Hydroxychloroquine shortage #2

[marie66]

Hi guys, I'm still having problems with Hydroxy prescriptions - it's come back again from the pharmacy saying unobtainable. My GP says the current info is 'not expected back in until July'. I'm now down to my last weeks worth of spare supply pills so what happens next? Will I be ok without them or do I need to move to something else? Any thoughts? M x

[rmros]

Sometimes stopping a DMARD can trigger a flare-up. That's what happened when a rheumatologist reduced my hydroxhchloroquine dose from 400mg to 200mg as I'd lost a lot of weight - but it wasn't immediate. HCQ hangs around in the body for a long time.

If the prescription is sent directly to the pharmacist, you can ask the pharmacist to release it and then you can take it to other pharmacies and see if they can supply it. I know that's not practical for everyone but I don't know what else to suggest.

[Madmusiclover in reply to rmros]

agree with this. Ring round other pharmacists. I can’t tolerate E104 food colouring (not allowed in food btw only medicine!) and often have to ring round to find a supplier with ‘white’ ones.

[TheBoys]

That’s terrible - I know that when I needed Diclofenac - and GPS here would not prescribe-?I got some from a pharmacy in Spain and then online. Is this an option?

[Fg45]

I’m having the same problem here , with Boots. They say it’s all their stores. I’ve managed to get it from an independent but was thinking the same , what next when they run out too.

[Fra22-57]

When this happened to me,my gp surgery told me to ring around area to see what other chemist had them in then they gave me prescription for it to take there.next month there wasn’t a problem

[BoneyC]

So far, my village pharmacy has provided HCQ, but maybe next time I order will be different.

[Circledancer]

Some makes of HCQ tablets make me feel sick (IPCA and Bristol) and there is a major problem around my area obtaining Zentiva brand, which I'm fine with. I've tried all the chemists in the county and they all say that their suppliers cannot get them.I'm on my last 25 days worth of Zentiva.

They don't seem to have any problem obtaining the other makes though.

I'm waiting for rheumatology to get back to me with a solution.

I wouldn't think you should just stop them without speaking to your rheumatology department?

[marie66 in reply to Circledancer]

I agree and stopping them suddenly is my main concern but if I cannot get any soon I will have no option as they're running out fast! M x

[Ferret18]

I live in France and have the same issue. Our village pharmacist said it is an issue across the whole of France. I’m going to a town tomorrow so will take my prescription to see if any of the pharmacies there have HCQ

[marie66]

This is still ongoing. I have a few days left and then nothing more! I’m now cutting the dose in half to 200mgs so I’m tapering down over a few days instead of just running out. What a mess! M x