No inhalers

I can’t get any inhalers or montelukast tablets from the chemist via my prescription. They are out of stock. Or blood pressure tablets. I have to wait until they come in stock.

[Flowergirl78]

They will come in stock. I recently got montelukast for my daughter with no problems, her clenil was out of stock for a little while but they got some in and everyone with a prescription got it. Think its taking longer for their deliveries and less often. Please dont panic that you will never get them unfortunately it's just not as easy as we are used to. If you can in the future order them ahead of time it may help but of course no good me saying that now.

[Hidden in reply to Flowergirl78]

Thank you. I’m so used to just being able to get them, I never thought. A learning curve 🤦‍♀️

[ange1410 in reply to Hidden]

Try ordering 2 weeks in advance. That gives the pharmacy plenty of time to order supplies.

[dawnhaycock]

I had a problem getting Montelucast, after about a week the order did arrive, I think a lot of people understandably are getting prescriptions before they need them and there may be a bit of stock piling going on. I will order everything early now, which possibly adds to the problem.

[Nifflerluck]

I had an issue with medication being out of stock so the pharmacist sent it back to the NHS spine and emailed me a code I could take to another pharmacy that had stock . Could maybe try that ?

[Poobah]

I have Montelukast and blood pressure tabs. Got both but the BP tabs were a different brand. Had to wait three weeks for my Ventolin. I told Boots that GSK had not run out of stock of Ventolin and suddenly they had it back in stock - that has happened twice in a row. Boots say 'no stock at manufacturer'. I contact GSK who say 'no problem'. I tell Boots 'GSK have no problem, what's going on?' Then within a couple of days Boots have the Ventolin for me.

I think there are two things going on. 1) patients are stockpiling, and 2) wholesaleers are selling to the highest bidder and that could be outside of the UK, leaving the UK short.

Unfortunately, the drug industry is private, including the wholesalers and prices fluctuate based on demand. This doesn't help pharmacies who have a very narrow profit margin supplying NHS prescriptions.

I now give about two weeks for my prescriptions to be filled as I've been left with no meds on more than one occasion.

[Hidden in reply to Poobah]

I've had this experience with boots for my daughter's epi pens. They told me they'd get replacements in 2 weeks, and after that time passed they said they were out of stock. I said I was going to formally complain as they had let us down and mysteriously had a phone call an hour later saying they'd just been delivered! I heard from another branch they were holding them back because they suspected some patients were stock piling.

[Poobah in reply to Hidden]

Good for you!!

[S4r4L0u153]

My pharmacist had managed to get a few in. She had both montelukast and Fostair. They are coming through-just slowly.