UK's Medication shortage is pushing me to CTB. Anyone else?

[ThrownAwayTom]

Hey. I've been here a while and love this community, but this is my first thread - partly because I'm outraged and also slightly cos I'm drunk and therefore have the confidence to post this. British for clarity.

I've been taking 150mg of Venlalic SSRI (Effexor/Venlafaxine) per day for close to 4 years. I know some people swear against current medication and I disagreed with those people because it really worked, until now. I am due to collect my next month's dose tomorrow, and have just been informed upon calling the pharmacy that there's a nationwide shortage due to a manufacturing issue, and the next batch is due in 4-5 weeks. No warning at all - I find out 24 hours before I've run out completely.

I kind of have no idea what to do now. One hour without my regular dose and I begin to feel vertigo and brain shocks - I have no idea what is going to happen going cold turkey and I know full well it can cause people to go in to comas or worse. I've felt the urge to CTB for years now but I want it to be my choice and not the cause of a psychotic break or worse caused by cutting my meds off without warning.

I'm kind of shook that this is the process and that I wasn't informed sooner. I'm sort of at the mercy of the current stock of other places and the fact I didn't order well ahead of time :(

Any advice? Thank you all in advance, it is much appreciated.

 

[CoalmineCanary]

When I tried to get off Effexor I did research to mitigate the side effects of the shocks and vertigo by weening myself off slowly.

I don't know what your situation is exactly, but is it possible to split the pills and ration them so you can avoid the severe effects until the resupply?

Good luck.

 

[ThrownAwayTom]

When I tried to get off Effexor I did research to mitigate the side effects of the shocks and vertigo by weening myself off slowly.

I don't know what your situation is exactly, but is it possible to split the pills and ration them so you can avoid the severe effects until the resupply?

Good luck.

Unfortunately not, I have 2 pills remaining and that's all :( Thank you though

 

[CoalmineCanary]

Try speaking to your pharmacist about possible solutions or alternatives that your doctor can prescribe. I find that some pharmacists are very knowledgeable and may be able to help you in this fucked up situation. It's worth a try.

I really hope you'll be okay.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I would have suggested rationing but if you just have two left...

Get to the pharmacy ASAP and ask their advice, they are pretty good usually and may give you alternatives. You may have to get an emergency GP appointment for a prescription though.

 

[Regen]

Hey,
i sent you a pm.

 

[Cherrypea]

You need to get an emergency phone appointment with your Dr tomorrow who can prescribe something similar so you don't get acute withdrawal. If no luck with GP then try 111. But most surgery's leave room to accommodate urgent cases on the day.

 

[Nymph]

That's horrible, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I have forgotten my dose something with Venlafaxine and it's horrible, it's so terrible. You have to call someone asap, your doctor, pharmacy or some kind of toxicology clinic/center. You need someone to give you Venlafaxine or some kind of meds that help with withdrawals (hospital, wards, toxicology centers have this stuff) the withdrawals of Venlafaxine will probably make you go crazy and make you non fuctional. When I quit cold turkey all I did was lay in bed and my head was spinning, nausea etc...
this is really serious!! Please call a hospital or something:(( good luck

 

[ihavetoleave]

I tapered off of similar meds this year after taking them regularly for many years. Even with a taper the symptoms were incredibly awful, I was in full panic constantly and I can't even describe the buzzing sensation in my head. I still feel off many months later. If you can, go to see any Dr. you can and explain the situation, they will be able to prescribe something else which won't be the exact same but may help with the symptoms. I'm so sorry you have to go through this, it was always my nightmare when I would be in a similar situation when I took the meds. Cold turkey is not something you want to go through, these meds are really dangerous to take regularly and then not take at all and it can be really serious.

 

[ThrownAwayTom]

Thank you for your advice and for giving a shit guys. Using your advice I managed to find some in another town and get them shipped to my local pharmacy which wasn't quick.

I take the tablets but they only have capsules left so I had to get my prescription changed but turns out my GP has retired now so it was needlessly complicated.

Whilst I'm back on them now it has made me realise how little people in my life other than you guys actually cared lmao. Thank you again.

 

[TooConscious]

If it's true... I personally have trouble believing they can let this happen as I'm sure they'll be sued to excess. But if it is and you have to go longer than even two days without your dose that is terrible. I'd end up be trying to buy online but then you're worried if it's genuine. If you have a large network hopefully someone can lend you some.
Good luck stay strong

 

[elfgyoza]

Thank you for your advice and for giving a shit guys. Using your advice I managed to find some in another town and get them shipped to my local pharmacy which wasn't quick.

I take the tablets but they only have capsules left so I had to get my prescription changed but turns out my GP has retired now so it was needlessly complicated.

Whilst I'm back on them now it has made me realise how little people in my life other than you guys actually cared lmao. Thank you again.

I'm sorry, it's awful isn't it. I think pharmacies should tell you this stuff whenever you pick up meds. I take venlafaxine and already had trouble getting it over a month ago from my local Boots, a few weeks later the independent pharmacy also told me they'd run out. They've known about this issue for weeks.
It's unbelievably shit, especially with venlafaxine, miss one day and you get withdrawal symptoms so I don't even want to imagine what it's like to get off it cold turkey!

 

[ThrownAwayTom]

I'm sorry, it's awful isn't it. I think pharmacies should tell you this stuff whenever you pick up meds. I take venlafaxine and already had trouble getting it over a month ago from my local Boots, a few weeks later the independent pharmacy also told me they'd run out. They've known about this issue for weeks.
It's unbelievably shit, especially with venlafaxine, miss one day and you get withdrawal symptoms so I don't even want to imagine what it's like to get off it cold turkey!

Yeah it is grim. When I finally found a pharmacist willing to help she explained that the country has run out of 150mg so everyone on those is now getting 2 x 75mg, soon those will be out and everyone will be on the 37mg lowest dose x 4.

Scary and really surprising you can find out the day you're due to collect

 

[awfullife]

Those lower doses are good to try to titrate off of it though OP...Are you still going to try to quit EFXR? I've done it before, it sucks.

 

[NodusTollens]

I'm sorry, it's awful isn't it. I think pharmacies should tell you this stuff whenever you pick up meds. I take venlafaxine and already had trouble getting it over a month ago from my local Boots, a few weeks later the independent pharmacy also told me they'd run out. They've known about this issue for weeks.
It's unbelievably shit, especially with venlafaxine, miss one day and you get withdrawal symptoms so I don't even want to imagine what it's like to get off it cold turkey!

OMFG, THIS!

I just had a whole rant to myself about how incredibly inconsiderate & selfish it is for companies to not tell their patrons about shortages. & I've taken this particular medication, the shocks alone are the reason I eventually had to get off it. & I impulsively did so cold turkey, I don't wish that on anybody.

 

[Scrubs2016]

You have my sympathy, I am not sure what would happen if they ran out of my meds, the main one Palexia Tapentadol is a bugger to get hold of even without covid and yet every time I order it Boots the chemist still doesn't ring and say 'well its not arrived yet', nope they leave it, like you said, to the last bloody minute and then go, 'well you should have known'... My heart goes out to anyone on prescription meds at this time as there will be more and more shortages IMO.

And remember what 'they' say "One step at a time, one more second, one more minute, one more hour" and you will so bored you will still carry on and CTB.

Edit:- I have now been rationing myself and trying to save up the odd pills, but it's a high dose painkiller. I advise anyone else to try to do the same.

 

[CoalmineCanary]

This is criminal.

 

[elfgyoza]

Yeah it is grim. When I finally found a pharmacist willing to help she explained that the country has run out of 150mg so everyone on those is now getting 2 x 75mg, soon those will be out and everyone will be on the 37mg lowest dose x 4.

Scary and really surprising you can find out the day you're due to collect

Oh that's just amazing, everyone on 150mg and above is now having to take the 75mg so the 75's will run out even quicker than the 150's!
I'm on 300mg but they don't make them that high, I normally have 2x 150mg tablets, which will be 4x 75mg! I'm actually in hospital rn so meds are fine, but I'm now worried I won't find any when I get out

 

[Winter_Flower]

I'm still able to get my 225mg xx Have you tried taking a script to another pharmacy?

Yeah it is grim. When I finally found a pharmacist willing to help she explained that the country has run out of 150mg so everyone on those is now getting 2 x 75mg, soon those will be out and everyone will be on the 37mg lowest dose x 4.

Scary and really surprising you can find out the day you're due to collect

Being a dispenser myself, we unfortunately don't find out until stock is ordered. As stock is added throughout the day the order gets sent twice a day. This is when we find out there isn't any stock xx I'm able to get my 225mg ok at the mo xx

 

[DJJE]

Typical NHS.

 

[Deleted member 25174]

Hey. I've been here a while and love this community, but this is my first thread - partly because I'm outraged and also slightly cos I'm drunk and therefore have the confidence to post this. British for clarity.

I've been taking 150mg of Venlalic SSRI (Effexor/Venlafaxine) per day for close to 4 years. I know some people swear against current medication and I disagreed with those people because it really worked, until now. I am due to collect my next month's dose tomorrow, and have just been informed upon calling the pharmacy that there's a nationwide shortage due to a manufacturing issue, and the next batch is due in 4-5 weeks. No warning at all - I find out 24 hours before I've run out completely.

I kind of have no idea what to do now. One hour without my regular dose and I begin to feel vertigo and brain shocks - I have no idea what is going to happen going cold turkey and I know full well it can cause people to go in to comas or worse. I've felt the urge to CTB for years now but I want it to be my choice and not the cause of a psychotic break or worse caused by cutting my meds off without warning.

I'm kind of shook that this is the process and that I wasn't informed sooner. I'm sort of at the mercy of the current stock of other places and the fact I didn't order well ahead of time :(

Any advice? Thank you all in advance, it is much appreciated.

How are you doing? I had to go cold turkey after years on it and the withdrawals lasted for 2 months, the bad ones like the brain buzzes and palpitations. I used to just drink plain water and lie still.....did eff all like but it used to reduce the heart zaps and brain buzz.