Asthma medication problem please help?

Question

I am a severe asthmatic, I have been all my life. I have gone through most of the medication out there and at the moment I am on Symbicort, and it is working better than anything before! My only problem is, I am living in New Zealand temporarily (could be another 4-6 months), and am running out of my Symbicort. I am an Australian citizen, when i left Australia i brought about 5 symbicort puffers with me - thinking it will be enough, but it isn't. I have looked into getting a prescription in NZ to get some more, but as I am not a NZ citizen, I will be charged around $140 per puffer. This is a price i literally can't afford. I am used to paying arond $33 in Australia. I have also tried getting a new prescription from Australia over the phone, but they wont do ANYTHING unless I'm there in person.

My Doc prescribed me to take 2 doses twice daily, and when required as a reliever.

Does ANYONE have any ideas what I could do? Please help, I'm running out of time.

Answer 1

Sorry, I don't know.

Answer 2

go back home mate!! Health comes always first...whatever reason keeps you there

Answer 3

Surely if you see a doctor here in NZ and explain the position he could come up with an emergency inhaler for you?  This can't be the first time this has happened to anyone in your situation.  You could also have a chat with a pharmacist and see if there are any cheaper brands of the equivalent like Flixotide or something.  $140 is a lot of money for an inhaler and it seems ridiculous to me that you would have to pay so much for one.  Don't wait until you run out, do something about it now.