Pharmacy out of stock?

[Michael909]

I just got prescribed Ritalin 💊—10mg tablets for a month. The prescription was sent to CVS Pharmacy. I waited two days with no phone call, so I called in and they said they were out of stock. I’ve heard of people waiting a month to get their medicine, and I don't want to be that guy 🤷‍♂️ Do you have any advice?

[StanleyThyroid]

It's a global problem and here in the UK it's more complex as for example I am on 50mg Elvanse which has been in very short supply for a long time. A while ago I went to the pharmacy and they had no 50s but 20s and 30s were available however they would give me 20+30 without my doctor changing the prescription which took forever. Now 50s are available but I can't get 20s and 30s so I can wait or get it changed again. It's highly frustrating and not just limited to adhd medication

[MaudQ]

You have to call around until you find a pharmacy that has it in stock. The stimulant shortage is the worst. So much extra legwork - right in our biggest areas of weakness. What I do is call the pharmacies until I find one that has my medication and then have my prescriber send the prescription to that pharmacy. And hope the pharmacy hasn’t run out before the prescription goes through. My kid’s psychiatrist is affiliated with a hospital that has its own pharmacy and we never have issues getting her meds. I have also started asking my husband to help me which is embarrassing but realistic.

[Gettingittogether]

Yeah, the shortage is real, and finally caught up with me. I had to wait two weeks to get my most recent prescription of Ritalin. Oh and I go to a pharmacy near a powerful university in my area--and that pharmacy (another pharmacy in the same chain told me) has a high quota for ADHD meds.

[Sailormars]

it happens sometimes they tell us to wait days which sometimes can be more than a week I usually just ask to get my prescription sent to another pharmacy that will have it I have three pharmacies that I juggle with lol .

[Pennysmom]

It’s been like that here where I am in the northeast part of the United States. One time I had to drive 40 mins to another pharmacy who said they had it.

I got there but the doctor’s office messed up my script they sent electronically. Instead of 1 70mg generic Vyvanse a day they had twice a day! The insurance of course wouldn’t cover it and only allowed for 30 caps at a time.

So after driving all that way,they say are you sure you want this? It’s $391.! It should have been $15. I called the on call doctor. It was a Saturday during a holiday weekend. They finally called me back(after much pacing up and down the Target aisles)and said so sorry I don’t have my fob that would allow me to order that for you since I am working at a different hospital today!

I was beside myself. I take it for narcolepsy so if I don’t have it,I can’t drive. I had started drinking Rockstar Energy drinks again after being off of them for several years. When I told the pharmacist that,she said they prescribe Vyvanse for that? 🤦🏻‍♀️

She also told me that by the time I get it straightened out on that Monday their supply would be gone. I had no choice but to put it on a credit card. Merry Christmas to me I guess.

I checked later with my local pharmacist that I usually use and she said she really doubts that I will get the money back. Great😣

I called the doctor on Monday and explained nicely that I realize mistakes happen but I didn’t think I should be penalized for someone else’s mistake. She said she would talk to her manager,that it had never happened before. Gee,aren’t I special? 😏

They called back and said the only way it could be resolved is if I went back to the pharmacy with the paperwork they could refund me and then charge me the correct amount. That’s what I ended up doing. What a fiasco!

So now every month I have to call a list of pharmacies to see who might have it. So stressful because there is only a small window of time to find where it’s available because they can’t issue the script earlier than when the last one runs out. Controlled substance that it is…

I was told this month by a private pharmacy to stick to the chains because with the private pharmacies my insurance just might not cover it!

You know,the insurance I pay $1400. a month for just me?

Sheesh….Calgon take me away,PLEASE!?! 🛁

Sorry for the rant. Thanks for being a safe place to let this go. ❤️