2011 30 Mg Oxycodone Shortage (Page 16)

I am a 51 y/o who lives in Florida, suffering from chronic back pain, and have been prescribed to take up to six 30mg oxycodone tablets a day for over two years by my Pain Management doctor. However, when I went to fill my prescription almost 4 weeks ago, my pharmacy told me their distributor had stopped shipping oxycodone to Florida pharmacies. Since then, I have personally visited about 100 pharmacies but have been unable to find them in stock anywhere. As a former paralegal, I attempted to research the situation, but could only confirm that the DEA has yearly quot on all controlled substances (for oxy's is 98 million grams in 2011). From I gather from the Internet, it appears that the ENTIRE state of FLORIDA is not getting any shipments of oxycodone 30 mg. from distributors, but are other states having this problem as well? Also, can anyone confirm whether (and HOW) the DEA is pressuring distributors to avoid Florida?

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not true. my friend got her rx of #120 30s and #56 15s yesterday. filling them is a hassle at the moment however

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my hubby got his filled at Walgreens they DO have a notation on customers with a word *SAFE*...he has been at this particular RX for several months now and he calls 1-2 weeks in advance as a reminder to order enough..but even that does not guarantee they will have them in stock..

If you are having problems such as profiling please go to American pain Foundation~APF and click on your State.. In Florida Donna Ratliff is our advocate and is things are in motion of being changed real soon.. you can locate her on FB also..

ROLL DOWN the posts here and you will see her info and her posts..she explains her Private Group you can join

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@metoo In Alabama anywhere north of Montgomery and Mississippi pretty much anywhere as they aren't being slammed and don't know or don't care about where the scrip was written as long as they can verify they've all been very nice and helpful with absolutely NO price gouging! Call ahead and find out if they have n let them knw it's from out of state, I've been goin there for the last 5 months now with no shortage and way better prices! Good luck!!! I knw this sitch sucks for all of us whom actually need and aren't drug dealers users or abusers!!!!

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Carl my pharmacy has been able to get all MG doses of Oxycodone finally. However, they still are not taking new CPPs because they cannot handle that many and still care for regular patients.
As for soma - been prescribed this since August with no problems. Soma is unique in the fact that it actually puts you in REM sleep [one of the few meds that do] which is healing sleep and helps with fatigue. I know it's the "holy trinity" of medications that they watch out for - and my doc keeps saying "I'm on the highest dose" but clearly he has not gone through my records for the last 9yrs alone which would show all the meds I've tried and the strengths. I've been over prescribed years ago and under prescribed. I feel like Goldie Locks as I'm about "just right" right now. But I will point out to my doc that I've been on much higher doses so please don't insult my intelligence that I'm on the highest dose allowed. [far from it]. Peace.

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@Sandy, I was just so surprised to see Soma go to a scheduled drug. I have had Soma around for decades. My wife (passed away) had almost a 1000. at one time. She liked to take just one a day(night) for sleep, but I never thought they were addicting or felt any reason to abuse them. They are just a muscle relaxer. Have a good day Sandy. PS At this rate I may be Federally controlled :) Carl

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@Sandy, I forgot. I'm happy for you to be getting your scripts alright now. Love ya hon, Carl PS. It was nice not having to talk to much about meds for a day. CYA, Carl

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SOMA has been abused for years... I've known people to take 5-10 at a time..the buzz is fleeting before they get so relaxed they can't move..and they start to drool can't left their arms, barely walk it's is ridiculous!

I for one am very glad that they are now a Class IV or I heard they will not be making them.. same way as Quaaludes back in the 80's..gone bye-bye..

Had a friend that abused them and also oxy's, he choked on his own vomit he was so relaxed that he couldn't roll over.. sad.

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10 @ a time, well that's why they were nothing to me. I have about 1700 tramadol from my wife and my scripts over a couple of years, some are a few years old, maybe I should try 10 of them at a time. I take 4 at a time, just once a day, some days, I guess I need to go to 10 before they go schedule IV. They are next to go the way of Soma. Carl

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Just wanted to point out that Tramdol can cause seizures when taken in high doses. I am sure Soma can as well but do not take 10 tramdol at a time as you will very likely seizure.

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@Mike Thanks for my concern, but was just j/k about taking 10, since someone and sure more than one takes 10 Somas. Actually 10 of anything is crazy, look what I'm saying. I was one to do that ...14 percs 3 times a day for about 6 weeks, I'm surprised the APAP didn't kill me. That was over 30 years ago, and last time of abuse of meds. thanks, Mike

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Donna S any med can be abused! Soma if used as prescribed helps with the fatigue that comes along with being in chronic pain. Just as CPPs nerves also tend to be shot because many of us suffer from PTSD that is not helped by hate groups like STOPP or the over zealousness of the DEA. Legit patients can prove what is wrong with their body's easily ~ too bad there is such terrible stigma that goes hand in hand with chronic pain. Where we now see a higher rate of suicide among those whose pain has been under-treated, stopped suddenly or get tired of fighting. Guess a handful of addict's lives mean more than the 117 million lives effected by chronic pain.

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Perhaps the dea has finally cracked down the pill mills in florida. This is good news to me too many people walk into these pain management centers and get tons of prescriptions so they can bring them back to their own states to sell on the streets. I never understood why it is legal for drs in Florida to accept cash only from their paitents, supply them with drugs to take back to the streets to sell. Addicts are dropping like flies from opiate related od everyday. Enough is enough

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try waiting 3 weeks, and then can't fill for another 28 days and then it's going on the 4th week! I just went to the dr's again w/o evening getting last months filled and now I have 2 scripts but no where to fill!!!

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Oh perhaps the DEA has cracked down? Roflmao. The biggest crime is leaving legit patients in pain.

Sorry but not everyone has insurance. So how do they pay if not insured? Also, many pain management clinics cannot afford the malpractice insurance which leaves them unable to take insurance. Primary care docs refer you to these places. Patients are not experts on how a doctor's office should be run. Nor are avg citizens - on the outside looking in. Nor are parents of addicted adult kids experts in how their kid obtained these drugs. Addicts buy off the street 99% of the time while patients twist themselves into loops attempting to be treated with a modicum of respect at every level. People with opinions like spoon are clueless to what everyday legit CP go through.

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@spoons #312, They passed a law most states have had already now is, that the Dr. can NOT sell schedule II meds out of the office, they must be filled at a Pharmacy. It probably is all controlled substances, I just don't know that one for sure. I can remember long time ago, at weight control Centers, they would give you Adipex 37.5 mgs (Phentermine at 37.5 mgs, rather than the usual 30mgs).They would some times just come in a little zip lock bag and the instructions inside or outside stapled to it. I only have seen that because I had a friend and I got on her because she was so thin! The packaging looked like a drug deal on the streets. (the 70's or early 80's in California). That law cuts into a big money maker because they get the big quantity and sell them included on the visit. The charge was so much for the visit listed, and then the meds for her, then they total all in one swoop. No more in Florida.This taking a big chuck out of them.

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Sandy- I am sorry for offending you or anyone else that is in serious pain brought on by disease or serious injury.Pain manage clinics were designed for people who are suffering who most likely need pain medication to function for the rest of their lifes or for an extended period of time.In these situations care should be afford to you with or without insurance. Drs can clearly identify those who legitmatly need it and do whatever they can to supply the medication to you and I agree you should not have to suffer because of the countless others who manipulate the doctors. I am sorry but definatly not clueless.First of all I spent my entire life fighting issues surrounding addiction, begining my life be abandon by by parents at the age of 5 and growing up in fostercare as a result of addiction. I have 2 sibblings who have lost their lifes to addiction. I am currently and have been raising my grandaughter for the last 3and half years because her father lost his life to addiction and my daughter is an addict. Ive taken countless courses on drug addiction while attaining my ba in criminal justice, I work as a mental health counselor for troubled youth...I do have a clue. Florida is filled with pill mills, doctors are helping well bodied able adults by selling them oxycotin to take back to the streets to sell, knowing not one thing is wrong with them. Its a fact the florida pill mills sell these drugs to dealers who dont have insurance who dont even life in the state. I read about it at least once a week,and I live in Massachusetts, where some of the best hospitals in the world are, where it is required to have insurance, if you do not have the money for insurance it will be given to you you will actually be fined if you dont have insurance, so why would they travel to another state and purchase drugs and pay cash for them??? It happens to be a huge problem, several documentaries have been done on the florida pill mills you really should watch them. At the heart of so many drug busts lies florida pill mills. I get so angry about it, so angry what drugs does to people that i do forget that people legitamatly need them and i am sorry for that .but I do have more than just a clue. I do hope you find relief in your pain.

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@ Donna - to your post about your friend mixing somas w/ oxys - my very best friend died the day after my birthday last year from doing that. She was trying to get clean and decided to do her "oxy, soma, xanax" cocktail for one last time - and it really was the last time. She was SO relaxed that she "nodded out" and choked on her own vomit. Her cell phone was in the other hand and her father had to tell me she was in the middle of texting me when it happened. Very sad. I am a pain management patient who is prescibed oxycodone - I used to also be prescibed to the soma and despised the way they made me feel. After losing my friend, I am so glad that they are making away with these. There are so many other beneficial muscle relaxants that will help you in many more ways than somas. I hope your friend made it - if not, I'm sorry for your loss.

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Who should I attack first. I guess I better read post closely before I get on my high horse. BRB Carl

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@Kate, Sorry about your friend but I see it wasn't changing. No one is quitting smoking, drinking, drugs, when they are going to finish the pack, the bottle, the pills, it's fact. Also the Carisopradol is now a Schedule IV...and it's lame. Soma's aren't a buzz, it's mixing them, Phenergan isn't a buzz, but with opiates it a nod and a half. Your friend was not quitting of her own free will, but she did quit. I am sorry, I have no compassion for those that are just doing it one more time. I do for the people that cared for her. If she had taken Phenergan, instead of Soma, she would have certainly died too. Phenergan does nothing by itself, an antihistamine script!!

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nope friend od and also choked on his vomit .. died, dead gone from our lives..
didn't find him for 2 days.. I agree there other muscle relaxants on the market..

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