TEVA brand shortage?

[Kazzer52]

Hi Melanie, I've tried Wockhart, Teva and Genesis brands. I found Genesis horrendous, Teva ok but Wockhart suits me best so my pharmacist tries to get that brand for me. 

[Melanie8]

Has you ever heard of or tried genius brand?

[nickif]

I have Teva on my prescription now. I am so much better now I am back on it. 

[lizzieb]

I have Teva again now and all fine, I always ask my doctor to specify the brand on the prescription and my pharmacist has also made a note. For future reference, I also tried Mylan whilst Teva was unavailable and got on well with it. So at least I have a backup now. (I did not get on with Actavis or Wockhardt). 

[Bibi44]

I moved my repeat prescription request forward a week each month & now have a month's supply of TEVA in hand to tide me over these supply interruptions. Pharmacist doesn't seem to query it. x

[Jill1998]

Pharmacist managed to get 6 packs of Teva,so ok did a few months !!!!

[Jobey68]

It's Anastrazole Jill X 

[nickif]

Ill be interested to see how many I can get.Pharmacist is going to order it for tomorrow. Ill be ringing Teva again if she can't get them.

My GP asked if my Oncolgist had said I could try Arimidex as that might be better for me. Im going to ask when I go in June as I haven't had a period for over a year now.

[Jill1998]

What is Arimidex?Pharmacist said he could order that form me .

[Jill1998]

My pharmacist just rang to say he could only get 14!!!!So not out of the woods yet!!!!

[nickif]

Teva back in stock, just rang them and they say its available now. 

[Ruthiesings]

Is it the general opinion that Accord anastrozole is fairly OK re s/es?  In the 10 months I've been on the tabs I've had Actavis, Teva, Morningside and my latest repeat prescription is now Accord!  I've been very fortunate not experience the joint pain with any brand but did wonder whether my mood was lower whilst on the Morningside - or could just have been that I'd got a lousy cold virus...

[Charys]

....but it is TEVA Venlafaxine I was referring to not tamoxifen. Just saying, as I know quit a few people take the Venlafaxine too. The tea brand is the only one that I tolerate well, no idea why, I don't think the doctor believes me. 

[Charys]

North hampshire

[nickif]

Where are you Charys?

[nickif]

Ill just have to have 2 weeks off my meds. I am going to doctor next week so I can ask them to put TEVA on my prescription. Thanks for that info, at least I know it wont be too long x

[Charys]

TEVA Venlafaxine ( the only brand I will use of this) have had an issue the last few months as well, it used to be the generic brand that everyone had and now for the last few months pharmacists here have had trouble getting hold of it. Suddenly there was a bit supply appeared last week, so fingers crossed that they are back to their UK distribution for all you peeps waiting! 

[anngc]

Hi, I've seen on a Macmillan thread that Teva have said they will be back in stock in 2 weeks.

x

[nickif]

Anyone had any luck getting Teva? I have had to stop my Tamox as I was getting the most horrible mood swings... I just couldn't cope with it. I know I have to take them but sometime the affects are so bad I can't function. Teva are the only ones that dodn't make me into a maniac!

[Bas_B]

Your Doctor can specify your preferred brand on your prescription, the chemist then has to supply it.  I have teva on mine. This hasn't helped with the company being out of stock though so still on different brand this month.

I was at the hospital on Monday and mentioned that Teva were out of stock. The doctor said that suppliers sell their drugs abroad too (for more money). So this is not an uncommon situation. I hadn't thought of that before.

[Crazybirdy]

Hi Cavills, I think it depends on the chemist whether they will supply you with Arimidex instead, my local chemist said they wouldn't give me Arimidex even though the Teva was unavailable but Boots Chemist said I could have any brand I wanted.

[Cavills]

Hi Ruby cat, can't believe Teva is the cheapest! I live in Sheffield  so you may be right about the north south thing, only last 2 times I have been given  Accord and Morningside. I think it's the accord that is making me depressed so I have stopped all meds for 6 weeks and now feel great, now I have some Teva I will start it up again, very reluctantly I gave to add!  I have been taking a herbal tumeric mix as a substitute.

[rubycat]

Hello Cavills - my chemist wouldn't supply Accord as he said it was £60, and Arimidex was over £100, whereas the Teva was £2 - but he didn't have that either!!  Chemist said would only get what the Dr was willing to pay for.  Good point made earlier about the cost of Dr visits & further medication for all the s/e to put to your Dr to persuade them to cough up for Arimidex.  Just wondering if shortage of Teva is a southern problem if Nottingham is ok!!.  I'm in Salisbury.  It's really irritating having to worry what s/e we might get with changing brands.  Hope you get on ok. Christine

[Jill1998]

Nicki could Teva explain why they keep running out of supplies?This happened in November too.Rather unreliable ,I am tempted to experiment with other brands so as to avoid this ongoing issue but never a good time to give yourself a new selection of side effects !!

[Cavills]

So i can ask for actual Arimidex? I didnt realise this. I will try and see if my chemist will order me this instead as ive heard its better but more expensive.

[Crazybirdy]

My local chemists is unable to supply the Teva brand Al and has told me it could take up to month for it to come in.  I took my prescription to Boots chemist who said they could order it in for the next day however the next day they called to say they are unable to supply Teva and if I would like another brand so I asked for Arimidex. I have had no hot flushes or SE since taking Arimidex; if only I could get these all the time. I am in Coventry.

[Cavills]

This us interesting I've just picked up my prescription and it's Teva (anastrazole) I also have a box of Morningside  and Accord. I'm having a rest due to bad depression and will start again soon do we think Teva is the best one? Anone else had the bad depression episodes?

[nickif]

I actually rang TEVA last week in desperation as my SEs are horrendous on another brand. Out of stock until maybe April, maybe July. I have actually halved my dose of tamoxifen as I can't cope with the hot flushes. 😞 

[Bondgirl]

I just collected my prescription and my go had no problems getting teva. I live near nottingam

[Ruthiesings]

I'd been taking the Teva brand of Anastrozole since last summer with minimal side effects (sweats, mood swings, fuddled brain but not joint pain, thank goodness) so was anxious when my last repeat prescription was by Morningside Healthcare in case my s/es increased.  I've taken about 6 weeks worth now and haven't noticed any difference from Teva.  Could be worth asking the pharmicist about this brand?

[Jill1998]

This has happened before,all seems very weird that a drug company runs out of drugs (more than once!!)???I have 6 weeks supply of Teva hope they can get it by then.

[Bas_B]

Hi Everyone,

I also use teva Tamoxifen and my chemist can't get hold of it either.  I phoned Teva and they have said they are out of stock and will be back in middle of April although they told the chemist end of May.

As you've all said we get enough problems and SEs without having to change brand.  My local chemist, bless her heart, tried everything to get me Teva but there doesn't seem to be any anywhere.

Now on wockhart this month - which I don't like gives me headaches and I can feel so low on it too.

Ho Hum, the joys.

take care all

J xx

[Jill1998]

Good luck with your mammogram ,not looking forward to mine either,or the dreaded letter through the post telling me the results .....

[rubycat]

Keeping everything crossed for you Jill.  Think I'm just feeling a bit fragile at the moment - my first year mammo is next Weds and I have to have a seroma drained on Monday - something I'd been moaning about since my ops last April. 

Would just like to say a big thank you to you and all the other lovely community champion  ladies who bother to help and offer your much needed advice and support.  I know this forum has been of wonderful help to me in many dark hours.

[Jill1998]

Hope this brand treats you well.Im not looking forward to going for my next prescription,keeping everything crossed they manage to get Teva for me.

[rubycat]

Ranting alert.  Just picked up my anastrozole and found chemist didn't have Teva that I've had to put up with since he wouldn't supply Accord (apparently Dr wouldn't pay the £60).  Now got some Zentiva.  No-one seems to take seriously that these different brands DO have different s/e.  For four months after I started Accord last July I had no problems, then on to the Teva and back and leg aches.  Had been diagnosed osteopenic, so taking Adcal D3.  What joy.  I shall try the Zentiva - perhaps it will be the same as Accord and be better for me?  Arrghh.  Sorry, I know it's small in the big scheme of things, but I now feel right p*ssed orrff - having to wait again to see if there are any more s/e.

[lizzieb]

In case anyone else has the same issue with Teva unavailability, I have been on the Mylan for a few days now with no additional side effects. If anything I have had fewer hot flushes, but it is difficult to judge as I have also been taking supplements to try and calm these down.

Thanks for your help all, this forum is so useful.

[Jill1998]

Try the Mylan,hopefully you won't notice any difference ,not everyone seems to be affected by change of brand ,some people are more sensitive than others.

[lizzieb]

I picked up my Tamoxifen today and the pharmacist has given me Mylan and Actavis. Can anyone offer any insight / recommendation as to which I try first? I have 3 Teva tablets left, they should be back in stock mid April... Thanks x

[Seren]

Hi Matty -  which is the trial brand?  I'm on Teva Anastrozole but haven't run out, yet!

[Matty2]

I have had difficuty getting Teva brand as well - anastrozole.-The chemists were 'difficult' about it. I was down to 2 tablets and in the end had a telephone consultation with my GP as i was unwilling to try another brand (having enough side-effects anyway)

Sympathetic GP has given me a trial brand to see how I go, the month is nearly up and seems Ok, so will hve a chat with hom and hope to stay on the new one

[Jill1998]

The alternative days thing sounds bonkers!!!I would take it for a couple of weeks see how you get on ,unless it's truly awful obviously.I had to go to 4 chemists before I found a pharmacist who understood why it was important to have same brand,I was close to tears having to keep explaining.Im sure there is info re different brands affecting people differently on a number of sites,the pharmacists should be aware.

[lizzieb]

Thanks Jill, I think Mylan is one of the brands he mentioned he could get hold of. He has actually suggested giving me 2 different brands to see which one I get on with. But his suggestion was to take them on alternate days...? Sounds like a mad cocktain to me.  I was thinking of trying Mylan for one week and then swapping if I need to onto the other brand. Trying to explain hot flushes and aching joints SEs to an introverted male pharmacist that insists they should "all be the same" was an interesting challenge... but I think he ended up feeling sorry for me. (He called me "dear" when I mentioned I was in the middle of rads and could do without all this additional aggro...). Let's hope the Teva are back in stock soon. It's bad enough that we have to take them, let alone chase around the country trying to get hold of the tablets.

[Jill1998]

Somebody else mentioned difficulty getting Teva brand which is worrying ,I have 2 months supply luckily but really want to stick to same brand,better the devil you know!!I heard Mylan can be OK ,but everyone is different Did the ppharmacist explain why the shortage ?

[lizzieb]

Ugh, I went to pick up my repeat prescription for tamoxifen today and the pharmacist told me there is a shortage of the TEVA brand and he can't get hold of any until mid April!! Has anyone else had this? I only have 3 tablets left.

I refused the Wockhardt on offer, so he is going to order in other brands if he can for me to try. Any recommendations?

Am already having so many hot flushes, even on TEVA, and I feel about 100 years old with those SEs and my rads, don't want to upset things even more.... xx