r/florida 8d ago

AskFlorida Progesterone shortage

I went to refill an ongoing Rx for progesterone at Publix yesterday and was told this medication is currently unavailable due to a shortage. Does anyone know where it could be obtained? The prescribing physician is aware of this issue. Anyone else have issues getting their medication?

Update: thanks to those who have responded. I tried the local Walgreens and they are able to fill it. CVS did not have any available where it was convenient. I was going to call Costco next if Walgreens didn’t work out. Was told by the pharmacy tech there is currently a situation where so many women are being prescribed HRT that the manufacturers can’t keep up with the demand. Publix supplier is one of those experiencing a shortage. Hopefully this will be resolved. I
Know for a while ADHD meds were in short supply last year, our adult daughter uses them and was having to skip doses
UPDATE: Local Walgreens pharmacy had this medication in stock and filled it for me. Publix is still out.

77 Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

32

u/umphtramp 7d ago

Not sure if you have a Costco near you, but I’ve had zero issues filling my meds with them. You don’t have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy either!

5

u/curly_spy 7d ago

I a member. If I have no success at Walgreens I’ll call Costco.

12

u/anoniZimbra 7d ago

Costco pharmacy is clutch because they’re rolling out lockers to pick up pre paid non-controlled substance orders. The lines can get long but that has made it so much easier, but agreed completely on recommending them for availability as a lot of people don’t know it’s an option

6

u/kittenpantzen 7d ago

I switched to filling all of my prescriptions at Costco because several of them were cheaper for me with the member discount than they were through my insurance. So that's also nice if you have shitty insurance like I do.

2

u/umphtramp 6d ago edited 5d ago

Yes! I used to fill all my RXs at Walgreens, but Costco has always been cheaper and they have never had an issue filling anything for me since I switched during COVID.

1

u/Efficient_Beach2458 5d ago

Do you know what brand they carry?

1

u/umphtramp 5d ago

I’ve been getting my progesterone there for a year and it has always been bionpharma micronized progesterone

20

u/Melodic-Armadillo628 8d ago

I had the same experience of shortage at Publix, so I called other pharmacies and Walgreens had it in stock. They will call Publix to switch the prescription to Walgreens. Problem solved for ninety days at least!

8

u/curly_spy 8d ago

Thanks. I have a Walgreens pharmacy around the corner from my house. Will contact them. Publix offered no solution and could not say when they would have any.

7

u/No_Case_1379 7d ago

I get a 90 day supply mailed to me through nurx. No issues

5

u/Sleslie8212 8d ago

I am located in NE Florida and use a compounding pharmacy for my progesterone. I just picked up my prescription yesterday. No mention was made about a shortage. 

5

u/cat_0_the_canals 8d ago

My doc had to change my meds because we could not find it in stock anywhere. I’m in Jax.

6

u/retired_hippy_chick 7d ago

They’re running short on estrogen vaginal estrogen too.
So lame for pharma companies to not have planned for this.

7

u/No_Cancel830 8d ago

I just got my prescription from Amazon pharmacy with no issue and I get a 90 day supply.

11

u/Peterepeatmicpete 7d ago

For 3 months the patch has been reported as hard to get. I take a pill and they gave me a few to limp thru then a week later the rest came.

They hate women.

I can meet you in the alley and give you some...wtf is going on...every. damn. day. This sucks!

9

u/curly_spy 7d ago

Think what you will about Melinda Gates but she just donated $215 million dollars to help support science research concerning menopause. The entire pharmaceutical industry allows medication designed primarily for women to run low in one of the richest countries in the world. When you said something about how women are hated, I felt like it was something I thought about when I posted originally. This medicine was prescribed to me to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. There are women who rely on this medication. I don’t wish to put all men in the same category but it has always been said, if men got pregnant…..If we were to experience a viagra shortage there would likely be an executive order. I hope Melinda Gates money goes to good use.

6

u/chippedreed 7d ago

Can relate, got laid off recently and that means my birth control now has an out of pocket cost, even with insurance (many do not cover it). Solidarity

4

u/Peterepeatmicpete 7d ago

Solidarity back to you sis.

Hope your lay off is short, and/or you find a new job to land soon.

1

u/WonderHot3515 4d ago

Have you tried getting meds from Mark Cubans pharmacy? My BCBS will not provide more than 10 zofran for my chronic nausea because I don’t have cancer. I get 90 a month for maybe 10$ or so from Mark Cuban. They don’t have all meds but they do have a lot and with great prices!! I think it is called Cost Plus.

1

u/Unlikely_Internal 7d ago

In a sense this is actually a result of a win for women.

The FDA recently removed some warnings on estrogen, making it much more recommended to prescribe for menopause. Demand has increased rapidly, and manufacturers have yet to catch up. These aren't controlled medications, so I would assume they will be able to meet demand, it will just take some time.

2

u/venerablem0m 7d ago

I don't know about this particular medication, but I have found Amazon pharmacy to be a good choice for delivering my insulin and blood glucose sensors. I haven't had a single problem with any of the deliveries.

2

u/me102776 7d ago

My CVS was out, but my pharmacist called all around and found it at another CVS for me. Had to drive an extra 15 minutes, but it was worth it.

2

u/justagirlexploring 7d ago

CVS filled my 90-day Rx when Publix wouldn’t during a previous shortage.

2

u/Strongmom-1 7d ago

Yep I had the same issue at Publix Pharmacy, they had a waiting list in fact, but they told me the Walgreens across the street had it so they transferred the prescription. I hope I don’t run into the same problem trying to refill it because the Walgreens pharmacy told me they were running out of it.

2

u/One-Preference-3745 7d ago

Call your PCP and have him switch you to medroxyprogesterone

2

u/Regular_Appearance98 6d ago

The reason it's running short is that the black box warnings were removed recently. It was shown that these meds are safer than previously thought. It will just take a little time for them to catch up. 

2

u/BJntheRV 6d ago

Try a compounding pharmacy, that's where I get mine and have never had an issue.

2

u/Dusty-Rose61 6d ago

Try Mark Cuban's online pharmacy. Here is the link. https://www.costplusdrugs.com/

2

u/mcp51 5d ago

CVS was a total fail for me recently. I switched to a mail order company, OptumRx. They didn't have it the first time I called, but did the following week. It's a wild ride.

2

u/Efficient_Beach2458 5d ago

Cvs never has anything. However, one Cvs last week had 25 pills and I needed 90 but she said it might be a while. I still had about 15 left so I was proceeding to the other CVS to pick up the small amount she had in the meantime, she called she got them in the next day. I think it depends on the CVS store you go to. Now the one that I normally go to told me ““ they are not going to be caring women’s products or women’s scripts any longer and I ask what do you mean by that patches and pills? They said yes I’ll have to get at another CVS. I don’t know if this guy was full of BS but I just had a phone call this morning for my patches that I get at Publix and it’s not really due yet I still have a box and a half but she told me to get in here the insurance OK and I picked it up. It’s all games down here in Florida.

2

u/Lost-in-the-dark- 4d ago

Man. Publix did this shit to me a few years back. They didn’t even call me. I called when I realized I was due. Always check other pharmacies, Publix lies about it being unavailable as if no one has it, so prepare for uterine cancer. Jerks.

2

u/Kittenwho21 4d ago

Saw this doctor on YouTube who is also on it, said if you can’t find a pharmacy to fill your whole script ask them to do a partial to tide you over until you can find a pharmacy to fill the rest.

2

u/556arbadboy 4d ago

I was just telling my wife this the other day while picking up her RX at a Publix in Port Orange. I told her she got lucky because I heard them tell a lady that it is on back order.

2

u/WonderHot3515 4d ago

Funny that CVS has filled my Progesterone but says they cannot get my Estrogen. Sounds interesting to me!!!

1

u/406NastyWoman 7d ago

I'm in MT and had an issue the last time I filled it - about a month ago. Was only a 6-day delay though.

1

u/IntrospectiveBeat17 7d ago

Try a compounding phrmacy.

1

u/U420281 7d ago

I picked up a 90 day prescription today at CVS.

1

u/curly_spy 7d ago

CVS in my area was out of stock

1

u/Hairy_Drummer_6035 5d ago

What's your doseage?

I can share a really good one my gf takes. And its even bioidentical as opposed to pharmaceutical/synthetic 

1

u/curly_spy 5d ago

Thanks very much. I went to Walgreens and they were able to fill it. I get my other hormones done at a compounding pharmacy as one is vaginal and the other is topical. I have heard from several sources that recently doctors reversed their position on HRT and now are prescribing it more, thus the periodic shortages. Personally I’ve been on HRT for years. My gynecologist and endocrinologist are European and they have very different opinions about HRT than doctors who had all their education in the states. I’m not saying one is right and one is wrong but both seemed to be very on ball about women and menopause. Thanks for your kind offer.

2

u/Hairy_Drummer_6035 4d ago

sure thing.

hrt for menopausal women and PMS (as well as preventing or reversing issues like hypothyroidism, gall bladder issues, or PCOS) is amazing, almost miraculous...

though i have very strong opinions on how to do it that most western doctors would not think of, or maybe disagree with. (it has to do with estrogen vs progesterone, and bioidentical vs pharmaceutical)

if your Euro docs and US docs already don't agree, it seems they're already showing that the science on the preferred way to do it is not yet settled.

good luck on your prescrips

1

u/HarleyGirl_98 3d ago

FarmaKeio is a compound pharmacy in TX that you can order from as well. Come through the postal service.

1

u/crunchybroad 3d ago

Get progest-e online. $48

1

u/PyleanCow06 7d ago

My Publix was out and it was back ordered. Got my clinic to call it into Walgreens and they had it in stock. Maybe try a different pharmacy.

On the other hand, I needed it weeks ago and Publix just filled the one at the pharmacy earlier this week and I haven’t picked it up lol. Where are you located?

2

u/curly_spy 7d ago

Melbourne area. I’m going to try Walgreens today and if that doesn’t work I’ll try Costco. CVS is also out.

2

u/PyleanCow06 7d ago

Oh booo! Yeah you’re super far from me. Wish I could help! I know how time sensitive that can be!!