Anyone here take brand name Lipitor?

[KathleenL]

If so, are you having any issues getting a refill? I've been on it since March 2018 when I had a little "cardiac incident" and ended up with a stent in my right cardiac artery (which had been 99% blocked). Here we are a little over 5 years later, and during that time, I have always had a problem getting a refill. The pharmacy always reminds me that it's time for a refill, and when I submit my refill request, they are "out of stock but will order more." And it always takes about a week for them to get it.

I fully understand that pharmacies don't keep a lot of brand name meds in stock, because most people take generics. But I'm not most people, and I always get the brand name of the meds I'm on (so I have the same issue every 90 days with Toprol XL, and Diovan).

This time, however, the pharmacy has really irked me. I put in my refill request for my meds on 02 August. On 09 August I called them and was assured that the meds should be delivered to them the following day. On 11 August they were able to fill the Diovan and Toprol XL, but said that their supplier is totally out of Lipitor. They further claimed that there is a nationwide shortage of Lipitor - that there is none to be had anywhere.

Knowing my pharmacy is full of sh!t, I don't fully trust them to be honest and truthful with me. So, I'm wondering - has anyone here had an issue this month in getting brand name Lipitor?

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by KathleenL

Knowing my pharmacy is full of sh!t, I don't fully trust them to be honest and truthful with me.

My wife’s favorite type of patient.

Try a different pharmacy then? Nobody has called the clinic complaining of a Lipitor shortage. There aren’t that many suppliers, and Walgreens, CVS, Vons, etc. all have contracts with different suppliers.

Even with hospital pharmacies too. One hospital lab told me they didn’t have lidocaine for the patient and that there was a national shortage. Well, oddly enough other hospitals in the city weren’t affected by this national shortage.

[Kreyzhorse]

Check with another pharmacy to see if they have stock. There is certainly a shortage of all types of prescription meds going on right now.

[KathleenL]

Yes, I will call some other pharmacies. But I thought I would check with the folks here first to find out if anyone else had an issue with getting Lipitor. With our insurance, I pay $100 for a 90-day supply of a brand name med if I get it from the preferred pharmacy. From any other pharmacy, it will cost me $150 for a 90-day supply. I can, thankfully, afford it, but of course would prefer to pay only $100.

[THC]

I take Atorvastatin which is the generic of the brand name you mentioned.. silly question but have you asked the pharmacy about the generic?

I refill every 30 days and nary an issue

[HHIslander]

I had the exact same problem many years ago. The pharmacy and my insurance company made me jump through hoops every renewal for Lipitor. My doctor is one of the best and he told me that there are many drugs he would not go generic for, but Lipitor wasn’t one of them. He himself takes 10mg generic atorvastatin every day. Made the switch. No rise in cholesterol afterwards.

[HarryLime]

What’s wrong with a generic? I’ve been on one for 2 years and my cholesterol has dropped noticeably. It’s also super cheap without insurance.

[DJ TT 2002]

Generic atorvastatin is the way to go!

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by DJ TT 2002

Generic atorvastatin is the way to go!

I just started taking this myself. Glad to see that I'm in good company.

[KatGirl]

Hi, Kathleen. I had a few such issues with a different med (scheduled drug), but never my cardiac meds. My fiancé, a retired pharmacist just looked it up, and apparently there is a known issue with a shortage of Atorvastatin, over the past two years. So, not the pharmacy’s fault. You might call around to see if other pharmacies have stock, and have your prescription transferred to a new pharmacy. BTW, I also suffered a minor cardiac event, and had three stents placed in 2009. I have been on the same statin, as you, along with a few other goodies, ever since. At the time, I was told I was awfully young to have such significant blockages. My fiancé also said 70% of the most commonly prescribed drugs are in short supply. That’s rather alarming.

Nurse Kat


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[Rico_Brasole]

Kathleen sounds like you should take your business to a small independent pharmacy.

Some of these pharmacies fill 600-700 scripts a day with $12/hr help and a line at in store pick up and a line at drive-thru. Basically retail pharmacy is McDonald’s with the pharmacist just trying to keep their head above water. Retail Pharmacy is a mess right now.

You seem like you need a little more one on one med profile management. My recommendation would be to find a nice independent who can take care of you.


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[Boothroyd]

Atorvastatin for me also, never had an issue in procuring. My doc never saw the need for a using brand-name. Doc's from Mayo, so I assume there is validity to that logic.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

Atorvastatin for me also, never had an issue in procuring. My doc never saw the need for a using brand-name. Doc's from Mayo, so I assume there is validity to that logic.

Totally agree. There is nothing wrong with generic meds. All mine are generic, and have been keeping my heart in good shape for many years.
Also, having worked in well known east coast hospitals, throughout my career, they use generics, too.

Kat


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[KathleenL]

For many people, and for most meds, a generic is a fine alternative. But there have been some significant issues with some generics over the years. My insurance allows me to get the brand name meds -- for a higher price, of course -- and because I can afford to pay the higher amount, that's what I have chosen to do.

One of my meds is Diovan. For those of you who don't take high blood pressure meds, you probably aren't aware of the problems with recalls of the generic valsartan. Nearly every strength by nearly every pharmaceutical company producing the generic was the subject of a nationwide recall. I had been taking the generic for many years, but during all of the recall brouhaha, I switched to the brand name and will stay with the brand name.

As for my other BP medication - Toprol XL... when I first started taking it, around 1992, there was no generic - it was brand name only as it was still patent protected. When the patent expired and generics became available (around 2006 or 2007), my pharmacy was giving me the authorized generic. Yes, there is a BIG difference between authorized generics and generics.

Basic difference between an authorized generic and a generic -- a generic only has to have the same active ingredients and the same "method of application/delivery" (pill, liquid, injection, etc.) as the brand name med. The inactive ingredients can, and do, vary significantly. One pharmaceutical company's generic can be tremendously different from another pharmaceutical company's generic. An authorized generic is identical to the brand name medication. In fact, authorized generics are usually made by the same pharmaceutical company that makes the brand name med, or a subsidiary of that company. And not all medications have an authorized generic.

When Toprol first went off patent, many folks who were taking it were switched to a generic (metoprolol succinate). And a significant number of those folks started having problems (e.g., chest pains, high BP, etc.). (Here's a link to one article about this issue.) If they were switched back to Toprol XL, or to a different company's generic, those problems abated.

I'm not willing to take the risk with generics when it comes to my health.