Theophylline Discontinued (Page 3) (Top voted first)

I have been told that theophylline er is being discontinued. Is this true? I have taken it for years for asthma.

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How can you just up and discontinue a medication that thousands of people have been taking for years? OUR LIVES DEPEND ON THIS MEDICINE! WHY DO YOU GET PEOPLE HOOKED ON THIS MEDICINE, THEN YANK IT OFF THE MARKET? I REALLY DO WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER!

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This message board has been a positive means of communicating to me that for whatever business reason, the manufacturers of this medication have stopped producing it. This board told me I can wring my hands or find a solution. I've chosen to put my energy toward finding an alternative by calling, doing internet searches and finding a new source over several months as my supply ran out. I'm glad I did. Found the NJ vet/human pharmacy on such a search. My dog has her medication, and I'm happy.

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From what I've been told, all strengths of Theophylline is on back order due to increased demand. I rely on this drug to breathe and am totally miserable now. I was told it would be available most likely by mid April but that is not a definite. I have no idea why there is suddenly an increased demand.

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I was also told by my pharmacy could not fill complete prescription, only 20 out of 30 supply, Theophylline 200 mg. None in stock, back order, discontinued from lack of use.

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Hey, I found an article dated 2/6/16 that shows it should be back in supply by May 2016. Fingers crossed!

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Wow, great to find this thread. I've been on theophylline for 43 years and tried everything else to replace it and nothing worked. I take 2 1/2 of the 200 each day and now can't find it anywhere. I've called all the regular pharmacies and even private ones and all I found was higher dosages and the very expensive, over $100 type. All pharmacies told me it was discontinued, not that it was just back ordered. I truly hope it is just back ordered. I bet it has nothing to do with running out of it...how could that be? It is probably more to do with the fact that it is inexpensive.

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They recently realized that Theophylline also works as a cough medicine so the demand increased and the manufacturers could not keep up. I finally got my Rx filled last week after three weeks of hell thinking I was doing to die.

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I've only been on this since last fall but it has worked wonders along with the advair and spireva. One pharmacy was able to give me double tablets in lesser strength. Then could not get any at all. Tried a new pharmacy and was just told it's on back order. No idea when it will be filled. My Dr heard it was getting discontinued but a website said on backorder due to high demand and should be available mid April. We'll see.

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Supply is not meeting demand so what does the maker do? Raises the price over 700% than what you normally paid! Our cat needs the pill broken in half and all that is available now are capsules, which have to be broken up? On the bottle, it clearly states, "Do not crush." I have to open one up and divide it. Our price today was $60 from Costco for a month supply. We used to pay $8 for 100 - Now $60 for 30. Actient Pharma...you're price gouging and expect a legal suit.

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My kitty takes the same amount and it has been on back order for months. My vet just ordered me some from a compound pharmacy, 50mg caps that I don't have to break like the tabs that come in 100mg. It's a little more expensive, but since I ordered 120 caps the price droped to $96. You may want to talk with your vet to see if this might be the less expensive option.

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I also have been on it over 25 yrs and have been so stressed each month finding a pharmacy that still has some !! I can't believe in this day and age and Big Pharma being able to make drugs like crazy that they cannot fix this problem fast ! I hope we soon can all get our meds again !!!

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I am in NJ. The pharmacies in my area ate running out. Shaking my head that a drug this effective at managing asthma is in such short supply. Where the heck is the FDA in all this?!

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Do what I did. Look up pharmacies on the Internet in your area and just call and ask if they have your strength in stock. When they say yes, have them call your pharmacy you normally use and transfer the prescription. I worked with my Dr to ensure I could have a prescription at several pharmacies to get a 90-120 day supply. Be aware, price may vary, but be aggressive to build your supply.

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My dog has done well on these and it breaks my heart to think that he will start coughing again without these. The other alternatives do not sound healthy for my pet.

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Tell me about it. This is serious, so now we are going to die?

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I just called Walgreens, even though I have 3 weeks left of my theophyllinek 400 ER, as I was getting nervous about it., So I called ahead to refill my prescription and was told they'd discontinued it, and they didn't have any of it. I did find 70 tablets at another pharmacy and that is all of their stash left. The price has gone up $20 per 30 tablets. It feels like chasing some illegal drug.

After this stash is gone, not sure what I'll do as the other asthma drugs are all cortisone derivatives. Advair shuts down my vocal cords and makes me sound like a smoker or long time whiskey drinker, not to mention its side affects.

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I just took my first increased dose of Theophyllune 300 mg CR. I don't like it! I feel weird! I want to make a complaint to the FDA about being cut off from the 200mg ER, that I was taking.

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Marcie, if they are tablets, you might have to cut the 300's in 1/2 and maybe then 1/4, to somehow come up with the 200. I know they don't like you to cut them but I cut 200's in 1/2 for a year, so I could take 500 mg. a day.

Soon though you probably won't be able to even find 300 tablets. Not sure what people are going to do.

I'm getting a stash of 70 tablets, from a pharmacy, of 400 mg. tablets as that is all they have left. I have tried other drugs to replace the theophylline but either they were cortisone based or extremely expensive and not effective for me.

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I had taken Theo-24 for years and then it became harder and harder to find until nothing. Then I switched to the generic (not working as well, but better than nothing). Now the latest - I found out in January that all strengths of theophylline was on backorder. I recently got a partial refill and was told it was the last in our county. Plus - no one is expecting any more from the manufacturer. Nothing else has worked for me. The "puffers" make me jittery and don't help.

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Marcie,

I looked all over CNN's site, even attempted a search and could not figure out how to contact the medical advisor. It would help if you had the link you could share with the rest of us SO we could contact him and perhaps get this medication back in circulation.

Some people have been told it is absolutely discontinued, others have been told it will be back at a certain time. A manufacturer told me it was discontinued and they had no other information.

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