is your Drug Mfg on back-order? Industry-shortages?

is your Drug Mfg on back-order? Industry-shortages?

Any input or encouragement in my case?

im planning ahead, as im learning the pharmacies are the last to know that Mfg are on back-order and it could be too late once I try to fill my script. I can only fill 30 days at a time now. Instead of 90 day supply like last 8 years.

I check for drug availability from Mfg here:

https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages

I've been on MYLAN Mfg Temazepam 8+ years, never had this problem until recently.

Local Pharmacies were dwindling, or out of MYLAN for 6 months now, but i managed to scramble to find Mylan before each refill by Pharm shopping, driving to different locations. 

I've called Mylan Mfg each Fri and confirm they are still on Back-order until end of August (estimated date)! Why? they say Shortages of raw materials, and supply and demand issues. 

So....I'll be forced to switch to ASCEND Mfg on April 11 next refill.  local Pharmacies have changed their "preferred" mfg from Mylan to ASCEND - Temazepam because their Supplier (McKesson) gets volumes for less $ so cheaper. My phone call to ASCEND Lab Mfg is also on Back-order and estimate until the end of April (if that really happens)?!

TEVA Mfg informed me they recently bought ACTAVIS-Temazepam, and they are on back order until beginning of April, last I checked?  TEVA will not make Temazepam anymore, but Teva will Mfg only the ACTAVIS Temazepam now 15mg and 30mg only, no other doses.  Teva is based out of USA and wonder if they will have easier time getting raw materials? But local Pharms would have to special order and it's not their preferred mfg right now, so more of a hassle and no guarantee every 30 days.

Anyway, hope my body will not notice a difference switching Mfg, once, maybe more times. I've read the active pharm ingredients could vary up to 10% margin of error within same mfg, or from Mfg or Mfg.

I will switch April 11, then do I hold with new MFG 1-4 weeks before starting my taper plan?

My CVS Pharmacy can only get Ascend Mfg which is their preferred, at least for now. I'll be switching to Ascend Mfg on april 11.  Hope I won't notice a difference??    How long do people hold b4 tapering after switching?

Anyone have good experience? 

Any encouraging thoughts? 

Anyone switched to a different Mfg of their Med, and noticed NO change, or you even felt better??!!  I hope that happens for me on April 10, I'm changing to ASCEND Labs for Temazepam.  I'm nervous about it. 

Hi Mangogal,

I have had to switch generic brands due to my pharmacy not being able to get the brand I was on. Turns out it was due to shortages as well. I also pharmacy shopped. In the end I found a pharmacy that has a deal with a specific company and is supposed to have that brand always available so I switched to that brand.

I have to tell you it will depend on how sensitive you are to your meds as to whether or not you will have any issues with the generic change. I'm ultra sensitive so both switches were noticable to me. The first time was a reduction but the second time was an updose which worked in my favor. It was such a big updose for me that I my doctor had me cut 1% each time I switched out one of me pills for the new generic. I had a few extra so I was able to make the switch over through a couple of months. Hopefully it won't be an issue for you at all, as I said it will depend on how sensitive you are to your medication. I have w/d sxs from a .1% reduction so super sensitive. Most people aren't that bad. I know people that don't even notice the change in their generic hopefully you will be one of them.

You'll make it through no matter what.

Hugs 

T

Hello T.,

Thank you for your reply  and input.  Really appreciate it.  Glad everything is working out for you.

How long did you hold when you changed manufactures?

I picked up The new Ascend mfg today. 

I have 3 more days left  of all the MYLAN manufacture.

I was thinking of alternating every other day, but several others on another forum thought it might be better to just use up the old and start fresh with the new. That way I can see clearly if nobody notices the change.

I will hold for a couple weeks unless I don’t notice anything.

Thank you

Hi Mangogal,

I ended up holding for about a two or three months after the switch, I don't remember exactly as I had a really bad reaction to the change. I waited until I stabilized on the new medication and then let myself rest, so to speak, before I started tapering again. Giving myself a breather really helped when I decided it was time to continue my taper. I'm really hoping that you won't notice the change and won't have to worry about stabilizing or holding. Some people don't have any problems when they switch generics. In fact the second time I switched it was actually an updose and I ended up getting to make a big cut as the new dose knocked me out!! I worked with my pdoc on the amount that I reduced based on the symptoms I was having.

Here's hoping your generic change will be a good experience 

Hugs

T

Thanks for your support. On 4/9  I switched to new Ascend Mfg of Temazepam.

Happily I felt and slept about the same after I took it 1x at nite for 2 days now.

I feel so bad during the day tho. A bit worse than usual.  So I’ll wait and see.

Hi Mangogal,

I hope that the generic changeover went well and you are feeling good.

Hugs,

T

Hi T,

Nice of you to check in.

Switched to Ascend Temazepam on 4/9. Kept one old MYLAN capsule as a momento. Lol!

Sleeping ok, but the days seem worse... not sure why.  This is 8th day. Could be slightly less API or fillers I’m adjusting to? 

One great and (Curious) thing is that the new mfg Ascend suspends really great in the water and seems like way less powder. MYLAN capsule is exact same size but had a lot more heavy powder and tiny beads that plummet to the bottom.

It’s the same drug so why would that be? 

Hi Mangogal,

It sounds like you may have had a reduction in the available medication and that's why you had some daytime worsening of symptoms. Hopefully it wasn't too bad and you are back to your baseline.

It does make you wonder what the fillers are. I use milk to dissolve my clonazepam as it is fat soluble and always stays suspended in solution which allows me to separate them into the three doses that I take in a much more even amount. Also helps when I'm tapering. I also looked up my meds to find out what they are made from. Turns out you can get an ingredients list. I also found the ingredients list on the paperwork that the pharmacy gave me which surprised me.

I hope you are doing better.

Hugs,

T

Hello T

  I do have ingredient list which is slightly diff than the MYLAN mfg. Not sure how that helps me cuz not much i can do about it- but are you thinking that’s why is suspends better —or that is why I’m having worse symptoms? Honestly baseline is difficult to pinpoint, because I progressively feeling worse over the 8 yrs. even worse last two months since switching to liquid, the switch MFG, then spit dose 2x. so severe tolerance, interdose withdrawal?  I better start taper?

What is your K half life? Temazepam is average of 10 hrs. Can you sleep ok while splitting your dose 3x?

Maybe I’ll try spitting 3x day later but scared to take more away from nite dose.  I better start tapering.  Plan is to reduce DLMT  .05mg per day to equal 10% per mth. Some say tolerance is worse than tapering. I better try tapering and Hope it is better for me.  May I PM you ?