Is there a shortage of the plain Movicol in the UK?

[Gerbilred]

We ended up getting lemon and lime as pharmacist only had that and chocolate.

Son can detect the flavour so is not drinking as much as he should. Can see him refusing as I have to increase the dosage.😭

Is the plain one really flavourless?

[Cockerspanielcrazy]

Yes, I’ve been unable to get the plain one for the last month. I’ve tried lots of different pharmacies but believe it’s a manufacturing issue. Like you I’m trying the lemon and lime but my son is resisting it, so feel we are going backwards with his treatment.

[Gerbilred in reply to Cockerspanielcrazy]

Are you far through the process?

The only other thing the pharmacist said they had was bright orange. So I went for the lemon and lime.

Day 3 for us today but each day will be lucky if he has had half the dose.

[Cockerspanielcrazy in reply to Gerbilred]

My son, age 4, has been on a maintenance dose of one sachet daily for about 18 months. I’ve tried reducing it previously but always end up constipated again. Don’t know how he will ever stop the movicol but apparently it’s ok to be on long term.

Hope your son is doing ok x

[Gerbilred in reply to Cockerspanielcrazy]

I wish there wasn’t a time limit on the mixture. I understand it has to be that way, but if you could just add it and leave it that would work better for my son. The more I suggest drinking , the more he pushes back. 😭

[BumblesMum]

our son is on a long term maintenance dose, we receive cosmocol that is apparently plain but most definitely lemon & lime. Back when there was a shortage of chocolate I had it recommended to me to try jelly, & it has stuck as part of our routine for a long time now. Make up required dose in water and add it to the jelly process as the cold water.

[BMWBEX in reply to BumblesMum]

I was told today by the pharmacist that cosmocol does not come in plain just lemon and lime, the Dr didn't know this and "accidently" prescribed it for us instead of the plain, the only way my daughter takes it is mixed into milk woth a milkshake straw so obvs lemon and lime in milk 🤮🤮 not gonna work, we have to have plain

[BMWBEX in reply to BumblesMum]

How do you do this, do you make individual jellies so you know it's one sachet by jelly etc, just trying to work out how to know what dose they would be getting

[Gerbilred in reply to BMWBEX]

I’ve been putting it in Vimto. Hasn’t been an exact science unfortunately. In water wouldn’t drink it.

[BumblesMum in reply to BMWBEX]

I feel for you, we paid for chocolate movicol adult & dosed it down accordingly. Our son is on 3/4 sachet, I divide 3 sachets by 4. I make half a pint of jelly (roughly), I never use less than required for each sachet but sometimes more, it’s easier for me to grab a cup of water & add the 3 sachets, rather than worry about the precise amount. I then find 4 cups, pots or sometimes even clean ‘gu ramekins’ 😉🤦🏻‍♀️ & divide equally. It can set ish in an hour.

[BMWBEX in reply to BumblesMum]

Thank you, think I will try jelly.So compared to paediatric what is the aduct dose per sachet? Is it just double the amount in a sachet or? We are only day 2 I'd disimpaction to and she threw up this evening only after managing 3 through the day 😕

[BumblesMum in reply to BMWBEX]

Any adult sachet is 2 kids sachets, my maths is harder because he’s not on half or 1 kid sachet now but it’s doable. Let me know if you need anything else

[BMWBEX in reply to BumblesMum]

Ah brilliant wish I'd know this last week when we were stuck for 5 days without anything as Dr messed up our prescription over the bank holidays, tried to buy some but paediatric one is prescription only, only thing they offered was latulose (which a, doesn't work, and b, we have loads at home from failed attempts) I should have got some adult. Wonder if I should get some just to have a safety back up

[BumblesMum in reply to BMWBEX]

We keep some adult as a back up. Just have to tell them it’s for an adult. Hope it goes smoother from here..

[BMWBEX in reply to BumblesMum]

Just manged to order some from chemist direct 😁 thank you

[GiraffeSquishmallow]

Movicol Plain is colourless, dissolves well and does have a taste but it’s pretty non descript when drank immediately in juice or water compared with flavoured sachets. I am Autistic and cannot tolerate anything with any flavour. I refuse Laxido Orange, CosmoCol, Lactulose and all the others that I’ve tried because I cannot tolerate the change and disgusting flavours. The NHS tried to swap me over to something else unbranded for cheapness or that was flavoured without asking me but I couldn’t tolerate it so it all had to go in the bin. They now have a note on my records explaining my aversion and sensory needs. I hope you are able to get this sorted 😊

I wasn’t aware of a Movicol Plain shortage in the UK, I’ve only noticed a change in the packaging and sachets given, they’re now thin strip sachets like something you’d put in a drink of hot chocolate or coffee, but definitely still Movicol Plain at the moment.

[Gerbilred in reply to GiraffeSquishmallow]

Thanks. My son is autistic too. Said the lemon and lime tasted like sherbet.

I managed to buy some plain. First day trying it tomorrow so 🤞it will go down well.

Then I will have to contact every pharmacy in the city to see if anyone has any when we need the prescription refilling.

[GiraffeSquishmallow in reply to Gerbilred]

I’m really pleased you’ve managed to find some. Have you tried using the Boots online pharmacy stock checker, I find calling every pharmacy asking if they have any or would be able to source any is the most useful method in a shortage. It might be worth trying some online pharmacies like Chemist4U etc.