Watson Is Now Actavis Generic Percocet 5/325 What Is Up With This (Page 28)

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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I was wondering if Marianne has thought about putting the petition on Care2Causes. I think she would get a better response as I am constantly getting requests to sign petitions through that site. If she wants I can try and set up an account to get a petition started, we need to do something to show the feds we are not happy with their decisions involving OUR health.

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I will ask her, I don't think she would have a problem with another site. But I'll sure check with her.

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Thank you so much for signing. If you can get others to do the same, that would be great also.

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I signed the petition... I also filed a formal complaint to the FDA the moment Watson was pulled 8 months ago and they never contacted me as it was stated that they would. Shocking. I wrote on here 7 months ago and I think it's wonderful that everyone is still fighting! I also say about 10 posts down that Roxy said in all caps QUALITEST BRAND IT GOOD/ THE BEST, something alone those lines... she is SO RIGHT!!!! The problem... SO HARD TO FIND!!!! If you can find this brand, GET IT. Most pharmacies won't tell you over the phone what brand they have because they have been trained that if someone calls and asks what brand you carry they could be poaching a trap that the person's real question is confirming that you actually have ANY there at all so they can steal them, because ya know- criminals take precedence over patients! But if you go and ask IN PERSON they will tell you because your shiny face is on camera, you know it's none of the big guys- Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid... It's hiding in privately owned pharmacies and HOSPITAL pharmacies- that's where I get it. In Richmond, it's at Stony Point Pharmacy. If you are physically able to- it's worth popping your head into any local apothecary or drug story or hospital pharmacy you can think of and just word is such as "Do you carry Qualitest manufactured Oxycodone 5/325?" That way they don't have to give anything away and you sound knowledgeable. (BIG unfortunate with them, they ONLY make 5/325) KEEP ON KEEPING ON ALL- WE'LL FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE RIGHT!!!!

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The same thing just happened to me! Rite aid gave it to me and didn't inform me about the change and now im stuck with them! Im so upset. Living with pain is hard and the little relief I get from my pain meds has now been taken away! How can just a different brand of the same ingredients not work? I hope this helps others before it happens to them also!

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Thank you so much for signing the petition. We need every signature we can get. It has gone too far now. If we don't do something we are all going to be without our meds. I am so angry that I have a problem every month or so with my meds. It's bad enough being sick, I don't need heartache from the pharmacy almost every time I go.
I know that they are all afraid that they are going to be "closed down" because of the government agencies harassing them. They need to realize that isn't going to happen, because the DEA or FDA isn't going to take on a large corporation, because the large corporations have power with their congressman.

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SAD IN CT.....if you read through this entire thread...and I know its long, you will find the answer to your question along with so much more you never knew that will open your eyes. Theres so much info filled in the posts from myself and others that will make you so much more knowledgeable about your pain management care, meds, pharmaceutical companies, Actavis and more! Its worth the reading!

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FYI...Dont quote me, but I think Qualitest is the same company that makes or is associated with brand Percocet and endocet.

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Hi, Jan and Lola. I, also, am taking oxycodone and am having horrible headaches and sick stomach like I did with hydrocodone..... I was given the Actavis brand this time. Endocet does not work for me very well but Watson worked great. I know Watson is no longer available because Actavis bought their mfct company. The same problems were happening with the hydrocodone a year or two back from Actavis. I heard they are using inferior products to make their lortabs (hydrocodone) and I am gathering it is now the same problem with the Percocet. I have had oxycodone made by Qualitest and, so far, they seem to be the best. I just got my rx yesterday so I have to put up with this for a month....but, I am going to ask my pharmacy to stock Qualitest for me. It is pretty sad that we pay so much money for inferior products! My rx yesterday cost me $218 and they aren't worth the paper the script was written on! I got them at Walgreens. My local, small family pharmacy charges about $70 for the same script! How in the heck can there be such a vast difference in price between pharmacies? Hydrocodone is around $40 for the same amount of pills. It's crazy! I hope everyone gets their meds straightened out soon! Like I said, I have a whole month to go and, though I'm not experiencing withdrawals, I have many side effects!

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We are all in the same boat, Martin. Actavis, from what I found out when they were making hydrocodone ( lortab, Vicodin, Norco, etc) has been using inferior ingredients in their meds....hence the reason it does not work and is causing so many side effects. I changed, yesterday, from hydrocodone to oxycodone because of the side effects ( headache, nausea, irritability, etc) and this oxycodone from Actavis is just as bad or worse than the hydro where S/E's are concerned. I have to take them for the next 29 days so I have to just deal with it.....but, next month I will have my pharmacy stock Qualitest oxycodone since they do work without all the side effects. I don't believe, since Actavis bought Watson, anyone can get ahold of Watson brand anymore. This is all ridiculous! How can they get away with using inferior products and yet charge out the nose for the med? It is ridiculously expensive! And not worth it!

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Hi, Lisa. Qualitest makes a pretty food oxycodone ( Percocet) that actually works! Many of us from this forum went after Actavis with complaints about their hydrocodone causing so many side effects and no real pain relief. Hydrocodone makes me sick and doesn't work very well so I was switched to oxycodone which, until now, I have never had this kind of problem with. Endocet never worked well for my pain but at least I wasn't getting headaches & nausea on top of it all. I don't know, if anything, what was done about the hydrocodone. Actavis is still in operation so I really don't believe anything came of it....people just asked their pharmacies to change manufacturers. You can do that at small, family owned pharms but it is more difficult to get a chain pharm to do it. That's been my experience, anyway.
I know these posts are fairly old but I am interested in knowing anything people have found out about Actavis and what people are doing instead of using Actavis brand meds.

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Jan, Actavis IS Watson......the "new" Watson. Actavis bought them I believe in 2013 but pharmacies were just using up all the Watsons they and the company had. I don't believe anyone has the actual Watson brand anymore. You will be better off requesting Qualitest because if you ask for Watson, Actavis is what you will get! I got my script filled at Walgreens yesterday because my pharmacy carries Endocet from Endo Pharm.....those don't work for me. And, Actavis costs $218 vs $70 from Endo.....way too expensive for meds that don't work, IMO. I am requesting Qualitest brand since I know they work. I am fairly certain my pharmacy will order them for me. I feel Actavis needs to be looked into by quality control because the quality of their meds just isn't there.a lot of us went through this same thing with Actavis ( Watson ) hydrocodone. I don't know what came of it but a lot of people complained to the company, FDA, and to anyone who would listen. Some big chain pharmacies did not care about what this did to many of their patients. I think it's sad how chronic pain patients get treated! Like we are just after the drug! Sick.....we just want to live as normal a life as possible.....a life with some kind of quality. I don't believe that is asking too much! It is not our faults that we were injured or have a painful, debilitating disease! I'm tired of people who don't understand chronic pain treating others like addicts! I have been on both sides of the situation....I am a chronic pain patient and I'm a nurse. I would NEVER treat anyone like they are just a drug addict like I see so many nurses, pharmacists, doctors, etc do! If given a choice, I wouldn't take any of the meds I am on! I'm sure most people feel the same way.

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Hi, Naomi. This is just an FYI since you are filling out that form. The same exact thing happened when Actavis too over the hydrocodone. It was about two years, maybe less, ago. They had millions of complaints and what came about is the revelation that this new company was using inferior products in their medication. I do not believe Watson would still be available since Actavis owns them but, come to think of it, someone I know on hydrocodone gets Watson brand......I don't know how that is possible but it is definitely something to check into. I don't know if I could trust the Watson brand, though, since Actavis owns them. I am going to request Qualitest brand from my pharmacy. So far the only oxycodone I had gotten from them was endocet and they do not work for me very well. I went to Walgreens for my script yesterday....expecting Watson. I was surprised with a pill I had never seen before. ( Actavis brand ). I don't care what anyone says.....there IS a difference between manufacturers and how they work. Those who don't believe that have never had to take narcotics for any length of time! It's easy for these people to act like we are nuts but they have no clue what we go through when our meds are changed! And, for so many people to be experiencing the same thing, does not make sense that this would be all in our heads! If these people only knew!

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Naomi.... ask your doctor for Lyrica. It is an amazing drug for nerve pain..... used just like gabapentin ( Neurontin) but without the nasty side effects. They can make you tired but save the larger dose for bedtime. That's what I did. However, it is expensive if you don't have insurance but if you do have then Lyrica will be covered if you have a sensitivity/allergy to gabapentin. Just thought I would let you know. Good luck!

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Oops, sorry, my previous post was meant for Jan and not Naomi! Sorry.
JAN.....READ MY POST TO NAOMI ABOUT LYRICA.

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Tracy
There's a huge difference in each manufacturer of the oxycodone. The brands that were on the market for years have patents, and the newer ones are not the "same" because the others are protected by their patent. KVK Tech is the worse brand of oxycodone that many of us have ever taken. The filler/buffer that is being used, doesn't deliver the opiate to your central nervous system, therefore it doesn't stop your pain. In addition it causes all sorts of mental issues as one of the side effects. They are so terrible that we all can them the poison pills.
I had a long drawn out saga with three of the pharmacies over there pills, Safeway, Kroger and Walgreens. The pharmacies are well aware that many of their customers are having horrible side effects, but because of corporate policy, the individual pharmacy can't order any thing other than what corporate dictates.

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I hear you there, Jan! This forum has been an amazing source of support for me! I can't believe I am, yet again, going through this BS on an Actavis med! It happened with the hydrocodone I was on as well! Now the percocets! How can a company be so negligent and not pay a price for it? All they care about is money, IMHO, and that is evident by the inferior ( cheap) products they use in making these meds and yet are the most expensive! I am requesting a different brand from now on. I, as well as others I'm sure, will not be buying the Actavis brand of anything!

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Watson is now owned by Actavis. It takes a while for everything to be turned over after selling. They bought them, I believe, in 2013, and the meds have been crappy ever since.....not just the oxycodone but the hydrocodone as well has been causing a lot of problems. This needs to be reported to the FDA, Actavis, DEA, and anyone else with an interest. We also have to ban together and say, NO MORE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR MEDS THAT DON'T WORK! We are being cheated and they don't care as long as they are selling the crap and making money! I've never been so sick since switching from hydrocodone to oxycodone until yesterday when I got the Actavis brand of oxy. It's ridiculous! This is totally negligent acting on their part and something needs to be done about it! Keep flooding their inbox with complaints, keep emailing the FDA & DEA UNTIL something is done! They will have no choice but to look into this because they are going to be getting hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints daily in their inboxes! Do not let up until it is taken care of! They need to know we are not going to stand for this kind of treatment! We WILL NOT allow inferior products to be used in making our medications and paying top dollar for this! No more! We have voices, let's use them!

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I totally forgot about Mallincroft.....I have had those before and, if I remember right, they were better than the Qualitest. However, even with Qualitest, I didn't have the D/E's I have with Actavis! I am going to check into that brand. God knows I will not pay $700 for name brand percocet! That is ridiculous! The generics are expensive enough, IMHO.

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Thank you, Lisa! Your post helps a lot! Although, I am stuck taking this Actavis crap for the next 29 days. I don't have any withdrawl symptoms but I am extremely tired and my pain isn't well controlled. I totally forgot about Mallinkrodt brand and actually prefer that over endocet and others.

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