Read this if you are taking Metoprolol Succinate ER

This is in regard to Metoprolol a medication for high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat among other ailments. My thinking is that since Sleep Apnea can cause high blood pressure there might be several here to whom this applies, thus my reasoning for posting this here.

I went to pick up my refill yesterday and was told that I would have to take the name brand version (Toprol XL) rather than the generic Metoprolol because of something to do with the FDA and the manufacturer, but was given no specifics. When I got home I did a web search and discovered that the manufacturer (or should I say one of the manufacturers) Santoz is recalling it and then another manufacturer (Ethex) is also voluntarily recalling it as well leaving only the name brand Toprol available. You can easily research it by googling "metoprolol recall". Furthermore, it is predicted that Toprol will be in short supply and since you cannot safely just stop taking this medication (you must gradually wean yourself off of it) I wanted to make everyone aware of this so that they can schedule a doctor's appointment to see if there is another option for them. This is what I am doing.

Here is the link to the FDA's website showing that information:

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/2 ... 01084.html

Here is a link to a PDF of the FDA's warning letter with more information:

http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/s6891c.pdf

My husband takes the Metoprolol Tartrate 50 mg, and the bottle says the brand name is Lopressor. The links you show seem to be about the extended release version. I'll check on this with our doctor - we just got this prescription refilled 1 week ago. Thanks for the info

Apparently the product in question is Metoprolol Succinate ER. The release date on the recall is Dec. 8, 2008.

I picked up my script last week of metoprolol tartrate 50 mg. and no mention of it getting recalled. The name brand is Lopressor as mentioned in the above post.

Check to see which form you take if you are on this med.

sleepycarol wrote:Apparently the product in question is Metoprolol Succinate ER. The release date on the recall is Dec. 8, 2008.

I picked up my script last week of metoprolol tartrate 50 mg. and no mention of it getting recalled. The name brand is Lopressor as mentioned in the above post.

Check to see which form you take if you are on this med.

That is correct it is Metoprolol Succinate ER that I am referring to. I should have been more specific. If I understand correctly the Succinate version is extended release and taken once daily and Tartrate version is not extended release and is taken twice daily. I'll edit the title to be more specific.

Thanks for the heads up, SnoozeButton. I take the exact medicine that you mention and had no idea about the recall. I am due for a refill this weekend but will call the pharmacist tomorrow, in case I need to get a different script from my doctor. I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but there is an "SA" on the label which may be mean the Sandoz manufacturer.

Thank you again, so much!
Lynne

Thank you for the heads up on Metoprolol Succinate ER

I checked my bottle and it states that the manufacturer is Astrazeneca so there may be a manufacturer still making it.

Ed

I ran to look at my bottle! My metoprolol ER is from Par Pharmaceuticals. Just had it refilled and they didn't say anything, so looks like this one's okay.

Pam

According to this article it may be in short supply from the other manufacturers who produce it.

http://www.udent.com/news/smid/1896/articleid/143.aspx

I'm sticking with my original plan to talk to my doctor about it. It sure wasn't widely publicized, was it?

I just called my small independent pharmacy. She asked if I normally get my pills there and I said yes. She put me on hold and came back saying they're out of them but will give me a call. I have enough pills to last a week, but I want to be able to call my doctor if we need a plan B.

Thanks again, SnoozeButton. I had no idea.

I just called my pharmacy (Target). He said, yes, they are having a problem, but mostly with the 50 mg. They finally get some in, and then those get recalled. For those on 50 mg, they're starting to fill them with double the amount of 25's. I asked if he thought the shortage would get any worse, and he said he honestly didn't know. And, of course, insurance companies will not pay for more of a prescription when you haven't finished the one you're using (to kind give yourself a buffer if needed if you're trying to taper off or wait out the shortage). And none of them will pay for Toprol-XL (the name brand). (I was paying out-of-pocket for the Toprol-XL at one point and it wasn't too bad at Sam's Club). He knows of no problems with the non-ER versions.

Snoozebutton, after you talk to your doc, could you let us know what he/she says, if he/she suggests tapering off and going to something else? I feel for those on higher doses. Supposedly, the dose I'm on (25 mg) can be stopped from this amount, although I would prefer to bump it down once more to 12.5.

Not being any more publicized than this it's scary, because if you're on a dose higher than 25 (which is the lowest dose there is unless you divide the 25), you could have major heart issues if you have to suddenly stop it. I guess people could move over to the non-ER versions, though. I'm assuming that could be an option?

Pam

The pharmacy owner called me and told me to come in on Friday; he should have some in by then. He said he has plenty of the 100 mg and we might have to resort to cutting them in half to get my 50 mg dosage.

I don't know how long this shortage will last but I should be good for another month. I see my doctor in March and I can talk to her about it at that time.

I'm now having issues with my doctor. His office staff is pitiful and can't find my file, thus can't/won't make an appointment for me (I was last there the middle of Oct and the pharmacy called them last week for a refill approval, so they should have had it at that time). I am going to call the office manager if this doesn't get resolved soon. They say they just updated the system and I'm not in the new system yet???? Anyway, I will get this resolved and will share what my doctor says about this.

Murphy's Law, I was reading, (and I don't know if this is true or not) that if you cut the pill it affects the time release factor and that they are not meant to be cut, but then I noticed that my pills have a division line so that leads me to believe that they can be split. The reasoning on not splitting them was that the exterior coating would not be intact and that it would cause them to break down more quickly affecting the time release of the pill - so you might ask your pharmacist point blank about this.

I'm on 25 mg, so I know I'm not at as great a risk as others who are on a higher dose, that is why I felt it very important to spread this information. I have a friend who is on 100 mg. and she had no idea and is quite thankful I told her about it. I'm very concerned for her. I guess this is my payback to her because she is the one who encouraged me to ask my doctor for a sleep study and I discovered I needed CPAP.

I will ask about splitting the pills, but he is very good. My doctor once had me split blood pressure pills, too. Thanks for letting me know about the precautions concerning splitting the pills. I wasn't aware of them and just assumed that the score line allowed me to do that. I even have a pill splitter that does the job very nicely.

Lynne

Make sure if you split an extended release tab it still delivers the medication in the same way. I think some do not.

I subscribe to "ConsumerLab.com" nothing to do with Consumer Reports. Consumer Labs sent out a report dated 3/17/08 warning of a drug investigation of generic Metoprolol Succcinate ER. I was taking this exact drug and my BP was sky high, about 184/118. I printed the report and gave it to my pharmacist. The pills I was taking were manufactured by Ethex. Eon/Sandoz are also being investigated. The original Toprol is manufactured by AstraZeneca and it is okay. There is a generic made by Par Pharmaceutical, a division of AstraZeneca that makes a Metoprolol Succcinate ER. It seems that the original manufacturer is making a generic to compete with the other generics. Many insurance companies require a switch to the generic when it becomes available and it appears that AstraZeneca wants to get a piece of the generic market. Consumer Labs states that this is an Authorized Generic and is the approved. I have been using Par since March 08 and have no problems.
Bill