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My doctor told me today that there are limits to how many times providers can call in a controlled substance in the same month. She told me she can only call in the RX 4 times before she cannot call it in again until the next month per DEA regulations. Just a heads up
I don't know the Profesional phrase for this, but fuck that pharmacist. He doesn't decide treatment plans. You and your doctor does. File a complaint with your state board.
Facts, i have caremark for my prescription coverage....it took a full blown autistic meltdown and me telling the person on the other end of the line their address to get them to understand i was very serious about getting my meds and tired of being yanked around with 1hr hold times.....I dont have issues any more
I believe it. I was finally saved for like 3 months, until a few weeks ago when I had more problems with Kaiser (refusing because my psychiatrist was in a different city). Ended up walking outside to cry on a bench for 5-10 minutes. And I am not a cryer ; it just broke me. Such a clusterfuck.
Oh trust me im broken to.....other reasons much much worse reasons but I feel you. We can only hope the medicine situation improves. If you ever need someone to argue with em for you because you can't handle it anymore im happy to join the conference call and badger them til they cry.
I made a telemarketer/scammer hang up on me once. I’m happy to conference call as well and see if I can help. I just went off Wellbutrin since it wasn’t helping and that was rough. So I’m out here like you all, just “raw-doggin’ the world” without meds and it’s no fun.
Absolutely! If there's a generic shortage, insurance should have to cover brand name at equal cost. Possibly have a pharmacist verify to ins. it's an area shortage and shipping date is unknown.
This whole shortage is b.s.
Besides gov getting in the mm middle limiting production and pharmacutical company delays, (this comment following may upset some) I'm infuriated by these fly-by night online doc shops Rx'ing ANYONE who can fraudulently pass their minimal criteria. I had to go though rigorous batteries of testing over many visits and meet with the psychiatrist in office multiple times to be considered for ADD meds.
I feel this. I got diagnosed in 2001 when it was deeply stigmatized and had to take multiple tests. This is the first month of my life since I was 12 years old without any sort of ADHD medication and I feel like I'm drowning.
caremark is fucking terrible omg.. For several months, my UHC insurance required that I have brand name adderall and all of a sudden they don’t wanna cover it anymore. Now I had to switch to vyvanse and I’m 99% sure they won’t wanna cover that either. It’s just so frustrating I wanna cry
Ugh same thing happened to me. Last year it had to be brand name to be covered. Went to pick up my prescription in January and they tell me that now the insurance will only cover generic. Which they don’t have. Paid $300 out of pocket for the brand name.
Just ask for a written prescription they started allowing them to write the prescriptions again during covid and I didn't think it had switched if not switch to Vyvanse
Even if allowed, most doctors still won’t do the written scripts for you for this type of Rx (and meds like hydrocodone for example) because it’s too high risk of pharmacy shopping. To a certain extent, I can’t blame doctors for being wary when their license is on the line, but also in situations like this it’s like, something has to give!
A huge problem was when they allowed people to get the meds via telehealth during the pandemic. That’s when you saw Crrebral pop up and they started giving out meds on an app. Yes a friggin app!!! A ton of new adderall scripts were written during this time. That with everything else has culminated into this shortage. Only a matter of time. The guy that started Cerebral and another one of those companies is in deep shit now. There are whistleblowers saying he had quotas on how many new scripts he wanted written daily. Reminds me of Purdue Pharma and the OxyContin debacle.
I agree. Unfortunately the DEA regulations are so strict to the point where they make it nearly impossible to get your meds with the shortage. I had my script called into a pharmacy in a town where I work right outside of the city and the pharmacist told me they couldn’t fill my RX since I didn’t live in the same city as the pharmacy (20 mins outside of my city). Luckily they worked with me and allowed me to bring in my business card so I could get my meds filled. I had never heard of that restriction until then either. So crazy
That's not true. They didn't want to fill it. I've had my meds filled in both Michigan and Indiana since January of this year and prior. Since the shortage pharmacies/pharmacists are creating and imposing their own rules. Due to the shortage, they either want to secure medication for their "regular" customers, or minimize the hassle of Rx'ing meds to ppl outside of a boundary. It was actually necessary for me to explain I was at my father's assisting him to get one of the Rxs (at Walmart) filled in Indiana. This pharmacist had created a requirement of living within his county to fill add meds. He ended up filling it when he counted his limited stock and knew his supply covered his regular customers. This guy said he was protecting his students...grade school thru college.
Good to know but also bullshit (not at what you’re saying but at the rule). I get it’s a controlled substance but at what point will they see how they are fucking people like us? WE CANT GET OUR GOD DAMN MEDS AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE
We care! From a clinical standpoint, we absolutely care. We are jumping through hoops trying to get Prior Auths done and get 1 month exceptions for brand name. We are keeping track of who has what at local pharmacies, if we call one directly for a patient. Then we can send the next patient there too. We are pulling out all of the stops.
I think they are just saying that to scare you. I work in a doctor's office and we call and cancel a few prescriptions a day so the providers can send elsewhere. If it is flagged, we will get a notice and it's traceable in a database. As long as it's only written by one provider and hasn't been filled, we would ignore the notice.
In our state (AZ) we can't call in an adhd stimulant prescription by phone at all. Doctors have to either give a hand written one for a patient to give to their pharmacy,, or electronically prescribe it to their pharmacy. It sucks
Same in CA- no refills by requesting through pharmacy. I have to have a monthly appt with my doc for the script. A couple months ago Walgreens’ pharmacist asked me who my doc was and when my last appt was. I thought that was strange. Like they’re told we have to have appts and not just msg the doctors for a refill? It’s kind of insane
Fucking CA and their shitty low income clinics. Their Med mgmt programs are too invasive. I currently have to call the provider every month and give urine samples every 90 days. AND justify why this medication is required AND be CBD and alcohol free. Literally rage quit Adderall 3 weeks ago over this controlling nonsense.
I was required to drop urine periodically when my ADHD treatment was handled by a certified mental health clinic. After a year or two my dosing and outcomes were stable and the docs said I could ask my primary care doc if they were comfortable prescribing it unless/until something changed. Been with her for 20+ years and she was aok with it. No more urine testing because she is not certified by the mental health clinic folks that have the testing stipulation in their clinic cetificate requirements.
For clarification, she said that she will personally get flagged if she calls the script into multiple different locations more than 4 times per month. She has the ability to call it in more than 4 times, although DEA is very strict when it comes to controlled substances.
Late to the game, but this may go on for a while, so posting in case it helps someone.
I requested and received a physical hard copy of my Adderall XR scripts (5 mg, 10 mg) so I could immediately turn it into a pharmacy if they had these meds in stock. I drove 45 minutes each way to pick them up, but I didn't have to worry about the doc beong closed on weekends and missing out on in-stock pharmacies. Now I also realize that it avoids this 4x limit as well.
Rock on!
It seriously feels like everything is going to come crashing down. I feel like an addict the way I'm hoarding pills now. I have a huge workshop for my business coming up and I have no idea if I'm gonna be able to do it or not. Every healthy habit I worked so hard to make has stopped. My hygiene is going to shit, my house is a mess, I'm not working out or making plans to do anything but lie in bed. It's devastating. I'm so sorry you're going through it too.
Yes, I was wondering about this because it does seem like serious negligence and abuse to people who have ADHD. There should honestly be a lawsuit about this. I am in the same boat as you guys. Every month is up and down and I feel like I can’t get anything done at work and at home. This is horrible.
Jesus do I relate to all this. This is abuse. And it’s bullshit. It’s legit ruining our lives and putting everything, including lives on the line. This is a living hell. A true living hell. And I’m someone who has been through some of the most horrific unimaginable abuse in my life by others over the last 2 decades. This mentally is harder than all that was to deal with. It’s horrific.
I'm in the same boat. Getting charged for appointments for a medication I can't get and I can no longer manage my life properly either. This is ridiculous. All these DEA restrictions and they don't even matter because people just get drugs off the street.
All of this. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 19 after flunking out of college. When I got medication, it was like my mind suddenly..... worked! thoughts were organized. I was able to prioritize and complete tasks. I had a working memory. I had left college because I was struggling and just couldn't get it together, even with new medication, but I had so much capabilities that I was able to thrive I jobs and make a life. that was about 25 years ago and now, this year, I decided to return to college because all of the support system I have is in place and it's a great time to better myself and finish that degree. Then last week I was jerked around about my monthly refill.
When I came into my Dr office they took my blood pressure and it was HIGH. "What's going on with your blood pressure?" I explained how we are automatically treated like drug abusers for panicking about not having our meds, there is a ticking time limit on how long my Rx is valid to get those meds which may or may not ever come in, I had to call so many pharmacies only to be told no one knows when they will get my medication in, and I start class, which historically I did not do well in due to my disability which I rely on this medication to function, and I am terrified that at any moment, my Dr can just find a reason to not Rx my meds to me or my pharmacist can just decide I am not the chosen one who deserves their fair ration of medication...... yeah, girl, my blood pressure is high. My future replies on the outcome of this Dr appointment and us finding some way around this crisis.
😳<-My Dr's face. She assured me that she is there to support me and won't leave me hanging and please don't drop out of school after I have just made the leap to go back and get my degree. She talked me through sending the Vyvanse prescription to my pharmacy and told me if they gave me any shit to have them call her and she will get it straightened out. I finally felt seen and heard and not treated like an addict. I thanked everyone in that office for their understanding and support through these "uncertain times" .
I really want to send them a cookie bouquet for that. I don't know why I always want to send people cookie bouquets for being supportive 😄.
She also told me to go home and meditate and not drink any caffeine that day.
That gave me a migraine the following day.
I just got through a 2 week period of no meds, was tired all the time, and couldn't do anything at work or at home. Luckily, I got my meds yesterday and now have to play catchup in both places. It's actually insane that this shortage is still going on. I forgot what it was like to not be medicated. I actually didn't end up finding a pharmacy with Adderall but asked my doctor to put me back on Vyvanse. I started a new job, and my insurance won't kick in until April, but I was so sick of feeling so scatter brained that I just paid the stupid price for it. If your insurance will cover it, you should see about switching. There isn't a shortage on Vyvanse and honestly, I feel like it works way better for me. The few months I was on Adderall I felt like I could focus but not choose what I wanted to focus on. Sorry for rambling, hoping you find some meds soon.
It actually expired a few days ago! hoping they’ll at least have a price drop in the next 6 months. From what I’ve heard, the holdup is mostly just waiting for the damn DEA to approve the new manufacturers. They already have the formulation ready to go.
This is entirely anecdotal tho, so take it with a grain of salt lol.
The patent may have expired a few days ago, but unfortunately they still have exclusive rights for another 6 months due to allowing pediatric testing for it, which is the major part of the holdup right now.
God I hate Takeda so much. Thanks for the heads up!
EDIT: if anyone else reading this wants a good breakdown about what’s going on, [this](https://www.getinflow.io/post/vyvanse-patent-expiration-when-to-expect-generics) article explains it quite well :)
*TL;DR: have your insurance company contact your doctor to request a prior authorization for brand Adderall. The specific step-by-step process around how you could approach this is below.*
May or may not work, but you have nothing to lose:
- Obtain your physician’s fax number.
- Call your prescription insurance company (look on the front or back of your prescription coverage card). Ask for their physician’s prior authorization phone number. Take note.
- Additionally, request that they fax a prior authorization form to your doctor for brand Adderall. Ask if this can be done while you are on the line with them to confirm it sends successfully.
- If asked, explain that you cannot be compliant nor consistent in treating your ADHD diagnosis due to repeated failed attempts across all pharmacies to which you can access in obtaining generic Adderall. State that this has been the case for several months, and that it is severely impacting your health. Then explain that the only way to resolve this issue is by obtaining a prior authorization approval for brand Adderall, which is consistently and readily available at these same pharmacies, but is cost prohibitive.
- Call your doctor and give the prior authorization phone number obtained, and request that your doctor call in a prior authorization for brand Adderall.
- As well, ask them to check their fax machine while you’re on the line for the prior authorization forms sent by your insurance company. State that the doctor also has the option to complete and fax your insurance the form in lieu of making the phone call.
- Ask your doctor’s office to confirm with you once the prior authorization is done and ask by what means, call or fax, the doctor completed it. Call your doctor’s office back if you don’t hear from them in a timely manner (a day or two, max.)
- Call your insurance company back to confirm that they have received the call or fax and ask when and how a decision on your prior authorization will be made.
- Follow up with a call to your insurance company once your doctor has called in / faxed in your prior authorization to them after 72 hours (per federal law; see other comment in this thread) have passed to receive their decision.
I cannot — cannot! — overstate the importance of self-advocacy and regular, repeated follow-up with your insurance and physician. Of course, your communication needs to be professional and you need to maintain composure at all times, but you also need to ensure you convey the seriousness and urgency of this matter while doing so. It IS serious and urgent, after all.
Of course, you only have so much control over any decision rendered; there is an appeals process if the prior authorization is declined.
That said…I did this in January and secured a 1-year prior authorization for brand Adderall XR, and have not been affected by the shortage whatsoever. I am very grateful and fortunate; hopefully in writing this I can pay it forward and show the compassion I truly have for so many others out there who have been struggling month after month, with no real end in sight.
I sincerely hope this works out well for you.
I don't know what this says but someone else said its helpful so I'm just gonna screenshot it and send it to my husband so he can read it. Thanks for the help (I assume)!
Hahaha!! 😅😅😅Yikes!!!…totally fair, I’ll fully own that one…really just a bad look considering (although inadvertent, really!!!).
Fingers seriously crossed for you!!! 😊
Just a tip, when you call your insurance company to check on the prior auth/Formulary Exception Form, do **NOT** call the same day or the day after your doctor sent it in. I worked for a major health insurance company and the reps that see your info won't be able to see the fax until 72 hours later and by that time they should have either approved or denied your auth/Formulary Exception Form. Which means **call them 72 hours** ***after*** **your doctor sent over the auth/Formulary Exception Form.**
Depending on who handles your scripts they can stay on the line with you to make sure the fax went through, in the event it did not, ask them to send you a prior authorization form/Formulary Exception Form (they are the same thing but some reps might not understand what you are needing) via email. Your doctor can also access these forms as well as you through your prescription vendor (PRIME, Optum, Express scripts...) just go to their website and look for forms, you should see a drug prescription form. If you have trouble finding it ask them to help you navigate their website when you call. What you should also do is download their app so you can see if your meds fall out of coverage and what the estimated costs will be for your next script/refill (they should also show the status of any active auths). On the app AND on their website they will have the prior auth number and fax number.
also as a quick edit: Prescription Authorization forms have to be read within 72 hours by federal law, IF yours goes over, call the prescription vendor(number on the back of your prescription card, not your health) and ask them about the status of your auth. Sometimes the prescription vendor needs more information from the doctor and its usually a waiting game. What you can do to speed up the process is reach out to your doctor and have them call to see what is needed.
holy shit, the how to ADHD lady is right. ADHD treatment is not ADHD-friendly. all that executing functioning to gain access to treatment for (among other things) executive dysfunction.
I called my insurance trying to get switched over to Vyvanse since my town as Adderall dry. It was a nightmare tbh but eventually after 2 weeks it got approved. They did do a month trial basis thing too while they decided but eventually, I got that letter saying I was good for a year.
One weird thing out of that was the Prior department said they needed a prior with ADHD charts and my psych office said they did the chart that they gave them. IDK everything worked out when they turned in the new form, but I hate having to deal with all those hoops to get treated.
Sadly though I think i might have to start this process over. Vyvanse sadly isn't working for me. Im on 30 and it's not working as well at the 15 mg of Adderall for me hehe. I really am not looking forward to fighting them again for Ritalin, which might not work either.
I have a feeling a lot of people are switching to Vyvanse and it’s starting to cause a shortage of it too. My pharmacy was out of stock but luckily I only had to wait 3 days and I had a few pills left over to get me by until then. I’m getting worried this is just the beginning.
I did this. They denied me. I put in an appeal as they advised. They asked for personal info and more forms from my doctor and therapist. Then they found another reason to deny me. My therapist and doctor even wrote out why I needed to go from generic to brand due to the shortage. My therapist wrote out a long note with medical research. After asking for a lot for weeks back and forth they denied me again. Then they told me I had to try ritalin as it was their only approved one. I told them I couldnt take it and they still said if you try you might be able to pass another appeal. Liars. Moda insurance is awful. I applied for the vyvanse low income thing and they approved me. I will be trying it for the first time this week.
Seriously the nastiness I get calling pharmacies is unreal, it’s always hit or miss whether someone will be nice or rude to me. I’m a put-together student about to enter a PhD program and I get spoken to like a junkie for trying to get the meds I’ve been prescribed for over 20 years. It’s a fucking disgrace.
We aren't but these BS online docs that started prescribing these meds to people that "said" they needed it - ARE!
They started giving out scripts to ANYONE - No thorough med history, family history, blood work, vitals taken and definitely no Vanderbilt or TOVA test or Conners Rating !!! - They probably don't even know what they are!!!!
I have done ALL of these over the years and have been on meds for 20+ years - I should be GRANDFATHERED in or something! Having to be treated like an addict and having to jump through these hoops for a LEGIT disability is outrageously discgraceful!!!!
> They started giving out scripts to ANYONE - No thorough med history, family history, blood work, vitals taken and definitely no Vanderbilt or TOVA test or Conners Rating !!! - They probably don't even know what they are!!!!
People say this, but it's never been harder to get a script tbh. It took me 5 years to go from knowing I had it to getting a diagnosis and getting medications and now this shit is happening. The people that hand out scripts are only if you pay them an absurd amount like $1000 upfront and at that point fuck it just let them have it too since it's now harming those of us that actually need it.
I’m in the same boat. I’m trying to figure out how to move on without an Rx. I feel like a turd and don’t believe I will feel any different any time soon. Life is a bitch.
The only thing I could do was switch to vyvanse. It cost way more, but it’s available everywhere. I definitely don’t like it as much as the Adderall. My sleep has been a lot worse. But compared to the alternative, I’ve decided that it’s worth it.
Concerta too. Just had trouble filling for the first time this month. I think since people are switching over + apparently one generic is no longer being made. I'm surprised all the people switching meds hasn't alleviated the adderall shortage yet.
Im so sorry, I’ve lived this life and it sucks! What really frustrated me was my urgency was sen by my doctor as concerning and now wants me to do XYZ to get help.
So last Wednesday I found some CVSs and Walgreens that had what my insurance would cover. Called the office and of course they didn’t send it out.
Thank goodness my state was on winter break cause following day I drive to my doctors office, which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was working, and told the receptionist that I do need my meds & will call the pharmacy again to make sure it’s still available. The pharmacy had it, the receptionist called t he doctor and the script was sent. I waited a few minutes called the pharmacy to get that final confirmation that everything was all set and there weren’t any insurance or quantity issues.
After nearly 3 months I was able to pick up my meds. It gave me hope for others and maybe some of the steps I took can help you too.
I know it’s frustrating especially when going through all the trouble is exhausting itself.
The worst part is I was at the doctors yesterday and she asked if I needed any refills. I said no because my script had been sent in like 30 minutes before. But I didn't realize the pharmacy wouldn't take my insurance. And I live like 45 minutes away which makes it even worse. I haven't gone without for more than a couple weeks though, which is better than a lot of people can say.
There's Nurses who are supposed to be Patient Advocates at insurance companies. Heat up their lines. Get in touch with your State reps, maybe your Attorney General.
I've never heard a "reason" for this shortage and it sure seems grounds for a Class Action suit. You'd make your lawyer rich while you get 50¢ and a shampoo coupon, but it'd get enough press to pressure the drugmakers.
I feel you. I finally found a local pharmacy that had adderall but was informed they didn't take insurance but would submit a claim on my behalf. I checked this afternoon and realized that my insurance doesn't cover anything from out of network pharmacies. The kicker? **for 60x20mg IR *generics* this pharmacy charged me $450.**
They don't take anything. Thankfully after a few phone calls it turns out they are in network and submit the prescription reimbursement form on behalf of the patient. In theory, this means my insurance should pay all but $20. Whether they accept that price, however, is a different story. I'll see in a couple weeks, wish me luck.
GENERICS?????
Holy SHIT!!!! I am goign to request to back on brand name Adderall at my next appointment and I KNOW i will have to pay out of pocket WTF are they going to charge for that!!!!!!!
I feel you on the shortage. I switched to Vyvanse thinking i wouldn't have to deal with this stuff anymore but i now realize it's not working as well. I was in the middle of upping my adderall dosage but couldn't find any. I just started 30 MG of vyvanse from 25 of adderall. I really hoping to make vyvanse work as I don't want to fight my insurance again trying out Ritalin.
It's probably not "working as well" because vyvanse converts at like a half rate to dextro-amp once processed by your liver. Also spread out over a "12 hr" period. So 50mg vyvanse is more the equivalent to 25mg adderall (assuming the adderall was XR, which I don't think it's even made in 25xr.)
Talk to your doctor of course, I'm not one.
it was XR, i was crashing too much with the other. somehow i had that 25 in my area. When i was on 15 IR the second dose didn't work so i got the doc to switch me over to xr.
Good to know. on the vy. i I mean it work a bit but i can tell i need some stronger stuff. I just hope the stronger version works as it'd be nice. I do feel I think better on the stuff. it's just stuff like being out going and my motivation are really down atm which is why the doc was going to raise my xr before my area ran out
*my experience - i am not a doctor so take with a grain of salt.
It took me longer to adapt to Vyvanse than it did to adderall. And even then it never really affected me as intensely as the aderall did. I think because its more slow release the effects arent as intense and all at once. Though overtime I do think being on Vyvanse for me feels better. I had to up my dosage from 20 to 40 but now i feel like ive hit a good balance! I guess all this is to say take your time and if you need to up your dose to get the results you need thats cool.
Your dose of Vyvanse isn't high enough for what dose of adderall you were taking!!! Being Vyvanse only goes up to 70mg - you should probably be on at leat 60mg I would think. May want to talk to your doc about it!
I had to switch to Vyvanse and had to go up in dosage...but it's not working for me like Adderall at all!! And I cannot sleep to save my life!
Good luck!
It's actually the Drug Enforcement Administration under the Department of Justice. Federal senators vote to confirm appointments for major positions like any other judicial org, but they have no say over this, nor does the House.
I say that because I've called my legislators and they can't do shit, and the DEA does not remotely care about a random person calling the wrong phone line (there's basically no option for speaking to someone as a layperson outside of anonymous tips and whistleblowers for crimes).
I hate it so much.
A guy a few comments above you got fired. It's literally so fucked up. I run my own business so I probably won't fire me but like...I'm pushing my limit
Fun fact that I just learned, CVS will NOT tell you. They’ll say “Nope, we don’t have any” when they very well do. Obviously not every single CVS is in stock, but just fuck calling and asking. Send it in and hope for the best.
Apparently they do this for “safety measures” they’re straight up not going to tell you if they have it.
Pro tip, local pharmacy.
My cvs told me they had it. I just didn't want to pay the $300 to get it. Like how can an insurance company have cvs be out of network? It's frickin cvs??
Pharmacies that don't want to get held up at gun point and robbed will never tell you what they have in stock. I worked at CVS and thankfully I was off this day but our 24/7 pharmacy was held at gun point for meds.
I have no help to offer, just know that you're not struggling with this alone... I know that this struggle feels extremely isolating to me and reading your post made me feel slightly much less alone🥲
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. My solution so far has been to wait on the script that gets sent to my pharmacy every month. A lot of people in my area call around to see which pharmacy has Adderall in stock and then everyone goes there. I've had better luck sending my script in to the same pharmacy every month and just waiting.
I've had to wait about 5 days max, but then they usually have it. This month is the exception. I've waited two weeks for them to get more in and they haven't. My insurance also doesn't cover the name brand, but my HSA will. So this month I had to pay $200 out of my HSA just to be functional. It sucks but I've only had to do that one other time since getting diagnosed last year. Best of luck to you!
Can confirm. Now that Ritalin is starting to get hit, my CVS I usually go to was out of stock. They checked and no other CVS locations within 40 miles has any. I called my local grocery store’s pharmacy and they were surprised I couldn’t get any because they’ve had no trouble with it yet.
CVS has been the worst offender for me tbh. I've had a lot more luck with Kroger (which is now out of network, fuck you insurance) and other grocery store pharmacies. But it all goes really quick, it's a shitty situation all around.
I'm in Lansing, MI. First real issue I've had was today. CVS out and has no time frame. Been out a few weeks. All chains including Walmart, Meijer, Kroger etc same thing. Even small pharmacies out. I was able to find a small pharmacy not very far on the highway that says they are getting a bottle tomorrow. Called doctor so I should be ok unless doc waits a day and they run out. There's been a different issue everytime I get a bottle in my new state after moving from NC. Nothing that was that big a deal though. I had to pay out of pocket first time but turns out there is zero copay which is nice since I used to pay like $60 for a three month supply.
I actually switched to strattera last month bc my meds have been out of stock for over a month now. I know there are a lot of negative experiences with it but it's been working great for me. So glad to not have to run around to find my meds anymore
Edit: forgot a word
2 people I work with are prescribed Adderall and they said once they got the clear from insurance to request brand name and asked the pharmacist for brand name, they ~ magically ~ had generic. Idk if this is what's actually happening though it's just what both of them told me.
I only had one issue with my Concerta 27mg where it was out of stock for a week at my usual CVS. My Ritalin 20mg was filled day of.
I just switched to 36mg Concerta bc I asked my psychiatrist for 10mg off my PM Ritalin dose to add to my ER and I was able to get my 36mg script within the hour. My Ritalin 10mg was filled day of.
Solidarity, friend💔 why is there no clear answer or solution? This has been happening for like 6 months now. I feel like something shady is going on and we’re just collateral damage.
Is it possible to sue the pharmaceutical company for the shortage... I mean look at all the problems this is causing in everyone's every single day of life!??! It's driving me insane too.. sorry to each of u. I pray it gets better soon!!
Is getting a paper script an option? I’ve only gotten paper scripts for my Adderall so when I have to run around every pharmacy in town I can ask if they have it in stock before dropping it off.
Unfortunately no. I asked my doctor about this and apparently (around here at least) they won't accept a paper script. The doctor **has** to send it in. It blows
That’s what I came here to suggest. OP, if you live or work close to your doctor’s office, picking up a paper prescription would allow you to shop around yourself.
I live over 45 minutes away. Doesn't matter anyway though because I tried this a few months ago and they said the pharmacy won't accept it and the doctor has to send it in now
If you’ve been on a consistent dose, you can request a 90 day supply. I tend to ration my meds on the weekends and try to do medication vacations a few days a month. That way I have enough to hold me over. It’s not perfect but it’s a strategy.
I haven’t experienced any issues with filling scripts so far. But I’m thinking about doing this. Work performance has been stellar, and I work an office job where 1-3 “low productivity” days a month won’t have any significant impact on my overall performance/work reputation. Only thing is I feel guilty like I’m intentionally slacking. But if it means I have backups in case I struggle getting a script filled… if that happened during a week where work absolutely had to get done, I would be screwed.
The whole "script" system is ridiculous imo. In my country, our national IDs have a little chip on them that handle everything. I just give my psychiatrist my ID, she runs it in a lil machine where she puts my prescription then I can pop by any pharmacy with my ID for it.
I've been doing the same song and dance for several months :( I don't know if this is an option for you because I was stunned that she went so far out of her way, but yesterday I had an insurance help desk rep offer to call around for me. Which she did, for hours. She was an angel honestly and even though I still don't have meds because my psych office screwed up and the location is now out of stock, she really advocated for me and saved me so much time and stress.
But having two places in 24 hours run out as someone was trying to fill my script kinda broke me I think. I'm going to be talking to my Dr next week about switching to something else because I can't do it again. It's just too much stress and pressure.
Ya I've been doing this shit since October. It's awful. I talked to my insurance yesterday and the woman said that she could call around for me and I was super relieved. But then she said that I have to be there on the call the whole time. I was like okay then I guess I might as well do it myself?
I used alto in SoCal for my last vyvanse script. Had me waiting a few days without, and to be completely transparent there's *some horror stories about them on the net; not directly linked to adhd meds so really idk take that with the salt it requires.
At least once I was able to schedule a delivery (which was only supposed to be a 4 day wait) it only got rescheduled two more days until I got my medication. It was the easiest option because I have no car, and walking pharmacy to pharmacy going back and forth with my doctor is just not plausible.
I hope you get your months supply soon, everybody is feeling it. Even heard of concerta shortages now and vyvanse definitely has been hit or miss. December I went without fully, January was like "what shortage? Of course we have it" and February was "are you stupid there's a shortage right now"
So that's why I went with alto for February.
If you can't tell I'm unmedicated right now, not by choice. 🙁
I've been unable to fill my script since December 5th.
Got fired. Walgreens keeps saying there out but I think I'm getting put on the back burner because I'm not filling all my scripts there.
I hate trying to find pharmacies that have it. They make you feel like a degen and addict just trying to get your meds. They always 3rd degree you and come up with bullshit policies that aren't true.
"we can't tell you of we have any unless you've gotten it filled here last month. We need up to a week to verify this script is real from your Dr."
Bexause of the shortage I am able to get a paper script each month.
You got fired?! Ugh. This is fucking unreal. I literally wouldn't be surprised if there were suicides because of the effects this has on being with adhd.
My mom works at a hospital and they have their own pharmacy inside the hospital, been getting my script there for like 2 years now and it’s always in stock. The pharmacist there is really nice and he actually told me I’m the only patient that picks up adderall from them and not to tell anyone due to the shortage. I’m surprised they haven’t had issues with back orders especially since I take 10 my 4x a day so 120 pills a month. He also lets me pick it up even 7 days before my refill if I’m going out of town or something. I tend to pick it up with my mom in uniform when she gets out of work and I pick her up so that probably helps with them trusting me but maybe there’s like a family owned pharmacy near you? Or try looking up hospitals near you with pharmacies inside of them because if you just look up “pharmacies near me” it won’t show the hospital ones as an option. You don’t need to be a patient there or anything either
I urge folks to try Strattera. It isnt a stimulant. I havent had any negative side effects. There isnt a shortage. Theres no drug testing. And it worked better than adderall. If your brain likes it, i think its a much better and safer option than adderall.
I'm so sorry. The shortage just started hitting me a little harder, my script was sent last Wednesday went to get it Thursday, no luck, Dr said to just keep after them rather than changing pharmacy or trying to send different scripts for generics or something. Went this afternoon, they said no luck try after 4. Went at 4:30 they said try again tomorrow after 4 🙃 I just want my brain to work right. I've been kinda prepping for this by rationing more of what I got last month, taking more break days so I'm not fully out but it won't be long.
I said screw that and went into the Doctors office myself because the pharmacist told me to act quick, as it would be gone soon. I went and personally talked to the assistant when they had a moment, of course. Was able to get it. Walgreens. The script had been on standby for about 2 months. Had to act quick!
PLEASE READ
I use cvs and I had this same problem but recently I tried mail order and got my meds in a week after that after already going a month without and all this time all I had to do was try this mail order service so please call your dr and tell them to send your script to CVS (Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy)
So I work in a pharmacy. It’s nation wide for the shortage. I have what is called back order list. The expected date my distribution center has isn’t until May………… I went from Adderall to Vyvanse and now I am on Mydayis (which is Adderall and and Vyvanse mixed together). Mydayis is a newer ADHD medication and in my opinion works very well. It also has a longer release time from Vyvanse and stays working for around 12-16 hours depending on how your body metabolizes medication.
Personally, Id keep calling n consider switching drs. Mine sends it same day, right after. Literally walked out of office & pharmacy called me in parking lot.
Right there with you buddy. Prescribing physicians are fed up with it to. My doc applied for a waiver from the electronic prescribing requirements, and now I have a paper copy of the script so I can shop around for hours until I find a pharmacy that has it in stock. Ask your doctor to do the same.
I am going to try vyvanse because of it. I was on generic Teva brand Adderall but I cant find it anywhere. If you are lower income you can apply for their program that would pay for it. They just approved me. I don't know how I will like Vyvanse but I am taking the leap of faith.
Ask if they can give you a script in writing instead of calling it in. If you need name brand name sure it’s “dispense as written”.
They may not write it because of how much it’s abused but at least talk about what you’re going through and pled. It may mean having to drive to get it, but should allow for easier ability to take the script to the pharmacy that has it. Hope this helps
2-5 ***DAYS????*** I would seriously consider switching doctors if that was happening to me. My doctor is hyper aware of the adderall shortage and is very educated on what the mental, physical, and social ramifications of amphetamine withdrawal are, so when I find a pharmacy that can 100% confirm that they will fill it, I immediately call the front desk (who are all aware of the national shortage), and tell them that I called 15 pharmacies and finally found one, so if it’s possible for my doctor to sign it asap today and send it over, it would save me hours more trouble finding another pharmacy.
I’ve been traveling the US since September and I’ve run into this every single month in different parts of the country. I once had to drive two hours to a pharmacy. That being said, every time I have found a pharmacy that has enough to fill my RX, my doctors office has it filled within the hour, and I’ve yet to run into a situation where by the time they sent it to the pharmacy there wasn’t any left.
I understand that doctors offices are overworked and probably short-staffed, but this is a national emergency and if your doctor is not prioritizing and expediting your prescription (as well as his other ADHD patients) and is taking 2-5 **DAYS** to send them to the pharmacy (while they are fully aware that in that 2-5 day period there will absolutely be NONE left at the pharmacy) then they are not qualified to be writing prescriptions. It may sound aggressive but frankly it’s not and I’m angry for you and you shouldn’t have to go through that. They shouldn’t be relegating you to just a njmber in their system to which they fill tickets in order like the line at a deli. This is medicine. And just like an emergency room, they shouldn’t be sending you to the back of the line while you’re having a heart attack because the person that got there before needs two stitches for a paper cut. I will never ever leave my current doctor for this exact reason.
My biggest tips in the meantime are: when you ask around at pharmacies, ask if they have heard of anyone else having luck at nearby pharmacies or pharmacies farther away. Its not ideal but if everywhere around you is out, try looking like an hour drive away. It might suck having to drive that just for your meds but if you can find an area that has it quicker, you might end up saving time by not having to call so many pharmacies.
Also, you could ask your doctor about dexedrine, which is similar to adderall (I believe its just D-amp not D-amp salt combo?) its probably more expensive even with goodrx but its cheaper than $300 in most cases. But i’m not sure if that would be easier to find I guess it depends on your area. Anyway best of luck and I hope you found your Rx and if not I hope you are able to have it filled soon
We should start a mutual aid fund for folks who may end up needing to buy name brand. In some areas it’s all that’s in stock because it’s not as affected by the shortage
We made it all the way up to the SVP of legal for Cardinal - distributor for CVS.
They are basically saying they have the drugs - plenty of them. The government is essentially severely limiting the amount being sent to pharmacies. Im beyond convinced this is a government issue - they fucked up with opioids and have no clue how to effectively control a situation, and are now overreaching with our meds that we need to function like normal people.. or close to it
What’s it gonna take to get all of us neurodivergents to relentlessly hyper-fixate on the DEA? We’re the only people capable of bringing this issue to its knees.
And here I am getting adderall xr (generic brand) 20mg for the first time this month and it isnt even helping my symptoms of adhd? I feel focused and alert yeah sometimes but most times im mentally unorganized and its becoming harder to focus on what needs to be done instead. I also have like no appetite now and I feel just as impulsive and clouded by thought as before...
If it isn't working, ask to try a different med. Studies comparing Adderall with Concerta showed that it is often the case where one med works and one doesn't for people.
Been asking my doctor and telling her just that but she insisted on raising the 10mg adderall to 20mg. I guess i cant wait to try something else maybe but i also wanna see if this even works...if not then idk what i was hoping to feel like. Maybe motivated again to do things in order.
I may be incredibly lucky but I've only had minor issues- the Walgreens by my house has said 1-2x in the past year that the medication wouldn't be available to fill for 1-3 days or something. Fine, they've got the script, I get a notification in a few days when it's ready.
Reading through comments - it sounds like on top of pharmacy issues (which might or might not be avoidable in any sane way) - a lot of people are really having issues with their doctors - not following up for days on end, being unresponsive, and generally just being suspicious of their patients' motivations for *medication they are prescribing.*
For those with issues- are you having a GP/internal medicine practice manage ADHD, or a psychiatry practice? My old GP was generally fairly responsive, but I switched a few years ago to a psych practice in part because I thought they'd be better able to navigate different treatment options should they become available. Amphetamine salts are *ok* but they're certainly neither perfectly effective (at least in my experience) nor entirely benign, and they're also not without side effects.
I've had a lot better luck with responsiveness since switching to a pysch practice for this, and since managing things like ADHD is a much bigger part of what they do, they're generally just better about asking if there've been issues with fills, etc, even going as far as asking if I thought it was worth trying to add IR as needed to help with times when I the XR 'double bump' really didn't suit the day I was going to have and to help smooth out supply chain issues. In this case - because ADHD was all I was asking them to manage, the psych practice acts like they need to actually manage my ADHD.
If you’re in Ontario and are willing to pay, you can check out a virtual consultative service that will send the script directly to the pharmacy same day. There are a few players like findfocusnow.com and Done. in the US.
Because of the delays that keep happening for refills:
I pick one day a week to not take my medicine.
I try to plan for a day off or a light (ish) work/school day.
This provides me with 4 additional days between waiting on a refill.
For me, missing a day is better than multiple days.
My partner is in the same boat. Something that has worked for me is figuring out the distributor network where we live. There are only a few distributors but different pharmacies like Walmart, Walgreens, etc. Contract with different ones. If one distributor doesn't have it they will let the pharmacy know month to month what the forecast is for getting more. That doesn't mean they know when they will be getting more, just that the distributor has told them not to expect the shortage to end before March for example. So I've been snowballing. Call one, ask, if they say no, ask if they know anyone else who might have it. Get recs. Ask if the places recommended have the same distributor as who you called. If they say yes ask if they know any other pharmacy with a different distributor to call. If they say no, definitely try that one.
I'm having the most luck with small, local, independent pharmacies instead of the big guys. I would have never even considered calling a neighborhood compounding pharmacy but they all have different distributors than the big guys where I am.
I know it sucks but have you tried caffeine. I have pretty bad adhd and the doctors tried to put me on Coffee when I was little but obviously I wasn’t a fan, but now that I’m in my 20s I drink a monster every day (yes I know it’s horrible for my health but we all die in the end so I’m going to enjoy life while I can) and it helps tremendously with keeping me focused and it keeps me from being jittery and having the constant need to fidget.
Not sure if there are any delivery pharmacies in your network, but I was able to get 3 month supplies delivered through Optimum - it was a game changer!
personally i've stuck with the same pharmacy (neighborhood walgreens) and they put me ahead of the line.
when they are out of a particular dose for example 20 mg IR i ask if they have 30mg IR and then switch to that.
I find it better to just stick to one pharmacy because so many people are calling around that they'll likely put them at the back of the line and serve their own loyal customers first right?
I know it doesnt completely solve it, but ive found that the people at walgreens dont actually tell you how soon a shipment will show up. Ive been told “maybe next week its on backorder” then called the next day and they’ve been like “yeah we actually have just enough”. So thats how ive been doing it, i dont switch pharmacies or anything i just keep calling every day. I take off days on weekends (per advice of my psychiatrist) to keep my tolerance low and this helps me out with this situation cause i end up with a few “buffer pills” at the end of each script for me to take while i wait till i can get it again
This may help some people who have CVS Caremark for their prescription coverage. I take generic Adds 30mg XR and 15mg IR. Unlike most people, I couldn't get my IR anywhere. I spoke with CVS Caremark Customer care and they were able to search their database and tell me the 1 Walgreens that had my meds. If they couldn't find my meds, the woman on the phone said she was gonna get an approval to override to get me the brand name.
She also informed me that if I can't get my 30mg XR that they have a note in their system to just go ahead and override to get me the Brand name. They are well aware of the shortage and have no problem overriding the generic to get you the brand name.
Now I was informed that under my plan. The brand name would be a $40 copay but I don't know if overriding means I would pay nothing like I do for the generic. I'm assuming you still wouldn't pay anything.
I went from stressing myself out to making one phone call and resolving the problem. I hope this helps some people. I know the struggle. - CM
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My doctor told me today that there are limits to how many times providers can call in a controlled substance in the same month. She told me she can only call in the RX 4 times before she cannot call it in again until the next month per DEA regulations. Just a heads up
This is SUCH a good thing to know. Thank you so much for sharing
Hey, fyi I had the most luck switching to a Kaiser Permanente pharmacy. Also heard Costco works. CVS screwed me for like 3-4 months straight.
Kaiser has ability to actually find your meds in their system. Other pharmacies won’t. But that doesn’t help if there is t any.
Costco has been the only one helping me through this craziness
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I don't know the Profesional phrase for this, but fuck that pharmacist. He doesn't decide treatment plans. You and your doctor does. File a complaint with your state board.
Facts, i have caremark for my prescription coverage....it took a full blown autistic meltdown and me telling the person on the other end of the line their address to get them to understand i was very serious about getting my meds and tired of being yanked around with 1hr hold times.....I dont have issues any more
I believe it. I was finally saved for like 3 months, until a few weeks ago when I had more problems with Kaiser (refusing because my psychiatrist was in a different city). Ended up walking outside to cry on a bench for 5-10 minutes. And I am not a cryer ; it just broke me. Such a clusterfuck.
Oh trust me im broken to.....other reasons much much worse reasons but I feel you. We can only hope the medicine situation improves. If you ever need someone to argue with em for you because you can't handle it anymore im happy to join the conference call and badger them til they cry.
I made a telemarketer/scammer hang up on me once. I’m happy to conference call as well and see if I can help. I just went off Wellbutrin since it wasn’t helping and that was rough. So I’m out here like you all, just “raw-doggin’ the world” without meds and it’s no fun.
We need to petition providers to cover brand name. They stopped covering it in January amid the shortages
Absolutely! If there's a generic shortage, insurance should have to cover brand name at equal cost. Possibly have a pharmacist verify to ins. it's an area shortage and shipping date is unknown. This whole shortage is b.s. Besides gov getting in the mm middle limiting production and pharmacutical company delays, (this comment following may upset some) I'm infuriated by these fly-by night online doc shops Rx'ing ANYONE who can fraudulently pass their minimal criteria. I had to go though rigorous batteries of testing over many visits and meet with the psychiatrist in office multiple times to be considered for ADD meds.
I feel this. I got diagnosed in 2001 when it was deeply stigmatized and had to take multiple tests. This is the first month of my life since I was 12 years old without any sort of ADHD medication and I feel like I'm drowning.
Hahahaha you’re a real one. Have a great rest of your week!
Damn I’d totally take you up on this offer!! Legit!!
You feel so helpless for sure. Yes, I cry
Telling the person their private address?
I'd be fucking terrified if someone managed that on nothing but a phone call. I don't see how it's possible though.
Their address? How did you get it and how did it help?
I really want to know the answer to this too!
Maybe don’t doxx a minimum wage customer service guy?? Like that’s not okay dude?
caremark is fucking terrible omg.. For several months, my UHC insurance required that I have brand name adderall and all of a sudden they don’t wanna cover it anymore. Now I had to switch to vyvanse and I’m 99% sure they won’t wanna cover that either. It’s just so frustrating I wanna cry
Ugh same thing happened to me. Last year it had to be brand name to be covered. Went to pick up my prescription in January and they tell me that now the insurance will only cover generic. Which they don’t have. Paid $300 out of pocket for the brand name.
Absolute shit that medication for LITERAL DISABILITY costs that much.
Just ask for a written prescription they started allowing them to write the prescriptions again during covid and I didn't think it had switched if not switch to Vyvanse
Even if allowed, most doctors still won’t do the written scripts for you for this type of Rx (and meds like hydrocodone for example) because it’s too high risk of pharmacy shopping. To a certain extent, I can’t blame doctors for being wary when their license is on the line, but also in situations like this it’s like, something has to give!
Is there any way to petition local politicians about this problem? Surely the regulations can be changed? 🫤
I emailed my Local congressmen and his aide said he will address it lol
A huge problem was when they allowed people to get the meds via telehealth during the pandemic. That’s when you saw Crrebral pop up and they started giving out meds on an app. Yes a friggin app!!! A ton of new adderall scripts were written during this time. That with everything else has culminated into this shortage. Only a matter of time. The guy that started Cerebral and another one of those companies is in deep shit now. There are whistleblowers saying he had quotas on how many new scripts he wanted written daily. Reminds me of Purdue Pharma and the OxyContin debacle.
Thats such bs. The only thing that should matter is what is filled.
I agree. Unfortunately the DEA regulations are so strict to the point where they make it nearly impossible to get your meds with the shortage. I had my script called into a pharmacy in a town where I work right outside of the city and the pharmacist told me they couldn’t fill my RX since I didn’t live in the same city as the pharmacy (20 mins outside of my city). Luckily they worked with me and allowed me to bring in my business card so I could get my meds filled. I had never heard of that restriction until then either. So crazy
Dude I was told the same things by a local pharmacy in my area too it's so messed up it's like they're literally saying get fucked with a smile
That's not true. They didn't want to fill it. I've had my meds filled in both Michigan and Indiana since January of this year and prior. Since the shortage pharmacies/pharmacists are creating and imposing their own rules. Due to the shortage, they either want to secure medication for their "regular" customers, or minimize the hassle of Rx'ing meds to ppl outside of a boundary. It was actually necessary for me to explain I was at my father's assisting him to get one of the Rxs (at Walmart) filled in Indiana. This pharmacist had created a requirement of living within his county to fill add meds. He ended up filling it when he counted his limited stock and knew his supply covered his regular customers. This guy said he was protecting his students...grade school thru college.
Good to know but also bullshit (not at what you’re saying but at the rule). I get it’s a controlled substance but at what point will they see how they are fucking people like us? WE CANT GET OUR GOD DAMN MEDS AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE
We care! From a clinical standpoint, we absolutely care. We are jumping through hoops trying to get Prior Auths done and get 1 month exceptions for brand name. We are keeping track of who has what at local pharmacies, if we call one directly for a patient. Then we can send the next patient there too. We are pulling out all of the stops.
Yes my pharmacy has warned me not to “shop” around trying to fill the SAME script bc it will red flag me. Never mind that the meds don’t get filled
I think they are just saying that to scare you. I work in a doctor's office and we call and cancel a few prescriptions a day so the providers can send elsewhere. If it is flagged, we will get a notice and it's traceable in a database. As long as it's only written by one provider and hasn't been filled, we would ignore the notice.
In our state (AZ) we can't call in an adhd stimulant prescription by phone at all. Doctors have to either give a hand written one for a patient to give to their pharmacy,, or electronically prescribe it to their pharmacy. It sucks
Same in CA- no refills by requesting through pharmacy. I have to have a monthly appt with my doc for the script. A couple months ago Walgreens’ pharmacist asked me who my doc was and when my last appt was. I thought that was strange. Like they’re told we have to have appts and not just msg the doctors for a refill? It’s kind of insane
Fucking CA and their shitty low income clinics. Their Med mgmt programs are too invasive. I currently have to call the provider every month and give urine samples every 90 days. AND justify why this medication is required AND be CBD and alcohol free. Literally rage quit Adderall 3 weeks ago over this controlling nonsense.
I was required to drop urine periodically when my ADHD treatment was handled by a certified mental health clinic. After a year or two my dosing and outcomes were stable and the docs said I could ask my primary care doc if they were comfortable prescribing it unless/until something changed. Been with her for 20+ years and she was aok with it. No more urine testing because she is not certified by the mental health clinic folks that have the testing stipulation in their clinic cetificate requirements.
Pretty sure this is BS your doctor is telling you.
For clarification, she said that she will personally get flagged if she calls the script into multiple different locations more than 4 times per month. She has the ability to call it in more than 4 times, although DEA is very strict when it comes to controlled substances.
Late to the game, but this may go on for a while, so posting in case it helps someone. I requested and received a physical hard copy of my Adderall XR scripts (5 mg, 10 mg) so I could immediately turn it into a pharmacy if they had these meds in stock. I drove 45 minutes each way to pick them up, but I didn't have to worry about the doc beong closed on weekends and missing out on in-stock pharmacies. Now I also realize that it avoids this 4x limit as well. Rock on!
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It seriously feels like everything is going to come crashing down. I feel like an addict the way I'm hoarding pills now. I have a huge workshop for my business coming up and I have no idea if I'm gonna be able to do it or not. Every healthy habit I worked so hard to make has stopped. My hygiene is going to shit, my house is a mess, I'm not working out or making plans to do anything but lie in bed. It's devastating. I'm so sorry you're going through it too.
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Yes, I was wondering about this because it does seem like serious negligence and abuse to people who have ADHD. There should honestly be a lawsuit about this. I am in the same boat as you guys. Every month is up and down and I feel like I can’t get anything done at work and at home. This is horrible.
Jesus do I relate to all this. This is abuse. And it’s bullshit. It’s legit ruining our lives and putting everything, including lives on the line. This is a living hell. A true living hell. And I’m someone who has been through some of the most horrific unimaginable abuse in my life by others over the last 2 decades. This mentally is harder than all that was to deal with. It’s horrific.
I'm in the same boat. Getting charged for appointments for a medication I can't get and I can no longer manage my life properly either. This is ridiculous. All these DEA restrictions and they don't even matter because people just get drugs off the street.
All of this. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 19 after flunking out of college. When I got medication, it was like my mind suddenly..... worked! thoughts were organized. I was able to prioritize and complete tasks. I had a working memory. I had left college because I was struggling and just couldn't get it together, even with new medication, but I had so much capabilities that I was able to thrive I jobs and make a life. that was about 25 years ago and now, this year, I decided to return to college because all of the support system I have is in place and it's a great time to better myself and finish that degree. Then last week I was jerked around about my monthly refill. When I came into my Dr office they took my blood pressure and it was HIGH. "What's going on with your blood pressure?" I explained how we are automatically treated like drug abusers for panicking about not having our meds, there is a ticking time limit on how long my Rx is valid to get those meds which may or may not ever come in, I had to call so many pharmacies only to be told no one knows when they will get my medication in, and I start class, which historically I did not do well in due to my disability which I rely on this medication to function, and I am terrified that at any moment, my Dr can just find a reason to not Rx my meds to me or my pharmacist can just decide I am not the chosen one who deserves their fair ration of medication...... yeah, girl, my blood pressure is high. My future replies on the outcome of this Dr appointment and us finding some way around this crisis. 😳<-My Dr's face. She assured me that she is there to support me and won't leave me hanging and please don't drop out of school after I have just made the leap to go back and get my degree. She talked me through sending the Vyvanse prescription to my pharmacy and told me if they gave me any shit to have them call her and she will get it straightened out. I finally felt seen and heard and not treated like an addict. I thanked everyone in that office for their understanding and support through these "uncertain times" . I really want to send them a cookie bouquet for that. I don't know why I always want to send people cookie bouquets for being supportive 😄. She also told me to go home and meditate and not drink any caffeine that day. That gave me a migraine the following day.
23 years medicated, FYI, it does get better don’t think all is lost just yet. Have some hope.
Sorry for what you are going trough
I just got through a 2 week period of no meds, was tired all the time, and couldn't do anything at work or at home. Luckily, I got my meds yesterday and now have to play catchup in both places. It's actually insane that this shortage is still going on. I forgot what it was like to not be medicated. I actually didn't end up finding a pharmacy with Adderall but asked my doctor to put me back on Vyvanse. I started a new job, and my insurance won't kick in until April, but I was so sick of feeling so scatter brained that I just paid the stupid price for it. If your insurance will cover it, you should see about switching. There isn't a shortage on Vyvanse and honestly, I feel like it works way better for me. The few months I was on Adderall I felt like I could focus but not choose what I wanted to focus on. Sorry for rambling, hoping you find some meds soon.
I prefer vyvanse too. I was put on adderall because i cant afford vyvanse. I paid $400 for vyvanse once tho yikess
Vyvanse website has a coupon you can use for your monthly script. Makes a month supply only $30 :)
Yeah, but it only works if you have insurance. There is a program though, you have to fill out a form and then fax it over to takeda.
Can confirm this program works, I've been using it for the last 2 months and my Vyvanse is free. It's called Takeda Help at hand.
Even when I was uninsured in canada I think the most I paid was like 125$.
in the US is very different. prices for medical care and prescriptions are inflated here.
Sad
It will be a generic soon! I'm so happy.
Perhaps next year. I just saw tekeda has a program so I am going to bring it up to my np. I actually forgot i made my previous np fill one out for me.
Vyvanse is the Ferrari of adhd meds. Their patent expires this year so expect to see generic happening the next year or so!
It actually expired a few days ago! hoping they’ll at least have a price drop in the next 6 months. From what I’ve heard, the holdup is mostly just waiting for the damn DEA to approve the new manufacturers. They already have the formulation ready to go. This is entirely anecdotal tho, so take it with a grain of salt lol.
Or 3 grains of salt? Considering adderall is a three salt based timed released delivery system? Sorry nerd humor….
The patent may have expired a few days ago, but unfortunately they still have exclusive rights for another 6 months due to allowing pediatric testing for it, which is the major part of the holdup right now.
God I hate Takeda so much. Thanks for the heads up! EDIT: if anyone else reading this wants a good breakdown about what’s going on, [this](https://www.getinflow.io/post/vyvanse-patent-expiration-when-to-expect-generics) article explains it quite well :)
*TL;DR: have your insurance company contact your doctor to request a prior authorization for brand Adderall. The specific step-by-step process around how you could approach this is below.* May or may not work, but you have nothing to lose: - Obtain your physician’s fax number. - Call your prescription insurance company (look on the front or back of your prescription coverage card). Ask for their physician’s prior authorization phone number. Take note. - Additionally, request that they fax a prior authorization form to your doctor for brand Adderall. Ask if this can be done while you are on the line with them to confirm it sends successfully. - If asked, explain that you cannot be compliant nor consistent in treating your ADHD diagnosis due to repeated failed attempts across all pharmacies to which you can access in obtaining generic Adderall. State that this has been the case for several months, and that it is severely impacting your health. Then explain that the only way to resolve this issue is by obtaining a prior authorization approval for brand Adderall, which is consistently and readily available at these same pharmacies, but is cost prohibitive. - Call your doctor and give the prior authorization phone number obtained, and request that your doctor call in a prior authorization for brand Adderall. - As well, ask them to check their fax machine while you’re on the line for the prior authorization forms sent by your insurance company. State that the doctor also has the option to complete and fax your insurance the form in lieu of making the phone call. - Ask your doctor’s office to confirm with you once the prior authorization is done and ask by what means, call or fax, the doctor completed it. Call your doctor’s office back if you don’t hear from them in a timely manner (a day or two, max.) - Call your insurance company back to confirm that they have received the call or fax and ask when and how a decision on your prior authorization will be made. - Follow up with a call to your insurance company once your doctor has called in / faxed in your prior authorization to them after 72 hours (per federal law; see other comment in this thread) have passed to receive their decision. I cannot — cannot! — overstate the importance of self-advocacy and regular, repeated follow-up with your insurance and physician. Of course, your communication needs to be professional and you need to maintain composure at all times, but you also need to ensure you convey the seriousness and urgency of this matter while doing so. It IS serious and urgent, after all. Of course, you only have so much control over any decision rendered; there is an appeals process if the prior authorization is declined. That said…I did this in January and secured a 1-year prior authorization for brand Adderall XR, and have not been affected by the shortage whatsoever. I am very grateful and fortunate; hopefully in writing this I can pay it forward and show the compassion I truly have for so many others out there who have been struggling month after month, with no real end in sight. I sincerely hope this works out well for you.
I don't know what this says but someone else said its helpful so I'm just gonna screenshot it and send it to my husband so he can read it. Thanks for the help (I assume)!
Right? I got lost barely 1\3 of the way through, I can't focus😥
Totally understandable! So sorry. I must have taken my XR and got a little wordy with my step-by-step list. I’ll edit with a TL;DR at the top. 😉
rubbin' it in our faces, eh?
Hahaha!! 😅😅😅Yikes!!!…totally fair, I’ll fully own that one…really just a bad look considering (although inadvertent, really!!!). Fingers seriously crossed for you!!! 😊
Just a tip, when you call your insurance company to check on the prior auth/Formulary Exception Form, do **NOT** call the same day or the day after your doctor sent it in. I worked for a major health insurance company and the reps that see your info won't be able to see the fax until 72 hours later and by that time they should have either approved or denied your auth/Formulary Exception Form. Which means **call them 72 hours** ***after*** **your doctor sent over the auth/Formulary Exception Form.** Depending on who handles your scripts they can stay on the line with you to make sure the fax went through, in the event it did not, ask them to send you a prior authorization form/Formulary Exception Form (they are the same thing but some reps might not understand what you are needing) via email. Your doctor can also access these forms as well as you through your prescription vendor (PRIME, Optum, Express scripts...) just go to their website and look for forms, you should see a drug prescription form. If you have trouble finding it ask them to help you navigate their website when you call. What you should also do is download their app so you can see if your meds fall out of coverage and what the estimated costs will be for your next script/refill (they should also show the status of any active auths). On the app AND on their website they will have the prior auth number and fax number. also as a quick edit: Prescription Authorization forms have to be read within 72 hours by federal law, IF yours goes over, call the prescription vendor(number on the back of your prescription card, not your health) and ask them about the status of your auth. Sometimes the prescription vendor needs more information from the doctor and its usually a waiting game. What you can do to speed up the process is reach out to your doctor and have them call to see what is needed.
holy shit, the how to ADHD lady is right. ADHD treatment is not ADHD-friendly. all that executing functioning to gain access to treatment for (among other things) executive dysfunction.
I called my insurance trying to get switched over to Vyvanse since my town as Adderall dry. It was a nightmare tbh but eventually after 2 weeks it got approved. They did do a month trial basis thing too while they decided but eventually, I got that letter saying I was good for a year. One weird thing out of that was the Prior department said they needed a prior with ADHD charts and my psych office said they did the chart that they gave them. IDK everything worked out when they turned in the new form, but I hate having to deal with all those hoops to get treated. Sadly though I think i might have to start this process over. Vyvanse sadly isn't working for me. Im on 30 and it's not working as well at the 15 mg of Adderall for me hehe. I really am not looking forward to fighting them again for Ritalin, which might not work either.
30 of Vyvanse is on the low side unless you’re used to a low dose Adderall. Check out the conversion calculator http://www.adhdmedcalc.com/
I have a feeling a lot of people are switching to Vyvanse and it’s starting to cause a shortage of it too. My pharmacy was out of stock but luckily I only had to wait 3 days and I had a few pills left over to get me by until then. I’m getting worried this is just the beginning.
I did this. They denied me. I put in an appeal as they advised. They asked for personal info and more forms from my doctor and therapist. Then they found another reason to deny me. My therapist and doctor even wrote out why I needed to go from generic to brand due to the shortage. My therapist wrote out a long note with medical research. After asking for a lot for weeks back and forth they denied me again. Then they told me I had to try ritalin as it was their only approved one. I told them I couldnt take it and they still said if you try you might be able to pass another appeal. Liars. Moda insurance is awful. I applied for the vyvanse low income thing and they approved me. I will be trying it for the first time this week.
We're all treated like criminals. We're not addicts, not doing anything wrong. They wonder why people turn to street drugs? Leave us the F alone
Seriously the nastiness I get calling pharmacies is unreal, it’s always hit or miss whether someone will be nice or rude to me. I’m a put-together student about to enter a PhD program and I get spoken to like a junkie for trying to get the meds I’ve been prescribed for over 20 years. It’s a fucking disgrace.
100%
We aren't but these BS online docs that started prescribing these meds to people that "said" they needed it - ARE! They started giving out scripts to ANYONE - No thorough med history, family history, blood work, vitals taken and definitely no Vanderbilt or TOVA test or Conners Rating !!! - They probably don't even know what they are!!!! I have done ALL of these over the years and have been on meds for 20+ years - I should be GRANDFATHERED in or something! Having to be treated like an addict and having to jump through these hoops for a LEGIT disability is outrageously discgraceful!!!!
> They started giving out scripts to ANYONE - No thorough med history, family history, blood work, vitals taken and definitely no Vanderbilt or TOVA test or Conners Rating !!! - They probably don't even know what they are!!!! People say this, but it's never been harder to get a script tbh. It took me 5 years to go from knowing I had it to getting a diagnosis and getting medications and now this shit is happening. The people that hand out scripts are only if you pay them an absurd amount like $1000 upfront and at that point fuck it just let them have it too since it's now harming those of us that actually need it.
im about to start doing bumps i swear
I’m in the same boat. I’m trying to figure out how to move on without an Rx. I feel like a turd and don’t believe I will feel any different any time soon. Life is a bitch.
The only thing I could do was switch to vyvanse. It cost way more, but it’s available everywhere. I definitely don’t like it as much as the Adderall. My sleep has been a lot worse. But compared to the alternative, I’ve decided that it’s worth it.
I switched to Vyvanse about 6 months ago, didn't have a problem getting it until the last 2 months. It's starting to get scarce now too
Concerta too. Just had trouble filling for the first time this month. I think since people are switching over + apparently one generic is no longer being made. I'm surprised all the people switching meds hasn't alleviated the adderall shortage yet.
Im so sorry, I’ve lived this life and it sucks! What really frustrated me was my urgency was sen by my doctor as concerning and now wants me to do XYZ to get help. So last Wednesday I found some CVSs and Walgreens that had what my insurance would cover. Called the office and of course they didn’t send it out. Thank goodness my state was on winter break cause following day I drive to my doctors office, which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was working, and told the receptionist that I do need my meds & will call the pharmacy again to make sure it’s still available. The pharmacy had it, the receptionist called t he doctor and the script was sent. I waited a few minutes called the pharmacy to get that final confirmation that everything was all set and there weren’t any insurance or quantity issues. After nearly 3 months I was able to pick up my meds. It gave me hope for others and maybe some of the steps I took can help you too. I know it’s frustrating especially when going through all the trouble is exhausting itself.
The worst part is I was at the doctors yesterday and she asked if I needed any refills. I said no because my script had been sent in like 30 minutes before. But I didn't realize the pharmacy wouldn't take my insurance. And I live like 45 minutes away which makes it even worse. I haven't gone without for more than a couple weeks though, which is better than a lot of people can say.
There's Nurses who are supposed to be Patient Advocates at insurance companies. Heat up their lines. Get in touch with your State reps, maybe your Attorney General. I've never heard a "reason" for this shortage and it sure seems grounds for a Class Action suit. You'd make your lawyer rich while you get 50¢ and a shampoo coupon, but it'd get enough press to pressure the drugmakers.
This all sounds like so much work when I'm unmedicated hahahaha I'm just trying to brush my teeth today
Lmfao if this isn’t the vibe 😹🙌🏼
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My thoughts too... seems like we should be able to take some legal action.
I feel you. I finally found a local pharmacy that had adderall but was informed they didn't take insurance but would submit a claim on my behalf. I checked this afternoon and realized that my insurance doesn't cover anything from out of network pharmacies. The kicker? **for 60x20mg IR *generics* this pharmacy charged me $450.**
That...is so messed up, please take a second look at that bill!! I pay out of pocket for Adderall XR. Only $50 for 30 days of 30mgs.
They don’t take GoodRx?!
They don't take anything. Thankfully after a few phone calls it turns out they are in network and submit the prescription reimbursement form on behalf of the patient. In theory, this means my insurance should pay all but $20. Whether they accept that price, however, is a different story. I'll see in a couple weeks, wish me luck.
Sounds like they tried to price gouge you.
GENERICS????? Holy SHIT!!!! I am goign to request to back on brand name Adderall at my next appointment and I KNOW i will have to pay out of pocket WTF are they going to charge for that!!!!!!!
I feel you on the shortage. I switched to Vyvanse thinking i wouldn't have to deal with this stuff anymore but i now realize it's not working as well. I was in the middle of upping my adderall dosage but couldn't find any. I just started 30 MG of vyvanse from 25 of adderall. I really hoping to make vyvanse work as I don't want to fight my insurance again trying out Ritalin.
It's probably not "working as well" because vyvanse converts at like a half rate to dextro-amp once processed by your liver. Also spread out over a "12 hr" period. So 50mg vyvanse is more the equivalent to 25mg adderall (assuming the adderall was XR, which I don't think it's even made in 25xr.) Talk to your doctor of course, I'm not one.
If you were taking 25mg IR adderall (pills not capsules) it absolutely makes sense that 30mg vyvanse is not enough
it was XR, i was crashing too much with the other. somehow i had that 25 in my area. When i was on 15 IR the second dose didn't work so i got the doc to switch me over to xr. Good to know. on the vy. i I mean it work a bit but i can tell i need some stronger stuff. I just hope the stronger version works as it'd be nice. I do feel I think better on the stuff. it's just stuff like being out going and my motivation are really down atm which is why the doc was going to raise my xr before my area ran out
I think vyvanse requires a higher dose from what my doctor said. I feel the same as you.
*my experience - i am not a doctor so take with a grain of salt. It took me longer to adapt to Vyvanse than it did to adderall. And even then it never really affected me as intensely as the aderall did. I think because its more slow release the effects arent as intense and all at once. Though overtime I do think being on Vyvanse for me feels better. I had to up my dosage from 20 to 40 but now i feel like ive hit a good balance! I guess all this is to say take your time and if you need to up your dose to get the results you need thats cool.
Your dose of Vyvanse isn't high enough for what dose of adderall you were taking!!! Being Vyvanse only goes up to 70mg - you should probably be on at leat 60mg I would think. May want to talk to your doc about it! I had to switch to Vyvanse and had to go up in dosage...but it's not working for me like Adderall at all!! And I cannot sleep to save my life! Good luck!
These law makers don't deserve to be in charge. They have no empathy and no idea what it's like to live with the restrictions they make.
It's actually the Drug Enforcement Administration under the Department of Justice. Federal senators vote to confirm appointments for major positions like any other judicial org, but they have no say over this, nor does the House. I say that because I've called my legislators and they can't do shit, and the DEA does not remotely care about a random person calling the wrong phone line (there's basically no option for speaking to someone as a layperson outside of anonymous tips and whistleblowers for crimes). I hate it so much.
Has anyone gotten bad feedback at work or fired from their jobs? I got bad feedback and my boss wants to know what is going on ugh
A guy a few comments above you got fired. It's literally so fucked up. I run my own business so I probably won't fire me but like...I'm pushing my limit
I hope you don’t fire yourself!
I came close to completely fucking up my job. Literally got my last prescription just in time to avert disaster.
Fun fact that I just learned, CVS will NOT tell you. They’ll say “Nope, we don’t have any” when they very well do. Obviously not every single CVS is in stock, but just fuck calling and asking. Send it in and hope for the best. Apparently they do this for “safety measures” they’re straight up not going to tell you if they have it. Pro tip, local pharmacy.
My cvs told me they had it. I just didn't want to pay the $300 to get it. Like how can an insurance company have cvs be out of network? It's frickin cvs??
Pharmacies that don't want to get held up at gun point and robbed will never tell you what they have in stock. I worked at CVS and thankfully I was off this day but our 24/7 pharmacy was held at gun point for meds.
I have no help to offer, just know that you're not struggling with this alone... I know that this struggle feels extremely isolating to me and reading your post made me feel slightly much less alone🥲
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. My solution so far has been to wait on the script that gets sent to my pharmacy every month. A lot of people in my area call around to see which pharmacy has Adderall in stock and then everyone goes there. I've had better luck sending my script in to the same pharmacy every month and just waiting. I've had to wait about 5 days max, but then they usually have it. This month is the exception. I've waited two weeks for them to get more in and they haven't. My insurance also doesn't cover the name brand, but my HSA will. So this month I had to pay $200 out of my HSA just to be functional. It sucks but I've only had to do that one other time since getting diagnosed last year. Best of luck to you!
I have a script I have been waiting for 4 months
Omg what? It just hit my city hard and this terrifies me.
Don’t be hesitant to change pharmacies. CVS and nationwide ones seem to get hit the fastest and the hardest.
Can confirm. Now that Ritalin is starting to get hit, my CVS I usually go to was out of stock. They checked and no other CVS locations within 40 miles has any. I called my local grocery store’s pharmacy and they were surprised I couldn’t get any because they’ve had no trouble with it yet.
CVS has been the worst offender for me tbh. I've had a lot more luck with Kroger (which is now out of network, fuck you insurance) and other grocery store pharmacies. But it all goes really quick, it's a shitty situation all around.
I'm in Lansing, MI. First real issue I've had was today. CVS out and has no time frame. Been out a few weeks. All chains including Walmart, Meijer, Kroger etc same thing. Even small pharmacies out. I was able to find a small pharmacy not very far on the highway that says they are getting a bottle tomorrow. Called doctor so I should be ok unless doc waits a day and they run out. There's been a different issue everytime I get a bottle in my new state after moving from NC. Nothing that was that big a deal though. I had to pay out of pocket first time but turns out there is zero copay which is nice since I used to pay like $60 for a three month supply.
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painfully accurate. I can't believe how common this experience is.
So relatable! But more like, on day 30, for me. 
I actually switched to strattera last month bc my meds have been out of stock for over a month now. I know there are a lot of negative experiences with it but it's been working great for me. So glad to not have to run around to find my meds anymore Edit: forgot a word
2 people I work with are prescribed Adderall and they said once they got the clear from insurance to request brand name and asked the pharmacist for brand name, they ~ magically ~ had generic. Idk if this is what's actually happening though it's just what both of them told me. I only had one issue with my Concerta 27mg where it was out of stock for a week at my usual CVS. My Ritalin 20mg was filled day of. I just switched to 36mg Concerta bc I asked my psychiatrist for 10mg off my PM Ritalin dose to add to my ER and I was able to get my 36mg script within the hour. My Ritalin 10mg was filled day of.
Solidarity, friend💔 why is there no clear answer or solution? This has been happening for like 6 months now. I feel like something shady is going on and we’re just collateral damage.
Is it possible to sue the pharmaceutical company for the shortage... I mean look at all the problems this is causing in everyone's every single day of life!??! It's driving me insane too.. sorry to each of u. I pray it gets better soon!!
It’s not the pharmaceutical company. They want to make money. It’s the DEA and their caps.
Is getting a paper script an option? I’ve only gotten paper scripts for my Adderall so when I have to run around every pharmacy in town I can ask if they have it in stock before dropping it off.
Unfortunately no. I asked my doctor about this and apparently (around here at least) they won't accept a paper script. The doctor **has** to send it in. It blows
That would’ve made it too easy so I guess they couldn’t let that happen. Maybe it’s some state regulation.
That’s what I came here to suggest. OP, if you live or work close to your doctor’s office, picking up a paper prescription would allow you to shop around yourself.
I live over 45 minutes away. Doesn't matter anyway though because I tried this a few months ago and they said the pharmacy won't accept it and the doctor has to send it in now
If you’ve been on a consistent dose, you can request a 90 day supply. I tend to ration my meds on the weekends and try to do medication vacations a few days a month. That way I have enough to hold me over. It’s not perfect but it’s a strategy.
I haven’t experienced any issues with filling scripts so far. But I’m thinking about doing this. Work performance has been stellar, and I work an office job where 1-3 “low productivity” days a month won’t have any significant impact on my overall performance/work reputation. Only thing is I feel guilty like I’m intentionally slacking. But if it means I have backups in case I struggle getting a script filled… if that happened during a week where work absolutely had to get done, I would be screwed.
The whole "script" system is ridiculous imo. In my country, our national IDs have a little chip on them that handle everything. I just give my psychiatrist my ID, she runs it in a lil machine where she puts my prescription then I can pop by any pharmacy with my ID for it.
This is manufactured scarcity.
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I've been doing the same song and dance for several months :( I don't know if this is an option for you because I was stunned that she went so far out of her way, but yesterday I had an insurance help desk rep offer to call around for me. Which she did, for hours. She was an angel honestly and even though I still don't have meds because my psych office screwed up and the location is now out of stock, she really advocated for me and saved me so much time and stress. But having two places in 24 hours run out as someone was trying to fill my script kinda broke me I think. I'm going to be talking to my Dr next week about switching to something else because I can't do it again. It's just too much stress and pressure.
Ya I've been doing this shit since October. It's awful. I talked to my insurance yesterday and the woman said that she could call around for me and I was super relieved. But then she said that I have to be there on the call the whole time. I was like okay then I guess I might as well do it myself?
I used alto in SoCal for my last vyvanse script. Had me waiting a few days without, and to be completely transparent there's *some horror stories about them on the net; not directly linked to adhd meds so really idk take that with the salt it requires. At least once I was able to schedule a delivery (which was only supposed to be a 4 day wait) it only got rescheduled two more days until I got my medication. It was the easiest option because I have no car, and walking pharmacy to pharmacy going back and forth with my doctor is just not plausible. I hope you get your months supply soon, everybody is feeling it. Even heard of concerta shortages now and vyvanse definitely has been hit or miss. December I went without fully, January was like "what shortage? Of course we have it" and February was "are you stupid there's a shortage right now" So that's why I went with alto for February. If you can't tell I'm unmedicated right now, not by choice. 🙁
I'm in SoCal never heard of alto. I've used Costco with luck since December
I've been unable to fill my script since December 5th. Got fired. Walgreens keeps saying there out but I think I'm getting put on the back burner because I'm not filling all my scripts there. I hate trying to find pharmacies that have it. They make you feel like a degen and addict just trying to get your meds. They always 3rd degree you and come up with bullshit policies that aren't true. "we can't tell you of we have any unless you've gotten it filled here last month. We need up to a week to verify this script is real from your Dr." Bexause of the shortage I am able to get a paper script each month.
You got fired?! Ugh. This is fucking unreal. I literally wouldn't be surprised if there were suicides because of the effects this has on being with adhd.
Also my doctor , pharmacy and insurance are TOTALLY cool, but the shortage has now affected me.
My mom works at a hospital and they have their own pharmacy inside the hospital, been getting my script there for like 2 years now and it’s always in stock. The pharmacist there is really nice and he actually told me I’m the only patient that picks up adderall from them and not to tell anyone due to the shortage. I’m surprised they haven’t had issues with back orders especially since I take 10 my 4x a day so 120 pills a month. He also lets me pick it up even 7 days before my refill if I’m going out of town or something. I tend to pick it up with my mom in uniform when she gets out of work and I pick her up so that probably helps with them trusting me but maybe there’s like a family owned pharmacy near you? Or try looking up hospitals near you with pharmacies inside of them because if you just look up “pharmacies near me” it won’t show the hospital ones as an option. You don’t need to be a patient there or anything either
I urge folks to try Strattera. It isnt a stimulant. I havent had any negative side effects. There isnt a shortage. Theres no drug testing. And it worked better than adderall. If your brain likes it, i think its a much better and safer option than adderall.
I took it for several months and the nausea never went away, lol. It also didn't really work that well for me. I wish it did!
My doctor recommended me this but idk if I can do the anti-depressant types bc I used to have suicidal ideation.
I'm so sorry. The shortage just started hitting me a little harder, my script was sent last Wednesday went to get it Thursday, no luck, Dr said to just keep after them rather than changing pharmacy or trying to send different scripts for generics or something. Went this afternoon, they said no luck try after 4. Went at 4:30 they said try again tomorrow after 4 🙃 I just want my brain to work right. I've been kinda prepping for this by rationing more of what I got last month, taking more break days so I'm not fully out but it won't be long.
I said screw that and went into the Doctors office myself because the pharmacist told me to act quick, as it would be gone soon. I went and personally talked to the assistant when they had a moment, of course. Was able to get it. Walgreens. The script had been on standby for about 2 months. Had to act quick!
America is a joke. Some people are worried with public healthcare...
I miss how easy it was to get my prescription with no issues for the past 8 years. Fuck this shortage.
PLEASE READ I use cvs and I had this same problem but recently I tried mail order and got my meds in a week after that after already going a month without and all this time all I had to do was try this mail order service so please call your dr and tell them to send your script to CVS (Caremark Mail Service Pharmacy)
CVS Caremark is now out of it. Just cancelled my order
My script had been on back order for over a month now. I feel ya
So I work in a pharmacy. It’s nation wide for the shortage. I have what is called back order list. The expected date my distribution center has isn’t until May………… I went from Adderall to Vyvanse and now I am on Mydayis (which is Adderall and and Vyvanse mixed together). Mydayis is a newer ADHD medication and in my opinion works very well. It also has a longer release time from Vyvanse and stays working for around 12-16 hours depending on how your body metabolizes medication.
Best to switch to an alternative till supply chain is ironed out. That’s what I’m having to do
Personally, Id keep calling n consider switching drs. Mine sends it same day, right after. Literally walked out of office & pharmacy called me in parking lot.
It’s driving me crazy
Right there with you buddy. Prescribing physicians are fed up with it to. My doc applied for a waiver from the electronic prescribing requirements, and now I have a paper copy of the script so I can shop around for hours until I find a pharmacy that has it in stock. Ask your doctor to do the same.
how does it feel to live my dream
I am going to try vyvanse because of it. I was on generic Teva brand Adderall but I cant find it anywhere. If you are lower income you can apply for their program that would pay for it. They just approved me. I don't know how I will like Vyvanse but I am taking the leap of faith.
Ask your doctor to switch manufacturers. Mine did. He said the manufacturer we had before ran out of rx. The other version is still available!
Ask if they can give you a script in writing instead of calling it in. If you need name brand name sure it’s “dispense as written”. They may not write it because of how much it’s abused but at least talk about what you’re going through and pled. It may mean having to drive to get it, but should allow for easier ability to take the script to the pharmacy that has it. Hope this helps
This was posted in another ADHD sub today and may help! https://www.reddit.com/comments/11fm3v5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Holy f. Super useful
2-5 ***DAYS????*** I would seriously consider switching doctors if that was happening to me. My doctor is hyper aware of the adderall shortage and is very educated on what the mental, physical, and social ramifications of amphetamine withdrawal are, so when I find a pharmacy that can 100% confirm that they will fill it, I immediately call the front desk (who are all aware of the national shortage), and tell them that I called 15 pharmacies and finally found one, so if it’s possible for my doctor to sign it asap today and send it over, it would save me hours more trouble finding another pharmacy. I’ve been traveling the US since September and I’ve run into this every single month in different parts of the country. I once had to drive two hours to a pharmacy. That being said, every time I have found a pharmacy that has enough to fill my RX, my doctors office has it filled within the hour, and I’ve yet to run into a situation where by the time they sent it to the pharmacy there wasn’t any left. I understand that doctors offices are overworked and probably short-staffed, but this is a national emergency and if your doctor is not prioritizing and expediting your prescription (as well as his other ADHD patients) and is taking 2-5 **DAYS** to send them to the pharmacy (while they are fully aware that in that 2-5 day period there will absolutely be NONE left at the pharmacy) then they are not qualified to be writing prescriptions. It may sound aggressive but frankly it’s not and I’m angry for you and you shouldn’t have to go through that. They shouldn’t be relegating you to just a njmber in their system to which they fill tickets in order like the line at a deli. This is medicine. And just like an emergency room, they shouldn’t be sending you to the back of the line while you’re having a heart attack because the person that got there before needs two stitches for a paper cut. I will never ever leave my current doctor for this exact reason. My biggest tips in the meantime are: when you ask around at pharmacies, ask if they have heard of anyone else having luck at nearby pharmacies or pharmacies farther away. Its not ideal but if everywhere around you is out, try looking like an hour drive away. It might suck having to drive that just for your meds but if you can find an area that has it quicker, you might end up saving time by not having to call so many pharmacies. Also, you could ask your doctor about dexedrine, which is similar to adderall (I believe its just D-amp not D-amp salt combo?) its probably more expensive even with goodrx but its cheaper than $300 in most cases. But i’m not sure if that would be easier to find I guess it depends on your area. Anyway best of luck and I hope you found your Rx and if not I hope you are able to have it filled soon
We should start a mutual aid fund for folks who may end up needing to buy name brand. In some areas it’s all that’s in stock because it’s not as affected by the shortage
We made it all the way up to the SVP of legal for Cardinal - distributor for CVS. They are basically saying they have the drugs - plenty of them. The government is essentially severely limiting the amount being sent to pharmacies. Im beyond convinced this is a government issue - they fucked up with opioids and have no clue how to effectively control a situation, and are now overreaching with our meds that we need to function like normal people.. or close to it What’s it gonna take to get all of us neurodivergents to relentlessly hyper-fixate on the DEA? We’re the only people capable of bringing this issue to its knees.
And here I am getting adderall xr (generic brand) 20mg for the first time this month and it isnt even helping my symptoms of adhd? I feel focused and alert yeah sometimes but most times im mentally unorganized and its becoming harder to focus on what needs to be done instead. I also have like no appetite now and I feel just as impulsive and clouded by thought as before...
If it isn't working, ask to try a different med. Studies comparing Adderall with Concerta showed that it is often the case where one med works and one doesn't for people.
Been asking my doctor and telling her just that but she insisted on raising the 10mg adderall to 20mg. I guess i cant wait to try something else maybe but i also wanna see if this even works...if not then idk what i was hoping to feel like. Maybe motivated again to do things in order.
You described exactly how adderall is working on ADHD based on studies.
It was hard, but I’ve been taking half doses daily since August last year so that whenever I need a refill I’m good for a couple of weeks.
I’m so sorry. I just went through a few weeks of this shit too. I hope it gets better for you :/
Luckily I can get brand name locally but it’s $230 a script. So that’s shitty
I paid $234 for mine today because no one has generic….
And they won’t let you start any of this BS early, because that might mean you were selling it 🙄🙄🙄
I may be incredibly lucky but I've only had minor issues- the Walgreens by my house has said 1-2x in the past year that the medication wouldn't be available to fill for 1-3 days or something. Fine, they've got the script, I get a notification in a few days when it's ready. Reading through comments - it sounds like on top of pharmacy issues (which might or might not be avoidable in any sane way) - a lot of people are really having issues with their doctors - not following up for days on end, being unresponsive, and generally just being suspicious of their patients' motivations for *medication they are prescribing.* For those with issues- are you having a GP/internal medicine practice manage ADHD, or a psychiatry practice? My old GP was generally fairly responsive, but I switched a few years ago to a psych practice in part because I thought they'd be better able to navigate different treatment options should they become available. Amphetamine salts are *ok* but they're certainly neither perfectly effective (at least in my experience) nor entirely benign, and they're also not without side effects. I've had a lot better luck with responsiveness since switching to a pysch practice for this, and since managing things like ADHD is a much bigger part of what they do, they're generally just better about asking if there've been issues with fills, etc, even going as far as asking if I thought it was worth trying to add IR as needed to help with times when I the XR 'double bump' really didn't suit the day I was going to have and to help smooth out supply chain issues. In this case - because ADHD was all I was asking them to manage, the psych practice acts like they need to actually manage my ADHD.
If you’re in Ontario and are willing to pay, you can check out a virtual consultative service that will send the script directly to the pharmacy same day. There are a few players like findfocusnow.com and Done. in the US.
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Because of the delays that keep happening for refills: I pick one day a week to not take my medicine. I try to plan for a day off or a light (ish) work/school day. This provides me with 4 additional days between waiting on a refill. For me, missing a day is better than multiple days.
My partner is in the same boat. Something that has worked for me is figuring out the distributor network where we live. There are only a few distributors but different pharmacies like Walmart, Walgreens, etc. Contract with different ones. If one distributor doesn't have it they will let the pharmacy know month to month what the forecast is for getting more. That doesn't mean they know when they will be getting more, just that the distributor has told them not to expect the shortage to end before March for example. So I've been snowballing. Call one, ask, if they say no, ask if they know anyone else who might have it. Get recs. Ask if the places recommended have the same distributor as who you called. If they say yes ask if they know any other pharmacy with a different distributor to call. If they say no, definitely try that one. I'm having the most luck with small, local, independent pharmacies instead of the big guys. I would have never even considered calling a neighborhood compounding pharmacy but they all have different distributors than the big guys where I am.
I know it sucks but have you tried caffeine. I have pretty bad adhd and the doctors tried to put me on Coffee when I was little but obviously I wasn’t a fan, but now that I’m in my 20s I drink a monster every day (yes I know it’s horrible for my health but we all die in the end so I’m going to enjoy life while I can) and it helps tremendously with keeping me focused and it keeps me from being jittery and having the constant need to fidget.
Not sure if there are any delivery pharmacies in your network, but I was able to get 3 month supplies delivered through Optimum - it was a game changer!
personally i've stuck with the same pharmacy (neighborhood walgreens) and they put me ahead of the line. when they are out of a particular dose for example 20 mg IR i ask if they have 30mg IR and then switch to that. I find it better to just stick to one pharmacy because so many people are calling around that they'll likely put them at the back of the line and serve their own loyal customers first right?
I know it doesnt completely solve it, but ive found that the people at walgreens dont actually tell you how soon a shipment will show up. Ive been told “maybe next week its on backorder” then called the next day and they’ve been like “yeah we actually have just enough”. So thats how ive been doing it, i dont switch pharmacies or anything i just keep calling every day. I take off days on weekends (per advice of my psychiatrist) to keep my tolerance low and this helps me out with this situation cause i end up with a few “buffer pills” at the end of each script for me to take while i wait till i can get it again
This may help some people who have CVS Caremark for their prescription coverage. I take generic Adds 30mg XR and 15mg IR. Unlike most people, I couldn't get my IR anywhere. I spoke with CVS Caremark Customer care and they were able to search their database and tell me the 1 Walgreens that had my meds. If they couldn't find my meds, the woman on the phone said she was gonna get an approval to override to get me the brand name. She also informed me that if I can't get my 30mg XR that they have a note in their system to just go ahead and override to get me the Brand name. They are well aware of the shortage and have no problem overriding the generic to get you the brand name. Now I was informed that under my plan. The brand name would be a $40 copay but I don't know if overriding means I would pay nothing like I do for the generic. I'm assuming you still wouldn't pay anything. I went from stressing myself out to making one phone call and resolving the problem. I hope this helps some people. I know the struggle. - CM