Trouble Getting Toprol Xl?

[turtlefairy5]

Hi,

Maybe this is just affecting my area, but NONE of the pharmacies here have my beta-blocker.

A month or two ago, the pharmacist said that Metoprolol (the generic) had been voluntarily pulled from the shelves by the manufacturer. They said that there wasn't anything wrong with the medicine, but for some other reason they had recalled it. They gave me the much more expensive brand name stuff, Toprol, so that I had something.

A few days ago, I went to get the prescription refilled, wondering if my generic would be back, and this time they had neither the generic OR the brand name. A came back home, wondering what I was going to do. My mom finally tracked down a pharmacist who said if I could get to her in the next half hour, she could give me just a few tablets. I have only 2 or 3 of those left. The pharamcist said she would call my physician and ask him if he could switch me to something else. Hmmm. worried.

Is anybody else having this problem?

Amber

[julie f]

I had the same problem last month, Amber. However, my pharmacist told me that they (the national suppliers) just hadn't sent enough??? He didn't give any explanation as to why. I was able to fill my prescription this month with no trouble. I just filled it last week. I was offered the brand name drug but that was out of my price range, and they had just enough left to tide me over until they had enough. Hopefully, they will get it in where you live too.

Julie

[jump]

I googled this, and found many articles saying the generic brand (metoprolol) had been recalled recently (november 2008) but couldn't find anything with a clear reason as to why, beyond vague statements about "quality control." You are probably having trouble getting it because of the recall, but I'd be curious to know more abut why it was recalled if anyone has heard anything.

[julie f]

Although it's getting late, my curiosity about the recall would not leave. So after reading jump's response, I decided to do some research too. I did find one article that said there was something not right with the dosage and the size of the tablets. I also read one forum that had many people communicating about side effects they had been experiencing with Metoprolol lately.

I too just went through a round of nasty side effects, but we thought it was the flecainide I was taking. I have recently stopped taking flecainide, and for now, I feel as ok as I can with this crazy condition.

I did not have time to post links to the articles that I read, but I'll do some more checking tomorrow.

Just one more thing to have to think about (trying not to worry about).

Julie

[Darlene]

I too take metoprolol. I just picked up a refill on that today. I asked about the recall. She said it was recalled from some manufacturers, but they(where I get my meds) do not get their metoprolol from them manufacturers. So I was able to get that medication.

[Poohbear]

I got an email from FDA about a week or two ago....I can't find the email anymore but I remember Metoprolol being in the list (and it was a VERY long list). There was one company Ethex or something similar to that name that recalled ALL of their drugs and I believe the email said they were all generics and were recalled at both wholesale and retail levels.

Something about not being manufactured under compliance with good manufacturing practices some pills were larger than they should be, some released drugs faster than they should have etc. so all were pulled.

You can go to the FDA website and search your drug to see if that's what the issue still is. Since they were all recalled though it makes sense that it will take time to get a new good supply into the marketplace again.

[Poohbear]

Here is one link that may help.... http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/ethex01_09.html

[turtlefairy5]

Just to update, I went back to the pharmacy today and the pharmacist had called my doctor and he had called in an alternative - not a different medication, but the "regular" version - plain ol' metoprolol instead of the extended release. So I'm supposed to split the tablet and take it twice a day now. I'm glad I read the little pamphlet they attached, or I would've just taken it once a day.

Just a little frustrated because it adds another little kink in my med routine - the pill splitting, the taking twice a day. That sounds like I'm whining over nothing, which I am, I'm just frustrated with all these dang meds.

I'm glad to have it worked out in a sense, though.

[julie f]

I can absolutely relate to the pill splitting. I kind of begged my pharmacist to let me go back to my 50mg tablets twice a day because I too have had to split pills since the recall. This is probably pretty whimpy, but the pressure that it takes to split the 100's would make me have the crazy head rushes that I normally get when I stand. Luckily the 50's are back in.

[turtlefairy5]

Are you using one of those pill splitter things?

[julie f]

I've heard about them, but no, I don't have one. I just use a knife. Yikes. Sometimes they don't exactly split in half either. And, the halves go flying. Yikes again.

[turtlefairy5]

I would definitly recommend a pill splitter. You can get them pretty cheap at a drug store, and it's well worth the investment. I would be at a loss without mine. It has little rubber flaps that help you place the pill, and all you have to do with mine is essentially close it quickly and with a little (very little) force to snap the pill in half. It's much easier than trying to deal with a knife, and usually more accurate, though sometimes I do mess up with it if I don't place the pill well. I can split pills with or without the scoring down the middle.

It's called a "safety shield" tablet cutter, manufactured by Apothecary Products Inc.

hope that helps!

Amber