General Chat

....... and it really feels like time is repeating itself!

Just over 2 years ago (October 2019 to be precise), Ranitidine, a prescription medication for gastric reflux, was taken off the market because one of the chemicals had been deemed carcinogenic.

Therefore need to find a replacement, along with millions of others.

Number 1 replacement preferred by my doctor was Famotidine 40 mg, and she gave the pharmacy a 3 month prescription but only 1 month supply to be given to me at first to try.

No problems, went to pick up the remainder on November 11 ............... out of stock and hard to get.

Back to the doctor to get another replacement

Meanwhile, I ran out of my supply of Famotidine, pharmacist suggested I could use the weaker OTC form, Pepcid AC, took that for about 3 days.

Then got Cimetidine 200 mg, same deal, 1 month trial and then could get the remainder.

Was absolutely fine, took that until February this year when Ranitidine came back on the market, and the pharmacist got permission to provide it to me again.


Wednesday last week I got a new prescription from the doctor for Ranitidine, took it into the pharmacy next day, and .....................

Manufacturer's shortage of ALL dosages, not expected to be any delivered until December :-0


So now we're back on the roundabout, except that this time my doctor will not change the prescription until she discusses it with me.

Phone discussion with her in the next 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, I've run out of my supply of Ranitidine, and OH has just been to the pharmacy to pick up another small box of Pepcid AC, just in case.



Wish me luck that the roundabout doesn't continue for longer than this month! :-|

I take omeprazole 20mg

Have a huge hiatus hernia diagnosed many moons ago so have taken it for years

It works for me

Good luck Sylvia, awful that this happens regularly. I know it happens here with my sisters medication (not for the same problem as yours). Not sure if the main problem lies with the pharmacies or the manufacturers..

I was walking past our local pharmacy on Tuesday and stopped to read the note on the door. I knew that particular one had staffing problems but it said there were no prescriptions being done due to IT problems. It seems the whole large chain has lost its IT systems after an upgrade.

Very difficult if you don’t have your own transport.

Success ..............

I think!!

I'll know for certain later today!!

Doctor consultation .......... she discussed it with me, laughed a bit at my back on the roundabout feeling, read back the last comments from a specialist, and prescribed Famotidine for 3 months, with permission for the pharmacist to replace it with Ranitidine when available. Then I have to go see her in January. That gets me through our Christmas trip with no worries.

Shirley .......... Losek is the brand name of omeprazole, I can't take the generic form.

I take Losek in the morning, and the Ranitidine (again brand name) before bedtime. Each alone is not sufficient to control my gastric reflux symptoms, and the gastroenterologist I was referred to earlier this year said I should stay on the doses if I wasn't having any problems.


AnnG ........ This is the first time that I have been unable to get a prescription filled for such a long time because of a manufacturer's supply problem. I think this is tied up with these supply and delivery problems that every country is suffering, due to covid, hold-ups in deliveries from and to every country because of a lack of ships and containers, or them being in the wrong place when needed after transport stared again.

I read of major hold-ups for example at Folkestone docks, with hundreds of full containers in a holding-area waiting for distribution around the UK, and piles of empty containers stacked up in another area waiting to be put on ships, or filled. 80 ships being held offshore Vancouver waiting for dock space to unload and then reload, 200+ ships off Singapore, etc etc. And that was only last week's information.


names ........... that is awful! There are a lot of IT problems going around. It seems to happen with upgrades, but there's also hacking followed by demands for ransom.

Newfoundland and Labrador's entire health system is off-line after that was hacked over the weekend.

OH went this morning, picked up a prescription for 3 months, plus 1 more refill

I had to take the OTC last night, but the pack can now be stored!!

Sylvia

Yes I started on Losek but then it became too expensive for the NHS

Was switched to another brand but it caused me problems

Was then switched to the generic Omeprazole which worked so I have stayed on that

I take omeprazole 20mg

Have a huge hiatus hernia diagnosed many moons ago so have taken it for years

It works for me

shirley, beware, i was on Omeprozole....

wonderful stuff for reflux, but

I'm convinced that is what killed my kidneys....too much, for too long!!

Thanks Bob

Can only be guided by what the doctor prescribes I,m afraid

Mine does Blood test monitor trice a year including a general annual MOT

:-)

Shirley you are lucky if you are still getting those annual/twice annual tests doen - good surgery. so many have eased off during Covid.

Sylvia, yes the hold ups through shortage of workers and drivers since we lost so many Eastern European workers is very bad and causes a lot of problems with stock at all levels.