I had a script filled last week. 120 30mg tablets. Nobody mentioned anything??

Norm

and I have had problems with different levels. I have had to take 6- 5 mg at a time for 30 mg. Oxycodone is a problem because of mfg. I guess something to do with the opium and Afganistan. Also lots of other stories. My pharmancy has been working with me, but I know that some people are having a real bad time getting thiers filled.

there is a shortage due to the Ethex company recalling all of their product, and because the government controls the supply to begin with, other companies are struggling to make up the difference. Until then, there are major shortages. People all over the country are scrambling to get their meds and docs are switching them to other meds, which may cause shortages there. It is a real mess in some areas, and not so much in others.

There is so much misinformation out there, and it is shocking to me how many pharmacists are still clueless. The BEST source of info is the pharmacist bulletin - here is a great link to bookmark and continue to check.

http://www.ashp.org/Import/PRACTICEANDPOLICY/PracticeResourceCenters/Dru...

As of March 3rd (and a new update should be very soon)

Oxycodone Tablets, Capsules, and Solutions

03 March 2009

Products Affected - Description

Immediate Release Tablets
Oxycodone Immediate-Release Tablets, Actavis
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 52152-0165-02) - discontinued
15 mg, 100 count (NDC 52152-0214-02)
15 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 52152-0214-11)
30 mg, 100 count (NDC 52152-0215-02)
30 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 52152-0215-11)

Oxycodone Immediate-Release Tablets, Ethex
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 58177-0315-04) - discontinued
5 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 58177-0315-11) - discontinued
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 58177-0625-04) - discontinued
5 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 58177-0625-11) - discontinued
15 mg, 100 count (NDC 58177-0445-04) - discontinued
30 mg, 100 count (NDC 58177-0446-04) - discontinued

Oxycodone Immediate-Release Tablets, Mallinckrodt
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 00406-0552-01)
5 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 00406-0552-62)
15 mg, 100 count (NDC 00406-8515-01)
30 mg, 100 count (NDC 00406-8530-01)

Oxycodone Immediate-Release Tablets, Qualitest
15 mg, 100 count (NDC 00603-4991-21)
30 mg, 100 count (NDC 00603-4992-21)

Roxicodone Immediate-Release Tablets, Xanodyne
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 66479-0580-10)
5 mg, unit dose, 100 count (NDC 66479-0580-25)
15 mg, 100 count (NDC 66479-0581-10)
30 mg, 100 count (NDC 66479-0582-10)

Immediate Release Capsules
Oxycodone Immediate-Release Capsules, Ethex
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 58177-0041-04) - discontinued
5 mg, unit dose, 100 count, NDC 58177-0041-11 - discontinued

Oxycodone Immediate-Release Capsules, Mallinckrodt
5 mg, 100 count (NDC 00406-0554-01)

Immediate Release Solution
Oxycodone Immediate-Release Solution, Mallinckrodt
5 mg/5mL solution, 500 mL (NDC 00406-8555-50)
20 mg/mL solution, 30 mL (NDC 00406-8558-30)

Oxycodone Immediate-Release Solution, Lannett
20 mg/mL solution, 30 mL (NDC 00527-1426-36)

Roxicodone Immediate-Release Solution, Xanodyne
5 mg/5 mL solution, unit-dose, 40 mL (NDC 66479-0583-05)
20 mg/mL, 30 mL (NDC 66479-0584-03)
Reason for the Shortage

* In December, 2008, KV Pharmaceuticals, which markets prescription medications through Ethex, voluntarily suspended shipment of all prescription tablet products (http://www.kvpharmaceutical.com/news_center_article.aspx?articleid=276). In early 2009, FDA filed an injunction against KV Pharmaceuticals preventing the company from manufacturing any products until all issues are resolved.
* Actavis states the shortage is due to manufacturing issues. Actavis has also discontinued manufacturing their oxycodone 5 mg tablet.
* Mallinckrodt, Qualitest, and Xanodyne are having supply and demand issues.

Estimated Resupply Dates

Tablets

* Xanodyne has all presentations of Roxicodone 5 mg tablets on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date. Xanodyne is shipping Roxicodone 15 mg and 30 mg tablets as product becomes available.
* Mallinckrodt has all of their oxycodone immediate-release tablets, capsules, and solution on back order and cannot estimate a release date.
* Qualitest is shipping oxycodone immediate-release 15 mg and 30 mg tablets as product becomes available.
* Actavis has their oxycodone immediate-release tablets on a long-term back order and the company cannot estimate a release date.

Capsules

* Glenmark was not available for contact regarding product availability.
* Mallinckrodt has their oxycodone immediate-release 5 mg capsules on back order and the company cannot estimate a release date.

Solution

* Mallinckrodt has their oxycodone 5 mg/5 mL solution in 500 mL size and the 20 mg/mL solution in 30 mL size on back order. The company cannot estimate a release date.
* Xanodyne has Roxicodone solution 5 mg/5 mL 500 mL bottles available. Roxicodone 5 mg/5 mL in 40 mL unit dose size and Roxicodone 20 mg/mL in 30 mL size are on back order with no estimated release date.
* Lannett has their oxycodone 20 mg/mL solution on back order with an estimated release date of Mid-March, 2009.

Related Shortages

* Alfentanil Injection— Resolved
* Butorphanol Injection— Resolved
* Codeine Phosphate Oral Solution— No Longer Available
* Diazepam Injection— Resolved
* Fentanyl Transdermal System Patch
* Hydrocodone Tablets
* Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection
* Indomethacin Capsules— Resolved
* Meperidine— Resolved
* Meperidine / Promethazine— No Longer Available
* Methadone Hydrochloride Injection— Resolved
* Methadone Hydrochloride Tablets— Resolved
* Methadone Injection— Resolved
* Morphine PCA Syringes— Resolved
* Morphine Sulfate— No Longer Available
* Morphine Sulfate Concentrated Oral Solution
* Oxycodone Combinations Capsules and Tablets
* Oxycodone Extended-Release Tablets
* Pentazocine / Naloxone Tablets
* Sufentanil Injection— Resolved

Updated

March 3, 2009; February 19, 2009; February 6, 2009; January 26, 2009, January 21, 2009, University of Utah, Drug Information Service. Copyright 2009, Drug Information Service, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.

hi, just wanna comment theres no shortage og of oxy or hydro here in CT> just wanna let ya know... all rx's have it here still, and i hope they continue to have it..

I am in Brisbane Australia and take oxycodone (endone) 5mg x 4 a day. No problems here that I am aware of. Hope it resolves for you as this is the only thing that works for me and doesn't have all the side effects like others.

Good luck, love from Aus

I checked again today in NV and no go, none to be had.

Here's an update....

http://www.kvpharmaceutical.com/news_center_article.aspx?articleid=284

My PM found some oxycodone in NV, but I can't say I'm happy about it. It's from the manufacturers that recalled theres: Ethex.

They are 5 mg. capsules instead of the 10 mg. tablets. I don't know if anyone has tried them, but I don't find that they give ANY relief for BT pain which is what they're for.

I'm on 30 mg of methadone atm and 40 mg. of oxycodone. I asked my PM to switch from 15 mg. 4x day of morphine IR since the combo of methadone and morphine was putting me to sleep.

But on the morphine I was fine with 20 - 25 mg of methadone -- I really don't want to go higher -- and with the Ethex oxycodone capsules, I need at least 30 methadone.

I had cut back--due to all the bad press in NV and problems with pain mgt. doctors in the Fall from 240 mg. of oxycontin and 2 mg of dilaudid for breakthrough 3 times a day.

My PM says that the 30 mg of methadone plus the 40 mg. total of oxycondone for breakthrough is ALMOST 2/3 less than what I was taking.

I feel good about that, although I was in so much pain prior to getting the facet injections -- and finally a doctor who INJECTED the stuff where it HURT!! not where he THOUGHT it should hurt! -- that I missed my brother's funeral as it was impossible to get on a plane.

Anyway, anyone tried the oxycodone CAPSULES? Is it just me?
I took some 5 mg. TABLETS a month or so ago and I could FEEL ONE of them. The capsules I feel nothing unless I take 4. (I'm supposed to take 8 a day -- 2 at a time, but I was trying to take less.)

I think Ethex recalled their oxycodone for putting TOO much in. The weird part is that EVERY pharmacy said that oxycodone was backordered--all mgs. This ONE pharmacy--that even delivered--had 240 of the discontinued brand in stock.

Since they were recalled, I'm wondering if they are even oxycodone at all or just powder?

Just wondering if anyone had tried the Ethex capsules of oxycodone. They're pinkish orange and white.

Thanks,

Well, the one OTHER breakthrough med my PM mentioned was Opana. He didn't think my insurance would cover it--on Medicare, medicaid--but I think they do.

I'm wondering how it is energy-wise?

It seems that these drugs either make me fall asleep or get me wired? The only way to get them to do neither is to take less and then I get w/d symptoms.

I was getting WD symptoms when I tried to cut my methadone from 3 mg to 2.5, even with using 8 - 10 oxycondone.

Methadone works BEST for my pain and for my mood. I don't wake up with minor WD in the morning, but when I cut it down I did, and unlike ohter meds, it takes a while to get in the system so you can't take one, crawl into bed, and get up feeling 'normal' in 45 minutes. More like 3 hours.

However, for these same reasons and the LONG half-life, I'm terrified of it.

The injections have really been working well, and if I get the ablation--which I may be able to get in the next 6 months as soon as my doctor learns how to do it. (I was going to be a test patient, but the doctor who was going to 'teach' was so arrogant and would not let MY doctor do the preliminaries and even argued about WHERE I was feeling my pain of 13 years that has totally ruined 13 years of my life!!!

I think even a few more injections will make it so I can reduce pain meds. (And I'm NOT going back on Neurontin, even though it did help. I have some horrible posts on that stuff. I nearly went insane!) But I don't like the stigma of opiates.

Allegedly 30 - 40 mg. of methadone isn't a large dose. In fact, when I first began PM, I was given 30 mg. of methadone and the doc said it was a 'baby dose' It was NOT.

I regret not trusting my intuition and believing him. When the tiredness--probably because I was over-medicated--got too much, he switched me to 30 mg of oxycontin. I had horrible withdrawals and went to 80 mg, and then had pain and depression until I was put on 120 mg. I don't think that would have happened if I wasn't on methadone for 3 months first on this 30 mg. baby dose.

Prior to that, I was taking 20 mg. of Vicodin, 10 mg 2x a day, and doing well, so the jump to 30 mg. of methadone, due to the accumulation was huge.

Just taking methadone once, you won't feel too much. I still remember how scared I was when I took my first pill. Then I had hte first real PAIN relief in years. I mean NO PAIN. Level 0! For about 12 hours. Doc said the sleeping would go away and so I took it, but not the breakthroughs at the time.

But when the fatigue did not go away, 30 mg of oxycontin was NOT enough.

Anyway, that's why I'm afraid of methadone, even though it DOES work better than anything so far. I don't want to get my last shot or ablation and then spend a year detoxing, as with methadone, you need to cut down very slowly, like 1 - 2 mg. a MONTH, so even 30 mg. is a lot. And I do not want to get on another opiate like subutex as I've read horror stories about detoxing off of that. It's like each drug is expensive, needs more licensing, is the new wonderdrug and we--the patients--suffer.

SO..... Back to my question. How is OPANA for 1) PAIN relief? I have nerve pain.

2) Does it get one jittery or is it sedative. Oxycodone/hydrocodone would probably fall in jittery while morphine/methadone more in sedating. Just wondering..

and.... if you didn't read my last post, anyone tried ETHEX oxycodone CAPSULE (5 mg)and NOT feel any pain relief except for jitters

intended to help with moderate to severe pain.
It does not address any nerve pain problems.

Update

Well, kind of - there is no update yet. This is official from the headquarters of the pharmacy that I work for. Keep in mind that it's not like another drug company can just start making it. They have to go through FDA approval, which I imagine is a time-consumping process. Ethex basically went under and any other mfg is totally out.

And, don't worry, it isn't because it isn't supposed to be on the market or anything, there is just a mfg issue. We will have a supply again soon, there is just a lot of red tape.

I switched to morphine. Not sure how I feel about it, pretty much the same I guess, but I did have to titrate up. Don't jump into whatever is supposed to be equivalent, it is a different chemical and your body has to get used to it. Good luck!

I'm having no problem getting my Oxycodone/APAP 10mg-650mg generic tablets made by Watson filled. I just had 90 more refilled 2 days ago, and the pharmacist said they do not expect any problems with their next order...this is out of N. FL

there is more company's that manufacture oxy than just KV and ethex. watkins is ine co. and there is alot more too

Finding the 10/650s or any oxy/apap combination. It's only with the Immediate Release pure form of the Oxycodone and the OxyContin or the extended release form. Any form with tylenol or APAP in it is very readily available from what I understand.

I had no trouble with filling mine either. I am owed some but I have 2/3 of what I need already (Watson). Are they as strong as the pure Oxycodones? I never had problems with tylenol so it doesn't matter to me to take the APAP's.

I had to go to three different Pharmacy's the other day to get my Percocet scrip filled. Doc switched me from 4-30mg Oxycodone a day because I couldn’t get it any longer to 6 10/325 Percs, that was bad enough, 120mg to 60mg overnight. And then I had issue getting Percs filled.

I tried to refill my oxycodone and was told it wasn't available. Then the doctor wanted me to take Hydrocodone and within 45 mins of taking the 1st dose my face got hot and i got this itching feeling. It was weird. I took Hydrocodone about 4 yrs ago with no side effects. Anyway called nurse to inform them of these side effects and they reduced the amount to take. I was taking 5 5mg of oxycodone a day for break thru pain. But with the Hydrocodone they only wanted me to take 4 a day. Go figure... weaker med.. and take less.. couldn't figure that one out. Then when i reported these side effects they switched me to tramdol 50mg and kept it 4 tablets a day. Which is a weaker pill then Hydrocodone. The nurse didn't like the fact I called this "fill in doctor" (my normal doc is on vacation) incopentent shit at all. I explained the fact to him Tramdol is to treat mild to moderate pain level and the fact if I could take a lower dose then I would have been doing it from the start. Anyway, They called me back and they are going to give me IR morphine instead.. I checked the VA med refill site but it hasn't shown up yet. But the tradmol is there... they ordered it but failed to cancel it. I have about 25 bottles of miss ordered meds. From cymbalta, ampertriplyne(sp), Methadone, celebrex(sp) and numerous other ones.. They can't seem to get things straight. The bad thing is most places consider someone who calls and gets pissed about pain meds a drug seeker.. I put a recording device on my phone so everytime I have to call them over these numerous screw ups it's recorded. It's a waste of your tax paying dollars. I informed the nurse again.. You know the only time I call is when you guys screw up or change meds without informing me. It was so bad we had a meeting with some of the main peeps out of the main hospital. My doctor was told.. if the pain clinic recommends a dose or drug either do it or stop sending him to the pain clinic. My doctor had a habit of saying " Oh, the pain clinic don't know what they are doing" At the meeting he denied saying that... but guess what.. Remember me telling you about my home phone recorder... I also carry with me a voice actived recorder as well... and played his exact words for everyone to hear... boy was he pissed and shocked.. but he was told "don't change" anything the pain clinic orders...no exceptions. They wanted me to switch clinic's but i refuse.. to me it was like I was giving up because they can't do their jobs right... so I am still there.. and I still call them if they screw up. But having these tapes have saved my butt... I hate the fact that if someone tells the doctor "My current script isn't covering my pain" and they don't listen or they put you in a class of drug seeker just burns me up. Now, I gotta admit I have told them several times.. I feel as if you guys think I am just taking or bitching about pain meds and you think that I am a drug seeker because of the problems we are having about not ordered or changed dose's.. Each one of them say... No No we don't think of you like that... Right...sure is my answer. I have told them at anytime they have the right to come to my house, count the number of pills i have.. give me a drug test, lie dector test. Anytime... I don't care if it's 3am... Please come.. I have decided to have another operation to try to correct some of the mistakes from my last operation. During my operation they had problems. Broken graft bone and got into my S-1, L-5 nerve. One of the screws is in the wrong location.. All the doctors kept asking me... are you sure your not having pain in your right leg.. nope.. just extreme pain in my left leg from the nerve injury.. when I asked why... they said you should be because of that screw placement.. Before that operation I was a sales manager for 18years for a company. Gone can't work... I was a High School Wrestling, Baseball, Basketball, Football Official Gone, can't do it anymore.. I played sports with my son and daughter gone as well. I can't even get off my riding lawn mower now without pain.. They told me to stop mowing my yard.. I told them to bite me.. I will mow my yard.. I gotta have some life here people.. Holy Cow I haven't written a book.. sorry... I really need to vent here... I am soooooooooooooooooooooo sick of all the damn games people play when it comes to pain.. So sick of having to fight with damn doctors over pain issue's.. So sick of living in pain 24/7... Sorry for venting.. I got started on all this stuff and found myself just going on and on... My biggest problem is I am not a quitter.. I will never give up to anything..even my pain. If I was to lay all day long things would be better.. but i flat refuse to. People have got to have a quailty of life. and if it's the drugs that give it to me.. so be it. sorry again for the book.... by the way a copy of this book can be purchased from me for 15.99 just email me and I will send you a copy.

Michael

I had the same thing happen when I went to refill my morphine sulfate (MsContin) at the beginning of this month. My pharmacist said he keeps ordering this but it never comes in. I am still able to get it at another pharmacy.

My doc originally prescribed oxycontin but my insurance (Medicaid Exellus) wouldn't cover this. I was told by pharmacist they just need a prior authorization number from the insurance company but my doc must not have wanted to mess around with it cuz he switched me to morphine sulfate.

Had anyone tried both oxycontin and mscontin and if so did you find that one worked better than the other? I am just wondering because the mscontin doesn't seem to do much for me. I still have to take BT meds at least once a day cuz the morphine sulfate doesn't last 12 hours.

I take MSContin (Morphine) 30mgs 3 times a day. I had the same issue with it not lasting 12 hours. Shucks - not even 6 hours! So, my doc increased it from twice a day to 3 times. I don't really notice any difference, but boy howdy! I sure notice when I "DON'T" take them!

I will be attempting to refill the Oxycodone in a day or so... Wish me luck everyone!

Jeaux

Hi Michelle, I think your doctor should have taken the time to call the insurance company. Seems like he took the easy way around. Anyway, from what I've read in the past I think oxycontin is more potent than morphine. They can always readjust the dose if it doesn't last as long as it should. Some of us metabolize meds faster than others; I use fentanyl patches and they were originally made for every 3 days but I need to change it every 2. I don't have any experience with oxycontin or morphine so I'm sorry I can't add anything else.

I'm still waiting on the rest of my Percocets to come in at the pharmacy. I'm good for now but hope there aren't any problems when I need to get them later on.

I think the reason why they run out is maybe they don't stock as much as they used to. I constantly hear on the news about people breaking into pharmacies when they are closed or robbing them during business hours for the narcotics and opiates. It's because of these junkies that we have to suffer. I imagine that all of you are hearing the same thing on your news reports.

I am going to talk to the doc when I have to get my refill next week about getting the prior authorization number for the oxycontin. I've also seen quite a few comments on here about how oxycontin seemed to help others better than Mscontin. Now that I have the new diagnosis from the neuro,maybe my doc will listen to me better when I tell him that I am in pain.

Were you able to get your meds today?

I have no trouble getting this drug in England i am on 30mg twice daily i just hope at the moment anyway that they dont have problems getting it as after a long list of pain control tablets for me this was the one that did help i am having Radiorequency Denervation done on April 5th so i am hoping all i will be taking after afew weeks will be a paracetomol LOL
Margareta

I have not picked up the written prescription from my doc's office yet.

I'll let you know.

Jeaux

When you go back to see the doctor, he's the one who has to call the insurance company for that preauthorization-we're not allowed to do it. Hopefully he'll do it for you and the oxycontin will be approved so that you get better pain relief. I once had to wait for preauth for Lyrica and my old insurance tanked it despite the doctor's request. They were real penny pinching bastards. No wonder I dropped them the following enrollment period.

i asked my pharmacist the question ..is there a problem with the supply of oxycodone {oxycontin and oxynorm} in the UK and she said NO ..i dont understand why the USA is having problems? ...
STRAKER

Hey Tony,

Do you have people in the UK robbing and breaking into pharmacies to get their hands on the narcotics, opiates and other meds such as zanax and valium? This is very common in the US. There are lots of reports on TV as well as programs indicating how bad the abuse of narcotics and controlled substances are in the US. It is very popular thing for teens to get addicted to as well. They said it's cheaper than buying other street drugs. It's such a shame to see the medications we depend on to be functional throughout our day are being abused by kids and other junkies for a high. Those of us in chronic pain are the ones that suffer.

the oxycodone phanominom has not yet hit the UK .and the drug addicts can get methadone on script very easily over here .street drugs like cocaine and ecstasy and cannabis's are widely available .so as a rule our chemist stores are reasonably safe .also over here NO GUNS!! ..
STRAKER

I picked up my written prescriptions (Oxycodone and MSContin) yesterday at the doc's office and brought them to the little hometown pharmacy I usually use if I can get there before closing (6pm). They were able to fill them for me. And I was able to get the Oxy 15mg - as opposed to tripling the 5mg tablets (like when I got my mother's prescription filled last month)...

I guess it just depends on where you get them filled?

My biggest problem was with my doctor's office personnel. I was going to tell the story, but wound up deleting it because it was just way too long. Suffice it to say, I felt dissed and sent an email to my doc to let her know.

Have a great day cyber buds!

Jeaux

They just emailed me to tell me that they are still limiting their customers to just 100 of the 15s and the 30s per month. So if I have a script for only 180 of the 15s, all I'm going to get from them is 100. That's good for about 2 weeks and a couple of days. Are we (South Florida) the only ones still having this problem???

Been on Onycondone and Onycontin since 2007,,,my trick is trying to deal with the pain for a day or two to ween myself off of the medication..very hard to deal with the pain..but its the better alternative of being an addict. Hang in there