Wow...a REAL conspiracy!

They got you by the short hairs brother. They are sending the panic out and if "because of demand versus supply", they increase the cost say....600%, I'm guessing you and the millions of others on it, will pay. Now insurance won't be so willing, I'm guessing some will die or be at least be hospitalized while the insurance thinks about it. Funny story about that, since Obama care has taken hold, I have had 3 written prescriptions that the insurance wouldn't let the pharmacist fill until the prescribing Doctor applied for some appeal. Re-fugging-diculous!
Good luck with the price gouging.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Check your private messages. I sent you some good news.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

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!

Irregular heartbeat can cause a stroke because during Afib episode a clot can form in your heart and travel to the brain when normal heart rhythm returns.

My mom was on blood thinner to prevent clots from forming during periods of heart irregularity. She underwent heart ablations which effectively cured her arrhythmia.

Advice could be forthcoming (if you are insured at all) from St. Helena Hospital, Adventist Heart Institute, Dr. Dunnington. They may be able to advise you (even over the phone) or refer you to a specialist in your area.

My mom is a success story due to their help.

Your mileage may vary.

Edit:

links

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Hemp Oil? Or any marijuana edible really as long as its digested and not smoked.

Suggestion. Try a Canadian mail order pharmacy. Did a quick look and found this on the internet.

link

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Check the sites which allow you to order from India and or Canada.


a reply to: TrueBrit

I cant agree that things would be any better under government control.

Government has proven time and time again over the course of decades that everything they touch from healthcare (the VA) to social security (now bankrupt), they ruin.

I think the real lesson to be learned here is that we as a people need to really consider, explore and educate ourselves on "alternative" therapies, nutrition and exercise based healing.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
No doubt the reason they are suspending production are the death side effects you mention.
Just getting ahead of the curve so they don't have legal exposure.
Probably legislation is in the works to outlaw the drug.

The whole thing is scary but whats really shocking is they were just going to stop sending your prescription without even notifying you. You then had to chase people around to get an answer. BS!

Here's an idea...

Take your remaining two weeks supply and break each of the tablets in half. You now have a four weeks supply.

After two weeks has passed, take your remaining half-tablets and break them in half. Youve just extended your supply an extra two weeks.

And you've successfully extended your supply weened yourself from the tit of big pharma...congratulations!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk

This is CRIMINAL!!

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

No it is free market capitalism...Pay up or die..

there is a more expensive alternative?..Right?

In economics the system is regulated by consumer supply and demand and price elasticity.

If something is too expensive..people won't buy it and the company will lower prices until demand is sufficient for them to make money vs. go out of business.

The thing is Illness, Disease, Cancer, Car accidents...don't care about price or how much money you have...It is consumer demand created by simply being alive.

You pay or you suffer and die. They can charge as they like.

That is why medicine and healthcare does not respond to free market capitalism...

Demand is entirely divorced from price.

I love capitalism...but healthcare has no business in a free market paradigm. It has virtually no mechanisms to control price.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Maybe you should use your remaining supply to slowly get off the drug. That way you don't go cold turkey withdrawing from the drug. I think that would be the best viable solution, but you need to ask your doctor. Give him/her a call and ask your doctor if you can use your remaining tablets to slowly withdraw from the drug. Also ask your doctor on how to use your remaining tablets for the slow withdrawal.

I am sorry this happened to you, and my prayers go to you.

So, I did go see my doctor and had the discussion. His take was interesting. Short version is, if I was playing golf and drinking beer with him his answer would be different, but because I was seeing him as a patient; he wouldn't speculate about conspiracies (because it makes people stress and that's not good for health...Hippocratic oath and all).

He doesn't think Atenolol will be coming back, and it does indeed have harsh withdrawal symptoms...ones I don't want.

He's prescribed a drug known as Metoprolol which he says is the same type of a beta blocker and intercepts the same receptors. Should be no "rebound" effect off of the Atenolol. BUT, not guaranteed.

Took some yesterday and thought I was going to die. Wife thought she was going to take me to the hospital. I don't remember much of it, Was in a daze today. Took the Atenolol again and feel better, but I'm not sure what happened. Don't know if I had some kind of a mini-stroke, or brain damage or hallucinations or what, but last night was a complete blank. Still feel weird. Don't know what's going on.

This is horrible.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

God bless my friend, best of luck to you and all the other users of the meds. Not a christian, but this is just another example of how the love of money is the root of all evil.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
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.

It's a beta blocker, so any other beta blocker will work if you are just taking it for BP. Atenolol works differently by slowing your heart rate...so I take it not only for BP but to bring my heart rate down to a healthier level.
I am trying to lose weight, which before when I lost weight i almost went off all my meds, including diabetes meds...then I lost my job and gained all my weight back, now I am trying to lose weight again

Honestly, being dependent on Pharmaceuticals with all the hiccups that can happen is precarious without fail. Faulty insurance, pharmacy glitches, discontinued manufacturing... I've almost exclusively switched over carefully to supplements and almost off government dope for good.
Try Hawthorne extract, Beet Powder and Aspirin if a comparable Coronary Pharmaceutical doesn't help. I've had BP Hypertension and irregular beating at times, that significantly helped.

well the Alternative if this true about the Meds being wiped out for unknown reasons ,
and the Alternative Drug is jumped up to the extreme ,

but the for risk of Death.. ?

VS for Living

a 30,000- 40,000 Medical Surgery Bill.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
www.heart.org...# .Waj0RynGNg8


Defibrillator Insertion: Implant for Life
ICDs can prevent sudden cardiac death – but they take an emotional toll.
health.usnews.com...

The Last Option :



Apparently the Pace makers ICD are Getting more and More improved
from what Ive read,

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Then you should of gone to hospital.

Most likely it lowered your blood pressure too low, so a mini stroke is not likely to happen.

Are you on the extended release tablet, or the normal?

Also you should not be combining both of the medications together - most likely your previous medication was still in your blood stream when you took your new one and they cross linked, pretty much you took the combined strength of 10 tablets in one.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I have been taking this medication for almost 20 years and this is the first I have heard of this. Definitely will be looking in to it. Thanks for the heads up,

a reply to: slapjacks

I'm in the UK and was on Atenolol for 4 or 5 years before being moved onto bisoporol, which apparently has less side effects.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Following intently.

My mother is on this and only this. She's 75 and other than arthritis in her knees, fairly healthy. I hate to think what sudden lack of this medication would do to her.

Making an appointment with her doc first thing Tuesday morning to discuss this and alternatives.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the alternative your doctor gave you. Hoping to hear back and that you're doing better.