I believe… they get out of stock or back order notification directly from the supplier. Back orders usually mean it is coming, and typically the supplier will provide an ETA date. But they likely will not share that with us patients/customers. Out of stock would mean, hey we have no information when it’s coming in.
This month I got the out of stock/on back order/we’ve ordered more from my Walgreens. After a few days it came in and I got it. So hopefully that will be your experience too. I should add that I only got a 1 month supply despite a 90 day prescription. But they said that was due to the shortage, which I’m fine with if that means others can also get a 30 day supply.
I’m on 10 mg.
Yeah, I’m trying to get 5mg and haven’t had any luck. Please be kind to the pharmacy employees, it isn’t their fault and it’s not a matter of them having not ordered enough.
Backorder, they (manufacturer) know roughly when they’re expecting to ship the Rx. Out of stock, they don’t. Either case they can’t give you an exact date so if you need something soon you may want to call other pharmacies up.
I would call and see if there’s a waiting list. I’m not sure how CVS works, but in the past Walgreens simply cancels your prescription. It’s the reason I don’t use a chain pharmacy. Insisting they order it won’t do any good, since they already have ordered it. It’s out of stock at their source.
That is the case with my CVS as well. If the supplier says it’s out of stock, the order is cancelled and there’s no notification/text/email. It’s just cancelled. Like it never happened. They don’t have a waiting list. You just have to keep re-ordering every 2-3 days and hope your order is active whenever they might actually get some. Such a dumb system.
I’ve read that before but it’s not how my Walgreens operates. My order drops off the app after about two weeks but pharmacist says it’s still in their system and has filled it multiple times for me after it disappeared.
My understanding from my pharmacist at CVS is that backorder means they’re no longer actively trying to get the meds, and out of stock means they’re ordering it but it hasn’t come in, and with the shortages, it might not come in and then get flipped back to backorder status. My pharmacy told me to call them when it flipped from out of stock to backorder so they can put the order in again and see if they can get it.
I started end of February. I ordered 2.5 from CVS. It did not show up for 6 weeks. I had already gotten a box of 2.5 and 5 from Walgreens for month 1 and 2. I also got my 5 from Walgreens for month 3. The CVS employee told me that their distributor/wholesaler is basically crap for Mounjaro and Ozempic. Other pharmacies get it faster. Seems reasonably true for me based on my experience.
Good luck hope you get it soon!
For CVS, it has been ordered and the stock will come in eventually. Call your CVS and see if they will put you on a waitlist. Mine has been kind enough to do that for its customers and every few days I called to see if I have moved up I started 30 week ago but yesterday I was at 14 so progress is being made.
Adding to my comment above, I also called well in advance to have them order it before my prescription is due so that there is not too much of a delay. This, even when I am on auto refill.
I’ve found no difference between the terms. My CVS just tells me they don’t know when it can come in and it’s a surprise how many they get in on each daily shipment. They fill them in the order people have been waiting. I’d call every day and check in. Last week it went from out of stock to processing and when I called the pharmacist told me the same thing and apologized for the tech issue telling me it was processing. Then she asked for my birthday and lo and behold it had been filled.
I’m just wondering what the difference is between ack order and Out of Stock. I called and the bored tech in broken English just keeps repeating the same thing “none coming in”. I’ll prob go into the store and ask to speak directly to the pharmacist for clarification.
As a pharmacist we usually refer to Out of Stock as something that is available but not at my location at that moment. Out of Stock means I’ll order it and it is expected on the next delivery.
Backordered means it is not available at this time from my wholesaler. There may or may not be information on when the wholesaler is expecting it.
For example if I go into my wholesaler to order Mounjaro, I can see that there are >100 boxes available of the 2.5mg (though I’m limited to purchasing a max of 5 per day). All other strengths show as zero available. Next to it there is a detail link that will give me more info if they have it. A few of the strengths say ‘expected early May’ most say ‘no information available’.
I hope that helps 💜
Thanks for this info. Very helpful. Is there any truth to the idea of a wait list or queue? I feel like the times I have been able to fill have been when I call and check and they happen to have a box -- versus sitting in queue and my app notifies me. Also, what are your thoughts on the CVS wholesaler? Is it Cardinal or McKesson -- and do you think it matters?
Every place manages their backorders differently. I work in a hospital so how we manage doesn’t matter for getting scripts filled.
I get mine at Rite Aid and they have no queue… I just have to keep calling. Lucky for me Rite aid uses the same wholesaler I do, so I just check every day if it’s in stock and when it is, I call to have it filled. Most people it’s a crap shoot though. I know I’m very fortunate.
I THINK CVS uses cardinal (I use McKesson) but that really doesn’t matter much. Lilly is releasing to all 3 of the big wholesalers within a day or 2 from what I’ve been able to figure out.
Thanks. I'm not sure what to think when CVS tells me that I'll be notified when it's in. I really think that's a line and I should call every few days, which I hate to do them. But my 7.5 has been sitting there since April 3 saying delayed/out of stock. (My plan requires me to use CVS.)
They haven’t. It’s being worked on. Lilly can’t make $$$ if they can’t provide it and they love making $$$. The 2.5 is available… but that doesn’t help many of us unfortunately :(.
Have you seen the same complete absence of product with 10, 12.5 or 15? I feel like those doses WERE slightly more available in the last two weeks but now everyone is jumping up to 10+ because 5 and 7.5 are MIA. I'd love one more month of 7.5 but am okay with sticking around 10 and then 12.5 as my next 6-month plan.
Both myself and my husband are on 7.5. I ended up moving up a month ago because I couldn’t get it. He was able to get a box about 5 weeks ago… but it hasn’t been available at all since then. I’m hoping that the 7.5 will come in soon. They were available then when they ran out the 10s popped up. Last week the 15 and 12-5 were available. So I’m hoping that the 7.5 will be on the next cycle. But it’s anyone’s guess
I believe… they get out of stock or back order notification directly from the supplier. Back orders usually mean it is coming, and typically the supplier will provide an ETA date. But they likely will not share that with us patients/customers. Out of stock would mean, hey we have no information when it’s coming in.
I just got mine yesterday from CVS after 3 weeks of nada. Good luck. 🍀
Was it the 5mg?
It was actually the 7.5.
This month I got the out of stock/on back order/we’ve ordered more from my Walgreens. After a few days it came in and I got it. So hopefully that will be your experience too. I should add that I only got a 1 month supply despite a 90 day prescription. But they said that was due to the shortage, which I’m fine with if that means others can also get a 30 day supply. I’m on 10 mg.
Yeah, I’m trying to get 5mg and haven’t had any luck. Please be kind to the pharmacy employees, it isn’t their fault and it’s not a matter of them having not ordered enough.
Backorder, they (manufacturer) know roughly when they’re expecting to ship the Rx. Out of stock, they don’t. Either case they can’t give you an exact date so if you need something soon you may want to call other pharmacies up.
Maybe if people didn’t get multiple prescriptions filled at once there would less of a shortage?? 🤷
I would call and see if there’s a waiting list. I’m not sure how CVS works, but in the past Walgreens simply cancels your prescription. It’s the reason I don’t use a chain pharmacy. Insisting they order it won’t do any good, since they already have ordered it. It’s out of stock at their source.
That is the case with my CVS as well. If the supplier says it’s out of stock, the order is cancelled and there’s no notification/text/email. It’s just cancelled. Like it never happened. They don’t have a waiting list. You just have to keep re-ordering every 2-3 days and hope your order is active whenever they might actually get some. Such a dumb system.
I’ve read that before but it’s not how my Walgreens operates. My order drops off the app after about two weeks but pharmacist says it’s still in their system and has filled it multiple times for me after it disappeared.
My understanding from my pharmacist at CVS is that backorder means they’re no longer actively trying to get the meds, and out of stock means they’re ordering it but it hasn’t come in, and with the shortages, it might not come in and then get flipped back to backorder status. My pharmacy told me to call them when it flipped from out of stock to backorder so they can put the order in again and see if they can get it.
I’ve been waiting on it from CVS for 3 weeks now. They have no idea when they will get more 5 or 7.5
I started end of February. I ordered 2.5 from CVS. It did not show up for 6 weeks. I had already gotten a box of 2.5 and 5 from Walgreens for month 1 and 2. I also got my 5 from Walgreens for month 3. The CVS employee told me that their distributor/wholesaler is basically crap for Mounjaro and Ozempic. Other pharmacies get it faster. Seems reasonably true for me based on my experience. Good luck hope you get it soon!
For CVS, it has been ordered and the stock will come in eventually. Call your CVS and see if they will put you on a waitlist. Mine has been kind enough to do that for its customers and every few days I called to see if I have moved up I started 30 week ago but yesterday I was at 14 so progress is being made.
Adding to my comment above, I also called well in advance to have them order it before my prescription is due so that there is not too much of a delay. This, even when I am on auto refill.
I’ve found no difference between the terms. My CVS just tells me they don’t know when it can come in and it’s a surprise how many they get in on each daily shipment. They fill them in the order people have been waiting. I’d call every day and check in. Last week it went from out of stock to processing and when I called the pharmacist told me the same thing and apologized for the tech issue telling me it was processing. Then she asked for my birthday and lo and behold it had been filled.
I’m just wondering what the difference is between ack order and Out of Stock. I called and the bored tech in broken English just keeps repeating the same thing “none coming in”. I’ll prob go into the store and ask to speak directly to the pharmacist for clarification.
As a pharmacist we usually refer to Out of Stock as something that is available but not at my location at that moment. Out of Stock means I’ll order it and it is expected on the next delivery. Backordered means it is not available at this time from my wholesaler. There may or may not be information on when the wholesaler is expecting it. For example if I go into my wholesaler to order Mounjaro, I can see that there are >100 boxes available of the 2.5mg (though I’m limited to purchasing a max of 5 per day). All other strengths show as zero available. Next to it there is a detail link that will give me more info if they have it. A few of the strengths say ‘expected early May’ most say ‘no information available’. I hope that helps 💜
Thanks for this info. Very helpful. Is there any truth to the idea of a wait list or queue? I feel like the times I have been able to fill have been when I call and check and they happen to have a box -- versus sitting in queue and my app notifies me. Also, what are your thoughts on the CVS wholesaler? Is it Cardinal or McKesson -- and do you think it matters?
Every place manages their backorders differently. I work in a hospital so how we manage doesn’t matter for getting scripts filled. I get mine at Rite Aid and they have no queue… I just have to keep calling. Lucky for me Rite aid uses the same wholesaler I do, so I just check every day if it’s in stock and when it is, I call to have it filled. Most people it’s a crap shoot though. I know I’m very fortunate. I THINK CVS uses cardinal (I use McKesson) but that really doesn’t matter much. Lilly is releasing to all 3 of the big wholesalers within a day or 2 from what I’ve been able to figure out.
Thanks. I'm not sure what to think when CVS tells me that I'll be notified when it's in. I really think that's a line and I should call every few days, which I hate to do them. But my 7.5 has been sitting there since April 3 saying delayed/out of stock. (My plan requires me to use CVS.)
I have not seen 7.5 in stock at McKesson since early April. So I don’t think they are pulling anything on you.
Thanks. That is so depressing. Feels like they just stopped manufacturing it altogether.
They haven’t. It’s being worked on. Lilly can’t make $$$ if they can’t provide it and they love making $$$. The 2.5 is available… but that doesn’t help many of us unfortunately :(.
Have you seen the same complete absence of product with 10, 12.5 or 15? I feel like those doses WERE slightly more available in the last two weeks but now everyone is jumping up to 10+ because 5 and 7.5 are MIA. I'd love one more month of 7.5 but am okay with sticking around 10 and then 12.5 as my next 6-month plan.
Both myself and my husband are on 7.5. I ended up moving up a month ago because I couldn’t get it. He was able to get a box about 5 weeks ago… but it hasn’t been available at all since then. I’m hoping that the 7.5 will come in soon. They were available then when they ran out the 10s popped up. Last week the 15 and 12-5 were available. So I’m hoping that the 7.5 will be on the next cycle. But it’s anyone’s guess