Hello, this is the latest update that I can find on the Actavis hydroxo shortage in the US:
Teva has hydroxocobalamin 1,000 mcg/mL solution for intramuscular injection in 30 mL vials on back order and the company estimates a release date of early-January 2024.
Anyone been able to get an Rx filled yet?
I’m using my supply with 12/23 expiration dates and hoping the new supply becomes available soon.
Walgreens did attempt to order it but haven’t received any updates.
Thanks!
I tried mid-December with no success. I will try again. I had to throw out my 12/23 expiry dated vials as they stopped working. I started getting symptoms despite increasing dosage to 2ml a day. Please be aware of your symptoms.
PaintLadie, Thank you so much for the response. I was really hoping my 12/23 supply would see me through this. Is your regular injection schedule daily?
I bumped up to 1.5 ml just in case the vial has lost some potency. I inject weekly. When did you notice the hydroxo stopped working and had you been in full remission? Right after the expiration date? Do you keep your vials refrigerated and wrapped in foil?
Really hoping I don’t see a return of symptoms. I’ve been in full remission for well over a year. By the time symptoms creep in, it takes so long to get back where I was before.
I will check in with Walgreens. I just don’t understand why Teva/Actavis lets this shortage occur and doesn’t produce enough to meet demand? So very frustrating for those that depend on this medication!
Longs Story I got really sick was on 2 shots weekly which was apparently not enough, but yes the vials I had saved that were still within date had lost their potency. I had started using the ones that I was filling brand new and was on like 4 shots a day to keep away symptoms and after months of doin this was able to taper off to a .5 ml shot in the morning and .5ml in the evening . No matter how much I take in the morning I still have to take a shot before bed as my symptoms start coming back. It was fine but than I could no longer fill my prescription and a fight ensued with my new doctor so under the advice of those on here I ordered b12 from overseas. I started taking that and it was night and day. It worked great but I still had a few vials that had the 12/23 date so I wanted to use them. I started using them and after a week noticed some of my symptoms slowly creaping back so I upped the dose and took 2ml a day with no real change. So I went back to the stuff I bought over seas and could feel the healing process and my symptoms start to go away like within a day. To test things out I tried the B12 vials with the 12/23 date and both times my symptoms started returning within the day. This was months ago I can't remember exactly. So I threw out those vials. All the vials were kept in their box in another box on a shelf in my bedroom. If there is a better way to store them I wish I knew. Maybe I will keep them in the fridge in the future.
I’m sorry to hear your struggles with symptoms and your doctor but I’m glad that you’ve found a solution. I’m definitely concerned about the potency of the vials being affected. I tried to place an order again with Walgreens but the system says my order is delayed and I’ll be contacted when it’s in.
I do have compounding pharmacy coverage but the pharmacy can only provide methyl and it’s expensive. I don’t want to go back to cyano. Really hoping the Actavis comes through soon. I have done well on the 12/23 vials so far but I do try to preserve potency as much as possible. I refrigerate all unopened and opened vials and wrap in foil to protect from light. I toss opened vials after 28 days.
What overseas source did you use and was it hydroxo? Would you recommend? I may have to go that route myself. It’s insane that we have to go to such lengths just to obtain a necessary medication! I’ve done so well and don’t want to lose all the ground I’ve gained. Took me 2-3 years of weekly shots to finally get well.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Best of luck to you!
Good to know. I will start storing my ampoules in the fridge just in case. Yes. I noticed a big difference in quality. I don't know why. It makes me question whether it is worth bothering getting a prescription filled. I have found it not much more expensive just ordering it overseas. I may actually be saving money as I'm not having to pay co-pays to hassle my doc for a RX. I've tried Methyl and it is also not shelf stable. That's another story of lessons learned the hard way. Cyano never worked well for me either. It is totally insane because our "medication" is literally just a vitamin. A vitamin should not be this hard to get.
Totally agree. I don’t think you’ll need to store the ampoules in the fridge? I don’t think folks on this forum advise it. I was just talking about storing the Actavis vials. I used to just store at room temp but just want to be as proactive as possible so I store in the fridge just in case. Thanks for all the info!
In the UK I use top of the fridge door at times and also under the stairs cupboard dark and cool.Just keep them out of temperatures over 24deg.and in the dark.
I only use single use ampoules .
Nackapan, That’s exactly where I I store mine—that little compartment in the top of fridge door. Growing up, my mom who’s a type 1 diabetic—always stored her insulin in the same place so I did the same with b12 vials. Wish single-use hydroxo was available at US pharmacies. Unfortunately, they are not—only cyano comes that way. Thanks!
Hello, I have found single use Hydroxo at US sterile compounding pharmacy. Usually they do double doses in one vial, but they recently began single use doses. The double doses’t don’t bother me because then I have to take less out at a time. I keep my vials frozen until I’m ready to use a new one. Me Dr. initially prescribed me a dose of 5,000mcg per day (per my request). I weaned down and For six months now I had been taking 1,750mcg per day. Therefore, I had extra and I have been using medicine that is past the prescription date. However, they are all still frozen. I hadn’t had issues with this until recently. I believe I had covid and my symptom began to reappear several weeks ago and I have had to up my doses and frequency. I think it is due to this. But your post has me wondering if the frozen medicine is indeed not potent? I never have a vial open for over 4 days and keep it wrapped in foil and in the fridge.
Hello! Did increasing the dose help? I inject 1,000 mcg per week but am thinking of either doubling to 2,000 mcg or 1,000mcg twice a week. I’d rather do less frequent injections. I just used the first dose from a 12/23 vial two days ago and so far so good but I’ve felt a little off the past couple of days. I’m on a super restrictive diet so it could be that? Hard to know with different variables at play?
Hi! Yes, a higher dose helped. Especially initially. Although, I’m not sure about long term use at higher doses. I just want to keep all my organs healthy. I haven’t read anything that shows it’s bad, I just worry about that. I think after a few days it wears off depending on how deficient you are. From what I’ve read here everyone is different. I’ve noticed if I do too much it kind of supercharges my nerves and I tend to get more zapping, or pins and needles. It hard trying to balance. But yes, sometimes more helps me stabilize. I also use patches sometimes at night and those help a bit too. Good luck!
Thanks for the reply. I doubled to 2,000 mcg to make up for the possibility of reduced potency. I don’t feel any different with injections—they just keep me feeling normal.
The outlook on getting my hands on hydroxo is the US is bleak because of the shortage, so I think I’m going to order a supply from Germany. I don’t want to risk the return of symptoms. I’ve been in remission for at least a couple of years and I don’t ever want to go back.
I understand. Going back is always a scary thought to those of us that have struggled.
You may want to try find a compounding pharmacy that may be able to help get you Hydroxo. When I first received my prescription for injections I was told that Walgreens couldn’t supply me Hydroxo. It’s nice that you have been able to get it there. Good luck! I didn’t realize that there was shortage. Does anyone know how long this is expected to last? What an awful thought that we couldn’t get our medcine that we need. Crazy world.
It’s nice to know that Walgreens even tried to get hydroxy for you. I thought the only OTC (or script needed?) available here is cyanocobalamin. Have you ever actually been able to purchase hydroxy at Walgreens? I wonder if their willingness to try varies from store to store?
Hello! Yes, a script is needed and yes, I have been filling a script for hydroxo for almost 5 years at Walgreens. Before that, I filled my script for hydroxo at CVS, but Walgreens is a more reliable source. A CVS near my former home ordered for me, no problem, but once I moved the CVS near my new home was clueless. I checked with my insurance carrier and Walgreens was provided as a source to obtain it. Smooth sailing since except for this lengthy shortage.
Oh thank you mcg-woo. This is great to know. I actually assumed that you were talking about syringes...which is silly...because we can't get them here. I am still getting mine from Germany because I just feel safer using them, but I will use the vials when/if I can't get the syringes any more. I am saving this post. Thanks.
I'm also having a problem with the Teva/Actavis hydroxocobalamin shortage with Walgreens and also Kroger. I haven't inquired at Walmart yet but imagine they won't have it either. My doctor is great with giving me an RX, but I gave to go to compounding pharmacy and it's methylcobalamin. It's also $30. for shipping or drive 45 minutes to get it. This is also a vial, and the ingredients list it being powder in a sterile solution. I thought I saw here somewhere that someone bought B12 powder for making B12 injections. Does anyone know where I'd get the powder from? Thank you all for the great info that you share here 😊
This is the latest from Teva which I spoke with today:
Thank you for contacting Teva Pharmaceuticals Customer Service.
For NDC 00591-2888-30 - Hydroxocobalamin Inj 1000mcg are currently on backorder.
The estimated release date for the product will be the first week of March, but that dating is subject to change.
I hope this information has been helpful in addressing your concerns. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-545-8800 or email at tevacs@tevapharm.com
The reason they gave for backorder was unavailability of 3rd party materials.
AI Queen,
Thank for posting this update. Such a frustrating situation and it seems the availability date just keeps getting further delayed . I’ve been injecting my expired vials at double strength but have sourced Pascoe hydroxo from Germany. Simply no other choice at this point. Who knows when the Actavis will be available? I hope you’re hanging in there!
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