Monopost eye drops

[Charliecat123]

Is anyone in the UK having trouble getting Monopost single use eye drops? Pharmacist just says to ask for a different drop…not as easy as that when you’ve tried most available and they don’t lower pressure! So frustrating…don’t know what to do now.

[Toby_from_London]

Hi Charliecat,

Yes, I've had the same issue.

I'm going to try the pharmacy at the eye hospital I attend as obviously it's super important the drops are administered as directed.

Good luck!

[frankthebank in reply to Toby_from_London]

Have you tried online pharmacies?

[Charliecat123 in reply to frankthebank]

hi..no I haven’t. How do you do that? 😊

[frankthebank in reply to Charliecat123]

Sorry Charlie I just checked a load of sites, so I could point you to the right one, but they all say out of stock, it must be a nationwide thing. I hope you don't run out, I know it's hard to find one that works, for me some of them might as well have been water. I noticed Helen gave some very good advice on this situation. All the best 😀

[Toby_from_London in reply to frankthebank]

I haven't - thank you the tip🙂

[callie77]

Hi Charliecat i'm on monopost but still able to get it.I know what you mean it takes so long to find a drop that works.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[whitedog]

Not had a problem getting my last few prescriptions but just looked it up and supplies are meant to be back from 17 March. Are you able to try a different pharmacy?

I had this issue with my meds for rheumatoid arthritis but there were alternatives available for that. I'm not sure if there's a preservative free alternative for Monopost?

[Nala2509]

yes I’m having problems getting the drops too. I’m going to contact the hospital for advice as other drops I have had in the past have caused problems for me.

[KayGeeBee]

Yes, I have the same problem. I'm going to ask the GP to help. Last time this happened they found another local pharmacy with stock.

[Milesofsmiles]

I see it's on the Royal College of Opthalmologists' shortage list: rcophth.ac.uk/standards-and... Hope you manage to track some down, looks like stocks should improve later in March.

[Timmy01]

hi Charliecat.

I had similar problem with brinzolamide when there was a shortage. I rang around to other chemists in the local area, found one with stock, back to the health centre to get them to reissue the prescription and walked it over for collection.

Hope this helps

[Hidden]

I got some in January - once on an NHS PRESCRIPTION and the other on a PRIVATE PRESCRIPTION from a PRIVATE HOSPITAL - however unless I have someone to put them in for me they are USELESS as am I

[Helen_GlaucomaUK Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Just to let you know, that we do have a dispensing aid that may help you to put your drops in.

You can order from our shop on our website at glaucoma.uk or call us on 01233 648170. It is called a Thea Eyot and is £3:99 inc p&p.

[Helen_GlaucomaUK Administrator]

Hello all. Yes, there is currently a problem with the supply of Monopost PF eye drops. It may be that some of you are able to obtain it, due to the amount of supply at the pharmacy. It will hopefully be available again from 17th March but it may take a little longer to get the supplies to the all the pharmacies.

If you aren't able to get your Monopost at the moment, you will need to contact your eye specialist via their secretary at the hospital, to either be prescribed Latanoprost, with the preservative or an alternative PF drop in the interim. I realise how difficult and frustrating this must be for all of you.

[Welshsailor in reply to Helen_GlaucomaUK]

hi Helen, are there any benefits of using a preservative free eye drop or is purely down to suitability?

[Helen_GlaucomaUK Administrator in reply to Welshsailor]

Preservative free drops are kinder to the surface of your eye. Some people's eyes do react to drops with the preservative, others don't. If you have moderate to severe dry eyes, preservative free drops would be better.

[Bellamolly60 in reply to Helen_GlaucomaUK]

thanks Helen I running low on mine

Hoping to pick mine up later from GP 🇺🇦👁️

[Angalgreinne]

I was prescribed Monopost by Moorfields last month and have struggled to get a repeat prescription. My usual pharmacy Lloyds couldn’t help so I tried Boots where I was told that I wouldn’t be able to get the drops anywhere as there was a manufacturing problem. However, I tried WestChem as a last resort and got lucky.

WestChem are an independent pharmacy and as such are not tied in to using one supplier. It may be worth looking for an independent in your area and giving them a call.

If I had not been able to get the drops, my next step would have been to contact Moorfields and ask if the pharmacy there could help me or if they could prescribe an alternative. The pharmacy at Moorfields did help me out once before when there was a problem getting drops that they had prescribed.

Like you, I have few choices left with regards to drops and am booked in for a Trabeculectomy at the end of this month.

Hope you get this sorted out soon. Good luck!

[Bellamolly60 in reply to Angalgreinne]

our eye hospital pharmacy is outside chemists

Which is LLoyds👁️🇺🇦🇺🇦

[PeterRabbit62]

My mum used those in Wales no problems yet, I myself have problems obtain drops not those, these like Brimonodine and Brinzolamide, I was first put on Simzbrina which apparently is impossible to get in my neck of the woods, they seem to be having problems with lots of medication not just eye drops, my pharmacist said they are on the phone constantly sourcing all different kinds of medication, hope your pharmacy managed to find some for you, speak to your consultant they should be able to help best wishes.

[autumnlass]

Hello Charliecat123

I was prescribed Monoprost yesterday at the Eye Clinic as like you my pressure wasn’t responding to Bitamiprost. 😕

I managed to get the single use dose pack from the hospital pharmacy. Have you tried your hospital? Also have you tried your surgery - have they a dispensary there? Our surgery has, and I was able to ask them to dispense some Dorzolamide and Tibolone for me when my pharmacy only had the units with preservative in them.

Good Luck in your quest. 🍁🍂

[Flourpot]

yes I’m having trouble getting monoprost eye drops. Still looking for a good alternative

[swanlady123]

Yes I had problems yesterday at Lloyds and they said Boots out Of monopost too. I did manage to get some at another chemist but was not easy location. Its worrying cos Ive just started on them this week & having such diffuculty re slt or drops decision -Ive posted about thison here had kind responses-Getting conflicting info at hosp & bad communication-trying to get hold of consultant. NHS vvv bad at moment. It concerns me as I just started them & worry re getting them -when we have to take them all time its no joke!! What WORRY FOR US ALL!! iT MIGHT PUSH ME TO SLT- thats if I can speak with consultant!!!!

I really hope you can get Monopost !!!! feel so sorry for you!

[Theogreen]

Boots (and several other chemists) in my area have run out of Monopost and don’t know when it will be back in. They did have Fixapost which is latanoprost with timolol. I checked this with my doctor who said it would be ok. Haven’t tried it yet . It doesn’t need special storage. Hope this helps

[Pamak]

yes same problem and pharmacist very unhelpful. GP managed to find me some but I need more. Evidently it’s a problem with manufacturing

[Rosie2931]

I sent an e mail to the Manufacturer a couple of weeks ago: (why are they are in France???) 'Thank you for your enquiry regarding the availability of Monopost. We currently have a supply issue which we are working to resolve but we do not have a confirmed date when the product will be available.

We are hoping to have more information in the next couple of weeks.'

[Rosie2931]

psnc.org.uk/our-news/medici...

[Rosie2931]

rcophth.ac.uk/standards-and... LATANOPROST 50MICROGRAM/ML PRESERVATIVE FREE EYE DROPS

(Added 23/02/2023)

Brand Name: Monopost Manufacturer: Théa

Reason for shortage: Out of stock

Likely duration of stock shortage: planned resupply on 17th March 2023

Potential alternatives: Alternative suppliers of preservative free Latanoprost are unable to cover the shortage. Clinicians should:

assess whether a patient can be switched to a preservative-containing latanoprost 50µg/ml eye drops for the duration of shortage with a view to revert to latanoprost (Monopost®) 50µg/ml preservative free eye drops when available

where the above is inappropriate, consider prescribing alternative prostaglandins such as bimatoprost, travoprost or tafluprost ensuring that the patient is not intolerant to any of the excipients

if the above options are not considered appropriate, advice should be sought from a glaucoma consultant on alternative treatment options.