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!

With regards to me saying “non-issue” - I was referring to your beliefs about brands and differing generic options of medications and how they can affect people.

I was not referring to problems surrounding drug supplies.

It is a non issue for most people and as I said the GP can prescribe by brand if they feel it is necessary. I have no idea why your GP won't in your case but it is nothing to do with any broken system etc etc.

@wombat15 in the case of our medication, iirc, it was the salt. Every other manufacturer uses hydrochloride, Teva decided to use one that no-one else did, I would assume based on cost seeing as they are generally the cheapest option.

I looked up the licensing application and it failed tests for one size of the pill, but not the other, so they only sold it in one tablet size. To me that it seems like they only just squeaked it through regulations and if one size of pill failed, the whole medication should be re-examined, especially if a large cohort of patients then become ill as a result of taking the pill they do put into circulation.

As I said, this is well known about within the medical and patient community for my particular illness and no-one is given Teva for our illness anymore. It could well be that for some reason we are more sensitive to that particular salt, but personally I have never been made ill by any other generic. There are a lot of people with co-morbid histamine issues who have to be a lot more careful than I do though. I also buy cheapest brand off the shelf paracetamol, ibuprofen and anti-histamines with no problems at all.

I always thought the PL number could only be identical if the generic product was identical to the original licensed medication. Obviously that is not the case though if the main salt can be completely different. I don’t think many people know this, as most will just have read online or have been told that if the PL numbers match the generic is identical. It’s an important distinction, especially for people with MCAS and/or other histamine issues.

I haven't actually said it is identical. They do have to demonstrate it is equivalent in terms of clinical effectiveness. Occasionally there are problems with manufacture though, but this doesn't just effect generic manufacturers.

I have had a specific medication for 4 years. I am allergic to one brand, it causes hives, and my chemist has it on my notes not to dispense that particular brand. Although the base medicine is the same, the difference I suspect is in the coating or whatever its cut with. You are NOT being unreasonable and may have grounds for complaint. Start with the Pharmacy manager, you can escalate to the general pharmacy Council as you are effectively being denied adequate medication. Alternatively, try a different pharmacy. Always order repeat prescriptions we'll ahead of time to allow for the right medication to be sourced. Ultimately some brands will ne cheaper than others so brands stocked will in part be a commercial decision.

Does anyone on Amitriptyline 10mg have the ingredients list for the Albus brand please, it’s a purple box? I am trying to compare the ingredients with my current brand but can’t find it online anywhere. Many thanks if you can help.

Tossers can argue 'their toss' all they like but you can't change someone's lived experience.

I've discussed this in depth at our chemist and have been told that they're not allowed to tell the truth - they have to say what's fed down by their company to protect the business - and they're sick of having to lie and take all the flack- now that's the truth - so argue about that 😂

So they are "not allowed to tell the truth" but have told you "the truth".🙄

Just for the person who is arguing the 'gold standard' issue, let me explain so you can argue some more. Oh and I'm also 'entitled' and whatever the term was about forgetting to order my meds - like you're worthy of an explanation but i'll make an exception this once.

'Gold standard' is the 'best' medication for a particular condition - I know this because one of my other meds cannot be substituted by something else or a generic - coincidentally this particular medication has never gone out of stock at my local chemist. If you know, you know!

If I was 'entitled' as you say, I would be demanding my GP specified the brand of the £34 tablets on my prescription rather than specifying the cheaper brand 'by name' at £7 per box. I've been on this cheaper medication for about 8 years now and have only recently found out why, it's because of postcode lottery, north/south divide or whatever else they want to call it. Not a lot I can do about that.

'Forgetful' - you're a bottom feeder/nit picker - but just this once I'll share with you that the timescales were a year apart but basically gave me proof that Cornwall is more patient friendly with their meds, no wonder it's always sunny in the south and cloudy up north - it's obviously down to the meds.

It's absolutely not true that all brands of the same drug are identical. DS had a nasty run of breakthrough seizures caused by a brand change in his epilepsy meds, ironically it was the difference between two generics, not even an expensive brand.
The pharmacist said there are manufacturing tolerances, so dosages can vary by a tiny amount, tiny differences can affect epilepsy.

My husband had the same, when they switched him from Tegretol to generic carbamazepine.

I went 14 years seizure free once and I was on the same brand of medication for that entire time. However, one month, due to a prescription error I was given a generic alternative and 10 days later I had a seizure. Fourteen years of no seizures and it was all wiped out by me not being given my usual brand 😢

It absolutely turned my world upside down.

Some people have absolutely no idea how catastrophic it can be when you can’t get the brand you need and have to suffer the consequences of having cheaper alternatives.

The results of switching brands can be life changing for some.

🤣 Entitled, forgetful...and now childish. Resorting to name calling because you're cross. Grow up. Or move to Cornwall?

DS will now have to wait before learning to drive. I know it's not the end of the world, but he is disabled and it would have made his life so much easier. And it's frustrating when it was avoidable.

It's well known that most epilepsy medications should be prescribed by brand but the same isn't true of most treatments for other conditions. As you say it was error.

There's actually a decent sized list of meds that should be prescribed under brand name or a consistent generic. Insulin is one of them (under NICE guidelines). Plenty of others too, epilepsy isn't some random outlier condition, this advice applies to other conditions.

I'm not sure why you are so insistent on dismissing other people's experiences and the effect this has on their lives.

Yeah, “Just an error” where the GP decided it was fine to change my prescription to a cheaper generic medication rather than keep me on the brand that worked.

”Just an error” that caused a seizure, led to me being hospitalised for 5 days, losing my driving licence and ultimately losing my job, never mind all the snowballing effects on my mental health and the after effects on my children from me having that one seizure.

But like you said, “Just an error” 🙄

It's not actually a very big list. Pharmacists are aware (or should be aware) of which ones they are. What experience have I dismissed?

I didn't say it was "just an error" I said it was an error. I agree it was a potentially very serious one, not only by the GP but the pharmacist should have asked which brand.

That wasn't my point if you read the post. Clearly you have a different agenda and want people to stop telling the truth. How come?

Probably because I was sat trying to comfort a pharmacist who was at the end of her rope - all their jobs rely on their silence and they can't tell the truth to patients/customers, instead they have to repeat corporate responses parrot fashion and take the abuse - how is that fair? Gagged by their employer - you ever been there - I have!

Most of the claims to "get on" with one brand versus another are psychosomatic as evidenced by the fact that customers sometimes claim ...

You wrote this earlier. Have you got a source for this you could link? Thanks. It's of great interest to me.

Did I say I wanted the £34 box of tablets -NO. I was pointing out the inequalities in prescribing and dispensing medication - in my own area and in Cornwall, for example - facts, you know those things that the government lie through their teeth about and the monkeys aren't allowed to challenge them.