Phenindione shortage of supplies

Hi Phil - thank you for all your efforts in getting Mercury to give an answer re supplies.

I'm guessing you had the test in the same hospital as me and Warfarin is very definitely first choice there.regardless!

I'm very unhappy with side effects of Acenocourmarol and now fear feeling permanently ill . So I will put in a prescription request for Phenindione in the hope that, if I get this back, life will be a little easier. This is my hope for all of us forced into this awful situation.

Will let you know what happens.

Update:

I Advised my GP of the Mercury Pharma Medical Information Manager's email this morning but local information is that Phenindione will not be available until end of November.

14.00. Just telephoned Mercury Pharma. Now they're saying Phenindione 25mg will be available from wholesalers/distributors at the end of October (does this mean 31/10?!) and 10mg will be available at the end of November.

Really desparate and giving up on Acenocoumarol after a pretty awful 5 days, so its back to Fragmin - hopefully for not too many days!

Hi

All I can say is the email came from Mercury Pharma. Ask your pharmacy to contact Mercury Pharma on the contact details in the email I copied above. That is what I had to do last year, Mercury gave my pharmacy a reference number and I had the Phenindione the following day.

I'm on Warfarin now, just been confirmed today.

If it helps Boots at 8 Fore St, St Marychurch have always been really helpful. The store manager has been amazing and very persistant. Might be worth giving them a try.

Thanks Phil - I have to collect Fragmin in Brixham tomorrow, Will give details to Quay Pharmacy and see what happens. Hope you do manage to tolerate Warfarin, and that the side effects are minimal, as it will at least avoid the stress of the regular supply problems.

Be well

Thanks reddisa - Good luck with trying to get the Phenindione. I just tried to get a Warfarin Prescription but now need to see a GP at my surgery and guess what I need to go in and wait for an emergency appointment, so more time off work!

Hi All,

Just received an email from MHRA, stating that Phenindione is available

I will copy the Email in the next comment.

Good luck

from: MHRA Customer Services

Date: 24 October 2012 10:47

In relation to your recent enquiries around Phenindione, we would like to confirm that Phenindione 25mg tablets are now available from Goldshield, so you should be able to obtain supply and resume on this medicine - please do let us know if you still have any issues obtaining this medicine.

We would like to assure you that both the MHRA and the Department of Health are working closely with the company to help ensure that continuity of supply of this important medicine is maintained.

Kind Regards,

Ben,

Customer Services

External Relations

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Hi All,

Still no joy. Pharmacies still giving the same negative answers.

I got the following comment this morning: 'we would like to confirm that Phenindione 25mg tablets are now available from Goldshield so you should be able to obtain supplies and resume on this medicine........ We would like to assure you that both the MHRA and the Department of Health are working closely with the company to help ensure that continuity of supply of this important medicine is maintained.'

So still hoping!

Good morning all,

well, i tried to get the chemist to place an order last week, went back today, no joy.

so i explained yet again about what Phil had found out,

the chemist tried again, mercury pharma was still out of stock but they redirected the chemist to goldshield and the order was accepted!!!!!!!!!!

I have got to ring this evening to see whether it comes in or not.

watch this space ..........

Hi NicE

I collected Phenindione on Monday. Despite all the excuses we got as to manufacturing problems, rebranding, etc, what I got was old Phenindione in original, familiar Goldshield packaging and a use by date of May 2013. Just makes me wonder ............

I'm so relieved to have 28 days supply and, therefore, respite from all the awful side effects of Acenocoumarol and Fragmin . I do hope you get your prescription dispensed without any more delay.

Phil, hope you are ok and coping with Warfarin. You worked so hard to get honest answers and since Phenindione was your first choice at least we now have supplies again and reassurances from MHRA

be well

Still waiting................

My advice would be to telephone MHRA. Tell them that you're aware they have advised other patients that Phenindione is available (Phil's posting 24 October) and ask them to send you a copy of the email so that you can show it to the GP and Pharmacy. This is what I did and hey presto! ........

Customer Services

External Relations

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Tel: 020 3080 6000

Good lick

Dear all,

So far so good on Warfarin, my INR hit the magic lower range figure last Monday and has continued to rise, until I'm way above, but at least I can now fiddle with my medication and as I self test I can monitor as frequently as I like!

I'm sorry to hear that there are still so many problems getting Phenindione.

If I had still been on Phenindione, I had planned to get my GP to give me a prescription for 2 months supply then a week later I was going to ask for another 2 months supply and thereafter each month get a further months supply, that way I would always have 3/4 months supply available to me until they stopped manufacturing again. As for the use by date, I was still taking use by June 2012 in October and it still worked fine.

I would say get your MP involved, they can always be emailed, contact MHRA and Mercury Pharma, I once had to get them to give me a release code and then get your pharmacist to phone them there and then. Alternatively present yourself to your GP and threaten to go to A&E at your local hospital unless your GP can sort you some Phenindione. In short do what I did and make yourself a through nuisance. We know that Phenindione is available so get stuck in.

Thanks PhilH and reddisa, i will leave it til monday lunch time and then will start to kick up a stink.

Glad you are doing well on warfarin Phil

Woop woop,

finally got some, only got a 6 month life on them though, apparently I have just cleared the chemist out - they only gave me a 2 month supply!

Well here's to a bruise free belly, and to getting rid of my numb face and arms