# motofen available in December



## senior (Aug 10, 2005)

I spoke with a Valeant representative tonight-she said motofen will be available somewhere between December 1 and December 15. She said she would call me when there is a definite date of motofen's availability.For those of us who were taking motofen and enjoying relief fron this chronic disease-this is great news. When I hear anything more specific I will post it here,


----------



## Macaroni (Jul 7, 2002)

Thank you, senior, for the welcome update! Hopefully, the long wait is finally over.


----------



## billijohn (Oct 18, 2005)

Thanks for the good news!!


----------



## RicardoVerde (May 26, 2009)

seniorthis is great news, I was on motofen since 1997, when all of a sudden it disappeared in March 2008?


----------



## petra (Feb 2, 2009)

is this a drug you can buy over the counter. I live in the UK and would like an alternative to imodium. Lomotil doesn't suit me.


----------



## ISDExecutor71 (Aug 12, 2009)

Counting down the days.


----------



## Macaroni (Jul 7, 2002)

Walgreen's Pharmacy on the West Coast has a date from their warehouse regarding availability of Motofen to their chainecember 22. Yea!!!! Keeping my fingers crossed, also.


----------



## On Edge (Aug 25, 2009)

What is motofen?


----------



## Macaroni (Jul 7, 2002)

Motofen, for some of us, was the best medication for controlling symptoms of diarrhea (better than Lomotil; better than Imodium). The manufacturer discontinued production a while ago. Rumors of a resumption of production have pointed to December '09 as a possible date. Those of us who depended on Motofen for leading a "normal" life have been anxiously waiting to see if Motofen again becomes available.


----------



## On Edge (Aug 25, 2009)

Sounds good. Is it an over-the-counter product?


----------



## Macaroni (Jul 7, 2002)

by prescription only


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

Thanks so much for this good news! I have been taking Lotronex for the last few months. I think it may help me even more than Motofen. The only problem is Lotronex is so expensive. At $ 900 for a month's supply, my insurance will only cover up to $ 4,000. Which is pretty much only a four month's supply. I hate insurance companies!!!When do you think the local pharms will be carrying Motofen. At least I will be able to afford this drug. Unless they up the price now that they know so many people want and need it. A


----------



## willy1952 (Dec 11, 2009)

I TALKED TO A VALEANT REP. 12/11/09 AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE ISSUE DATE HAD BEEN PUSHED TO 1/15/10. SORRY


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

Well that sucks big time after we have all been waiting for a year for it. I sure wish someone would tell us what the hold up is now. I am only worried that they wont make it at all. Thanks for the info.


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

I just got off the phone with Valeant. I complained that they have been saying it would be ready then its delayed again and again. He explained that they are having problems attaining the raw ingredients to produce the drug. So he said they were just notified this week of the delay from mid Dec. to mid January. He said to call them on Jan 4th after the holidays and maybe they'd have a firmer date when they would be supplying it to the wholesellers. (the thing they said about not having the raw ingredients is the EXACT same reason they gave for stopping production in June/July). Here we go again.


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Oh this is just too bad for you guys! I'm so sorry.... & here's hoping they have NO more delays!


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

It sounds like the same old run around we got in June.


----------



## BQ (May 22, 2000)

I sincerely hope it isn't Amanda...


----------



## ISDExecutor71 (Aug 12, 2009)

I forget what the ingredient was they had to stop using when they originally stopped making Motofen. But apparently it or its replacement ingredient must be hard to get ahold of. Heres to hoping they get that all worked out. Some of us actually enjoyed a bit of normalcy while we had access to Motofen.


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

Yes. As I said, they did use that excuse before. "not being able to get the raw ingredient" but if that's the case, why did they say they would have Motofen back on the market the end of the year? They have had almost a year to get the ingredients. When they said "end of year" they also said they could get the ingredients but it would take them 6 months to make enough of product for all distributors. I wish they would either make it or not. Not keep jacking us around! Six months ago some of us were able to get a generic Motofen via New York until the FDA made them quit. They were able to get the "raw ingredients" so how come Valeant cannot? Something just isnt right about this whole story.


----------



## Macaroni (Jul 7, 2002)

I don't believe that what was coming out of NY 6 months ago was the exact same thing as the original Motofen. I know that it didn't work as well for me. Maybe that is why the FDA got involved. Maybe they never had the original ingredient that the manufacturer is waiting on.


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

It worked fine for me. I'm still using it once in awhile since I kept some for emergencies. Its possible that the compounding place was making a generic while Valeant still had a patent? No one seemed to know why the FDA stopped them from production. Who knows. The end result is still the same, now we dont have either one!


----------



## motofensavedme111 (Sep 3, 2009)

Man that hurts. I was so excited about Motofen coming back out it was going to be such a relief like I made it its OK now but then I hear this. Horrible. I guess we have to stay positive, better than hearing that its no longer gong to be made. Does anybody still find it at various pharmacies just sitting on the shelf? What is the raw ingredient? Difenoxin? Atropine? Would taking pain killers have the same effect? We need to all start a website to be heard to get Motofen back out. Life is not the same without it.


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

I searched the world over for Motofen that was left on shelves after production stopped. Not a pill was to be had any where. The word got out fast and everyone bought it all up. We have been bugging the manufacturers for almost a year to start production - but, to no avail. The only thing we got out of them was "end of year." But, now its mid-January? You can continue to email and call Valeant to bug them, but I have a feeling nothing will prod them any faster until they are damn ready!


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

Valeant continues to jack us around. They have told us it would be back last August, then end of year, then Jan 15. Now when a friend of mine called today - the rep's response was "it's on back order and the FDA hasn't approved it yet."I think we should all keep calling them and maybe SOMEDAY we will get the truth! AP


----------



## phef (Nov 2, 2009)

AmandaP said:


> Thanks so much for this good news! I have been taking Lotronex for the last few months. I think it may help me even more than Motofen. The only problem is Lotronex is so expensive. At $ 900 for a month's supply, my insurance will only cover up to $ 4,000. Which is pretty much only a four month's supply. I hate insurance companies!!!When do you think the local pharms will be carrying Motofen. At least I will be able to afford this drug. Unless they up the price now that they know so many people want and need it. A


I'm no fan of insurance companies either but don't forget to also hate the drug companies!


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

I'm really bummed because Lotronex worked for me too. But, with the high cost - after 3 or 4 months, I am maxed out with ins and Medicare. Which means for the rest of the year I have no money in the vat for any more doctors or meds. And Motofen is again jacking us around with "next month", each month. I dont know how we can get a "real" answer from Valeant. So that means I cant use either one of the only meds that help me.


----------



## Halleycomet (Jan 6, 2010)

While we are hating the drug companies please do NOT forget to hate the US government that pretty much FORCES you to buy from drug co's here in the good 'ol USA even if the price is inflated beyond all belief. Did you know that upon request at a pharm counter in CANADA you can get tylenol and codein???? With NO Rx???? I am not sure what else you can get but in Mexico you can get fab drugs for practicly PENNIES---and presumably no one is cooking up these things on their kitchen stoves there and then going to the trouble of getting Rx bottles and copying drug co labels. etc. But NO we are stuck with whatever the "traffic" i.e OUR WALLETS will bear. And don't even get us started on the "Doughnut Hole" the gift that stops giving brought to you by----who exactly???????/


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

I too have bought meds in Mexico and Europe for pennies. Some without a script. So you are right about asking the reason why meds are so expensive here in US. I just recently found out about "the gap" or "donut hole"....I wonder how many geniuses it took to think that one up?


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

I just today received this email from Valient. I was expecting it. Not good news.Ranette MasonValeant Pharmaceuticals North AmericaOne EnterpriseAliso Viejo, CA 92656T: 949.461.6565F: 949.461.6626E: [email protected] January 4, 2010Dear Valued Customer,As you know, we at Valeant have been working diligently to reintroduce Motofen for patient use. From the first time we heard from patients about the need to make this important product available again, this has been a priority for Valeant. Bringing a product to market is a complicated process, but while there were many challenges confronting us in our effort, our focus on helping patients like you pushed us forward. Thus, it is with great regret that we have to inform you that the FDA recently ruled that Motofen can not be approved for use at this time. While this is extremely disappointing to us, we know the implications are far more significant to you as a patient continuing to suffer with your condition.Since learning of the decision from the FDA, our teams have been meeting to discuss next steps as we continue to strive to reintroduce Motofen as soon as possible. As we communicated to you our intent to reintroduce the product by the end of 2009, we felt that it was important that we communicate any advances or setbacks to you immediately.The decision by the FDA was both disappointing and unanticipated. We plan to discuss the decision with the FDA as soon as possible to understand what additional information is required in order to make this important product available to patients again.We will continue to communicate with you and work on behalf of you and other patients as we work through this process of reintroducing Motofen for patient use. We appreciate your support throughout this process and hope you continue to communicate your desire to see Motofen available for use once again.Sincerely,Janet Hammond Ryan WeldonVice President & Chief Medical Officer Vice PresidentGlobal Medical Affairs Neurology


----------



## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

Are Motofen and Lotronex the same drug?Is lotronex still available for men?


----------



## AmandaP (Jan 12, 2003)

NO. Lotronex and Motofen are not the same drug. I think they are still testing Lotronex for men.


----------



## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

The test results of lotronex for men are apparently very encouraging so if it is released in the UK for men I will be straight to the doctors surgery to ask for a prescription.After all it must be better than taking loperamide like sweets/candy every day!


----------

