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Finding it difficult getting medication

(9 Posts)
fancythat Sun 23-Aug-26 16:35:32

According to goo gle, the reason for my medication being on amber is,

"can occasionally be difficult to source due to intermittent manufacturing and distribution issues affecting coal tar-based dermatological products in the UK. It remains an active licensed medicine, but local pharmacies may run short"

fancythat Sun 23-Aug-26 15:37:21

Oh.
I was tol drecently at a pharmacist[after trying a different store in a different town] that what I need is on "amber".

That there are 3 levels. Green, amber and red.
Amber means supply is difficult to get hold of.

Thankfully for me, they said they would order it. And to return next day to see if it had arrived in. It had.
I only need it about every 6 months, which is another plus.

Cath9 Sun 23-Aug-26 15:32:32

FancyThat I have just noticed your message asking if my medication is under Amber.
What is Amber?

Cath9 Sun 23-Aug-26 15:27:33

Thanks all.
As I mentioned with my condition the GPs etc all say it would be too dangerous to change which now I do agree.
Since 19yrs of age I have practically been my own doctor to know how much medication to take etc. As one GP pointed out,
“It’s your body”.
Six years ago I started to get side effects from the version I was then taking that affected my sleep pattern. However, a local chemist offered me another variation of the same medication which I find so useful as I can cut it up if need be that was not possible with the previous version, some of the old version I still have and which I am now taking until hopefully tomorrow when my prescription will be ready to collect but I am not sure if they will have the variation that suits me (a Milpharm brand) as they didn’t have it on Saturday. While taking this older version my sleep pattern has again been affected. I will survive.

fancythat Sun 23-Aug-26 15:22:24

I am having continuous trouble when needing replacement. Does this ring a bell to any one if so what do you do?

Do you know if the medication is on "amber" like mine is?

I will post something more, later.

Cath9 Sun 23-Aug-26 14:47:26

Thanks JaneJudge,
Unfortunately not it would be too dangerous after being on the old lot for so long. A lot of new medication came on the market at the turn of the century which even then was too dangerous to change.
I have two gay chaps who take it in turns to occasionally come from their home to look after the house next to mine where one of their parents used to live. Fortunately, one chap is a pharmacist who arrived yesterday for a few days. He so kindly mentioned he would have a look for me.
With so many of us in the uk the days have passed when I remember often being told by a local pharmacist that they only keep what I take for myself.

pably15 Sun 23-Aug-26 14:38:15

I'm surprised that there isn't one that can replace this med, what has your GP said?

JaneJudge Sun 23-Aug-26 14:09:41

are you sure you cant be titrated onto a modern medication?
I take it you have done all the other things i would ask-talking to the prescribing nurse/pharmacist etc

Cath9 Sun 23-Aug-26 13:54:19

I unfortunately, I am on old medication that cannot be changed. The variation I take I am having continuous trouble when needing replacement. Does this ring a bell to any one if so what do you do?
When it happened early this year I found a chemist in our small local city that kept them but now I cannot get them in our local town as well as in our local city.
So much for getting old so being on old 1950 medication that I believe were first on the market around the 1920. As I mentioned I am not able to change