Pharmacies struggling to get some drugs.

Pudsey Bear

Pudsey Bear

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I'm on Alfuzosin Hydrochloride for my Prostate/Bladder.

They started me off on one version about 10 years ago, but it wasn't very good for nighttime frolicking, so they switched me to another version Xatral XL, same does and it was ok for a few months, so I got put onto another version Fuzatal and it worked for a couple of years, but a few months ago the factory couldn't supply ??? so I got switched again to Besavar XL which was really good, Doc has recommended that I double the dose, so he sent the script to the pharmacy and now they can't get that one and gave me Xatral XL again, so as I don't check the drugs when I pick them up, I hadn't noticed until this morning, so I've just been down to see what the hell is going on, can't get the Besavar XL now, but I can take it back but only if I take all the other drugs that I collected at the same time, which seems a barking to me.

Is anyone else having supply problems?
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I'm on Alfuzosin Hydrochloride for my Prostate/Bladder.

They started me off on one version about 10 years ago, but it wasn't very good for nighttime frolicking, so they switched me to another version Xatral XL, same does and it was ok for a few months, so I got put onto another version Fuzatal and it worked for a couple of years, but a few months ago the factory couldn't supply ??? so I got switched again to Besavar XL which was really good, Doc has recommended that I double the dose, so he sent the script to the pharmacy and now they can't get that one and gave me Xatral XL again, so as I don't check the drugs when I pick them up, I hadn't noticed until this morning, so I've just been down to see what the hell is going on, can't get the Besavar XL now, but I can take it back but only if I take all the other drugs that I collected at the same time, which seems a barking to me.

Is anyone else having supply problems?
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Yes, me. Kev. Regular problems with Ivabradine supplies, usually a 2 further days delay to get supplies, and it's a different manufacturer every time. The problems were highlighted to UK Government ahead of signing the Withdrawal Agreement (Goldman Sachs senior employee said, 'any delay with supplies and I will die from kidney failure'), but no notice taken.

Steve
 
It seems they come from Slovenia, so I've emailed the company about supplies to the UK.
 
Possible result, Liz went onto the NICE website to see the wholesaler etc and came up with the UK part of the company so I just rang them and there is no problem with supply at all, they have plenty of stock, she asked for the pharmacy number and is ringing them on my behalf.
 
It gets worse, I ring pharmacy to sort out getting the drugs, speak to the pharmacist, she says it is rubbish they cannot get them and rings the drug firm, who confirm that they have none til the end of June, I'm now getting two tales so I ring the firm and no they do not have stock til the end of June, I explain I have two different tales can she check and she does, no stock now, so back to the pharmacy and she says if you need a particular brand then they need to be prescribed and not a generic which is what caused the issue in the first place, so I've requested that the brand name is on my script list, I am supposed to take two per day not but I might hold off until I get back, then I will have enough until mid-July.
 
I had to wait 5 days for a certain antibiotic before I could have some teeth pulled a couple of months back. If you think back it was said this would happened after the b word we can’t mention.
Caz is often waiting for some part of her stuff for diabetes
 
nabsim said:
I had to wait 5 days for a certain antibiotic before I could have some teeth pulled a couple of months back. If you think back it was said this would happened after the b word we can’t mention.
Caz is often waiting for some part of her stuff for diabetes
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It's not a recent thing. I have always had 'shortages' as my Pharmacy calls them.

I think some of it is due to the NHS pricing structure. It is a centralised body and slow to change as inflation has occurred. Naturally, manufacturers will prioritise customers who will pay the higher prices.
 
Shortages are just low stock is are a very different thing to not being able to get supplies, partly and offshoot of not being in the EU.
 
I read that our local surgery has compounded script issues by installing a swish new IT system that doesn't quite work as intended. 😏

Over the pandemic I carefully built up a small buffer that the doctor wouldn't spot, and continue to maintain it. Yvonne staunchly ignored me and played it by the book, only requested her scripts shortly before they ran out. The results for her were all too predictable. ☹️
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Shortages are just low stock is are a very different thing to not being able to get supplies, partly and offshoot of not being in the EU.
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I think it's often about money Kev. When a spray I take daily was unobtainable by script on the NHS, it was easily available behind the counter for money.

For the reasons I gave in my previous post I was able to wait for its return. 👍
 
It's a business, and they usually struggle for space to store less popular drugs but they are supposed to keep in stock all drugs currently supplied to existing customers.


I order online, but I set up an alarm reminder for the earliest I can order, I also get a two month script which helps.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Shortages are just low stock is are a very different thing to not being able to get supplies, partly and offshoot of not being in the EU.
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So the EU is restricting or refusing to supply the UK with drugs or the ingredients? :(
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Shortages are just low stock is are a very different thing to not being able to get supplies, partly and offshoot of not being in the EU.
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Especially the the chemist does not have large enough storage so only orders a relatively small amount of medications.
 
Iandsm said:
Especially the the chemist does not have large enough storage so only orders a relatively small amount of medications.
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Pretty much the case too.

I was told my drug would be there at the end if June, its all buggered up, docs have cost targets to keep too as well, we have too many people in the country, and too many of them are sick, or pretend to be to get benefits.
 
Iandsm said:
Especially the the chemist does not have large enough storage so only orders a relatively small amount of medications.
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The chemist I eventually got it from is like a clearing house. Small shop front but open behind the counter into a long room, they always have 8 or 9 folks in the back getting prescriptions together so must have a massive turnover of drugs in there. They said a lot of antibiotics are in short supply and have been for a while. I know not why that is.
I do know the reason Caz struggles is lack of supply from the EU where her normal stuff comes from as she has tried a lot of chemists and all say the same thing
 
No antibiotics will kill you.
 
Has been about 1 year since I was last able to get one of my items, fortunately not one my life depends on.

Our pharmacy now only prescribes 1 month supply on any new repeat prescriptions, previously it was 2 months. Apparently this is a new cost saving procedure introduced by the NHS. How the ————— is this supposed to save money? It means the Doctor has to authorise prescriptions twice as often and the Pharmacist has to process them twice as often. Doubles the paperwork too. I can see that it might slightly improve the NHS cash flow but this is an accountants idea of a cost saving, what it really means is extra work for everyone else.
 
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