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Not Just Food

This scares me half to death!

This is a prescription that I take . . not every single day but I do keep it for when I need it. The pharmacy has been out of it since early December. I get this message about once a week.

I called two other large pharmacies and one individual owned pharmacy and nope, none of them are able to get it. Again, it’s something that really doesn’t even matter to me if I take it or not so I’m fine without it. My doctor thinks I’d be better with it. 🙂

What happens then this is a medication people need every day and either cannot survive or cannot function without?

Who would ever have thought we would be facing this? No need to state your opinion as to why this is happening. I think we all have our opinions . . some based on fact, some based on founded or unfounded reasoning but whatever the reason, it’s a bit concerning.

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Comments

  1. Indeed it is a crisis for those who take life saving medications or medications that prevent illness complications (I’m thinking high blood pressure and stroke! and Type 1 diabetics)

    It’s a travesty.

    • I just hope people realize how close we are to a real disaster with pharmaceuticals.

  2. What happens then this is a medication people need every day and either cannot survive or cannot function without?

    I’d ask my Dr. if there is a similar medication she could prescribe instead OR supply you with samples. If that didn’t work out, I’d call the manufacturer and ask if they would help you locate a pharmacy that has it in stock OR if they’d ship the medication directly to you. I know that does happen in some circumstances.

    • I can say with almost certainty that the doctors may have some samples but it’s doubtful they would have enough for all their patients taking a med longterm.

      I don’t care if I take this one or not so I’m not going to waste time dealing with it. In fact, I had not taken it in probably six years and my current doctor said “I think you should be taking it.” I doubt I ever take it .. others can have my share. 🙂

  3. A couple of years ago I noticed that a medication I receive through the VA (I’m a vet, so get several medications through the VA) was in shortage. When I did some research, I found that the problem was because the manufacturing was ALL being done in China. My first thought was, “Wow! The biggest country in the world that has global takeover on their minds, and the US government is receiving ALL their medicines from them! If they really wanted to take over the world, right there is a good way to get started!! Just withhold all medicines from our country. How quickly would we fall…” I felt so strongly about it that I sent an email to the White House, although I’m sure they get so many emails every day that they’re mostly ignored anyway. For years now I’ve said I’m so glad I’m not growing up now. Where the world is headed is a scary place, and I don’t want to be around when the next world war breaks out, because I have a feeling there won’t be much of a world left when the governments of our world get done. I could probably write a book, but no one would want to read it….

    • That would be like me giving my stove and all our food to neighbors who hate us and telling them to take care of providing our meals. Note: I don’t think any neighbors hate us . . not real sure about one though. 🙂

      Many of us try to be as independent as possible and yet our country has turned over almost everything that matters to a foreign country (or countries) who would love to see us, as a country, eliminated.

      NOTE: This is not a grievance against one political part or another. Both have helped get us in this mess.

  4. Very concerning! Amazon has a pharmacy now. We had a special blood thinner that Randy needed to take after a second blood clot issue. It was hard to find and Very Expensive even with our good drug insurance. The people from the hospital helped find it and found a much better but still expensive way to pay for it.

    • Vince takes some meds that he might could live without taking but it would be scary. I wish things weren’t so crazy. Glad y’all were able to find Randy’s meds and wish they weren’t so expensive but we do what we have to do.

  5. I had a prescription I couldn’t get filled a few weeks ago. The pharmacy said I could call around to other pharmacies in town and see if they had it, and they would transfer the prescription. I was irritated that I was the one who had to try and track it down. Fortunately, it was something that had pretty much resolved itself by the time I found out it wasn’t available, so I didn’t bother try and find it. It would be different if it was my asthma inhaler or something like that…

  6. I had a medication that I required daily get recalled prior to covid. It was not available, and there was no production date on the horizon. I worked with my doctor to find an alternative.

    Remember a few years ago when a hurricane hit Puerto Rico really hard and we found out most of the saline used in U.S. hospitals is manufactured in Puerto Rico and the plant was offline?

    Yeah, we’re not so good at diversifying production and distribution risk. in the medical industry.

  7. Apparently there is a shortage of brand name over the counter Claritin allergy medication. I’ve had to purchase store brand for Mike twice now. It’s dang scary and I sure hope our meds aren’t being made in China!!!

  8. Yesterday was our 2 year anniversary since Covid hit Australia. I can’t believe it has been that long.

    We have had our shots and booster, but the Grandkids (aged 9 and 11) can’t get a booking until 14th February and they go back to school tomorrow !

    • It’s probably good for our sanity that we had no idea what we were facing when it started. Hope your grandchildren will be safe til they can get their shots.

  9. Both my husband and I take a blood pressure medicine that the pharmacy has had problems getting occasionally. What infuriates me is that with insurance, you are not able to get your refill until you are almost out of your current supply. If they had my pills today but out when I could actually get the refill, I would be up a creek without a paddle (as the old saying goes). I also take a blood thinner that is extremely expensive and I have just ordered my refill from a Canadian pharmacy because it is much less expensive but it is going to take 5+ weeks to get to me as it is coming out of somewhere in India. Luckily my doctor had some samples I was able to get to hold me over. This all stinks if you ask me.

    • Yes, my refills aren’t available until the last week. (Whereas my husband, at the same pharmacy, is TWO MONTHS ahead!) I have had to make a special request when I (used to) travel and would be gone at the usual refill time. So if there was a problem getting my prescription, I’d be up that creek also. And it is not good when I miss some of mine.

    • Vince takes a lot of the same meds you’re talking about and it scares me to think what could happen if he had to go without those meds. Good luck!

  11. …When I first had to stop taking insulin, the pharmacy was out and didn’t know when they would get it. It was a widespread problem for this particular insulin so I had to get my nurse practitioner to order a different one.

  13. Our preferred pharmacy is Walgreen’s. For probably a year now, they have hD long delays in getting one of my diabetes meds. Then. More recently, there are delays on several others. I`ve been without for up to 2 weeks. Fortunately, I’m not type 1, so my situation is not critical.

    This is such a mess.

    • Today Walgreen’s called about my Rx. Still not in but they needed to get my new insurance – Aetna. Oh . . we don’t have a contract with Aetna. We don’t take that one. It’s ok . . with GoodRX, most meds are cheaper paying cash than using Part D of medicare but it’s all ridiculous.

      I guess we all need to try to stay as healthy as we can because I’m afraid it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

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