DC or Silver Spring pharmacies that carry Focalin XR 5mg?

[Anonymous]

I'm at my wit's end with filling this prescription for DS. Every time we're close to the end of our monthly supply, it's a wild goose chase trying to find a pharmacy that stocks it. They all say they can't fill it more than 48 hours before the prior 30 day supply has run out - and that puts us in this mad dash.

Our neighborhood pharmacy is the 24 hr CVS on Georgia Ave in Brightwood. The pharmacist had said he'd order for us every month, but last month they were 10 short, this month he's on vacation so it didn't happen. We've had some prior luck with the 24 hr Walgreens in Takoma Park, but no luck this time.

There has to be a better way to do this. Any advice? More pressing, since we're going to run out before anyone can get an order fulfilled - does anyone know any DC, closer in Maryland or even Arlington pharmacies where we can get our script filled without issue? (Ideally same day in stock?)

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

It may be a little far out for you, but the CVS at 546 N. Frederick Road in Gaithersburg generally has a larger stock of most stimulants than location.

There is also a trick you can use to make sure you always have a few extra pills around. Have your doctor write a prescription for 2 pills a day for one month. But only take one pill, as usual. Then you'll have 30 extra pills to carry you over when the drug store is out of stock.

[Anonymous]

We used to have this issue, but with Concerta. When our local cvs had none/couldn’t order etc I would go to giant, Safeway, target, Walgreens and Harris teeter. It was a massive pain to chase the med, but one pharmacy would have it (different each tome). This used to happen to us once or twice in the spring and then the late fall again.

[Anonymous]

Try Brookeville Pharmacy.

[Anonymous]

Foers--they deliver for a fee and multiple locations--excellent service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Brookeville Pharmacy.

Have your gotten this med there before? I'm trying to avoid wild goose chases to the extent possible - already made 5 trips to different places with no success. And since they can't/won't tell you on the phone, its just show up and get told nope over and over. Oh, and get side eye for trying to fill something so "unusual."

[Anonymous]

Don’t use CVS. Try any other chain. I don’t know what it is with how they do their supply but I had trouble at multiple CVSs and switched to Rite Aid and never an issue since.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t use CVS. Try any other chain. I don’t know what it is with how they do their supply but I had trouble at multiple CVSs and switched to Rite Aid and never an issue since.

I just reread your OP. I see you did try Walgreens. Rite Aid pharmacies are now run by Walgreens, or at least mine is, but I’ve never had a problem.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered using the CVS mail order service? If you work in an office and have the ability to have someone sign for it, it's great.

The other thing I've done is gone into CVS a week before the script is available to fill and asked them to make sure they will be able to fill it on the date. He usually holds my scripts for me at that time and if he needs to order more, he will.

But I really like the 2x/day trick. That's a brilliant idea.

[Anonymous]

I do t know where you can get Focalin. But I resolved this problem by calling my pharmacy 2 business days before I can get the refill of my son’s medication and schedule a pick up. It takes like five minutes and it’s completely resolved this problem. I use CVS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try Brookeville Pharmacy.

Have your gotten this med there before? I'm trying to avoid wild goose chases to the extent possible - already made 5 trips to different places with no success. And since they can't/won't tell you on the phone, its just show up and get told nope over and over. Oh, and get side eye for trying to fill something so "unusual."

Yes. It is also the pharmacy my child’s psychiatrist strongly recommends because they stock a wide range of meds and dosages. No guarantees, obviously, when you go but I think it is worth a shot.

But I always try local pharmacies before the chains. BTW I live in Takoma DC and the Georgia CVS is our closest option too. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

After experiencing a similar situation trying to find large quantity of Focalin (5mg) and after going to at least 5 pharmacies (different chains and counties in MD), a Walgreens’s pharmacist advised me to always go to the pharmacies in the most affluent neighborhoods. Not a troll post and certainly not meant to be disrespectful. I’ve been there and know how frustrating it can be. When really desperate for another hard to find stimulant years ago, the pharmacy at GW Hospital worked for me.

[Anonymous]

Not for same medicine, but when CVS told me they (that location or any other) couldn't get a certain dosage or concentration of something else for me, I ended up transferring the prescription to the Walgreens inside Children's Hospital and had no problem getting it filled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After experiencing a similar situation trying to find large quantity of Focalin (5mg) and after going to at least 5 pharmacies (different chains and counties in MD), a Walgreens’s pharmacist advised me to always go to the pharmacies in the most affluent neighborhoods. Not a troll post and certainly not meant to be disrespectful. I’ve been there and know how frustrating it can be. When really desperate for another hard to find stimulant years ago, the pharmacy at GW Hospital worked for me.

I'm the Pp who lives in OP's neighborhood.

That particular CVS is robbed pretty regularly. I think they do carry lower inventories of drugs that have street value, which stimulants do. I think going to a WOTP pharmacy may help.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the inputs, everyone. Wound up going to the pharmacy at Childrens - worked out great. Super fast and friendly. A little inconvenient to get in and park there - but it's worth the peace of mind knowing I only had to make one stop.