Hi Madlegs, thanks for responding :)OMG ..... at least 5mg was available.This is scary stuff, esp' with these particular meds. What would I have done without my emergency stash?
And the idea that there are people out there unable to take their script from chemist to chemist.
Thinking ahead ... if it becomes that I cannot obtain my script and my supplies run out, what would the GP give me and others as a substitute?
Back to Oxy or ..... This is very worrying. I am relectant to contact my GP in case they try to give me something less suitable
Hopefully, as in my case, the pharmacist is allowed to be creative.
There may be different strengths available, or different manufactures. Or even alternative opioids such as methadone etc.
But there may be severe restrictions on changing opioid prescription and I wouldn't have much( read "any") faith in regulatory bodies reacting with lightning speed to rectify such situations.
Only alternative in such situations might be to ask the local teenagers for contacts on the "street ".
Doesn't say much for our enlightened modern civilisation???😥
My pharmacist can be creative in dose only and there are unfortunately restrictions in changing opiod scripts.Thing is of course, (I think) There arn't any similar opiods to Buprenorphine. Obv' methadone is better than nothing but I have read that can (for some) eventually result in augmentation.
I wonder what eastern medicine may offer ... Kraton ..... its a bit gritty though!!
Utterly terrifying. We would all go straight into withdrawal. As Madlegs says, there is a worldwide issue with medicines manufacturing.I have a very good relationship with my local pharmacy ( small, family run) and I know they will be creative if need be.
You can certainly have a conversation with your doctor about the situation and your fears.
You can ask him/her/them what strategies they have in place to ensure your continued good health.
You can emphasise how threatened you feel and what terrible steps you are contemplating if they don't have a satisfactory backup strategy in place with your pharmacy.
My pharmacist calls around several different supply companies and also other chemists. He always manages to find stock that way. Boots and larger companies just won't do this.
When I call pharmacists they say they can't say for def' whether the product will arrive from the suppliers until their orders arrive the following morning from the script being handed to them
I have a good indi chemist who uses four suppliers. You are right, local indipendant chemists can be so much more helpfull
There are a couple of health professional subscription databases which record current shortages: it's possible that your GP Practice Manager may have such a subscription and may (or may not) be able to advise you/your pharmacist
I am in the US and even from state to state there are different problems. I’m currently living in Nevada and have to have an oxy prescription called into Los Angeles and find a way to go pick it up. Smaller cities in California are often out of it with no telling when they will get more. Nevada simply would not fill my prescriptions. It terrifies me to think what would happen if I ran out. By 3 PM every day I am in great discomfort. I literally cannot imagine a night without medication.
Yes, it’s a real problem. Out of 5 chemists in my town, only 1 - Lloyd’s - carries stock of Buprenorphine tablets. I’m going into town today to try to get a dialogue going with Bell Chemist, my pharmacy of choice. It’s a small outlet and there’s more chance of getting some personal rapport going. I’ll also have a word with the Lloyd’s branch and try to determine why there’s ready (so far!) availability. Branch ‘creativity’ is the only way of negotiating within what is clearly a serious and worrying problem of manufacture, supply and distribution.
Two additional thoughts. 1. There is a general staff shortage in UK pharmacies and so their capacity to cope with customer anxieties is constrained. 2. Cannabis is a viable treatment for both RLS and PLMD, but if one is to isolate those strains that might address our conditions in the UK, private treatment at a properly constituted clinic is the only fairly straightforward route. In the case of cannabis, at least supply isn’t a problem!
hi - this keeps coming up as an issue (I experienced 5 days “cold turkey” when my meds weren’t available last year). The primary cause is Brexit and imports into the UK and less often supply problems at the manufacturers, most of whom are in SE Asia. My chemist (large chain) had posters up asking customers to write to their MP re: Brexit problems. This just goes on and on!!! Alex
This is mental, never heard of the chemist running out of subbies or methadone before, there would literally be a riot in the pharmacy if addicts got turned away. My pharmacy serves a lot of addicts in this town. As for pharmacists getting creative, that's mental too as they are normally so cautious, on the phone to the drug service with any small concern before dispensing. When I was on supervised methadone a new pharmacist accidentally gave me a double dose (think she got confused as I was supposed to take Saturday's supervised and be given Sunday's to take away). They called an ambulance and wouldn't let me leave. I've literally just finished reducing off methadone, finally clear of opiates after 17 years, but my partner still has a few months to go on his reduction. He will freak out when I tell him there could be a shortage. We rely on this stuff to function. The fear of withdrawal is intense, which is why many of us do have an emergency stash - although we had to break the rules to accumulate it, sounds like it's just as well if we can't rely on the legit supply
Hi QueenmedievalYou are right, it is very frightening.Even though I live in an innercity area, I was suprised when my chemist told me I was the only one on Bup in their chemist.
For some reason others are on Oxy or Methadone. Some come in for their meds daily.
I think if more people were on Bup then this would not be happenning.
It's maddenning to have a chemist offer you your prescription back to take to other chemists to 'try". Imagine if I had run out that day and had nothing.
I wonder in these circumstances whether a script coukd be taken into a hospital pharmacy?
Also I wonder whether hospital (A@E) would be obliged to issue medication to bide people over?
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