Norco Shortage In Michigan (Page 12)

Is anyone else having problems finding a pharmacy to fill their scripts of Norco? I have been taking them for a few years now for my chronic pain. I always go to the same pharmacy chain, and its always the same doctor who writes my scripts, but since the new law change no one seems to have them in stock. Some pharmacists told me it was a manufacturer back order. We are told not to go without our meds, but yet how is that possible if we can't get them? Anyone knows of a pharmacy that has Norco 10/325 in the metro Detroit area?

REPLY

REPORT

In response to 'Thingsneedtochange's post, I have read the article(s) which you suggested. The question remains: how do we, the legitimate pain patients, manage to find a pharmacy who can fill our legal prescriptions, without the so-called "pharmacy hopping"? What is the outcome to be? Those who can do something about this do not seem to be doing anything.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I apologize for the mix up and basically letting you have it in such a firm fashion! I am so fed up with people not believing the hell that we are being put though! Memorial Day weekend left me without medication for almost a week and finally I went to the ER. Even the doctor did not believe me when I showed her my prescription which was for a narcotic and told her I was unable to fill it! So, they called over to a Walgreen and was assured that they had my medication. My friend who had taken me to the ER then left the hospital and dropped the script off, they came back and got me and took me home until the prescription was processed! About 30 minutes after getting home I got a call from Walgreen informing me they had made an error and did not have my medication! My friend and I both returned to the Walgreen and explained that the ER doctor had called to be sure that I could get my medication before releasing me! I explained that I was desperate for my medication or I would not have went to ER! They still said that they did not have my medication! Back to ER I went, but this time they wrote me a prescription for a few tablets in hopes that I would be able to fill my prescription after Memorial Day weekend; before the medication that they wrote for me was gone! I was able to fill that prescription at the hospital pharmacy but they would not fill my doctors prescription there! I went home and found two Sheriffs waiting for me! Walgreen had called them and told them that they were worried for my safety! Even after showing the Sheriff that I that just returned from another ER visit and now had some medication; they insisted that I be taken for an examination! The so called examination turned out to be them taking me and having me Baker Acted! (at my expense both financially and emotionally) Three days later I was able to talk to a doctor and in less than 5 minutes was on my way to being released! God only knows what I have been though and where I am going because we are a group of people that are being forgotten because of the war on drugs! Again I apologize!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Are the drug store chains doing this on a whim or are they being told to do this by someone in government? How can we force their hand and make them tell us. Are there new rules they do not have the courage to tell us? I do not for a minute buy this hogwash about re-labeling of products or a shortage from manufacturers. That at tops would be 2 months of delays. For me it is going on 4mos. Perhaps if we all got together and spoke with an attorney to see if we have any options to force their hand it would help us. I spoke to one chain store about the white vs. yellow and must have thought I wanted the white ones. I did not, I wanted what I always have gotten, the yellow ones. The man told me the whites can be abused. I thought to myself, I do not care if they put them where the sun don't shine. I just want my script filled the VERY day I bring it in. I am forced to drive to my doctors to get a script each month. I am forced to go to the drug store and wait while they fill it every month now. Why should I go through a delay of any kind because some mutt misuses his medication? Thanks to Gail I know now I can go to the hospital, my doctor works out of and get it filled I hope on the spot. The hospital is less than a quarter mile from my front door.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Patty- I read your response late last night and I figured I'd wait till today to respond. My God..one thing I am happy about it that we don't have The Baker Act here in Michigan! Your story sounds exactly like something that I would go through. It is appalling and I can't believe how many slaps in the face you experienced in just the one day! I know the desperation of deciding to sacrifice your pride and making that dreaded trip to the ER when you're out of meds and in extreme pain. The looks the nurses and doctors give you when you explain what's going on, and the comments made when you inform them of your current meds. The last time we visited a ER for the same situation, they really made me feel like not only a druggie, but a faker and liar. I am 34 and began with two herniated disks at the age of 21. I had been a patient at a Pain Clinic for 5 years up till a year ago due to losing my insurance. Sadly right now the only relief I have is at self physical therapy and pain meds. The doctor at the hospital read me the right act. I take 5-10mg Norcos a day and she questioned my motives for the pain pills with undeniable sarcasm. She asked Why don't I try inj's., why aren't I in physical therapy or traction, and why don't I see about having back surgery? I replied I received inj's. every 3-4 months for 4 years, complied with orders for 6 rounds of physical therapy, 4 rounds of traction, and have had 3 trips to surgeons for assessment and approvals. Since I have two disks herniated and degenerative disk disease, all 3 suggested that at my age, surgery would be a bad idea and that with two, they'd rather just manage the pain and look at surgery further in the future. I walked out of there with 10-5mg Norcos. The way we are treated is unfair and belittling. It's basically mocking someone with a disability and makes us feel worthless. My heart goes out to you though Patty. That story is so appalling, and these laws are causing more harm than good! It scares me that it will never get better...and it HAS to!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hello all. I think that it's a good idea Beagle. I'm gonna look into what kind of a lawyer is best for this kind of complaint. I would love if we could get some kind of legal suit. Maybe the ACLU. They deal primarily with civil rights violations. I'd say this qualifies. Let me look into that. So I got white ones at the hospital. But they are not the same white ones I got at the drug store. They are working great. I don't foresee any problems for you Beagle. The hospitals are categorized differently than drug stores. So no shortage. And yes. I believe the DEA is putting limits on how much drug stores can get per month. Sidebar here but I watched that movie "Dallas Buyers Club" today. You all should watch it. It deals with how the FDA totally screwed with the people who had aids back when the whole HIV and AIDS disease first started. It is incredible how similar the situation is. And you really see how the FDA screws with peoples lives without one shred of remorse. I was blown away.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Pattycakes, I am beyond appalled, and so very sorry for what you have been going through. Those horrible people at Walgreen's called the police?? And, you were Baker-Acted?? And, you are correct re: hospital pharmacies. All of you need to listen to her. They will not fill our prescriptions, either, unless we have been an inpatient. Florida pain patients: DO NOT go to Walgreens! I knew they were terrible to us, but what they did to this poor woman! There is a blog called askthePharmacist, written by a pharmacist (Steve Ariens), on the National Pain Report site. His wife is a chronic pain patient, and he has much information on his blog. Read his blog from March 31, 2014. Helpful information regarding the disabled, and their rights.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

someone should get the news involved.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

The news has run some stories here in Florida; they did one just last week! They run a story however and then they do not continue with it; it is another 6 months or longer and they might do another evening report of someone else! I know i am not the only one that is in this situation, Florida, I know has been hit hard! If you google Florida and Walgreen or CVS .. or anything about chronic pain patients it is loaded with descriptions of people that are SUFFERING because they can not get their pain medications refilled! I say SUFFERING because that is what it is! I have been though so much ... besides being baker acted as I have described below; just last month I was 10 days without my major pain medication; 100 mic fentanyl patch! That came just 3 days after changing my break though medication to a lesser medication because I had continued to have problems getting the one i had been on filled! I can not help but think if I were an addict I would have gotten help sooner than 10 days! I fight the best when I know I have someone fighting for me and with me but the fight feels impossible when everyone continues to turn their back on me and knowingly leaves me without medication!

I did not mean to make this all about me! As I stated; I know there are many out there walking this same road! I appreciate all the people who are trying to solve this problem however and maybe between us we can do something that will lead to easier access for our pain medications!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I was wondering yesterday....has there ever been any legal suits against the Drug Administration? I wonder also if there has been people out there that have suffered from heart attack or stroke or hospitalized from anxiety that was a result of withdrawals from norco. I know when I went to the ER, the nurse was concerned with my blood pressure being 190/100 and my HR was 111. It was from pain and withdrawals, and I already take Bp meds. I mean Patti was "hospitalized" at her own expense, and it was all due to this! I wish that I had an idea how much gas I have spent on driving around for hours with no results of finding my meds. We visited 15 places just 5 days ago. OH...BTW...my husband found yellow norco at Walmart in Livonia for me. They filled a script for 60, just not sure how many they had left. Hope that can help someone!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

If I ever have to go to the ER for my pain and a nurse questions me I will not tell them anything. I will not sit there and explain to a nurse that I have tried other routes to fix my pain situation. I will not let a nurse make me feel "guilty" for taking my pain medication. There are ALOT of judgmental know it all nurses out there that are just plain nosey they don't give a rats ass about how you really feel or what suffering you have been going through. It is really none of their business what reasons I take my pain meds for. I would only speak directly to the ER doctor period. We are judged enough the last thing I need when I go to the ER as a last resort by the way, is to feel like I have to jump through hoops to some i**** nurse.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I went to ER twice last month because i was unable to get my 100 mic fentanly patch! This is not a break though med but my main pain medication which I was without for 9 days! It is one of the strongest pain medications on the market! The ER doctor gave me what I will call minimal treatment; but in fact it was no help at all! I was given a shot of toradol as well as a lecture! This doctor was able to see that I had not had my patches in atleast a week at that time from the Federal drug monitoring system! I can not tell you if it is ignorance on these doctors part or fear; but my best guess from all that I have been though and therefore heard is that it is fear! They are more fearful of the DEA than they are devoted to my well being! When they took an oath to do no harm, did it not include pain patients who are now suffering from pain and now going though withdrawal because pharmacists are refusing to fill our prescriptions? Does or physical and mental well being not count if a doctor is fearful of the DEA! I did speak to a lawyer who did not have any suggestions or offer to try to help! May God have mercy on us!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Oh...I totally agree Jerry. The funny thing was the doctor was in there questioning me with the nurse! I've been embarrassed so many times by everyone from Nurses to many pharmacists. A couple months ago I, once again, couldn't find ANY norco in Metro Detroit. Me and my husband were heading to Armada area to visit a few Amish farms to make some deals for pumpkins. I decided that we would just try a few pharmacies along the way, hoping other counties weren't having such a hard time keeping Norcos in stock. We stopped at a Kroger after two other stops along the two hour drive. I approached the female pharmacist, handing her my script and saying "I'm praying you can possibly fill this for me, please." She looked at it, and I told her I had a miserable time filling it and had visited 6 other places in two days. She says "Huh. Well I don't believe that. There's no way this script would be that hard to fill." I said "Excuse me? I swear, they said they're having issues with labling and receiving them. I've been having trouble ever since I moved from Grand Rapids." She responded, in a very nasty attitude "Yeah, I don't believe that. I think there is another issue, and that's why I'm going to look you up in our MAPS system. Why are you all this far away from home?" I told her about our trip to Kpac area and I was appalled, but so desperate that I just let her attitude go. My doctor gave me my script two days early knowing how many issues I had been having. That day I was only one day early. She looked in the system and said in a defeated manner "ok, it will be about a half hour." I went and sat next to my husband, almost in tears, and explained to him what happened. He was pissed and wanted to tell her off and tell the manager. I was sick of being mistreated an agreed, but only after we got my script. Ten minutes later she came to the window and loudly, in front of about seven people waiting "Looks like you're trying to get your script early? I've called your doctor but there's no answer, and I WILL NOT be filling this for you today!" I was so embarrassed. I went up and took my script, sweaty and tears in my eyes, and took my script. Got in the car, and looked at the back of my script, and she had written all over the back "Filled on 10/1 and will not fill early." Then wrote Krogers, and their address, store # and telephone # to the pharmacy. That's when I realized the whole time she had my script, she was just trying to ruin my chances of getting my script filled, and made sure to alert anyone else possibly trying to fill my script. I cried for about two hours, and ended up throwing up twice on the way to the farm. I have never been so offended. We actually went to Ohio after that, 15 mins away and a grocery store there filled it for me. They were so nice, and said they couldn't understand the big deal of filling it a day early? It's been a long and frustrating time this year, and I just keep praying that next year will be better.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hello Jerry,
Nurses are everything you say & more! My own sister is a nurse & they are KNOWN to be the WORST DRUG ABUSERS EVER!!! Not just my sister~she has told me about others, & I have heard from my friends who know them personally. When I was in Rehab. after my hip replacement & the nurses come by with your pain & other pills, MANY times they did NOT have my pain pill on them...they would either play the DUMB act like, "Oh, I didn't see it on your record...or told me "they just changed the color sweetie~don't worry about it, & of course I would ask for the ndc " mft., & when did they change it & I need the phone number to verify this, & I also went over hr head, 7 I have not seen that nurse in there ANYWHERE anymore~I HOPE they fired her stupid ass! The next day I got my regular percocet, & it wasn't changed. I walked around with my walker to other patients & they said the same thing has happened to them about it is different color now, & they said it didn't help their pain at all!!! I truly have NO respect for nurses & PA's. I was in the office & SUPPOSED to talk to the Doctor, & this B**** nurse kept saying that she wasn't sure that she wanted to give me percocet because she thought I needed a long acting drug. I do not know which she was talking about...she wouldn't tell me. I did get my percocet 10/325 thank God, as I heard the Doctor told her to give it to me. From then on, I INSISTED that after being intimidated for a damn hour telling me how addicting these drugs are~ I am NOT putting myself thru that again. My Fiance wanted to haul off & deck her~I should have let him!!! (he has NEVER hit a woman either)~he was THAT MAD! These women get these "power heads" & they have crap jobs~they aren't as important as Doctors & like my sister says always, that nurses can't STAND Doctors, so thought i would share that with you. I must say tho, I have NEVER had a problem with men nurses or men pa's! Good luck to you. It is heart wrenching when I read about others in pain. I don't wish pain on anyone, but maybe it would be good thing to give it to those who judge...those who intimidate...those who are simply mean & ignorant!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hello,
I found some Vicodin at the Farmington Drug. They are really accomodating & if they do not have something, they order it.
I hope this helps.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I don't know why the F these damn pharmacies are being such a**holes to fill our scripts that are legally obtained by our doctors, who the f*** do these a**holes think they are? Oh they wanna change everything and laws and s*** but wtf are we supposed to do about our pain, that they are prescribed for, sit around and suffer and end up in the ER, from massive PAIN? If they want laws, they need to STOP with the damn cigarettes, that is causing lung cancer for people who DONT EVEN SMOKE!!? PUT A LAW DOWN ON THAT S***?? Then they keep changing the pills, first they were blue lortab Watson 10/500 then they switched to white 10/500 Watson, then they totally changed to white m353 malink 10/500 then they changed to white 10/325 m367 now I hear they are only doing YELLOW NORCOS GENERIC 10/325 the lowest if them all with the V symbol on them, might as well pop some aleves cause this s*** is not helping for chronic pain !! I don't even think there is anything in them for pain in them it's more of a placebo! They are basically weaning everyone off of them, cause they know how many people got addicted from pain meds!! Basically! Now they are trying to save their own asses!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I wonder when all this crap is going to stop and/or what it is going to take to stop all these ignorant pharmacists from playing god with our meds. I see on other threads that more and more people can't get their prescriptions filled because the judgemental i**** pharmacist says "no". Just read in the local paper about how many people are now overdosing on H because they had to get some kind of pain relief even if it now means going to the street. How sad is that? Even with a legitimate prescription! I can't stand these pharmacists who give you "the look" as if we are drug seekers looking for a fix. They are hypocrites too because my friend used to work in a large pharmacy and one of the pharmacists was chewing vicodin when nobody else was there. The pills were all of a sudden getting less and less in the bottles and then they put up a hidden camera and caught her standing right in front of the camera and putting vicodin in her lab coat pockets. So they think they are better than we are? LOL

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

We were having luck about 4 months ago at Spectrum. My husband has severe Carpal Tunnel and gets less than me and a lower dose( 7.5/325 2X a day) and we both had our own script. We brought our two dogs in the car and on top of it being too hot to leave them in the car, there was not ONE spot for us to park. We decided that he would stay in the van out front while I gave them mine and then I would wait in van while he went in. The pharmacist recognized me and I handed her my script. She was like "alright Michelle, it'll be about 20-30 mins and gave me a pager. I went out front and got in the van with the dogs while he ran in, after making sure the pager would be fine in the van by security. My husband came back out an said that they, very rudely, handed it right back to him and said they didn't have 7.5s (different woman). Soon as he closed the door my pager went off. It had only been about 10 minutes. I looked at him, knowing something was wrong. I went back inside and this older rude woman, without eye contact, roughly handed it back and said "We can't fill this" (the younger nice girl looked embarrassed and gave me a sad like look). I just stood there baffled, and stuttering. " oh. I....um so you don't have it?" She was like "nope. Give me the pager." I knew from her cruel and cold attitude that something happened. Well after a confusing ride home, I figured that they must had thought, possibly, that we were trying to get one over on her, like since they took my fake script, they'd take his. And I guess him not coming in with me made us sketchy? I didn't even think of that because IT WAS A LEGIT SCRIPT FROM A LEGIT DOCTOR THAT HAD BEEN FILLED AT THAT HOSPITAL THE THREE PAST TIMES! Just feeling defeated. And sorry about the b****ing and the stories, but it feels so good to talk to others that have been through some of the same degrading situations and can understand. I wish there was a lawyer that would take something like this on. I'm sure if I have a stroke, I could get someone to take the case....LOL....rather not though!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

October 28 two years ago my wife committed suicide taking Gabapentin; yeah that's a real good drug! She shot her self in the temple. it's a mind altering drug, not a narcotic for pain

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

When people can not get relief from pain that is adequate enough to allow them to continue to live then there is only one other choice .... the only variable is how to go about leaving this world behind!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

The story is the same in Texas. My regular pharmacy is out of Norco and has been for several days. Sam's pharmacist says they have ordered from several manufacturers for generic and they are in their 5th day without delivery. I got my prescription 2 days ago from my pain management Doctor and have tried about 15 different pharmacies in the Houston area. I took my last Norco this morning. This is a ridiculous situation that I'm sure would be corrected much quicker if all of these jokers had to go about a week without their pain meds.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have a fractured rib and chronic lower back pain and have been on Norco for a year (7.5-325). I have been switched to ...

23 REPLIES

This sounds like a bunch of phooy to me. I have had pain management for several years now and this is the first time tha...

5 REPLIES

My husband suffers from sciatica and has suffered from it for at least 10 years. He has had 2 major invasive back surger...

2 REPLIES

I've taken pain meds for over 10 years, two years ago the doctor upped my script a bit from Vicodin 7.5/750 (d/day) ...

1 REPLY

Can i have my 7.5 norco filled on the internet in detroit michigan? ## None at all. I just spent two days searching ever...

6 REPLIES

Cant find norco 10/325 I have been on these for years and because of high ons I cant get my rx this is crazy. What r we ...

17 REPLIES

According to the FDA's website there is no shortage, so what's going on? Has anyone been able to locate any? acc...

9 REPLIES

I've been treated for Chronic pain for 7 years or so with Norco 10/325. I've recently transferred to Houston fro...

2 REPLIES

I have chronic pain due to a plate in my arm and nerve damage. I have tried over 10 pharmacies in the last week and ever...

4 REPLIES

I live in northern Michigan (not the U.P.) and have been prescribed Norco 10/325; 200 pills a month. Anyone who has take...