I live in the UK and get my care from the nhs for free. This is a blessing.
I went on seroquel XR about a year ago and had great results on 600mg at night. My dr is now changing this to seroquel 600mg (normal release seroquel).
Thing is from experience I have ok results with normal seroquel but it doesn’t last a full 24 hours. Maybe split it to 300mg morning and night.
Don’t want to get to sedated during the day.
J
Talk to your doctor maybe they can help?
In the UK ,care you sure. It doesn’t sound right? XR is gone generic you know.
No - not until 2017 will it go generic, according to Wikipedia:
"AstraZeneca submitted a new drug application for a sustained-release version of quetiapine in the United States, Canada, and the European Union in the second half of 2006 for treatment of schizophrenia. AstraZeneca will retain the exclusive right to market sustained-release quetiapine until 2017. "
Source:
Apparently the county I live in prescribes more XR than any other in the country. It is a really deprived area.
I have been doing so well on the XR - was on normal seroquel before this and didn’t get the same benefit. I don’t want to upset the apple cart with another med change.
But I will give it a go for a month and see how I get on.
I guess the doctor is under orders to keep costs as low as possible. You may do fine on the regular Seroquel - so he probably has to try it on you. If things don’t go well - I bet he would put you back on the XR.
I’ll look nearly sure its available…
Yeah I agree. If there is a major deterioration in health it will have to be reconsidered. Suppose the psychiatrists in my county have been pressured to save on money. Which is fair enough I suppose.
http://www.pharmafile.com/news/171937/teva-launches-generic-seroquel-uk
Its called Sondate XL by teva.
It looks like it should be available.
Wow - you are right - for the UK. Thanks…
Copies of both standard Seroquel and Seroquel XR, an extended release version of the drug, will be available for use in the NHS at lower costs than AZ’s branded products.
The generic cost of a 25mg dose of regular quetiapine will be £6.08, compared to £30.50 for AZ’s product. The price difference is less pronounced for the extended release formula, however, with Teva offering a 50mg dose for £50.75 compare to AZ’s price of £67.66.
“This decision only applies to the UK, with AZ recently winning a court decision validating the Seroquel XR formula in the Netherlands. Decisions are still pending for concluded cases in the US and Spain.”
That is what I was prescribed! Sondate!
So am I right to think this med is too costly for the nhs? Seems a bit weird?
Don’t know Jimbob , being honest it doesn’t sound right. The NHS is a fairly liberal system…
May be that my psychiatrist thinks I am on the brand seroquel XR and not the cheaper sondate that you looked up. Will see. Thanks for looking into this though.
J
The NHS couldn’t be pulling a generic med as popular as quetiapine xl, maybe you could get someone to look at this for you…
Will do. Will speak to my gp as they physically write the script.
Unless you’ve being complaining bout agitation or problems sleeping , etc , etc and he wants to put you on the more sedating med but won’t bother justifying it to you. Just guessn prbly wrong though…
He did ask when I took my XR and I said at night.
He then said at high doses of 600mg there was little difference between the two formulations. He didn’t mention costs. My CPN told me about the problem with money a few days later.
Thinking about it now I almost feel slightly screwed over. Like the doc didn’t mention the med change was money orientated rather than what meds work best for me.
Am I being fair thinking about it this way?
And don’t wanna make you paranoid , your regular doc should have no say on what psych med you are prescribed. Quite simply he should prescribe as per written instructions from your psychiatrist… Local GP Practices can be affiliated with certain pharmacies , and it would suit the pharmacy to be given you something cheaper…Again get somebody to help you out .
Just saw your new post , I thought they said they were unwilling to give you XR because the NHS doesn’t cover it anymore. Did they say that to you or not?
Or did I pick you up wrong
From what I gather the NHS covers this med. but doctors in my county are being encouraged to prescribe the XR less for financial reasons.