Re: pharmacy's refusal to fill quinine prescription
My son has been on quinine sulfate for about 7 yrs and he has not had a problem getting it filled by the pharmacy & having the insurance cover most of it. It has been very expensive even with insurance but just last month they came out with a generic for the Qualiquin which is much cheaper. He has tried the other medicines and did not like the side effects.
Re: pharmacy's refusal to fill quinine prescription
That's great news about the generic. I did a quick check on GoodRX.com and it's showing 30 capsules of 324 mg generic for $87 at Walgreens. The lowest price on Qualaquin is showing $217. Quite a bit of difference!
Quinine is the oldest and probably the safest treatment for myotonia. The main side effect to watch for is tinnitus and potential hearing loss over time. It is contraindicated if you have a G6PD deficiency (an enzyme defect found primary in men of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean descent). Even small amounts can be effective...I would open a capsule and just use a portion a couple of times a day.
Many people got relief with just tonic water in the US until they made manufacturers reduce the amount of quinine that was allowed to be used. It was very popular in regions where malaria was common and it relieved leg cramps. Now it's limited to 83 mg per liter of tonic water. However it is quinine hydrochloride rather than quinine sulfate so it may be an option for people who have a sensitivity to sulfa drugs.