Mallinckrodt Hydrocodone Vs Qualitest (Top voted first)

I have been taking Hydrocodone 5-325 s, by mallinckrodt for a few years now for back pain , they work really well, I take 2 at a time . My pharmacist switched to Qualitest and it was a nightmare . I took one of those and had a migraine headache the whole day , along with breathing problems, rash , and nausea , bad stuff . I did some research and manufacture does matter . Found a place that has Mallincroft .

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I find Qualitest to be much superior to Mallinckodt

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I used to get Watson (yellow) name brand Norco and sometimes Watson generic 10/325. Since the new hydrocodone law on 10/6/2014 when they were reclassified as Class 2 (same as coke, oxys, etc, come on....), my drug store Walgreens changed to all white pills (trash to a 12 year chronic pain person from failed back fusion). The ones that actually said Norco (512, I think) on them were very speedy and left me in bad pain the generics were worse. I found out that good old Watson had sold out to Actavis which manufactures in Ireland and no one thought they were any good. The formulation number on the bottle was even different but they claimed they only took out the yellow dye. BS+ Walgreens also refused to sell any kind other than Watson/Actavis (sweetheart deal). They also claimed my 120/month cost over $400/month. For me the yellow qualitest V 3601 are the best I can find as my insurance suddenly only covered generics and my Dr. wrote script for namebrand Watson, but the Walgreen's never had any in stock even though I had gotten them there for 11 years. If they were short on my type they would give me an emergency supply until they could get more ordered in. Then they started saying I could get 60 name brand and not even give me the rest in generic. I was already in withdrawal just from the poor quality but when they cancelled 5 refills that had been made before the new law and strongly inferred I was a drugseeker (you bet I was, in that much pain). I fired a perfect strike of the half prescription at this red neck pharmacist that tried to give me even though they had called my Dr., had 11 years of records AND had a written (new way) script for name brand. I have never gone into a Walgreens again as I do not respect their shady business in their attempt to become the biggest global pharmacy by selling inferior meds and still putting label over the Actavis name and just showing watson norco at first look. I am not the first and it is not just the binders. Watson's enabled me to have somewhat of a life. It took awhile to get used to the Qualitest V 3601, but they act sort of like a timed-release product. At least, they have pain killing ability even if they don't start working as fast. They are hard (to last longer?). Some of the other generics I have had to accept leave a chalky residue in the bottle (like Mallinkrofts) and are little better than over the counter pain meds, if that. I wonder how many very sick people have actually died from this sudden change. I am satisfied for now with qualitest as they cut the pain about in half. Someone should copy Watson's honest method of doing business.

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The ONLY brand that has worked for me is Qualitest (yellow) or another yellow brand, cannot remember pharma though. I'm stuck with these horrid white pills, no matter where I go, and none of them work. Qualitest never caused me constipation, now I need ex-lax several times a month. The white ones make me jittery, my blood sugar drops, and I need more as they do not kill all the pain like Qualitest did. I could go many many hours with just one Qualitest. Now I'm counting the minutes to 4 hours so I can take another of these crummy white pills just for a tad of relief. I have chronic pain that will never go away (severe back issues and fibro, but mostly back and sciatica too). Please someone can you tell me where I can get Qualitest? Everywhere I go, they say they do not have it. I live in the Lancaster California area.

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Hi Ilene,

Sorry to hear about your experience with the Qualitest version. I'm glad you were able to find a place that has your preferred manufacturer in stock.

If I had to make an assumption based on your description, I'd say the binders and fillers could've been the root cause of such side effects.

When you switch brand names or manufacturers the drug itself doesn't necessarily change (aside from potential dosage adjustments), but I've noticed that the "inactive ingredients" that they put with it are almost always inconsistent with one another.

I hope this info helps shed some light on what could've caused you to react differently to each medication.

Have you gotten over those side effects yet?

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Re: Jame (# 4)

I have taken generic Norco for 10 years. Qualitest is the best for pain relief with no ill effects. They are almost impossible to find now. My pharmacy recently closed and the pharmacist had told me she had to jump thru hoops to special order the Qualitest for me. I have taken many brands because every pharmacy at some point would change to a cheaper brand and I was stuck taking the new brand for a month. The other brands do not work and it's like I did not even take the pill. Thank God I have not had to take the Aurobindo brand and be sickened from what others have been sharing. Presently I can find no one that has the Qualitest brand now. We need to have someone care about us. Pain destroys any quality of life that most people have!

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please find Qualitest hydrocodone 5/325 versus doesn't mMallinik hydrocodone 3/325
doesn't cause stomach problems.
please comment

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Ilene, your right. I have been taking lorcet by mallinckrodt. I was switched to . Norco 10/325 and the . Maker was qualitest. Had the Same symptoms. I'm in florida and am trying to get a pharmacy who has norco made by mallinckrodt. Is your pharmacy a national name

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