# No more Librax? Help!



## Guest (Aug 29, 2000)

Hi everyone,This is my first post here. I've looked around and no one has mentioned this yet. I have had IBS-C for many years and it is stress-induced. The last month has been more stressful than any other in my life and I have had the worst flare-up. Librax has always worked well and within a day or two. My doc doesn't want to prescribe it (new doc). He put me on Levsin, and I had terrible side effects (dry mouth, blurred vision), then Bentyl, which doesn't help at all. I have begged for Librax and he keeps trying to tell me its no longer manufactured! As I haven't needed it for a few years, I was worried.Worse yet, his office finally called in a prescription for librax and the pharmacist confirmed that they don't carry it because the company stopped making it. I called another pharmacy and did find it. My doc grudgingly called in a one week supply, which my insurance won't cover. Is Librax off the market? The generic is much cheaper (I noticed on drugstore.com that its 1/10 the price) so I may try for that next time, if my doc will let me stay on it. The next few months will remain stressful, as my husband resumes chemotherapy. I cannot find any info anywhere on the net about whether or not Librax will cease to be available. Please help! Its bad enough I have to fight my doctor for every little pill. He is addding to my stress! Please don't tell me he's right.Peaches1


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2000)

I have taken Librax for 10 years and i've recently, within the past month, had my prescription refilled (I get a 3 month refill every 3 months) and there was nothing whatsoever mentioned about it. I would certainly be devastated if it was discontinued as it helped me from the moment I started. Several others on the board take Librax as well and I know we have a pharmacists who checks in so maybe 'rxgirl'can give us some information regarding this situation. If this was done after my prescription was refilled it would have been in the past month.Good luck and sounds like you might need a new doctor if he/she is not more sympathetic to your condition at this especially difficult time for you.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2000)

Sorry to be the bringer of bad new but it has been taken off the market. My mother works for a insho Co and she told me it was becasue of very high number of cases of side effects.


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2000)

My doctor just returned my phone call and while waiting for her to do so I called my pharmacy and the response from both is that they have not heard a thing about it. The pharmacist went to some kind of information board where she said she pulled up the most recent information on meds and it is not listed on her cancellations as of this date. She said she is still filling all her Librax prescriptions. I don't know what else to say except in the 10 years I've been on Librax i've had no complications whatsoever and i'm extremely glad i've got my 3 month supply stashed away!!!


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## NewForMe (Mar 5, 2000)

Searched all over the internet including WebMD and found nothing so I picked up the phone and called my pharmacy and they said they haven't heard anything about it being off the market. I think I scared the pharmasist, she said she is going to leave a note for the manager and find out for sure. OPPS


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

I have also been filling librax prescriptions for almost 10 years, just got a refill very recently. I had no problem what so ever. I have never had any side effects from it either, other than tiredness when I first take it. Maybe the FDA's website would have more info about its status, or even the drug company (though it comes generic and several companies make it). If this is true I will be VERY UPSET





















. I don't take it alot but it is the ONLY medication that works for me. Its been around for a real long time so I'm curious to see what side effects they are referring to (unless its something that happens after years and years of use). I think I'm going to try and find the FDA website and look it up if I can or perhaps e-mail them. I'm almost afraid to find out. I'd suggest that if this is true that people get whatever refills that they can sooner than later. When I was younger my Moms BCP's were taken off the market and her DR told her he thought they were safe, gave her the samples he had and she got all her available refills before the pharmacy got officially notified. I'm not sure if you could do this with Librax cause I think its on a schedule that restricts refills. Oh boy, I wish I hadnt read this post







------------------Nancy


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2000)

Peaches1,I have been taking the generic form of Librax for over the past six years now. It has been a life saver (literally) for me. I get chlordiazepoxide (5mg) and clidinium (2.5) at WalMart. It costs less than $15 per month (100 tabs). It works as well as Librax which I was on the first month at 9 time the cost. Hope this helps.slvhat


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

Boy do I wish I never read this post







I went to the FDA website and found that clindium bromide-QUARSAN-made by Roche 2.5mg and 5 mg were indeed discontinued, I couldnt tell when. I know that this is one of the ingredients in librax and I think it is the one that acts on the gut as the other one is librium which is the tranquilizer. My librax is generic and says chloro/clindi5-2.5 mg. I also read at Roches website that they sold the marketing rights to LIbrax about 2 years ago along with 3 other meds to a company called ICN pharmacuticals. I couldnt find a site for them. I am hoping that maybe just the brand Librax made by Roche is discontinued, not the generic. The FDA site ONLY gave 2 listings the 2.5 and the 5mg made by Roche. I dont know what I will do cause even if I got a huge refill or new RX tomorrow (before it is officially d/c'd God forbid)drugs have a limited shelf life, not over a year I don't think. I don't even take them very much but when I do THEY DO WORK. I'll try and find out more info and will check back here to see if anyone has any news. I am not happy







------------------Nancy[This message has been edited by NancyCat (edited 08-29-2000).]


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2000)

Nancycat/peaches1My generic brand is manufactured by Vintage Pharmaceuticals Inc in Charlotte, N.C. for Qualitest Pharmaceuticals (eg Wal-Mart).slvhat


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## HateMyIBS (Aug 9, 2000)

gosh, I hope that Librax is not and will not be discontinued. Just like all of you, it has been the ONLY med that has helped my IBS, and I don't know what I'd do without it, seriously. I've never had my pharmacist or doctor tell me they have heard that it's not available, so maybe, just maybe we have hope!!! I'm going to call my pharmacist tomorrow and see if he knows anything.HateMyIBS


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2000)

I think we can probably assume if anything has changed it is because of the sale of the company. I would bet they continue making it in a generic. I had a generic of Librax many times (filled at the pharmacy) and it did work just as well. The cost is only $5.00 for a 3 month supply because of my insurance so that is not a real concern to me! I can't imagine our doctors and pharmacists not knowing anything about this. We do have a pharmacist (rxgirl) who i've sent a message out to for her assistance. Maybe she can shed some light. Fingers crossed everyone!!!


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2000)

Thanks to all for your help and sorry to alarm you. The post by bhaize really scared me, so I contacted another pharmacist AND the comapny that makes Librax, ICN Phramaceuticals. Here is the response from ICN:Thank you for your internet inquiry. This product was purchased by ICN and theNDC number has changed. We do not intend to discontinue manufacturing thisproduct. The new NDC # is 00187-4100-10. Librax is in stock and available atthis time.Apparently the confusion with my doc and the pharmacy must have stemmed from the fact that Roche sold the rights to Librax to ICN not long ago. If the pharmacy tried to order from Roche, they would have been told Librax was discontinued. The reply I got from the pharmacist at drugstore.com also stated that both the name-brand and generic forms are made by ICN. Just for reference, for those of you with crummy prescription coverage, she quoted me the following prices from ICN: Librax, 60 capsules, $109.61; generic form, 60 caps, $10.96. Same drug, same company. In addition, several other companies make the generic (Rugby, Eon Labs, Qualitest, and Schein). I didn't mean to alarm anyone yesterday, but with my doc and pharmacist both telling me Librax was off the market, I was understandably VERY concerned. I figured if anyone would know about this, you guys would. By the way, my pharmacist is located IN A HOSPITAL! You would think they would have better info on these things. Anyway, thanks again. I think I'll celebrate now by taking my morning pill.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2000)

Thanks, Peaches1, for the update. It at least lets us know how much we appreciate our Librax, right? I can't imagine a plane trip without it.


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## rxgirl (Aug 21, 2000)

hi all,librax is still available







...i take the generic and it works quite well for me...less frequent pain episodes and less duration of pain as well...the tiredness is worth it to have less pain!!!so don't worry (that'll only make our ibs problems worse!)and about it being a controlled substance - it is not - it is schedule 6 which is just like blood pressure pills or diabetes pills - so refills are not restricted...one component in librax IS a controlled substance (the chlordiazepoxide which is the geneic of librium), but when in combination with the clidinium bromide, it becomes librax, which is not a controlled substance and therefore not subjected to controlled substance restrictions...


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

What a RELIEF





















Thanks so much everyone for clarifying things.





















I am so-o-o- releived!!!!! I don't even take it that much but to think that I wouldn't be able to was very upsetting, to say the least. I too was sort of alarmed by the post where a DR and pharmacist said it wasnt manufactured anymore as well as the post about someone working in an insurance co saying it had been d/c'd due to side effects or something. Again thanks so much for everyones responses. When I am "ok" librax makes me C or I'd be taking one now to celebrate too. LOL







------------------Nancy


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## Teresatomp (May 6, 2021)

Peaches1 said:


> Hi everyone,This is my first post here. I've looked around and no one has mentioned this yet. I have had IBS-C for many years and it is stress-induced. The last month has been more stressful than any other in my life and I have had the worst flare-up. Librax has always worked well and within a day or two. My doc doesn't want to prescribe it (new doc). He put me on Levsin, and I had terrible side effects (dry mouth, blurred vision), then Bentyl, which doesn't help at all. I have begged for Librax and he keeps trying to tell me its no longer manufactured! As I haven't needed it for a few years, I was worried.Worse yet, his office finally called in a prescription for librax and the pharmacist confirmed that they don't carry it because the company stopped making it. I called another pharmacy and did find it. My doc grudgingly called in a one week supply, which my insurance won't cover. Is Librax off the market? The generic is much cheaper (I noticed on drugstore.com that its 1/10 the price) so I may try for that next time, if my doc will let me stay on it. The next few months will remain stressful, as my husband resumes chemotherapy. I cannot find any info anywhere on the net about whether or not Librax will cease to be available. Please help! Its bad enough I have to fight my doctor for every little pill. He is addding to my stress! Please don't tell me he's right.Peaches1


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## Teresatomp (May 6, 2021)

I contacted two pharmacies and both informed me Librax and it's generic are no longer manufactured for its treatment. Apparently a much stronger version is available for patients in Hospice care (according to pharmacist)


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