National shortage on medicine

[MommaGee]

How can there be a national shortage on medicine????

Just tries to get some baby gaviscon. Apparently there's an issue. And no real alternative.

So my alternative when I run out Sunday is a refluxy vomiting toddler.

Wtf.

Aibu to think its not acceptable for a supplier to just stop supplier such a niche medicine???

Agghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Supply issues happen with medicines all the time, it's unfortunate but to be fair, there's no evidence that infant gaviscon actually works. An antireflux milk would do the same job, or if you actually want to treat the reflux effectively then ranitidine would be a great alternative (and far easier to administer!)

This happens all the time. Every week in pharmacy we get a list of top 100 medicines that have supply issues, which list what the problem is likely to be with supply (problems sourcing ingredients, quality issues etc), when this is likely to be resolved (sometimes next week, sometimes next year!) and where we might find an alternative (if at all)

It happens with medicines all the time, there may be a shortage of an ingredient, a problem at the factory, or a large batch gets recalled.
In my experience with essential meds pharmacists are usually great are phoning round to track down any they can or liaising with Drs to work out what to do. I have meds that cannot be stopped suddenly (very very important) and there was a fire at the factory, meaning there were none being produced and the stocks in the factory were ruined. I had a few days left and the pharmacist moved heaven and earth to get me sorted. With other meds there may not be the same urgency but if you go back to your gp or get the pharmacy to phone and explain the problem there is usually a solution.

I've PM'd you @mommaGee

Ok Aibu. But I'm still pissed. Someone said last time it was over costs

When my son was born there was a shortage of the bcg vaccine so he couldn't have it in hospital before we left (as my eldest son had done) and it took months before we could arrange an appointment (by which time he was older and more difficult to hold his arm in the necessary position). That was the first time I was aware of these kinds of shortages.

It can be frustrating, but baby gaviscon you can actually buy so if you're that concerned I would go and buy it.

OP you can order Carobel from Amazon pretty sharpish, can DC have that?

It's frustrating, but happens. My toddler must take Montelukast for severe asthma and there was a manufacturing issue which meant we couldn't get any, did the whole ringing round malarkey. In the end a pharmacist suggested our GP re issued the prescription for the same medicine in a different formulae. We had to go down the route of changing from a powder sprinkled in yoghurt to a tablet...which at her age wasn't fun. But, at least she could still have it. Without it her asthma is very uncontrolled.

If you're really stuck, there is supply in Ireland:

www.sammccauley.com/product/gaviscon-sachets-infant-30-pack/26581/2225.3.3

It happens ! Especially for patented medicine

So a supplier has a problem . Batch goes wrong

It's shit though

They should have an alternative

A couple of months ago my DD needed some antibiotics that were apparently in short supply - the chemist I took the prescription in to rang around other chemist branches nearby to locate a full bottle of the stuff, and then sent me there! It was not a rare antibiotic by any means!

It happens.
Try have things you rely on that they simply stop producing!

I cried in the chemist when I was pregnant and they were out of Scheriproct which was all that had helped my hideous piles

I then cried to the doctor and they gave me something else just as good but the fear when they said 'not likely to be in stock this month' nearly tipped me over the edge.

There's quite a lot of infant gavison for sale on eBay for around £4.50 a box.

That's why there's not in the bloody chemist.
Well that's even more pissing me off. Get a free medicine off the doc and sell it on eBay. Ffs

welshweasel well he has it he doesn't vomit. He doesn't have it he vomits. He also has omeprazole but it isn't enough on its own. That's proof enough for me

It's not always free as it doesn't have to be on prescription, I paid for it when the pharmacy had run out.

plug we had to change to the montelukast tablets for the same reason.

We had had a few supply issues with different drugs of ds over the years. It's one of the reasons I always order two weeks early so if there is a problem we can sort it before running out

Me too but its quite hard to buy in some places, costs more than 4.50 each and I doubt anyone is buying it in Boots then selling it on ebay for fun.

FindingDory11 you can't get it round here at all. There's a national shortage.

Spuddington nope, vomits on it. Think its the difference in how they each work that makes the difference

It is worth trying different chemists. They sometimes have different suppliers (at least two main ones).

It can sometimes be money. If it costs more to import than the nhs will pay then they don't import it for a while. Shirty but true.

And yeah. That eBay seller is almost certainly committing fraud. Claiming it for free and selling it on. You see it all the time with baby milks and eczema creams. Bastards

it happens often.
medicines undergo very strict quality testing and if a batch goes wrong it has to be discarded.
in most cases there are alternatives available with the same active ingredient, like different formulations as above, so it only becomes a really serious issue very rarely.

supply issues in pharmacies is a different issue all together...

really? i've got a pack -1 you are welcome to. my son and I found it unpleasant and impossible to handle! let me know!