Medication Shortage? How often do you... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...

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Medication Shortage? How often do you refill?

Onthemove1971 profile image
11 Replies

I attempted to fill our son's medication (methylphenidate) we are given a 60 day supply since our son is stable and I should not have to fill it every 30 days. When the RX was cancelled with no explanation, I finally spoke to a supervisor who said there is a nation wide shortage and they would only give me 10 pills and I would have to get a new RX.

Is everyone having the same experience?

How often do you get medications refilled? Does anyone use an online pharmacy?

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Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971
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11 Replies
anirush profile image
anirush

I have heard on the news that there is a shortage of adderall. Have you not heard that on that medication but I think it has some common ingredients doesn't it?

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply toanirush

Thanks for responding. That is what I thought but it does not appear to be a a specific medication, but ingredients in number of medications. I have a call into our psychiatrist to see what she thinks. I remember what we had to go through when he was young with all the different types and the side effects, just hoping we are not doing that again when his current one works so well.

Just a question, do they allow your grandsons to have more than 30 days? Or are you guys only having to refill 60 or 90 days? I understand it is a controlled medication so they are very careful.. but I can't run to pick up and pay so much every 30 days.

Thanks again.. Happy Thanksgiving

anirush profile image
anirush in reply toOnthemove1971

We refill every 30 days with a doctor visit every 90.

SurvivorFan profile image
SurvivorFan

My son is on methylphenidate (short acting) and have not had any issues yet with being told of shortage. We are only allowed 30 day supply even though his short acting dosage has been stable for a very long time. 60 or 90 day would be amazing! His long acting is Focalin so same family but again no issues currently getting it filled. What a hassle.

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply toSurvivorFan

Our son has been stable for.more than 5 years. We have always been given 60 days..Weird.

Thanks

Elijah1 profile image
Elijah1

Whether it is a 30, 60 or 90 day supply depends on the insurance plan.

There are spot shortages of methylphenidate products (more so generics) but this may also be affected by the middleman that supplies the pharmacy. May be worthwhile to check a different pharmacy chain.

And, yes, there is a (mainly) generic Adderall shortage (see FDA webpage) based on past manufacturing issues (Teva is a major manufacturer) and running out of raw material supplies that are limited in amount by the DEA at the beginning of each year (info somewhere on the governmental webpages about the apportionment of raw materials). This should improve after the start of next year.

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply toElijah1

Thanks. We can hang in there if we can get a 30 day supply

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply toOnthemove1971

The problem is nothing has change on our end, with insurance.

Elijah1 profile image
Elijah1 in reply toOnthemove1971

This is not an insurance issue. It is a supply issue.

eeyore13 profile image
eeyore13

The adderall shortage is affecting ritalin. My one son is on adderall and we cannot find it anywhere brand or generic in any form. Fortunately he has skipped enough doses (we do that because the insurance likes to deny paying it whenever we meet the deductable and drags their feet for at least 2-3 weeks) to get him through the last three weeks of school and semester finals. After that we don't know what we will do. The reasons are as stated by Elijah1 above.

This has affected ritalin as many doctors are switching their patients from adderall. My husband and other son are on ritalin and we can get the name brand ($200 for 90 20 mg tabs as insurance will not cover name brand) from the major chains but not generic. We were able to find it at an independent pharmacy that my husband went to years ago.

It is ridiculous that the DEA changed the amounts from 50,000 kg a year of adderall to 41,000kg a year because some people were abusing it. There is a newer article about it on the Additude website. additudemag.com/adderall-sh...

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happppy

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