Read this if you are taking Metoprolol Succinate ER

TODAY IS MARCH 3RD, AND I WENT TO MY CVS PHARMACY TO GET METOPROLOL SUCC ER 100MG. I WAS TOLD THAT DRUG IS OFF THE MARKET CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR FOR A CHANGE IN SCRIPT.

I'll report back tomorrow. I called in a refill on the Toprol XL that I was given instead of Metoprolol Succ ER, but I'm not sure if the RX number reflects that. I do have a paper script from my Dr. for Toprol XL in case there is a problem refilling it.

I think I'm going to ask the pharmacist just to see what they say, although I researched it myself, just curious what they are telling people regarding why it is no longer available.

In late January when I caught wind of the Metoprolol ER recall, I checked my bottle and discovered that my Metoprolol was manufactured by Ethex and on the recall list. I drove over to Walgreens, and they very quickly and nicely refunded my Metoprolol, called my insurance company to get authorization to give me brand name Toprol instead, and I only had to pay $2.13 more then I have to pay for the generic Metoprolol ($12.13 instead of $10.00). The refill I just got a few days ago was generic Metoprolol again, but the manufacturer is PAR.

I just changed doctors because of the generic problems with this drug. The doc doubled my metoprolol a year ago because my BP was too high. After a few days on double dose, my BP was 178/118. Sounds like a problem to me. I received a report from a medical site I subscribe to and they documented the problem with some of the generics. I handed the report to the doc on my next visit and verbally mentioned that some of the metoprolol generics have a problem. The doc would not read the report, handed it back to me and stated that there were no problems with generics. This appointment was 10 months after the news was released. I wanted a scrip for Toprol or Metoprolol manufactured by Par. He is no longer my doc.
Bill

I just picked up a refill of the generic (25 mg), and had no problems at all. I actually have this on what Target calls an "auto refill." I noticed mine was switched to Par on the last refill from another generic manufacturer. No discontinuation that I'm aware of, just recalls of certain manufacturers.

I don't like this medication and would like to get off it and onto another BP med. It was actually given to me, not for BP, but for an elevated heart rate when I was first diagnosed with my thyroid problem. Since the thyroid issue is under control, I don't need it for the heart rate any longer (but I do need some sort of BP med). This drug can be very hard to get off of and you should never go off suddenly, but taper down over time. This is the reason I don't think every form of it could be suddenly discontinued. Too many people are on it and in severe cases, it could cause a heart attack if stopped suddenly.

Pam

I have been taking the metoporal 100 mg for about 6 mths for Supraventricular Tachycardia just this last month they told me at Walgreens that they were out of that medication and would have to give me the non generic Toprol -XL
They didn't tell me that it was recalled for any reason but just said they werent' carrying that anymore. They probably didn't want to cause a panic. I went ahead and filled the Toprol-XL but what I hate about that is that my co-pay goes from 15.00 to 25.00!

Thanks for reviving this topic. It made me realize that I need to check with the pharmacist (a great guy) before I see my doctor on Tuesday. I'll see if he thinks I should switch to another product. Currently, I'm taking two pills of half the dosage, but they are working very well. I really hate to change and would rather pay a little more for the brand name, if that's an option.

I received my refill of Toprol XL with no problem (I guess my insurance is not balking at the name brand in this case). I also found out that CVS is carrying the generic from another manufacturer, but after this I'm not sure I want to go back to the generic if I don't have to. I didn't find out any additional information about the recall. I didn't want to press because there was a long line behind me and I didn't want to hold up everyone with my questions.

MurphysLaw wrote:Thanks for reviving this topic. It made me realize that I need to check with the pharmacist (a great guy) before I see my doctor on Tuesday. I'll see if he thinks I should switch to another product. Currently, I'm taking two pills of half the dosage, but they are working very well. I really hate to change and would rather pay a little more for the brand name, if that's an option.

My husband used to take Toprol XL, but had to switch off when the base stopped carrying it....they switched him to Diovan then, until<sigh> the base stopped carrying THAT...now he's on Atacand.

I turn in 3 online perscriptions to Walgreens on 3/3/09. I received an e-mail and phone message that there may be a delay because the metroprolol er was on-order. On 3/5/09, got an e-mail and phone message that my perscriptions had been filled. Went to pick them up on Sat. 3/7/09. I was asked how many perscriptions I had. I told them 3, but they said that I only had 2, after checked their online files. The one I was missing was metroprolol er succinate 25mg. I told them I know I had requested that it be filled, because I had received 2 notifications that it was on-order. The pharmisists then said that it was no longer being made and hadn't been for a while. I informed him that they had refilled it last month. I asked why I was not informed of the problem, instead of it going into a "black hole" like no refill request had been made. He said he didn't know. He said that most people are just talking to their doctor to try to find a suitable replacement. I noticed that my last refill was a differnetly shaped pill. I checked and it was from manf. PAR.

UPDATE last Thursday I picked up my prescription for Toprol XL 100mg and when I picked it up it was of course Metoprolol ER 100mg by PAR. I figured this was ok so I didn't say anything and I started the new bottle on Friday. Friday didn't seem unusual but by Saturday night when I went to bed I had a very bad headache, and I could feel my heart racing off and on. I decided to check my BP and it was 158 /73 which is not normal for me. When I would doze off I would wake myself like I was having problems swallowing or breathng and this was WITH my cpap mask. Throughout the night my BP stayed high. The next day (Sunday) I did not take the medication and by around noon I was feeling normal again.

This morning I called Walmart and told them what was going on and he said they had no problems or recalls at their store. I told him I wanted an exchange for the Topral xl like the prescription is written and he started to give me an argument because they have the right to substitute for generic. I don't have a problem with generics as long as they don't KILL me! Anyway when I told him I was going to call my Dr. and raise heck he told me to come in and they would fix it for me. Now I have to see what he means by that.

My plan is to tell my Dr. that I either don't want a generic in that medication or he should switch me to something else.

Another update on this if anyone's interested. Went to pick up my prescription today and he had mine, but said they're at the point now where they can't get ANY more of the extended release in the generic form, that they were switching everyone to the regular release (just take it twice a day at whatever dosage your doc thinks is comparable to what you were taking in the ER version). They might be able to get the brand name, but since insurance won't pay for it, I'd be paying a lot out of pocket. (This is Target pharmacy, btw.)

So, looks like the situation is getting worse, not better with this medication.

Pam