Hydrocodone - Impossible To Get In The Uk...? (Page 2) (Top voted first)

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I am currently on an oxycodone m/r script, and find that it certainly does not last for the claimed twelve hours per tablet. No matter what, my doctor refuses to prescribe anything for this 'breakthrough' pain, not even a 20mg OxyNorm to carry me over. I have heard, however that a DIFFERENT analgesic is best in this situation. Since most drug information sites and forums are American, the drug which keeps cropping up and is most highly recommended to me is hydrocodone. This is NOT available in the UK, and despite many attempts, I can find no place to access it. The only other country which uses hydrocodone, in a much better pure form, is Germany, where it is available under the brand DICODID by Knoll, 10mg per tablet. Unfortunately I have had just as little success in tracing a source for this as for the US version, which is ALWAYS adulterated with paracetamol, usually 325mg/tab.

Does anyone have any idea where I could obtain a supply for these dreadful times when the OxyContin doesn't work? Dicodod would obviously be the preference but I HAVE tried the US hydro a few times and found that by far the best I have tried is Mallinckrodt's 'M367' 10mg/325mg tablet, in a dosage of 30-40mg.

This is a matter of access though, so if anybody can suggest any way that I can manage to get a stock of this most useful drug, then please post. There is a gap between dihydrocodeine and morphine in the UK which has nothing of in-between strength to fill it. In he US you have hydro and meperidine and hydromorphone in 4mg and 8mg strengths, instant release. All I want is relief from those bad times. Under-prescribing and refusal to prescribe for such occasions is becoming almost an obsession with me, and I really need something of this order to help.

Thanks for any replies.

77 Replies (4 Pages)

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63

InPain, I see what you mean about getting the right info without actually saying so. The pharmacy in question is definitely NOT black, and is not a dot com but a dot company in my country; that should be enough for you to work it out. And I do not think I have inadvertently broken the rules but if I have then the people who approve the posts will put this up in such a way that It passes muster. I hope that I have done OK and apologise in advance to the Medchat folks if I have done anything wrong. They are actually a registered place with government approval and a registration number for Internet business. What is in question is whether they will send internationally with a UK prescription.

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70

Concerned Pharmacy Personnel, maybe YOU need to get YOUR facts straight! Ever heard of the Hatch-Waxman act of 1984 that allows generics to differ by a plus or minus 20% of the active ingredient that name brand medications have? Look it up, because you seriously need to know THE REAL FACTS and stop your condescending attitude toward all of us suffering in pain!!

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14

I am on oxynorm 10mg for spinal problems , im here in the uk, My spine is in bad shape and i refuse to have more surgery as its will only get worse again over time, my doctor in the uk prescribes my medicine for me every month no problem, i dont abuse the system whatsoever, but my oxynorm i get every month. Im planning on moving to the usa in a few months, i will get my medical history and my thyroid medicine and estrogen info to take with me. Will a docter in usa precscribe the same medicine every month like im used to? estrogen, synthroid, oxynorm?

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15

First, are you a readhead (or ginger)? If so, the problem with pain relief can be in your genes. Look at http:/­/­www.cnn.com/­2009/­HEALTH/­07/­30/­redhead.pain.dentist/­ . Show this to your doctor. CNN isn't exactly a witchdoctor. He should listen to you if it's not working. My friend, a redhead, has suffered from chronic neck and back pain since an attack. She also has arthritis. When she feels it coming on she starts with 4 - 200mg ibuprophen and a 350mg carisoprodol. If it is bad she adds 2 tramadol -apap (which is synthetic codeine and tylenol) 37.5-325. Then she is out of commission, sitting in a high backed chair. If she doesn't do this, she winds up with reflexive vomiting from muscle spasms. She also goes to a chiropractor when this gets really painful and he has office hours. ---> side note from the redhead here:both the tramadol and the carisoprodol are supposed to be taken no more than 3x day, but I've had to take them every 6 hrs when it's bad. This is along with 4 of the 200 mg otc ibuprophen. Also, 1 drink doesn't hurt if you're chairbound. When you're not in the middle of pain, see if you can go to a beginners yoga class. it will help to balance and stretch. Good luck to you. if all else fails try googling hydrocodone. people are so whatever about chronic pain, including some doctors, until they experience it themselves.

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17

I too have a bad back which cannot be repaired. I use Endocet 10/650 which is a generic for Percocet 10/650 (oxycondon/APAP 10-650 is also a generic).

I take one about 7:00 pm and if necessary, another around 11:00 pm. Because I have no wish to become addicted, I do not take the 4 a day which is prescribed. My 120 tablet prescription lasts 2 to 2 1/2 months, as I take them when the (pain) tears start!!!!

I have 3 different areas which are extremely painful. I get an epidural twice a year for the 2 worst areas.
Otherwise, I just use the
Endocet.

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19

So back to the question. Does anyone (mike) know of a contact in the US, or elsewhere that will ship dihydrocodeine or similar into the UK? I have similar problems with back pain and my fathers medication works best, however, my doc is reluctant to prescribe it :-(

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21

i was diagnosed with ME 5 yrs ago, had spinal surgery 2 yrs ago due to a car crash, last yr was tod i also suffered wih fybromyalgia and this yr got a positive diagnosis for peripheral neuropathy and rhumatoid arthritis in my hip and knee on the left side!!! all my doc offers me is codeine and gabapentin and the pain is horrendous even when on these meds. i have tried askin 4 help to get stronger or maybe slow release tabs but she accused me of being a junkie!!! im 30 with 3 small children and just want to try and lea a normalish life as possible, i even had to refer myself 4 physio as my doc refused. im in the uk and im finding it real hard to get info or help. but after reading some of the replies on here im not goin to give up my fight

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25

If Suboxone doesn't detox u from Heroin Withdrawal what would be the next solution? I was on Methadone for 14 yrs, I don't want to go thru that nightmare again! What exactly was my doctor doing? Replacing? That's insane! Can somebody tell me the real deal, from this nightmare on a roller coaster. Thank u

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26

Unfortunately there is NO generic oxycodone vailable in the UK till the 1995 patent (Purdue/NAPP/Mundipharma) runs out in 2016. You must have very lax medical copyright law in the USA if you can access oxycodone made by other than these companies, cheaper.
PLEASE if there is any chance whatsoever, could you let me know how I can access either oxycodone or hydromorphone very cheply if I live in the UK?
I have had people recommend hydrocodone, but surely that's a joke?Hydrocodone (DICODID) is an ANTITUSSIVE sold in 10mg tabs brand DICODID for acute painful cough. Let me know how I can access the correct medications (OxyNorm, instant release, or Dilaudid/Palladone also instant release, without paying the ridiculous website prices I see on USA sites; that is, if they will even send them to the UK!! It may take making a friendship and coming to agreements that breaks the back of my problem. By the way, my lumbar muscular drug, carisoprodol, was withdrawn in Europe as a whole a year or two ago and there is no alternative, so could someone please tell me how to getr CARISOMA, SOMA or LISTAFLEX 350mg to help with that?

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27

Callie, can you help me in any way? I really need the correct painkillers for my three pain issues. Please write to give me an answer. Thank you so much, I have never been so bad in my life!
Love etc Michael

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28

I have cronic pain and have been on menthodone for 9 yr.'s. Post Polio syndrome , had surgery on foot at age 11. Degeneritive arthritis in foot and knee, Degenerative disc in back due to severe scoliosis. bone spur on tail bone. I hurt all over. New Law Passes and my Dr. stopped doing pain management. Now you have to go to pain management clinic. It is very expensive and you have to go every month. Also 2 hours away. I am disable and have been since I eas 34. I'm on medicaid and the pain management clinics don't take medicaid.
So I am living with a lot of pain for 2 months. Are their any small office Doctors that do pain management and takes medicaid ? The disable and poor will have to live in pain. I know their are some small office Doctors that do pain management and take medicaid, but I can't seem to find one. Here in South Arkansas

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31

I have chronic pain syndrome and i take oxycontin 40 mgs and hydrocodone 10/325 2 tablets every six hours and it works great for me

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32

Do what i do and go to see your GP and just pay the prescription price, i get 50mcg Durogesic DTrans Fentanyl patches now along with 10mg OxyNorm Capsules. As long as you've been to a hospital which as you know is free under the NHS in the UK and they've confirmed you have a medical need for this medication any GP will quite happily prescribe them for you. I have them on repeat prescription and need to see my GP every month to get more repeats put on. If you've no recognised medical need for them there's no reason why you should be taking them.

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33

This serves as a reply to three or four posts made since my last. I thought it was clear that I am IN the UK and the docs here just won't do it, some will not even write private prescriptions.
For i/r hydromorph over 2.6mg, any hydrocodone product except the german Dicodid, pur antitussive, no analgesic effects really without addition of apap, and several other pain meds, and carisoprodol, the US is my best choice, certainly the safest customs-wise, but unfortunately, there are almost NO IOPs shipping to the UK from there. Unless anyone knows better? I have to rely on remailings from friends.
The UK NHS has turned into one of the poorer health systems in Europe, apart from the fact that what they WILL prescribe is free to the disabled. The pity is the horrendous lack of choice. I have to visit other EU countries for many meds which SHOULD be available. In 2002 they slaughtered the list of prescribable meds and took all bromazepam and the 1 & 2mg Xanax off the market too. And much more. They're slowly creeping up their withdrawals too. Meprobamate is gone along with carisoprodol and I'm always needing 2mg alprazolam.
Ideas?

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34

YOU COULD EMAIL POSSIBLY MYSELF AND I GOT THE 2MG XANS YOU NEED ONLY 200 LEFT COULD MAYBE FIND SOMEONE TO HELP, I GET THEM PRESCRIBED AND DONT EAT THEM SO JUST STOCKPILE

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36

Thaboss -
Please drop me an email at
To discuss ongoing medical issues.
And don't laugh at my email address. Yes, I write about JKR's most excellent Harry Potter series.
For those of you who like the sort of fiction which can be read on both children's and adult levels, which you'll notice if you read 'Philosopher's Stone' like 15 years ago and are now adult, re-read and see the adult themes and Classical/Legendary allusions you as a kid would have missed: let me recommend to you
Philip Pullman trilogy 'His Dark Materials'; and
Wm. Nicholson, also a trilogy, 'The Wind On Fire'.
Brilliant as tales for kids but full of social & political themes which will appeal to adults now fully educated.
Look forward to hearing from you, my friend.
BTW I am now transferred onto the instant release Oxynorm full time, it is much easier to control the pain, but you're all correct about UK GPs not treating pain as well as in the USA. My dose is still not sufficient to keep me pain free and I still have the benzodiazepine supply problem, can not afford to go to Belgium every 90 days and website prices for decent anxiolytics and hypnotics are just silly. Also still require regular source of Carisoma from either US or India. But there are only two or three Indian brands I trust - the best are by Wallace & Cipla. I got a batch of 200 recently which were VERY poor quality. The only remaining skeleto-muscular relaxant on the NHS just does not stop the pain like Carisoma did, and I do not know why I keep taking Lyrica when it does so little for me.
M

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37

Michael, i have read all of your posts and i too have chronic pain, have been diagnosed with ME/CFS and have reached a plateau with the pathetic 30mg of codeine they will give in uk. Did you have any joy from 'theboss' i think he was called in his post, as he seemed to answer basically what you were asking. I would love for you to reply as i too am at a loss as to what to do next! Thanks Vanessa

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38

Vanessa,
Never yet got a reply from 'thaboss'.
Now having always lived in the UK and my father being a doctor, I can not believe that al, you will get is codeine. That's ridiculous. The next opioid up is tramadol which isn't all that much stronger, but I suggest you put your foot down and demand that the analgesic suit the pain. Keep on at this ignorant doc of yours and never let him/her forget that you need something of the strength of morphine or Oxycontin or hydromorphone or at least something that WORKS. The most codeine ever did for me was cure diarrhoea!
Nope, they are able to prescribe these things if they want. YOU must convince them that even a low dose of oxy such as 20mg Oxycontin twice daily would help. This is equivalent to 50mg morphine Continus twice daily;if you feel you can get by on less, 10mg Oxycontin or 5mg Oxynorm are available, and the much weaker morphine may be had in small doses of 10mg released over 12 hours (NAPP MST Continus tablets).
Even DF118 Forte 40mg would be an improvement on 30mg codeine, but if you were to go down that route then I'd use DHC Continus 120mg and keep DF118 40mg for those times when the pain increases or the DHC stops working before the 12 hours are up. NONE of the 12-hour opioids I have tried work for any longer than eight!
And I thought I had analgesic problems... sounds like you have yourself a pretty dreadful doctor if they don't prescribe according to need.
Michael

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44

please help my husband has stage 3 copd and his doctor wont prescribe decent pain meds. i'm desperate to stop his pain and need to find a pain management doctor / solution.

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47

hey Catz..first of i want to say i am sorry to hear of your hardship. noone should be in so much pain. tell me something have you thought about ordering from those web-based pharmacies? the majority ship worldwide. in fact i use one myself to ship things to me in the UK..if you are interested in can provide you with their contact information...

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