Wow...a REAL conspiracy!

And it affects me personally too. I don't have much time to post, but I'll try to capture the relevant points and come back with more later...

I have to take a drug known as 'Atenolol' for periodic cardiac arrhythmia (A-fib). Last night I was informed by my prescribing doctor that there is a Worldwide shortage of Atenolol...and they don't know why. I've been taking the drug for several years, and the problem, as I understand it is, there are some fairly severe withdrawal effects (they call it "rebound") from not taking it or stopping abruptly. Scarier still is one of the side effects is fairly severe cardiac arrhythmia (the very reason I'm on the drug to begin with)...up to and including death from cardiac arrest or stroke!

This all started when I noticed my mail in prescription service mysteriously cancelled my prescription for no reason. After trying to deal with them to no avail, I contacted my doctor. After the run-around there for a while I had to leave a message with this other person in their office. Well, they called back (at my home number which I specifically instructed them NOT to do) and left this cryptic message about the Atenolol issue.

Following the voice-mail I started doing some research. Sure enough, the web is full of articles about a Worldwide "crisis" with Atenolol. Tens of Millions of people are prescribed this drug, and there's really no alternative. Atenolol is a generic, and the non-generic version is like 3,500% more expensive (think several hundred dollars for 30 tabs vs. six dollars for 90 tabs of Atenolol).

Here's just two examples (of thousands) of what I'm talking about...

Collusion or Coincidence

Critical Atenolol Shortage

According to what I've found so far, there are six (6) manufacturers who manufacture Atenolol. All six have mysteriously suspended production. Their "excuses" for why range from 'unknown' to 'active ingredient shortage' (likely a ruse).

This whole thing smacks of a ruse to make money. Even physicians are saying the same thing. The problem though is...you can DIE if you don't take it. And apparently, it's not just as simple as not taking it, you have to be weaned off of it because it affects adrenalin production. Adrenalin left unchecked, after you've been taking atenolol, can cause severe BP issues as well as cardiac issues. They don't tell you all this stuff when they put you on it initially. And there's just no explanation forthcoming for why production has stopped. This is CRIMINAL!!

So now, here I sit with less than two weeks supply remaining and no viable alternative.

If this doesn't qualify for a true conspiracy...I don't know what does!!

Are there other drugs that are similar, that you could take, that would help the same thing?

a reply to: KansasGirl

Don't know, but I'll be making an appointment with my prescribing Dr. post haste to find out.

From what I read there are some drugs which can accomplish similar things, but much higher dosages and frequencies, plus many more side effects...which is one of the reasons Atenolol is so popular, because it has none of these characteristics.

The question would be with the suppliers of the actual active ingredient. Is there a bottleneck there?

Whatever it is, is it possible the manufacturers of the generic aren't making the active themselves but are buying it from a supplier who is bottlenecking?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Wow, that's insane. I've never even heard of that drug.

I hope that you are able to find some alternative. Stay strong & Positive.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It sounds like you are taking the generic, so switching to the non-generic could save your life, although cost you quite a bit more to do so. I hope you get this figured out soon. Good luck.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

This sort of thing is a product of the very refusal many people seem to respond with, when the idea of socialised medicine comes up. Under a fully socialised system, the drug manufacturer would be under the same thumb as the doctor and the hospitals, unable to decide to simply gouge prices for a boost in their industries numbers for a quarter, year, or decade. Under an ideal system, the drug manufacturing would be done by the state, not by a private company, and things like this simply would not happen in the same, unaccountable fashion.

As it is, people may suffer negative health outcomes, or even potentially die, because someone wanted more than they were getting on their bottom line. And the stupid thing? People vote, consistently, to keep things that way. The only way to prevent this, is to socialise the practice of medicine, and the supply of it, because otherwise there will be no accountability, and no way to prevent these things from happening time and time again.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Is it possible to start some type of class action lawsuit?
Maybe take to twitter and start 'tagging' big name journalists and lawyers.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Most of the manufacturers here are in India.

In fact, it's highly possible that the US gets the shortage because the companies HAD to supply your country first. In other words, we get the short end of the stick thanks to you. However, you better hope your country negotiated for enough because when all is said and done, a shortage is a shortage and if you didn't collectively bargain for enough ... if it ain't being made, it ain't being made.

Your government can scream all they want, but if the drug isn't there ... What are they going to do? Invade India and seize those generic manufacturers? You deal with the same multi-national drug scene the rest of us do.

I will confirm this as well

I recently had the "SAME" issue with the VA and mailing of this drug

It's a beta blocker, and I take the Brand Name too

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Edited:
My doctor put me on that drug for high blood pressure.
I had a side effect that I couldn't handle, so I was switched to Lisinopril and I had a side affect from it (extremely irritating dry cough) almost immediately and he switched me to another medication (Valsartan) that works and doesn't make me cough.

I know that you can wean off of Atenolol, so I would talk to you doctor if I were you and start the weaning process now.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Ask your doctor first of course.
But Bisoprolol is often a proposed alternative, Bisoprolol is marketed under the name ZEBETA.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Thought you pulled the pin ?

How's your better half ?

Plenty of caring folk waiting an update ...

You put it out there ... you got lots of good folk praying ... A simple thanks . . but ...

Would be the right thing to do. Instead of just plowing ahead in search of stars and flags.

Hope you can prove me wrong.

Never trust a drug that you have to "wean yourself off of" or the side effects out weigh the remedy. That's my personal opinion and how I handle taking the drugs my doctors prescribe. I'm have ALS and at present I'm have 4 scripts that sit cause I want take them. Want take any drug that takes away from me being me. Death or no death, I want to remain drug free till I flat line.

If it don't grow in nature......I want use it or take it. If it's a manmade concoction...then it's sure to be full of all sorts of side effects and unwanted adjuncts.....Medical cannabis the way to go.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Socializing medicine does not increase or solidify production of pharmaceutical products. In fact its quite the contrary, as someone who worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing sites i can tell you that its the socialized countries that buy the lower quality, cheaper products with more abnormalities.

Then even if the product your prescribed is sufficient you'l have to battle the constant funding issues that are rife in places like the UK where you will be prescribed cheap, alternative and even incorrect medicine because of the lack of funding.

OP start cutting what you take now then. I would not expect it to be available in a few weeks. I know what I said is easier said then done but what choice do you have? Good luck and I hope this gets resolved soon for you!

a reply to: ketsuko

Which is wrong.

We should be making our own medicine too, all on the tax payer, no private companies involved or permitted to be involved. We would be, if successive governments, all right or centre right by the way (INCLUDING the New Labour government, which was not a left wing entity in the least), had not have been destroying our manufacturing and science base over the last thirty five to forty years.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I've been taking FLECANIDE for arythmia after a surgery 8 years ago... Been on it whole time... One of a kind and for many years had no generic...

Ask about switching. I take 11 meds daily-5 for heart. I'm good.

F-L-E-C-A-N-I-D-E....

a reply to: TrueBrit

TrueBrit, I truly believe in the argument of socialism vs capitalism both side want whats best.

But understand, the tax payer shouldnt be forced to pay for someone elses prescription, never mind pay for a factory and workers to make your prescription! Thats just crazy.

Financial incentive is something that pushes industries to innovation! Not push them towards stockpiling!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


Greetings-

I dug around a little and found these spots for reference:

www.newsmax.com...
www.healthboards.com...
www.quora.com...
www.iodine.com...

When I was retired from the police dep't. 13 years ago I was on 7 Rx. meds. 2 for hypertension; 1 for high cholesterol; PTSD; 2 pain meds and that old fashioned 'dream stealer' Ambien™. Anyways I was feeling like dung so I got hydrated, did Meditation, Tai-Chi, Yoga and then I had an 'Epiphany' Now My bp is 110/74 Cholesterol went from 373 to 153. My daily 'Sun Gazing' has de-calcified My Pineal Gland so 'the connection w/The Divine' is a clearer connection.

I'd start out at the bottom w/the Iodine page. Iodine is part of My regiment as I do drops into My 12-16 waters I drink a day...

Asante and Stay Hydrated...


EDIT: Evidently using the arrow pointed left/West erases information. Start at the Iodine page (bottom link) as it is very informative and provides alternatives.