Managing the Methylphenidate/Ritalin Shortage

[Pennsylvanian]

Two or three times a day, I have been taking 20 mg immediate-release (not time released) methylphenidate for roughly 30 years. The last prescription I filled was at a Walgreens on March 15, 2024.

It has been many years since I had a problem finding this pill. But now I am in the same boat with others in being hit by the shortage.

Since the Walgreens seemed poorly organized for shortages (no clear wait list), I just tried having my doctor send the script to a Walmart. But, talking with the WalMart clerk, it doesn't sound any better there. There is no wait list and I have to call back periodically to see if it is in. The clerk said it may never be in again. I'm mentioning that in case someone here agrees, but I think it unlikely to be true.

So -- what help could I, and others like me, get here?

Being told there is a pharmacy with current availability seems unrealistic. But it would be very helpful to know periodically that almost every pharmacy in a particular country (in my case, the U.S.) is still out of stock. Then we wouldn’t waste time calling. It would also be very helpful to know that some U.S. pharmacies were starting to see availability, as then it would make sense to call locally.

So, has anyone found this tablet any later than the last time I did, that being March 15, 2024?

I'm a complete newbie here, so do not hesitate to GENTLY suggest if this post is off-track.

Thanks for all comments!

[breyerrose]

Like you, I've taken methylphenidate 20 mg. two to three times a day for 30 years or so. It is only recently that the Adderall shortage suddenly turned into a methylphenidate shortage as well. I have always gotten it at Walgreens and they always ordered it for me, but in March, they had none. I waited 10 days for more to come in (it didn't) and then tried my local old-fashioned pharmacy (that is not part of a chain), and I was able to fill the prescription on March 29. It isn't gone yet because I've been cutting down my dosage, by taking 1/2 pill sometimes instead of a whole pill, and I will check with that pharmacy again today. Online research last month showed that brand name Ritalin was still available.

[STEM_Dad]

Welcome to the forum Pennsylvanian .

Well, I haven't been affected by the shortages yet, but that's because I take generic Strattera, a non-stimulant ADHD medication. I guess that I'm an odd case, at least in my area, because my local grocery store pharmacy didn't ever have it in stock before I transferred my prescription there.

~~~~~

One thing that I know I've read about during the stimulant shortage is that within the USA, the amount of each stimulant that pharmaceutical companies can produce is set by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). I wonder if the FDA is still working from pre-COVID ADHD population estimates. It was during the lockdown that scores of new ADHD diagnoses occurred.

[Pennsylvanian]

It came in today at my Walgreens.

My doc had also sent it to a WalMart, which I thought might be better at dealing with stortages, since their workers seem to have less-bad job satisfaction. But WalMart is still out.