Watson Is Now Actavis Generic Percocet 5/325 What Is Up With This (Page 19)
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I had been taking 5/325 generic Watson percocet for 4 years. Suddenly I get notified by Walgreens which I have insurance that there is no more Watson brand and I was given generic percocet 5/325 by Actavis. It is not the same at all. It has no pain relief for me. I used to break the watsons in half sometimes and never had a funny taste. I just broke one of the actavis white tablets in half and it immediately tasted like salt or alka seltzer? Has anyone had any issues with this drug too. Also, along with it not working right it has made my GI tract and stomach so ill feeling and cramping. This is not right how can they take away a medicine that someone has been on for 4 years without any problems and tell them to suddenly switch. Would a peson who has been on a certain heart medication for years be told to suddenly switch that he can't get that medicine anymore? I don't think so. I don't know what I am going to do but when it comes time to have my rx re-filled it will not be with Actavis and I will have to pharmacy shop I guess to see if I can find Watson. I am very depressed now and so unhappy I can't believe it.

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Hey Lola - Happy Easter!! Trying to have a good one but not doing well with Florida weather. Yes, I have my 10-325 Percocet and felt a huge difference, able to do things in the house and yard!!! My internal systems aren't yet normal from the Activus oxycodone, same symptoms everyone else seems to have. Reading everyone's experiences makes me think of the roller-coaster rides we are having to put our bodies through - it's scary to me. Drinking lots of water trying to get out whatever toxins I can from the Activus crap; been writing to journalists who happen to "mention" all of us who are pain sufferers and how we are being ignored completely.

The pharmacists - I feel bad for them as they are corporate employees being told what to do and now have to also work in fear. I object to those pharmacists that told me "oh, that's too much percocet for one person" that got me sooo upset I called the supervisor and told her they are NOT my doctors who have diagnosed me, examined me, operated on, whatever and they do not have the medical degree to determine what is "too much" for me. I also wrote to Walgreen's head office about that as well. Your stories about people being robbed - it's horrible, isn't it? Again, the druggies will always find a way.

I have a lot of time so I have already written to corporations, their board of directors, stockholders, etc., claiming their products are making me (and others) sick and more importantly, do not have the proper affect on our pain as it did before, basically warnings about legal suits that will inevitably happen as more people get sick for no reason other than their pill; also email all kinds of government agencies dealing with pain medications in any way, etc. The more we speak out, the more we might get some action that will help us get good medications without being targeted or treated like street users.

How are you doing? We will have better days to come - got to believe that!! My problems are so hard on my family and friends but we really just don't have much of a choice but to make good days the best we can.

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Indeed. Measures are being taken by Walgreens to curb the use, legitimate or otherwise, of opioid medications and all Cll Meds for that matter. I recently read a letter they posted in the drop off area, and I quote; "We reserve the right to refuse filling certain prescriptions for pain medications..." meaning, they are covering themselves from possible DEA issues and giving themselves some leway for filling these scripts. I assume they are looking at the RX and if it is for an obscenely large qty or dose of Cll meds, as well as perhaps the patient being a new one whom is not their database, and/or paying cash. They can reject it and say "Sorry, we reserve the right to fill it..." And, well is this really a bad thing? I say no it is not. I am not for losing rights but I am for strict rules in the legal transfer of possible high abuse causing medications in lieu of those persons of whom may not need them, i.e. those that abuse. Abusers do not only make it more difficult to obtain needed necessary medicines by forging RX's they abuse the system. But this is not new info- you all know what the ramifications abusing meds causes to all who need them. I too am a member of numerous advocation groups, and have connections with pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry with the practices that they are putting into implementation. In your sentence re. me using something other than the medication I am using- I find no reason to change. I have never had an issue with my pharmacy in many years. They know me by first name, and I know them by first name. A relationship must be formed with your doctor, and a professional relationship must be created among your primary pharmacy, and the lead pharmacists. They treat me very well, they order meds only I need without my request for them to order them and if any reason they are out, and another location is stocked with what I need, they call them and have them put them on hold for me to arrive with my RX. When you act and are professional in regard to your necessary pills, patches, or whatnot- you should be treated with the same level of professionalism.
To reiterate the steps being in acted by said pharmacy, it is a political/media story that they dont want aired or a result from such an act.
I now need to show my I.D. To have it filled, sight the backs of the RX, I then need to verify my address and phone number, then show my I.D. to receive the medication when it has been filled. Fine- whats the problem with that? Its much like the obvious need to make everyone show their I.D. to eliminate the rampant voter fraud we all have seen and heard about; It creates a legitimate and honest way to conduct business at hand. People that complain that proving that they are who they state they are, well- who can honestly tell me and say that there is no "question of legitimacy" here?
So, Be honest. Do what you need to, just dont lie about anything. Then- no problems will arise. If they do- not your fault. Contact a supervisor. If you have issues, call your doctor, if he has issues changing things to better help your and alleviate your legitimate situation, stop going to pill mills or flagged doctors.

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I was engaged to a person of whom the father owned a large pharmacy. The unwritten rule is to deny having strong medications in stock over the telephone. If you go to the pharmacy and show them the legitimate RX and they do not have the brand you find best works for your conditions, ask them to tell you which location of their other pharmacies (granted they are a chain) have the brand you notice best helps you. IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND COURTESY. If you find they act rude or you notice they will not check for you or help with your query write a letter to the customer relations H.Q. dept of that pharmacy. NEVER tolerate the attitude from others that you are "abusing " or in any way not using your Meds properly, unless they have reason to think this, i.e. multiple RXs for the same med from multiple docs etc. You are to be treated as any other customer regardless of what your RX is for. When you are legitimate, you are any other customer, and will get all the attention a person needing a specific brand of any medicine prefers. YOU ARE YOUR BEST ADVICATE.

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Hi all. I am so glad to have found this site and ur complaints. Well, not happy about ur complaints as I hate anyone being in pain, but I too was having all these weird side effects from Actavis and I'd take 3-4 10/325 oxy for 'some' pain relief. I never had this problem with Watson percs, vicodins, or Norco. But now that Watson bought out Actavis and changed the name back to Actavis, the whole generic makeup is different. My body is very sensitive to fillers. I used to have CVS order Watson for me b/c they stocked Mallies. For me, Mallies might as well be sugar pills whether generic vicodin or percocets. CVS, along with Rite-Aid are now stocking Amneal. If these are like mallies or Qualitest - those do not work for me. There is something in the fillers I am so sensitive to; so they either don't work or cause terrible side effects. I've asked the pharmacist at both places to order Watson or Actavis (b4 I found u all and given my probs are same side effects as you all forget Actavis) but they said they can't get them. (McKesson is distributor for both pharmacies and I called Actavis and was informed there was no back order, no reason why they can't be ordered. I don't know who is to blame. McKesson or pharms. Rite_Aid pharm told me earlier this week they are on back order for any generic perc for over 2 weeks now). I know the CVS CEO took it upon himself, to decide WHO gets pain meds and who doesn't!! Too many scripts by a doctor and both patient and doctor are banned! What does he expect from pain management doctors??? My pain management doctor would give me the scripts but my neuro has been doing for so long, he just fills in if neuro is unavailable. Also Obama-crap is mandating how these pain meds are made with drug addicts in mind rather than patients with REAL PAIN!! At this point, all of the generics suck for me, my insurance is going to have to pay for BRAND NAME only. For those of you on Schedule II meds, like percs, may I suggest you tell ur doctor u will try the generics but he/she will need to give you separate scripts for each trial. The pharmacist cannot do a partial. I get the scripts for 10 pills even tho it takes 4 scripts per month. At least I can taste test instead of wasting a whole month on something that will not work. One 10/325 Watson would be enough for day. Or I could trade off on some days and get by with just Watson Vicodin. Now 3-4 Actavis oxy and still in pain with serious stomach side effects. Unless you can find a small local pharmacy that may have Watson still in stock, Watson pain meds are just a memory. I note my local Horton&Converse were robbed last night for their pain meds. All these changes have made it worse for patients, pharms and I guess the druggies. Your tax dollars hard at work.

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I had been using Watson for about 2 years and just got my first Actavis last month and noticed it right away. Not as strong and crazy constipation. Making sure I don't get it again. Been using Walgreens but looking elsewhere.

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The a333 is 10/325 a very poor substitute for watson 932 or real percocet

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Hi Nancy, did you get brand name percocet and was wondering how it is working for you? Are the pills blue? A pharmacist in florida was beaten up the other day because a guy came into the pharmacy wanting pain pills. the pharmacy manager said that since the crack down on the pain pills in florida more pharmacies are getting robbed. He said even though the pain pills are shutting down legitimate pain people like us still need our medicine so even people like us will need our medicine and some will resort to robbery of the pharmacies. So much for shutting down the pill mills. The students who are in pharmacy school now said they are taught as bank tellers now - if someone comes in and wants pain pills assume you are going to be robbed and just give them what they want. Then in another news story yesterday a woman went to the pharmacy to get her pain medication re-filled and a guy over heard what she was getting and waited for her outside and threw her to the ground and stole her meds. So by taking away our Watson because of supposed druggies IS NOT going to solve anything - it is just making us legitimate pain people suffer in silence and in agony. I am still going through depression and every day when I can't get out of bed or can't do the things I used to do I think back to the days I had my Watsons. Then I think I wouldn't even be like this if they hadn't taken away my medicine - and so abruptly without warning I may ad. It is NOT fair and the fact that Actavis denies that their pills are not inferior is just a slap in our face because we all know with so many people complaining and still suffering, they are just liars. Hope everyone has a great pain free Easter

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Hey nancy, if u look at my posts a few down, look up the artlcle I mentioned titled something about walgreens new secret checklist.....that would be a good reporter to write to....might give the reporter of that article a reason to do some more investigating. ...especially since one of the people he interviewed was a previous Walgreen s pharmacist.

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Hey Jan - why would they deny it if it's been all over the news? I posted a couple of wks ago that I too contacted Activus-spoke to several depts; they wrote back telling me that the oxycodone/acetomen were still the same but did not address the issue of the revised Watson formula was causing so many of us GI problems, did not work the same on pain, etc. I was sick for a month until I got my mail-ordered brand Percocet which I know too many cannot afford. I've been writing to all the news journalists who mention how we as pain sufferers are being seriously affected by these revised formulas. The pills do not digest the same so we are not getting the same pain relief dosage we used to. We are all being herded into having limited options - we can't even boycott because we need pain relief. Addicts will find theirs as always. Very stressful. Hope all have a good Easter.

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Martin, for me Mallickrodt isn't that bad. I do get some pain relief and I don't have any adverse side affects so far. I think my body is getting used to it, I would say the relief is 90% on a good day which isn't too bad. I think for me, it's better than endocet. I'm afraid to try that and be stuck with it for a month. If you ask me, I think it's like Aeon said. Because of abuse by some with the insufflating and so forth, the opiate formulas are changing.

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Yes, druggies are making it difficult for real pain sufferers! If you watch"The wild and wonderful whites of west Virginia" You will see what I mean. You can watch snippets on (youtube) They are shown, abusing, crushing, insufflating, ect. all types of drugs, including opiates! When I saw that, I just wanted to smack them. When people publicly abuse drugs, it gives the powers that be a chance to say "see, they all abuse drugs" They just want to be high! I'm actually trying to learn to deal with the pain longer, so my body will learn to deal with less medicine. It's been going really well. The problem is that as you get older, the aches and pains spread to various parts of your body. Now that meniscus tear I have in my left knee, is deciding to act up more often and the fibromyalgia is getting worse. I refuse to get knee surgery! I'm finding that lifestyle changes have to be made, at least for me. If you don't have some type of hobbies or something to distract you from the pain, you will probably take more medication. It's a catch 22, they tell us to do more and doing more causes more pain. Anyone check out the related thread under ours? I see that Actavis is mentioned at least twice.

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Hi Aeon, welcome to our pity party here...lol.....jk. I posted about the new abuse deterrent formula here some time back...the only thing though that isn't made clear is when Ive read the articles about it, it talks about Acta"crap" (Actavis) using the abuse deterant formula that perdue pharm used in there drug oxycotin/done, I cant recall at the moment which one but it was a drug that was by itself, with no Tylenol or such, then reading further into the article it talks about oxycodone...if you read my posts throughout these pages, you will see I search the internet a lot and read a fair share of articles pertaining to pain meds, even if it doesn't seem relevant to our conversations here on this thread cause theres usually a mention or two of something in the ball park of our medication, what one pharmaceutical or another has been dealing with when it comes to pain meds or legal suits, etc, etc....just like the websites I talked about a few posts down...the titles of the articles may seen irrelevant, but in reading them, there are paragraphs that are relevant to us and questions we have wondered. as far as fentanyl, that's stronger than most of us are taking and you are going to be getting hit the hardest with all the changes taking place with schedule II and I meds. read my posts a few comments down,,,i have I think 2 that are somewhere within the last 10 posts...theyre two that are posted one after the other that have titles of two articles, one is something I found on a Indiana news website that will mention other things in our interest that have nothing to do with the title of the article and theres another one from the Orlando sentinel newspaper in central florida that talks about this new policy and forms Walgreens is now using because of all the trouble they've gotten into with the DEA regarding dispensing pain meds. let me know what you take from it after you read it. From what I read though, now would be a good time for u to try and find something other than fentanyl to help you control your pain.

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As a chemist and a pain patient, I follow the news and watch trends. Most narcotics are now being reformulated with "inert" binders or fillers rather, such as sodium bicarbonate as to discourage abuse via insufflating or injecting. There is only a few years until all scheduled opioids are in some way altered to eliminate the potential to be used other than the intended route of absorption. On that note, I prefer the fentanyl patches without the gel, they seem to stick better and have more of a constant absorption. Also, they are so much smaller and gone are the risks with breaking the patch and overdosing on the gel.

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Hi lola, im not too keen on taking something time released....when I think of time released, I think how if im hurting bad and take a time release, it would take longer to kick In. ...plus, I dont wanna b no guinea pig to some new drug like we pretty much were with actacrap....my new name for them. I will say, after reading all these articles on the internet the other night, I dont trust ANY of these drug companies. ..theyre all a bunch of kids fighting on the playground then suing eachother over their cuts n scrapes.....,

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Hi Lola, and everyone,

Lola, I heard a little about the new pain medication. My husband showed me a video on the internet. I thought it didn't have any tylenol in it, but I guess that's not true. I'm not asking the doctor about it though, because the info I read say's it comes in bottles of 100. I get a lot more than that now, so I won't rock the boat. It would be nice to try something that works! I'm walking very slowly on the treadmill right now, so I will talk to everyone later. I feel like my life is too sedentary due to pain. It's actually helping a little!

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Hi Jennifer and everyone, I think I will stop asking where that person keeps getting her rx re-filled with Watson because why would they give up their Watson source right? lol. I have been taking the endocet and like I stated in my other post it is not without side effects for me - now if I take the prescribed dose per day I get really blurry vision so I have cut them in half and it seems to be a little better. Then the other issue is that it doesn't give me the energy that I had with the Watsons quite the opposite - after about an hour or so I start to feel sleepy which i absolutely hate that dragged out down feeling. However, they do help a bit with my neck pain. So Martin if you were to try these they might work for your pain better than the oxycodone IR. I see my pain doctor on Monday don't know if he is going to listen to me or not because he doesn't talk or have any eye contact. Jan so sorry you are having to have the epidurals again. Are you sure it will help? I have heard they only last a brief time and then you are back where you were with the pain. A friend of mine takes Alvogen percocet 10/325. Just a warning don't get this generic it is as bad as the Actavis. He hates it. Has no pain relief and gives him really bad headaches. I don't know what is left out there to try. My pharmacist told me there is a new time released percocet that just came out called Xartemis xr 7.5/325. Any one heard anything about this new one?

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Hi all,

So much to say! First, I received a letter from the Actavis company. Of course they denied that the formula had changed. What did we expect? Also Jennifer, I had the same experience with calling a small pharmacy. I asked if he had any percocet, and he said no. I was shocked! How are you a pharmacy with no percocet? I thought the same thing you did, they don't want to get robbed. This is getting really crazy! I called Walmart one day, and they said they didn't have any either. Seriously? Anyway, I picked up my script Sunday from Raley's, and got Mallinckrodt again. It isn't that bad and I think my body is adjusting to it. It seems there's always something! I'm back using my tens unit again, but the electrodes are causing an itchy rash on my shoulders. Now I have to get online, to try to find the hypoallergenic kind. Hey, at least they're available. It is 12:00 P.M. and I just took my 3rd percocet. I can take 6 a day, but it's hard to make them last, when they don't work that great! I have an MRI for my shoulder Friday. I have to do that before I can get the spinal epidurals again. I'm not even sure I want to get those again. The risk are kind of high. I was able to mop 2 floors yesterday and polish furniture, but I really paid for it later!
I hope everyone finds some relief today , from your pain and have a bright spot in your day! I think about you all a lot, because I can relate to living with pain. Keep in touch.

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Hi all,

Work has been busy and havent been able to pop in. I am taking Oxycodone IR also known as Roxicet. Thye work just OK. For pain, Watson was a 10. Roxicet is a 5 or 6. I am struggling with pain and yes depressed Lola. I am going to try Endocet or Mallinkroft next. Anybody have an opinion which is better? My RX goes til June so Im screwed til then. Jennifer, would love to see those articles. Will have to google when I have a chance. Hope you all are doing well.

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Thats where I filled my script at for the mallinkrodt. ...@ the medicine shoppe. Has anyone looked at the sites I listed below? I dont get how they get away with this drug seeker title? Its like a trap. If u have a script n have been taking a certain brand then the store u have always used stops stocking them n u try n find another store that carries em then ur looked at like a drug seeker? I compare it to coca cola n pepsi.....my family prefers diet coke, if theyre out of diet coke yet have diet pepsi, my family will just get it at another store....makes sense. The pharmacies..drs....DEA...FDA, etc, all know the effects of changing brands of medication that one has been on strictly for a period of time, yet when we're blindsided n put on the spot with new meds, go thru withdrawals, try n find our usual brand n search for answers y this is happening, we're legitimately categorized with the a holes that screwed up the system n ruined us being able to help ourselves. With any other scenario, if we've done our homework, researched the topic or issue nd armed ourselves with as much knowledge as we possibly can, we would be considered responsible n smart, but when it comes to our treatment in pain relief, the more we put out there to the drs n pharmacies about what we know, they think we're drug abusers or addicts. The system sets us up to be discriminated against n looked done upon it shouldnt be legal to throw us in the same circle as the ones who we want to strangle for making it this way. Then in doing some more research on our situations, this website pops up in the search results called blue light something or other so I clicked to see what it was and its a website where people who use street drugs or who abuse their medications to feel high....luckily u have to register to make comments or to post cause after reading just a few posts, I so badly wanted to cuss these people out cause the crap theyre posting about is the exact reason we r getting such a hard time now with our legitimate, legal pain problems!

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Hi Jennifer, I don't understand either how she got another refill with the Watsons. I asked the same question about what state does she live in I was thinking a small town that they still have back stock. All the Walgreens in south Florida don't have any left. I don't know about CVS. I did go to a Medicine Shoppe and the pharmacist just lied and said he doesn't even have percocets. Probably thought he was going to get robbed. He was a real jerk and acted like I was a drug seeker.

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