Is cafergot being discontinued?

Hi everyone, I have just starting taking cafergot (it is still available in Indonesia) but I'm a bit concerned by the fact that it's been discontinued in the UK and US. Does anyone know why it was discontinued?

thank you for the replies, i am currently pursuing other options through the migraine clinic in the UK but none are working so far

best wishes to all other sufferers

sally x

I am in the U.S. Our cafergot and ergotamine supply has ended also. Like you, I had tried other migraine meds without getting sufficient help. Finally, I contacted a compounding lab. They will compound any medications that are no longer available from a manufacturer. My doctor provided the prescription; it required about 2 weeks for the lab to receive the caffine needed for the cafergot formula; I now have cafergot in capsule form (instead of pill form). The cost to me was about $1.50 a capsule; I will submit the papers to my health insurance company & we will see how that plays out. I hope this helps you...

I also live in the UK and like you have used cafergot suppositories for @ 30 years. Also like you have tried all other treatments and they don't work like cafergot. I can't swallow tablets and so the suppositories are ideal as they bypass the gut, which is essential with migraines. I had got my medication down to a fine art by just using @ a quarter of the suppository which aborted any attack within 3 hours. I totally understand your feelings about cafergot being discontinued without warning and I am distraught. I have been searching the Internet for any generic replacement, so far without success. If I manage to find anything I will put it on here, meanwhile this week I am writing a very angry letter to Alliance, Novartis and Sandoz Pharmaceuticals.

carol1945: I would suggest contacting a pharmacy in Switzerland and asking them whether they would mail a prescription to you. Your doctor would need to fax the prescription to the pharmacy or possibly you could scan and email the prescription to the pharmacy yourself. You would need to agree with them to pay via credit card, which should be possible. I think you would want to explain the availability situation to them. Also, you might want to get six or twelve months supply at a time. Hope this helps.

How would I order cafergot from Switzerland?

Cafergot 100mg tablets are available in Switzerland under the Novartis label. I have been buying packets of 100 from the local pharmacy and sending them to a relative in the US for about 12 months due to lack of availability there. I checked with local pharmacy last week and they advised that they are still available from their wholesaler. Approx. CHF 45 for 100 tablets.

I am in your same boat.
After a few searches this morning, I believe I will resort to ordering it online, overseas. I have never, EVER, done this before, but the only other relief I can see are many many trips to the ER.
I even visited Sandoz's site, and it isn't even included in their list of drugs anymore! WTH? -I do know that Sandoz merged with another pharma co. to become Novartis over a decade ago already; but apparently Novartis isn't making it either.

With NO prior notification to our doctors, or even our pharmacies, this is a shameful and sinful thing to do to those of us who have used it to ward off our migraines for so many, many, years!
I cannot take any of the newer triptans either because they are contraindicated with my daily use of Paxil!!!
Go figure. Grrrrr...

PS
Sandoz/Novartis ALSO made the generics.
Screwed we are!

Have you tried the generic? Sometimes brand names are discontinued because no one uses them anymore and the company isn't making enough money on it.