ADD / ADHD Community

yeah its a scheduled substance..and if your having difficulty getting it filled in your area your potentially flagged as an abuser..they do that here in tx

Yes I have had the same problem. The whole country seems to be backordered. I tried in Florida, while vacationing, and in Missouri while at inlaws, and in Kansas where I live. No luck. This happened a few months back as well. Not sure whats up, but its not because they suspect you as an abuser like the last comment said. Thats not it at all. I hope someone can help us with an answer though! Tami

Dear An_239501

There was a shortage of Adderall earlier in the year. It may have resurfaced again recently. I suggest that you talk with your physician about maybe taking Adderall XR
(long-acting) or consider trying a switch to another medication.

Unfortunately the problem has resurfaced and isn't going away! I had been prescribed 30 mg immediate release Adderall for over a year and then suddenly, NO CVS or any other PHARMACY in New Orleans had it. My scrip is for 60 so I guess that didn't help. After experiencing a few weeks of work and school without meds (because they could only fill like 20), I finally found one CVS pharmacist who had 'stocked up.' Now the price has skyrocketed and it's impossible to find the non-ER Adderall and I'm now prescribed Vyvanse which is also very expensive!

Why is such a simple compound of salts almost costing more than pricey name brand meds marketed by pharmaceutical companies? What's really going on here and why isn't this in the news? Apparently it's nationwide and if so, are there other medications that have just seemed to walk off the shelf for no reason?! After five consecutive months and several different pharmacies who all casually answer 'it's backordered, try ___pharmacy,' I'm finding it hard to understand this situation!!! I got on the generic, non capsule ER because it was The cheapest option for me that still allowed me to manage my ADD quite effectively! Sorry for the rant, but I had to get in on this post because I haven't been able to share my frustrations on sympathetic ears! Except for the previous poster who inferred a drug problem as the answer?!?!!

I have no idea why I would be flagged as an abuser~this is the only the 3rd month that I have used this medication.

You might want to try Costco~ They seem to be more consistant than regular pharmacies. For a while they had the best price in town which was great for our families budget. However... last month the price for generic increase by approx $100.. The price went from $28. to $118. I could not believe my ears~I wished that we could survive without it !! do you know if this medication can be ordered from Shire?

My son and sister both take Adderall (my son just started) and our pharmacist said there will be a long term shortage of Adderall because the pharmaceutical companies have maxed out their access (government mandated) to one ingredient in the pill so no one can make any more. I'm furious with our doctor as the pharmacist said they should have been notified at the same time but he still put my son on it for a trial. I feel bad for anyone who has been on it for awhile. Make sure you get into your doctor way before you get the end of your prescription so you don't have withdrawal symptoms.

I have been to six pharmacies today. This is only the second month I have used the Adderall immediate release tablets so I know they couldn't think I am an abuser. They all said it's on backorder. I am trying to get 30mg tablets so I even had them check to see if they had any other mg so I could get my doctor to change the prescription, but no luck there either. I've been reading the news online and Shire blames it on the DEA and the generic companies blame it on Shire saying that Shire says it has supplied them with the contracted amount and won't give them anymore to meet the increased demand because they don't want them to make the generic. I am sick of this. My belief is they are making all of us suffer so they can drive up the price and play the blame game. I have a legitimate prescription from a legitimate doctor. This is ridiculous!!

Well actually the pharm company that makes the generic adderral tablets is called Teva. Due to supply and demand and the fact that they are ruthless drug corporations, Shire, the original manufacturer and buyer of the adderral formula, can now do whatever they want. 200% price increase, sure, because they know consumers will still pay. Teva then increases their prices and so on and so forth. ALL ADHD meds have now gone up in price dramatically. If you go to the FDA's website they are required to list drug shortages from manufacturers. I'm in nursing school and we spoke about this last week. Thankfully we don't face a chronic disease that requires a medicine that is on "backorder." that is simply unacceptable. The more I read, the more angry I become. I have sinced switched to Vyvanse but it's price has gone up as well. The FDA website says Teva is providing generic adderall as fast as it becomes available, so basically yes, there will still be a shortage. I really don't think you can order directly from the company. Good luck in your efforts. Here's the link to FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm050792.htm

Read my newest post. I'm sorry I didn't notice this before. The current situation is very, very annoying. Plus, the medical community can only do so much. It started out as 20 and 30 mg shortages but now its all of them. Basically, to me, it made me feel like a loser druggie trying to call the different pharmacies and figure out a way to get what I need. I just refused to deal with it anymore because nothing has changed in almost six months. The adderral 30 tablets were more effective, but I've found that 70 mg Vyvanse capsules suffice. Also, in order to try and fill your current preciption, you may want to look into small, family owned pharmacies. They might be more pricey, but their stock is less effected. I don't know the size of your city but in my experiences the larger more established pharmacies were ALWAYS out and smaller, privately-owned pharmacies sometimes were in stock.

I live in Southeast Michigan and have been experiencing these shortages as well. Does anyone know when we can expect to have our adderral 30mg IR back in pharmacies. So glad I found this website. I was thinking of switching to the 20mg IR twice a day but worry about the availabilty after readings these posts.

I currently live in a house with messy people and not having my medicine makes it that much harder to organize my household. Does anyone have any idea this shortage will last for?

Thanks in advanced.

Charleston is more miss then hit and getting worse. The chain pharmacies have NONE in any part of town. I did find a small local pharm that only has 30mg, so since I take 20mg, they just need my Dr. to tell them it's ok to sub. I may have hit my last time getting this lucky though.
I also read that the DEA had something to do with this by mandating the amount that could be made in a year. Not sure how true it is, but it states we are "maxed out".
I'm lucky to have the insurance that I have. I have a small co-pay and don't care if they hike it up, just fill it!!!

Question on the Vyvanse.
Can you tell the difference between that and the Adderall?
I'm wondering b/c it looks like I need to change.
If it is going to "act" the same, then I want to try it.
Thanks!

I have been trying to get my 20mg adderall filled since last Friday. Ive called nearly 30 pharmacies. Large chain, small private owned and even hospital outpatient pharmacies.......nothing. I have even called several in Detroit to get the same answer. Half of the pharms I called said there was a national backorder and the other half wished me luck in finding any pharm that had stock of any adderall medication. When at CVS today I handed them my rx and they said every CVS is out and on backorder. I asked her if she had a guestimation of the availability and she said the word going around is mid January!!!! This is ridiculous. My doc perscribed me Wellbutrin instead of an ADD alternate? Whats the wellbutrin for? Im already on Prozac so im confused. Getting ahold of my psych doc is difficult. Mind you I had been calling her since last Friday, it took until yesterday (wednsday) 5pm to have a receptionist call me about the wellbutrin being called in to my pharm. Anyone got any ideas on the wellbutrin since I cant get ahold of her?