Chemists who f*ck about with your meds 🤬

[LittleeJuann]

Currently sitting on my doorstep covered in sore itching hives and trying keep my airways open in the fresh air, because I've been without my correct tablets since the weekend.

I take fexofenadine 180mg tablets up to 3 x daily to manage an assortment of auto-immune conditions

I've learned by trial and error over time what brands work best for me.
Problem is my chemists try to give me a different brand every time.

Went to collect my latest supply last week and they gave me a brand that doesnt work and gives me heartburn, I could take a whole sheet and they'd wreck my stomach but not touch my symptoms. So I politely declined and asked for different ones. They said I'd have to come back in a few days as that was all they had.
I always keep a few days supply aside, so not a prob.

Went back, and they gave me yet another different brand I've never tried before. I was a bit annoyed but took them as I'd totally run out by that point so didnt have much choice.

Took a tablet of this new brand before a walk in park with DD 16 months, DP came along, and thank god he did because I suddenly came over like I'd drunk a whole bottle of wine. I could barely even walk straight, I was absolutely off my face. If I'd been alone with DD and passed out, I dont even want to think what could have happened.

Staggered back to the chemist, gave them back these new tablets and stated very clearly how badly they affect me and insisted on my proper brand, that I know works and doesnt knock me out cold.
Again it was "You'll have to come back in a few days" -leaving me with absolutely no tablets at all.

I went in yesterday and it was just /shrug/ "Dont call us, we'll call you"

So I've now gone 4 days without the tablets I should be taking every day, and my asthma and immune problems are kicking up. I'm absolutely wrecked.

I work full time and have a toddler to take care of, ffs! I'm just so fuming

Does anyone else have this issue getting their correct meds?

Why do chemists think its ok to do this to people, mixing and matching tablets like fucking pick n mix!?!!

Yes the ingredients might be the same but the quality is different in different brands, and we all absorb them at different rates.
Its like asking for Chanel No 5 and getting Impulse -yes they might both have sandalwood, but one is top quality sandalwood, the other is shite. Meds are no different.

Rant over. Thanks for reading!

If you need a specific brand you need to get your GP to put that on the prescription

Seconding this. If your reactions are that severe to a different brand then I’d argue that you shouldn’t be on fexofenadine full stop. The active ingredients remain the same.

Not sure how it was arranged initially but my chosen pharmacy has on their system which substitutes they can and can't use for me due to past bad reactions. Presumably via GP notes, I only use one pharmacy to collect my medication from.

Could you have a word with your doctors surgery and explain the issues and which subs affect you badly or have you already done this?

Fexofenadine can be bought OTC. I buy the same strength tablets from Amazon each month.

What brand do you get on with?

You need to ask your GP to prescribe you that brand specifically, but you will need to justify it to them in plain English and be clear about which brands cause which reactions.

You can't blame the pharmacist who will be giving you exactly what you're prescribed, from whatever source they have, for the most cost effective method to provide you with it.

As per a PP, perhaps you need an alternative antihistamine altogether as the usual differences between brands of pills will just be in the fillers or binders of the medication, not the active ingredients. As such, they are also present in other medicines so you need to know what exactly you are sensitive to.

See your GP. Especially if it’s causing such serious issues. My own prescription has a couple of brand exclusions marked on it for generic medications that I’ve had an issue with (in my case ‘dusty’ tablets were causing issues with swallowing).

edit - I type slow! Clearly I’ve echoed others but there were no replies when I started…

Yeah you need to get the GP to note the brand name on the script.

I take Cerazette. My script is for desogesteral 75mcg. My GP always notes patients to be given Cerazette ONLY on the script because other brands use a filler ingredient that upsets my tummy and therefore makes it unlikely to work as a contraceptive.

If there is no brand the pharmacy will likely just give you what they have in stock without written instruction from the Dr. My pill brand is more expensive against others. Just give your GP a call or email them to have it added.

You can ask the pharmacy to print the prescription for you to take elsewhere if they don't have it in stock.
I would arrange an appointment with the gp though as it sounds like you may potentially have an undiagnosed allergy to an ingredient, which could potentially be in other medications you take in the future considering the active ingredient will be the same so it will be a generic ingredient that you are reacting to.

The GP needs to prescribe the brand you want rather than writing fexofenadine on the prescription. The pharmacy will only be reimbursed for a certain amount if the prescription states fexofenadine and it could be that the brand you want costs a lot more so they will make a loss if they give it to you.

The supply chain for medicines is complex, and it's really difficult for pharmacists to manage so many shortages/ non-availability of so many meds. I don't think your pharmacist would ever have given you anything without the specific dose of fexofenadine you've been prescribed, but if you really are having issues with other excipient ingredients, you need to discuss with your doctor.

The pharmacy should actually give the cheapest. That's the whole point of prescribing generically. If the GP wants you to have Cerazette they should prescribe that rather than desogestral.

Which brand do u usually use. I know at the moment our pharmacy can only get Dr ready brand. And that isn't for want of trying. We select teva or accord on our orders but the supplier will substitute if they haven't got it in stock and that is totally out of our control.

Though the pharmacy should offer to return the prescription to the spine so u can try else where. The only issue with that is if there are multiple items on the prescription as we have to release the whole prescription and not dispense any of the medicines.

Please ask them directly if they are struggling to get that brand. And ask to return to spine if they can't fulfil it so you can go to other pharmacies.

I don't think this an issue with the chemist per say, but with a stock out. I am on daily meds for a GI condition (think like Crohn's). It's been very hard to get the meds in the UK for the past 6 months or so. They've been very hard to get worldwide for the past year, but this was mostly in the US. The UK is usually much better with these things and we hadn't had any issues before last autumn.

There are only two meds I can take (as in no others in existence). The one has been hard to get and not the replacement one is also out of stock. I ran out over the weekend and I'm holding on to my last 3 tablets in case of an emergency - though not sure what they'd do for me as take about 6 or more a day. There just isn't any stock in the UK. It's not their fault really. Well, it's someone's fault, but as it's global, it's more to do with manufacturing and low stocks of the raw materials than with Boots just being shitty.

There unfortunately isn't much that can be done as they can't be magicked up from nowhere. But in your case, if there is the possibility of getting them somewhere else, then do.

I’ve been working up to having a months worth of medication in hand as there’s only certain ones I can take to give me a bit of a buffer.

@mindutopia I had similar issues with migraine meds - I'm on the last triptan there is, so I can't have any alternatives as they don't do anything at all. Same for anti-sickness patches as the alternatives don't work!

A few months ago I contacted all the online pharmacies I could find to ask if they routinely had my meds on the shelf. I now use "Chemist4U" who deliver them every month.

It seems they use multiple sources, rather than my local independent who has only one or two. Even the nationals like Boots and Lloyds were the same. I checked every chemist within 50miles of home and couldn't get my meds!

I feel bad about not using the independent chap any more, but I couldn't keep going without, I was so unwell and absolutely desperate.

It’s not your pharmacist’s fault that there are supply issues with loads of our meds now. Blame the idiots that voted for Brexit.

I agree with you. My son is trialling ADHD medication and while basically they have the same things in them, they give him really different side effects.

I've never had anything like this, but I am medically exempt.

They have known I'm exempt for almost a year. One member of staff seems to have a terrible memory.

She asked if I still pre-pay (I used to). I said no, I'm exempt now. "Oh, really? What's the nature of your exemption? "
Me, raises my eyebrows at her, "I'm medically exempt." she just looks at me, doesn't say anything, and ticks the box.

The next week, almost identical conversation.
Me, "you asked me last week, I am exempt. You need to update your records."

She hasn't served me since, and the rest of the team are lovely.

Pharmacy staff don't know our bodies better than we do. Even Dr's don't always try to tell us which is best when we have auto-immune diseases. So, neither should they.

My pharmacist and my vet both struggle with meds supply post brexit. The gift that keeps on giving.

All the time.
one med they try to swap the brand despite the doctor putting the brand on the prescription. Switched doctors recently and the new one directed me to a specific pharmacy that does a good job supplying this particular med correctly.

another is a topical steroid for allergic reactions. Most brands contain one or more of my allergens. So using it would actually cause allergic reaction. They have my allergens on file. They know I need the one brand that is safe. Yet, half the time I open the bag and find the wrong tube inside. I don’t bother leaving the counter anymore without checking. Then they inevitably have to special order the right cream.

i make sure to stay on top of my prescriptions and go for refills the very first day I am eligible so maximize my buffer. The amount of time I spend on prescription admin is ridiculous.

There’s nothing wrong with the quality of the medicines. They are all licensed medicines that meet the required standard.

In most cases, brands and generics are interchangeable. Any difference in perceived effect is the placebo/nocebo effect.

In some medicines, the brand is genuinely important and they are prescribed by brand.

In some isolated cases individuals may have a problem with one or more of the excipients. If this is the case the prescriber should prescribe by brand. If they do this the pharmacist cannot substitute. If they prescribe by generic name the pharmacist can and will supply whatever they have available.

Don’t have a go at your pharmacist about this. It’s not their fault and they aren’t psychic.

Edited to add Gah! Didn’t mean to quote the OP!

you can buy it online why don't you do that instead of relying on one chemist or even try a different chemist??

I don't think you can blame the pharmacist for supply chain issues!

Huh? They won't remember you and your specific exemption every time...they serve loads of people everyday.

That doesn't go 'on the system' because it can change so often.

You'll get asked every time, unless the staff know you particularly well.

This. I have exactly the same problem with heart meds. I got my GP to stipulate a specific brand.

Every month I have a different manufacturer for one of my meds, they don't even look the same. Good job I am still compos mentis and can do my own tablets.

Nightmare.

I think you need to develop your knowledge of how prescriptions and drugs work before you rant in such a manner. The medication themselves aren't branded, paracetamol isnt a brand, fexofenadine isn't a brand, just different pharmaceutical companies produce the same drugs under their own brand name. The pharmacist hasn't messed anything up, they have given you the dosage of specific meds that has been prescribed.