sfRowasa - sulfite free rowasa been on backorder for more than a year now?

anyone here in the US and using sfRowasa/sulfite free rowasa? I keep asking the pharmacy but they say it is backordered.

It has been this way for a year now.

Hi, I was told back in April that it was on backorder. Not sure if this is true but my pharmacy said they were getting rid of the 7 day packs. I get the 28 pack and was finally able to get it 2 weeks ago. They did change NDC numbers for ordering, I can look for the new # if you need to give it to your pharmacy.

When I posted here about my troubles, others were still able to get it so I'm not sure why some can get it but others are told it is on backorder.

Can you use a different pharmacy? I actually contacted the pharmaceutical company that makes it and they were able to tell me the closest 3 pharmacies that have ordered a supply in the past. Might be worth a try...

Post Edited (UC since 98) : 8/4/2016 8:58:53 PM (GMT-6)

maybe this will help >




The product SF Rowasa is available. Your retail pharmacy should be able to get the product from their distributor. Perhaps their distributor doesn’t have it so then they should order the product and get it into their DC.





Best regards,





Tosca Jackson

Customer Service Representative

____________________________________

Meda

265 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873-4120

E-mail:[email protected]

www.meda.us

Phone 732-564-2200

Direct 732-564-2520





NOTICE: This message contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged. The information may only be used by the intended recipient(s). If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and remove it from your system.

fightUC said...
anyone here in the US and using sfRowasa/sulfite free rowasa? I keep asking the pharmacy but they say it is backordered.

It has been this way for a year now.

SfRowasa can be ordered through specialty pharmacies. I just ordered it for the third time in three months. I was just about to give up, after having my script rejected by many pharmacies last Summer and Fall. My doctor didn't know the drug existed, but finally gave me a written script so I could shop around with it.

Also- Speaking to Meda about it got me nowhere - they said I could fill the script anywhere. Meda was recently acquired by another firm, maybe Mylan, but it was put together qickly, and the support people are kind of lost... my opinion.

Unfortunately, the major chains in my metro area all order through one of the three major drug distributors, as does my insurance company. None of those distritbutors stock this or will order it, and all say it is backordered. It is crazy that this is untrue, it is simply their system that blocks anything that is low volume, because these distributors buy the inventory, so sitting on it doesn't make sense for the business model.

most importantly (which deserves another post) is that I have tried mesalamines for two years (Apriso, Lialda, and Rowasa). Each of them gave me horrible headaches. Not at first with Rowasa, but after several weeks.

I have been on the SF Rowasa for 22 days straight, no headaches yet... and gone from 4-6 strips down to 2-3 trips. ( I am also on DS VSL 3 2x per day, vitamin D, curcumin, and beginning to take cannabinoid extract)

New to the board... two years with moderate/left-sided UC.

Is worth it for me to try SF-Rowasa?

I've used Rowasa or the generic (most recently for years).
I can retain it over night but sometimes it seems to increase gas and is not comfortable. And the morning after using it, it seems like it takes a couple of BM's to expel it.
I also know that sulfites in wine trigger my asthma.

My concern is the sulfites (not to mention Xantham gum ingredient) could be irritating to the gut, and I wonder if it does more harm than good.

On the other hand, maybe SF Ro. has the same effects...

Any thoughts?

If your insurance will pay for it, no harm in trying it. It comes in boxes of 7 and 28. It seems like they are phasing out the 7 dose box? I've only been able to get the 28 dose box for the last few months.

My pharmacy has been getting them from McKesson, who is their supplier. Can you use a different pharmacy? I use Safeway who uses McKesson as their wholesaler. The NDC, in case you don't have it, is:
0037-0022-28
That's different than the 7 dose box.
At first I was wasting time trying to get the 7 dose box. Once I asked the pharmacy to get the 28 dose box, I have gotten them 2 months in a row. In my opinion, McKesson is the best wholesalers BY FAR. I've wasted time with other pharmacies and suppliers and ended up with nothing but frustration.

Good luck! I hope you can track them down.

Thank you, like you said I might as well try it, but I agree that I'm probably okay with the regular version.

I used it last night and was able to retain it over night.

For comfort reasons I vastly prefer Canasa though. But I have inflammation that is beyond its reach hence the Rowasa.

During a flare I cannot really retain Rowasa nor is it enough but that seems to common, not a sulfite issue.

In any case, it's weird they put a sulfite preservative + xantham gum since both are implicated in inflicting gut damage. Then again, maybe that's why I seem to require this medication in perpetuity...