Sodium cromoglycate (Intal)

[AxKlein89]

Does anyone know if this medication is still available in England?

[Poobah]

Sodium cromoglycate is definitely in the NICE guidelines for asthma treatment. Intal is definitely still prescribed but there have been shortages as recently as November. If you Google "Intal availability UK" you'll see the ongoing issues in obtaining this medication.

[AxKlein89 in reply to Poobah]

Thank you very much, Poobah. As you know, my asthma has almost disappeared thanks to allergy drops, but I find that certain triggers still give me mild symptoms. I was on Intal for six months and, combined with the drops, basically made my symptoms disappear.

[Poobah in reply to AxKlein89]

I do hope you can source it. I've contacted a manufacturer before when I had trouble getting a specific medication and they were very helpful. I think sometimes the pharmaceutical systems cause problems, in that middle men trade globally if they can get a better deal elsewhere. Not sure why there are problems with Intal. Could be as basic as a licence or patent.

[AxKlein89 in reply to Poobah]

Since I live in South America, getting Intal has been close to a nightmare (come to think of it, it HAS been a nightmare). The only country in the American continent that sold it recently is Mexico (and they bought their supplies from Sanofi, in the UK), but as of now, they're out of inhalers, although they are announcing a future supply of Intal for nebulization.

And I think the general shortage has to do with the fact that most asthmatics do very well on steroids, which my body cannot tolerate very well, even in inhaled form.

Anyway, please do keep your fingers crossed for me :).

[AxKlein89 in reply to Poobah]

P.S.: I forgot to mention that my situation is very ironic, considering how easy and cheap steroid inhalers are in South America (QVAR costs $10 USD for a 3-month supply; Flovent is $15 USD for a month's supply).

[Poobah in reply to AxKlein89]

I don't respond well to steroids either. Here's hoping you can obtain your much needed Intal very soon. I found this from the Australian government detailing the expected period of and reasons for delays. apps.tga.gov.au/Prod/msi/Se...

[AxKlein89 in reply to Poobah]

Thanks again!

[Marydoll589 in reply to AxKlein89]

Hi, what kind of allergy drops?

[AxKlein89 in reply to Marydoll589]

Allergy drops are custom-made for each patient, depending on what you're allergic to. I am allergic to Dust Mites, Mold and Cat Dander, so my drops contain all three allergens. In order to find out what you're allergic to, you'll need a skin-prick test with an allergist, and then you can try either Allergy Drops or Shots.

Keep in mind that not all asthmatics suffer from allergies, although about 60% of adult ones do.

Cheers!

[WheezyAnne]

I found this

as an inhaler (Intal) for preventive management of asthma.[2] The maker of Intal, King Pharmaceuticals, has discontinued manufacturing the inhaled form, cromolyn sodium inhalation aerosol, due to issues involving CFC-free propellant.[3] As stocks are depleted, this inhaler preparation will no longer be available to patients.[4] In the EU it is manufactured without CFCs by Sanofi, although it must be imported from Canada or Mexico for USA residents.

as eye drops (Opticrom and Optrex Allergy (UK), Crolom, Cromolyn (Canada)) for allergic conjunctivitis[5]

in an oral form (Gastrocrom, Nalcrom) to treat mastocytosis,[6] mast cell activation syndrome, dermatographic urticaria and ulcerative colitis. Another oral product, Intercron (sodium cromoglicate in distilled water, from Zambon France), is used for food allergies.

If you look on Wikipedia, there is further details about why now rarely used. I still find Opticrom Eye Drops help me, though hard to keep up with the four times a day.

[AxKlein89 in reply to WheezyAnne]

Thanks for the info. The four-times-a-day regimen can be hard, but Cromolyn is the only asthma medicine that doesn't give me side effects.

I'm gonna try to get it through Mexico.

[Andreas1960 in reply to AxKlein89]

I have the same problem, INTAL was so effective and had no side effects for me, I could buy it without prescription in Germany. Do you found any solution?

[ChromoneLover]

It is only available as 2%(w/v) eyedrops, in UK. There was talk about new inhalers being developed for, inhaling Sodium cromoglicate powder, in 2021-2022, but, I have heard nothing since, and NICE show it as being 'de-listed' in UK (since it is 'not proven as a treatment for asthma'), even though it was originally marketed as a prophylactic "mast cell stabiliser" which prevents the reaction that causes release of histamine and other mediators, in allergic asthma(!!)😲☹️.

[ChromoneLover in reply to ChromoneLover]

However, the nasal inhaler, Nasalcrom, is still available in USA, although expensive to ship, unless you have tried it, successfully, and buy in bulk, to justify the delivery charges, as I do.