting.  I believe it has not actually poisoned me to my knowledge.  And I will be probably changing vendors to IAS as there's seems lower in cost and endorsed by Aubrey DeGrey.  
      Best,

      Rudi

      Like 1
      • Rudi Hoffman
      • World's Leading Cryonics Funder
      • Rudi
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dan Mc 

       

      Thank you for your nice email, Dan Mc...

      My confidence level in integrity of IAS is based on endorsements in the magazine they passed out at the RAAD and a few good conversations I had with the reps there.  I wish I could speak to their quality control, assays by independent labs, etc.   But I can't.


      I can say there have been no red flags so far.  Although one should be advised that their website doesn't take credit cards, you provide your checking account number for payment and get a phone call a few minutes later to confirm it is a real checking account number.  But the prices seem great on various innovative therapies and molecules I have been reading about and itching to try for many years.   

      Good to have a forum like this to share real data...unsullied by concerns about veracity or bias as a function of the info provider having a vested interest in selling products.  

      Let's make this work.  I commit to total candor and integrity in anything I post on this site (and in general for that matter.) 
      Rudi Hoffman

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      • Rudi Hoffman
      • World's Leading Cryonics Funder
      • Rudi
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Rudi 

      Sorry, wrong spelling on "their's".

       

      Rudi

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    • Rudi Hi. I've ordered from IAS for years and have always been satisfied with the quality of the products (thyroid medication), and have never had a problem with payments/charges etc. . From my experience, they've been a reputable company.

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      • Rudi Hoffman
      • World's Leading Cryonics Funder
      • Rudi
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      angie4life 

      Hi Angie,

      Thank you for this helpful confirmation re: IAS.  
      Rudi

      PS...my stuff has arrived I ordered from IAS...faster than expected (I paid the $15 shipping).  We can safely assume that molecules are as expected.  Those little suckers are so small I can't see them, so I am glad to have the reasonable assurance of common sense and this group of pioneers to provide me some sense of independent corroboration. 

      Like 1
      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Thanks, Rudi.

      My payment to IAS finally went through. I'll report on my use of Rapamycin, if I notice anything to report, or if I don't. Which may take some time.

      Like
    • Don Hi Don,

      How much of the Rapa do you plan to take?   The directions on the Profound box state to take one quarter, one half, or one tablet per week (1.25mg to 5mg) as directed by your physician . This manufacturer is clearly  indicating a geroprotection dosage.

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      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      angie4life Hi Angie,

      As I'm new to this kind of supplementation I'm being cautious. I plan to start with a low dose, probably 1/4th of a tab once a week at a specific day and time, and watch for any effects, positive and negative. For  the immediate future I'll rely on subjective responses to decide as whether to increase the dosage. Eventually I'll need to figure out which blood tests are the most relevant to how this product performs.

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      • Danmoderator
      • skipping my funeral
      • dantheman
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Don AFAIK the only subjective responses in humans are possible negative ones. I haven't seen that there are any positive (such as increased vitality, grey hair reversal, etc). The possible negatives are mouth sores (really high doses I believe) and stomach upset. What's notable is that in the dog study video Bill has shown, the dogs do have significant effects, namely they look and act younger. But in humans I think you have to measure the effects via blood and lab tests. 

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      • Don
      • Don
      • 5 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Don I'm not a large person and doubt I'll take a full 5 mgs soon. I took 1/2 a tablet, 2.5 mgs, on Sunday a week ago and 1/4th, 1.25 mgs, last Sunday. I thought I noticed some increase in energy the first week, though that's too subjective a response to have much trust in. So far this week I've noticed no effect. I'll continue alternating those doses for another two or three weeks. Unless I notice something specific I expect to settle on 2.5 mgs. 

      Like
    • Don There are two blood tests which I recommend you should take.

      The first is "sirolimus level" which you want to take to see what are your high and your low values... Take your dose, and exactly two hours later, you check for "sirolimus level"   If it comes out, anything at all above zero, that means that sirolimus was detected and your product is real rapamycin.   If it comes out zero, there is no need to take a second test after 7 days and before you take your dose again.   If it is zero, it is zero, it is fake, it is not rapamycin.  

      Assuming that your rapamycin is authentic, you take another blood test seven days later, (exactly 7 days 7 x 24 hours if you can...) to check your low level.

      The second test that you should take is a Complete Blood Count.   In fact, you should take this before you take rapamycin.   If you have already taken a Complete Blood Count in the past, that is good enough.   Then... four or five or six months (take your pick) after you started rapamycin, take another Complete Blood Count, to see if there has been any significant change in white blood cells, and in red blood cells.

      I intend to write a book about rapamycin.   I will answer your question under the FAQ section.   And of course, I will ask everybody on age-reversal forum to comment or to contribute to my (our) book before it is published.  

      Like 4
      • Karl
      • Karl.1
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ellis Toussier book idea sounds great.

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    • Don How did you pay IAS?  Is the 'wire transfer' option the only payment option available?

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    • Yellow Tomato I can assure you that anybody who thinks that rapamycin alone is the way to extend lifespan and healthspan is mistaken.   I have done eight specific antiaging therapies very consciously since 1998, and now that I learned about it, I added rapamycin.   I also tried Senolytics, once, so far...

      I agree with you that aging is due 50% to reduction in hormones especially GROWTH HORMONE, and TESTOSTERONE, and INSULIN, and ERITHROPOYETIN.   Another 50% is GOOD NUTRITION, that means all the nutrients that your body needs AND that do not raise your blood sugar levels much above 100 mg/dl.  

      And... another 50% is EXERCISE... (yes, I know, that is 150%!!!   So that means I think they are all extremely important.)

      And there are also other anti aging therapies like Hyperbaric Oxygen which does wonders for your nervous system, and prevents loss of your brain.   And EDTA chelation, which removes some toxic metals and some calcium from your circulatory system.   (calcium should be in your bones, not in your circulatory system.)

      Like
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