# Mexico Medications



## EliH (Dec 23, 2012)

I am not an expat (yet). I live in the US.

Trying to find info on a medication that is expensive here in the States. The online sources I am finding either don't have what I am looking for or seem fishy. I don't speak Spanish so I can't call a pharmacy there in Mexico.

I was hoping perhaps someone could call a pharmacy there and get a price for me. If the price difference is enough, I might get a free trip to Mexico with the annual savings

The medications brand name is Imitrex. The generic name is sumatriptan. I use the injectable version that is 6mg/0.5 ml. It comes in an auto-injector and in little vials as well. The vials are cheaper.

I would really appreciate any help!

Thanks,
Eli


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

The majority of medications here are generic rather than brand names. There is a 2-dose med for migraines available in the pharmacies here but I don't remember the name.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

EliH said:


> I am not an expat (yet). I live in the US.
> 
> Trying to find info on a medication that is expensive here in the States. The online sources I am finding either don't have what I am looking for or seem fishy. I don't speak Spanish so I can't call a pharmacy there in Mexico.
> 
> ...


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## chris.lynn (Dec 23, 2012)

EliH said:


> I am not an expat (yet). I live in the US.
> 
> Trying to find info on a medication that is expensive here in the States. The online sources I am finding either don't have what I am looking for or seem fishy. I don't speak Spanish so I can't call a pharmacy there in Mexico.
> 
> ...


We do not have the injectable version here in Mexico only pills and nasal spray.. 

The name brand here in Mexico is Imigran


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Additional Notes on Mexican Medications.*

A couple of additional notes to be aware of;

1.) Beware of trying to bring a years supply back with you across the border (at any one time). That's what you mentioned that you wanted to bring.

2.) Very good Generics now produced in Mexico. I don't even ask for the original 90% of the time now.

Now if you wanted to bring that much stuff across. Here's how you can legally do it. Go to a border town park on the American side and walk across go to a Farmacias Similares if buying Generic, if regular branded form of the drug to to Fenix the cheapest Pharmacy for regular drugs. Walk a (3) month supply across and put them in your car trunk and return to Mexico for another (3) month supply and so forth (hopefully with a few hours in between so your not noticeable to the agents....until you have your (12) month supply in your car.

A few years ago, there was a 70+ gentleman from California that got busted bringing back a years supply of a drug for himself and some for his neighbors. The Mexican's were alerted and arested him. I think he spent close to 30 days in a Mexican Prision until California Senators/Congressmen took up his plight and got him busted out. Don't let this happen to you.

Us Residents here of Mexico with Visas on extended trips and with our Mexican's spouses can get away with taking a years supply across - don't count on you being able to do this.

When we used to live in California in the 1980's we went across to Esenada, B.C. to buy a drug that cost $10.00 a pill for my wife. Bought it in Ensenada, with a box from the same Big Pharma Co. in USA as the Mfg. in Mexico City and it was like $.30/ pill and the Pharmasist apologized up and down how sorry he was he had to charge that much. 6-8 years ago the Big Pharma lobbied the Mexican Govt. to raise their prices (and they did by 50%) so you can't still get that kind of deal, but still you find the same drug often time by the same Mfg. but at their plant in Mexico (often since the 1930's when American Pharma came into Mexico in a big way). Do be careful when buying at the border, inspect the box and make sure it hasn't been pre-opened as it's been said that sometimes some of the Pharmacy's are ripping people off at Chinese Knock Offs of lower dose and quality.

If you buy at the Pharmacy's listed above you probably won't have a problem, just inspect the box.


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## EliH (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far! I had not run into the names, Farmacias Similares and Fenix yet. I certainly will look into them.

Thanks also for the tips on staying legal with this process. I hear the jails there are no 4 star hotels. I certainly don't want to learn that from any first hand experience

@cuylers5746 What do you mean by "border town park"? Is that a reference to a parking area on the US side of a crossing or are they something more specific?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

EliH said:


> @cuylers5746 What do you mean by "border town park"? Is that a reference to a parking area on the US side of a crossing or are they something more specific?


I think cuyler meant to write "Go to a border town*,* park on the American side ..."


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

Yes, IslaVerde thanks for making that correction for me.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

cuylers5746 said:


> Yes, IslaVerde thanks for making that correction for me.


You're welcome.


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Sometimes the ultra obvious is not mentioned?*

The obvious was forgotten too.

Make sure you take your USA prescription with you for the drug. Why? Well after the 3rd or 4th trip across the border in a day (if the previous Border Patrol Officers listed in the Homeland Security Computer Data Base) that you were bringing medicine across ( perfectly legal ), they might ask you if the medicines were for you? To preclude that you're not bringing medicines across to sell to others keep your Prescription with you.

If asked if they're for you? You don't need to utter a word. Just pull out the Prescription.

I think all of this is obvious like I said, but we forget to list this down for you.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

If you are talking about websites, they do not list all the medications as in the U.S. They do have websites but they are very basic. Similares is the least expensive of all in Mexico; Fenix is one of the more expensive.
And in Mexico you do not need a prescription for the migraine med I spoke of.


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*FENIX IS one of the least expensive Non-Generic Pharmacy's in Mexico*

No FENIX is not one of the most expensive.

Since they do not have Generics, they use their Similares chain to sell those - then it is going to
be more expensive than all the Siliares type Pharmacy's. But, as compared to all the other's 
that do not sell Generics it IS one of the most inexpensive Pharmacy's. Don't be steared wrong here.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Well....they may not be where you live but they are in Tijuana and Rosarito.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Customs tends to limit personal medications to a 90-day supply, when what you're traveling with catches their eye/interest. 

Counterfeit generics is a serious problem in Mexico. Purchase them only from a farmacia de primera clase. First Class Pharmacy, only. 

Farmacias Simiares isn't a business I suggest people patronize.

A farmacia de prima clase can special order just about anything you need that they don't regularly carry. They get deliveries a couple of times a week. If what you need/want is a special order it may take a week to get to the local pharmacy. Discuss the special needs with the pharmacist.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

Longford said:


> Customs tends to limit personal medications to a 90-day supply, when what you're traveling with catches their eye/interest.
> 
> Counterfeit generics is a serious problem in Mexico. Purchase them only from a farmacia de primera clase. First Class Pharmacy, only.
> 
> ...


How does one distinguish between the primera and simiares? Is there are list/guide to which are which?


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

FHBOY said:


> How does one distinguish between the primera and simiares? Is there are list/guide to which are which?


Ask your Doctor.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

AlanMexicali said:


> Ask your Doctor.


Me: DUH!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

FHBOY said:


> How does one distinguish between the primera and simiares? Is there are list/guide to which are which?


Oftentimes, the first class pharmacies will have the designation displayed on the front of the business. But, in your case, going to the lakeside communities ... just ask at the LCS if you're not certain. A physician will often know, but beware ... because many physicians, because they earn such a low income, also own or have an interest in a pharmacy or receive a kickback for sending customers and therefore may not give you a truthful answer. It shouldn't take you long to find the answer to the question.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

The drug's generic name in Mexico is "sumatriptán". That ought to be how you'd ask for it at Farmacia Similar. As previously mentioned, GlaxoSmithKline markets it as "Imigran" both as tablets and as nasal spray. Accord Farma markets it as "Gesigran" in tablet form.

The scare stories above are somewhat confused. Since sumatriptán is a Schedule IV medication, you're allowed to possess as much as you want without a prescription as long as you're on Mexican soil. When you come to enter the US, however, the Customs authorities will be looking to ensure that you are carrying only personal quantities because the reselling of pharmaceuticals is prohibited by the FDA. The definition of "personal quantities" is loose -- most Customs people will tell you a month or two's supply -- but I have watched a woman declare a year's worth of heart medications and enter successfully. It helps to have your US prescription with you to demonstrate to the Customs official that you really take the stuff.

Prices will vary from place to place because most pharmacies work on commission. The ones right at the border are high-pressure and high-priced, all except for Farmacias Similar, which has a corporate policy to charge half of the price marked on the box.

The prices marked on the boxes, incidentally, are supposed to be the maximum allowed by law. If anyone tries to charge you that maximum, excuse yourself and go to another pharmacy.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

FHBOY said:


> How does one distinguish between the primera and simiares? Is there are list/guide to which are which?


The farmacia primera clase is almost a thing of the past. It designates a pharmacy that maintains a licensed professional on the premises and dispenses controlled drugs (usually Schedule III medications). You can recognize them because they have old-fashioned black-and-silver decals on their front window stating "primera clase" and "fármaco responsable" along with a person's name and professional credentials. This person would have either a pharmacist's or medical doctor's degree.

"Similares" is our term for "generics". It's not really a designation of a pharmacy, although it is the brand-name of one.

The laws were liberalized in the early 1990s to allow the sale of Schedule IV medications by unlicensed people. Because of that, pharmacies started to sprout like mushrooms. These do not have that black-and-silver decal in their windows ... some don't even have windows!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Farmacias de primera clase are well known in Mexico and anyone who says they're a thing of the past either doesn't live in Mexico, doesn't frequent pharmacies or is making up a story ... IMO.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Longford said:


> Farmacias de primera clase are well known in Mexico and anyone who says they're a thing of the past either doesn't live in Mexico, doesn't frequent pharmacies or is making up a story ... IMO.


I know for a fact that the pharmacy in the Sanborn's near my house is identified as a "farmacia de primera clase".


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## EliH (Dec 23, 2012)

I hope you all had a great Christmas. I know I have.

All of the information that is being shared is very interesting to me! My doctor believes he can get the insurance to allow more of the medication. At the very least I was a little confused by some of the changes to our plan in 2013. I am hopeful for cost purposes that everything will work out. But after looking at some air fares, I am kinda of looking forward to little trip to Mexico. 

I can drive to the Laredo crossing and back for about $300US in fuel. Air fare would be about $200US. So I may wander down there in February either way. 

For the purposes of getting medications that are not controlled substances in the US or Mexico, what are some other good destinations to consider? Attractive options would be locations that have warm/tropical weather. Above all I want to remain SAFE. As someone with no experience traveling in Mexico and doesn't speak Spanish, I could be considered an easy target for some people.

Thanks again for all of the information.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

Longford said:


> Farmacias de primera clase are well known in Mexico and anyone who says they're a thing of the past either doesn't live in Mexico, doesn't frequent pharmacies or is making up a story ... IMO.


Always room for controversy, eh? Even with pharmacies. Well, note that the weasel-word was "*almost *a thing of the past". Here in Tijuana (which is Mexico, señor Longford, tanto que decimos _Aquí empieza la patria_ -- our city's motto is Mexico begins here) the change has been dramatic. What used to be trinket shops are now high-pressure pharmacies and the primera clase pharmacies have been shutting up shop because most of them can't compete in the volume that the new pharmacies deal in.

I forgot to mention one of the most interesting characteristics of a primera clase: it is obligated, on a rotating basis, to dispense prescriptions around the clock. This tradition goes all the way back to the Spanish apothecary shops of the Middle Ages: in each town, the apothecaries shared the responsibility to be available in the middle of the night. Nowadays the tradition is called "farmacia de guardia", in which Pharmacy A takes Sundays, Pharmacy B takes Mondays, etc. Now that Tijuana is almost four million people, we have twenty-four-hour everything, but in Santa Cachucha Ixnipec the farmacia de guardia is still a very important institution.



EliH said:


> what are some other good destinations to consider? Attractive options would be locations that have warm/tropical weather. Above all I want to remain SAFE. As someone with no experience traveling in Mexico and doesn't speak Spanish, I could be considered an easy target for some people.


All along the border Mexico is used to dealing with snowbirds. That means (1) fronterizos -- border people -- speak English, (2) you will probably pay a little more than the locals do but still less than you would in Kansas, and (3) you should be able to find a pharmacy that is willing to mail you your meds on a regular basis by charging the purchases to your credit card. Driving from Kansas, the most logical destination would be Nuevo Laredo. Flying, probably Monterrey. Both destinations are known for medical tourism.

The best advice to offer is that you take your time once you're here. Don't accept the first offer you receive. The white lab coats are mostly sales props. Spend a few days wherever you wind up and talk to the locals to get their suggestions. Be firm in your purpose but always be kind because you will get what you give -- rude people pay more in Mexico.

There is no reason to worry about safety. The mass media have their own agenda and ought not be trusted to tell the truth. Life is safer here than it is in the US. The people with guns over here tend to shoot each other while, up your way, there's no telling who might catch a bullet. And our so-called drug war, which brought so much negative publicity to Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and Monterrey, was a personal vendetta of our *previous *idiot president -- he was trying to create a monopoly for the Sinaloa cartel and thus for his political party. Tijuana took the brunt of that effort from 2004 to 2007, during which time life was still more peaceable here than it was in San Diego.


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Don't stop with just Medicine purchases on your little mini vacation.*

Hi I have a few other considerations for you, since cost of the trip is a consideration to you.

We used to live in So. California and my wife being Mexico knew going south into Mexico for Medications would save a bundle. But there are as equally great costs to save to make your R.T. costs even cheaper per item.

Don't stop with the Medications. 
1.) Go get your Dental Care done down there for 1/3 or less than in USA. Here in Tepic I pay
only $200 m.n. or $16.00 USD to get a cavity filled. $2000.00 m.n. for a crown = $154.00 
USD and like only $4000-5000 m.n. for a bridge = $308-385.00 USD.
2.) Lab Tests.
Here in Mexico you don't have to have a Doctor's prescription for any Lab Tests. Many of the
Lab Tests in many of the Labs now a days are on computer controlled and reported 
equipment. My wife got quoted a half body Scat Scan or MRI for around $1800 m.n. or 
$140.00 USD. Want to get any super detailed blood test it's very cheap. Some labs will come 
to your hotel room or home (the Lab Tech on a motor cycle) with their little Lab Kit like fishing 
tackle box and draw the blood and you go get the results by 5:00 PM the same day.
3.) Fine leather shoes. Ask your hotel lobby manager where a "Flexi Shoe Store" is? 
Their shoes are super comfortable, like you'd been walking in them for 1-2 months as you 
try them on and they're in the $45-60.00 USD range. The ones I've been buying last me
1-2 years.
4.) Other kind of Medical Practioners not readily available in USA.
Here in Tepic we have two really top of the line Homeopathy Doctors and other Naturalistic
Doctors.
I say this as I know Modern Medicine can only treat some things, like Antibiotics but for the
most part Modern Medicine in my eyes is neither of those words. They only treat symptoms
not causes so the illnesses keep reocurring. You need to treat the underlying causes if you
really want to get healthy and stop getting off that for the most part CRAP they call Medicines.


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## Mr. P Mosh (Mar 14, 2012)

arturo_b said:


> "Similares" is our term for "generics". It's not really a designation of a pharmacy, although it is the brand-name of one.


Sort of. 

_Similares_ are generic drugs that hasn't be tested and aproved as "bioequivalent" generics by the _Secretaría de Salud_.

Those generic drugs that are totally aproved as bioequivalent generics are labeled as Genéricos Intercambiables, a GI drug has been aproved and tested and it's totally ideantical to the brand drugs.

They can be identified cuz they have a big "GI" in their box:


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

Mr. P Mosh said:


> Sort of.
> 
> _Similares_ are generic drugs that hasn't be tested and aproved as "bioequivalent" generics by the _Secretaría de Salud_.
> 
> ...


This may be the most potentially important post I've read here in a long time.
So any medicinal drug sold at a Farmacia Similares which does not have the GI logo on the box is untested and unapproved? Is the average Mexican aware of this? And Mexican law allows it? 
I'm a strong believer in generics, but this information will require me to be a lot more cautious while in Mexico.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

HolyMole said:


> This may be the most potentially important post I've read here in a long time.
> So any medicinal drug sold at a Farmacia Similares which does not have the GI logo on the box is untested and unapproved? Is the average Mexican aware of this? And Mexican law allows it?
> I'm a strong believer in generics, but this information will require me to be a lot more cautious while in Mexico.


Sorry to say, but it´s pretty much nonsense. What you´re seeing with the GI logo is Big Pharma working against generics.

Generic drugs have two issues to resolve: are they chemically equivalent to the brand-name drug and are they biologically equivalent to the brand-name drug. Chemical equivalence is fairly easy: is this sample poopoopooferol sulfate or isn´t it? The second is a little more tricky: does this sample of poopoopooferol sulfate enter the bloodstream at a rate sufficient to trigger threshold dosage? 

For this GI business, the adsorption rate is key. A medication that cannot reach threshold dosage is useless. Don´t ask us on ExpatForum because we´re all cranky old ex-pats (except for me, who is a fronterizo, and that other guy who says he´s only 67 and he´s not cranky) because most of us believe in a god called Rolly. Ask your own doctor so long as he or she is not being paid by Big Pharma.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

arturo_b said:


> Don´t ask us on ExpatForum because we´re all cranky old ex-pats (except for me, who is a fronterizo, and that other guy who says he´s only 67 and he´s not cranky) because most of us believe in a god called Rolly. Ask your own doctor so long as he or she is not being paid by Big Pharma.


I'm curious - what's the difference between an expat and a _fronterizo_? 

By the way, I'm not a guy.


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## Mr. P Mosh (Mar 14, 2012)

HolyMole said:


> This may be the most potentially important post I've read here in a long time.
> So any medicinal drug sold at a Farmacia Similares which does not have the GI logo on the box is untested and unapproved?


Well, they're tested by the own lab who make them, but not by the Mexican Health Department.



HolyMole said:


> Is the average Mexican aware of this?


Nope.



HolyMole said:


> And Mexican law allows it?


Yes.



HolyMole said:


> I'm a strong believer in generics, but this information will require me to be a lot more cautious while in Mexico.


Well, I must say that _similares_ have worked well on me, most the times they're just slighty weaker than the brand/GI drug. Still, I would go for the brand/GI drug first, in fact the IMSS use GI drugs only.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

Isla Verde said:


> I'm curious - what's the difference between an expat and a _fronterizo_?


Already mentioned here:
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/me...o/136217-mexico-medications-3.html#post996986

Ex-pat: someone who leaves their fatherland.
Fronterizo: bilingual, bicultural, lives on the border between two countries.



> By the way, I'm not a guy.


Didn't say you are. Why bring it up?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

arturo_b said:


> Quote:
> By the way, I'm not a guy.
> Didn't say you are. Why bring it up?


Because of this:

" ...Don´t ask us on ExpatForum because we´re all cranky old ex-pats (except for me, who is a fronterizo, and that other guy who says he´s only 67 and he´s not cranky) ..."

I assumed the above underlined words referred to me. Isla Verde.


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## kazslo (Jun 7, 2010)

Generics vs name brand is too much of a soapbox issue for me to reply on, but I have had a problem at my local similares pharmacies that is worth mentioning...Its very important to read the package and make sure it really is the medicine you are looking for and nothing more. When my daughter (1 at the time) was sick, we took her to the doctor who prescribed her a medication but didn't have any in his own stock. I gave the prescription to the 'salesperson' at the pharmacy, and they showed me what looked to be the right medication. On our way home on the bus, I was reading the box to pass time and saw that not only was the prescribed medication there, but it also had another ingredient in a small quantity. Come to find out that the additional active drug was banned in the US and EU for some time now, and was even mentioned in a mexican soap opera last year where the actors were trying to figure out why a horse died (the horse was injected with that drug). I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but WOW. I've also noticed that sometimes the %s aren't right on, that sometimes the meds have a bit more or less of the active drug when comparing brands.

I suppose it goes back to a cultural difference where here the only person who is liable for you is...you. If you know what you need, these pharmacies are great, but make sure that it is really what you get and research any drugs suggested by the pharmacy.


Oh and to prevent getting stereotyped by a certain someone: I'm a catholic who only believes in one god and am less than 30 years old.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

[to IlAh, so you are cranky after all.

Nothing personal, stay on topic, thanks.


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## arturo_b (Sep 17, 2009)

> Last edited by arturo_b; Today at 05:51 PM.
I never edited the previous post. Something else is going on in ExpatForum.


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## Bocoyna (Dec 26, 2012)

From what I have read there are between 25 and 30 Million Americans living in Mexico either full or part time. Mexico is not as strict on prescriptions as the US. I have a local Pharmacy that I deal with and can get medications for much less than the cost in the US. A friend broke his ankle a couple of years ago and the total cost was $315 dollars. They did not cast it so he could go into the local hospital every week to get the incision washed and checked for infection. Another friend had a infected tooth. We paid 50 pesos about $3.80 for two x rays a week apart the cost of the penicillin was free as was the cost of having the tooth pulled by a Dentist. I have had problems trying to get prescriptions filled at Wal Mart and Sam's but never at the local Pharmacy. I regularly take friends to my dentist for everything from fillings to implants. There is a town Los Algadones that is about 10 miles west of Yuma AZ that specializes in Opticians, Pharmacy and Dentists.


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## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

I lived in TJ for one year and did not have the same impression as you as I did not find it
to be a 24-hour city (compared to Mexico City, Guadalajara, L.A., San Francisco, etc.) and I did not find it in the least being a 24 hour city much less cosmopolitan. All the TV news is based on families and religion so attempting to get world news on TJ news stations requires that you change the channels to Mexico City news.
Where are the 24-hour grocery stores (not OxOx)?
Where are the 24-hour restaurants?


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Bocoyna said:


> From what I have read there are between 25 and 30 Million Americans living in Mexico either full or part time. Mexico is not as strict on prescriptions as the US. I have a local Pharmacy that I deal with and can get medications for much less than the cost in the US. A friend broke his ankle a couple of years ago and the total cost was $315 dollars. They did not cast it so he could go into the local hospital every week to get the incision washed and checked for infection. Another friend had a infected tooth. We paid 50 pesos about $3.80 for two x rays a week apart the cost of the penicillin was free as was the cost of having the tooth pulled by a Dentist. I have had problems trying to get prescriptions filled at Wal Mart and Sam's but never at the local Pharmacy. I regularly take friends to my dentist for everything from fillings to implants. There is a town Los Algadones that is about 10 miles west of Yuma AZ that specializes in Opticians, Pharmacy and Dentists.


That number is probably wildly inaccurate. The Mexico 2010 census states fewer than 800,000 US citizens, and that would include the children of MX nationals who were born in the US.


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