Is Antabuse or Campral Available in Canada?

[Swattie]

Hi, I am new here. I am currently in a holistic recovery program for my alcohol dependance. I'm doing pretty well at cutting down, but I haven't been able to abstain completely on my own. I went to my doctor to get Antabuse today, and when I went to the pharmacy to get it filled, the pharmacist said that it looks to be discontinued. It was the same story with Campral when I tried to get that last month.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Is there a special ordering process? Can I order Antabuse through an online pharmacy? The pharmacist is checking into this, but I can't wait to know --- it's killing me.

Thanks

[Accountable for Me]

That is strange. I received antabuse through Shopper's Drug Mart in March. I live in BC. It has been my saving grace and it best not be discontinued!!!

Campral, I am not too sure about.

You can order medication online. I believe many here use River Pharmacy. You will be able to find more information in the Topax, Campral, etc... forum on the main page.

[Swattie]

Thank you for the quick response. I went to London Drugs in Vancouver tonight. They told me that they didn't have Antabuse in their database. It could be that they just don't stock it because it isn't a popular seller for them. They told me that they would look into it tomorrow. I am seeing an addiction specialist doctor tomorrow as well. Hopefully he can give me some insight.

Thanks again.

[Accountable for Me]

They can probably order it in for you. If not, try Shopper's Drug Mart. I had mine filled at the Seven Oaks Mall in Abbotsford, in March.

Good luck!

[Accountable for Me]

Oh, and I wouldn't expect anyone to drive over an hour to Abbotsford.... just letting you know where I got mine from.... and that it was from Shopper's.

[believer]

I am taking the unusal step of posting from work. I work at a Pharma Company. My CPS (book that tells all pharmacists what is available in Canada) says that antabuse was discontinued from the Canadian market in 2001. The ones that are supplying it might be getting it from the US. Campral is new, so may not have been approved here yet (although my CPS is from 2007). I got both Campral and Antabuse from River Pharmacy. I haven't received the Campral yet.

[believer]

Campral was approved in Canada in April 2007, so it should be available.

[Accountable for Me]

Very interesting about the antabuse being discontinued in Canada. Some pharmacies must be getting it from elsewhere? I have a friend who has been on/off it since 2004. Her doctor just prescribed it to her again last week. My doctor wasn't even hesitant when I asked for it.

[Swattie]

Hello again. I spoke to a pharmacist today at a Shopper's Drug Mart in Vancouver who informed me that Antabuse and Campral has been discontinued due to low sales. This confirms what one of the pharmacists at London Drugs thought last night. The Shopper's pharmacist informed me that it may be possible to have a compounding pharmacist make up the prescription for Antabuse. I am awaiting a call from London Drugs, but this seems to be correct.

The plot thickens.....

[Swattie]

London Drugs just called back to inform that Antabuse has been discontinued due to a "poor toxicity profile" a.k.a. bad side effects - gee I wonder why ;-). It is available at compounding pharmacies. She said that Campral is now available from the wholesaler. I wish they'd get their stories straight!