Oxycontin generic not working, advice! - Pain Management Message Board

jamesm · 12-07-2007, 05:09 AM

I am so frustrated with myself right now. I was put on Oxycontin last month, and my physician gave me 5 x 10 mg pills to use a day. Normally he wanted me to take 2 in morning and 2 in night, but I would have that extra pill in case I needed it.
Well I had the teva brand and noticed in didn't last the entire 12 hours. It wasn't too big of a deal so I waited until my next appointment.
Cut to this week...I asked him to change me to the 20 mg pills, and to just having 2 a day. I wanted to try to decrease it a little. I also told him about my generic problem, and he agreed I should try the brand name.
I went to Walgreens and of course they did not have the brand name, and they called another pharmacy and they didn't have it either. So I just went with the generic because they told me they only ordered once a week and it would be a week.
Well I have taken the new 20 mg pills for two days, and it is like I am taking nothing. My nose is running, I have a ton of pain, etc. I am so mad at myself for not going to a different pharmacy.
What should I do? What would you do? This morning I called my doctor's office and left a message telling him what is happening, but I am so scared of being labeled a problem patient.
Thanks!

awsam007 · 12-07-2007, 07:36 AM

Hi James. Were you taking the 5th pill most days last month? It could be as simple as that. Maybe you need to still be taking that 5th pill. Don't worry about being a problem patient. Your pain is real, that's all that matters. I honestly don't think your doctor will think that you're making your pain up b/c at your last appt you discussed with him how you wanted to decrease the amount of oxy you take a day. Good Luck.

Awsam007

feelbad · 12-07-2007, 09:17 AM

my walgreens always has the name brand in stock,even before i went on it(they should have been able to call around to their other stores and actually track some down for you,thats what mine did when they did not have enough for one of my OC fills).i would just ask them to keep a supply for you on hand in the future,as long as they have a patient who is going to require it on a consistant basis,they will bring it in for you.you will just have to make a phone call to them like the week before you are due just to make certain it is there when you need it.i had to do this at the very beginning just so i knew they would have my meds there when i needed my fill.once this starts more of a pattern for them,you probably wont have to do this anymore.i am just a bit suprised that they do not actually have this in stock since there are people like me who just cannot take the crappy generic versions.the Endo brand was just horrible for me and it did not even give me the basic relief i had been getting from the name brand.there is just no freaking way that the endo version could possibly even contain the very same amount of oxycodone that the name brand does.no way.there was just that much difference in overall pain relief.just keep communicating with your pharmacy and it should all work out eventually.i have never really had any problems with my walgreens before.they are usually really good when it comes to customer service.but i am there picking up someones Rx like all the time too,they just know me there now.hopefully this new change will work for you.

i would also speak with your doc about the fact that this does not actually last for you the full 12 hours.honestly,this IS kind of a normal thing for most of us and the docs are aware of its not lasting the full 12 and most are willing to go to three times a day dosing.mine had no problem once i spoke up about it.it just does not last what the manufacturer states it does.it is usually 8-10 max for me,and the ten is not the norm,it is closer to eight most days.good luck,marcia

videogamecrazed · 12-07-2007, 01:29 PM

Hey there Jamesm,

I too take OC 20mg (3x a day for me) every 8 hours. I posted this very question on these forums about 2 months or less back. I had the VERY same problem as you with the generic and mine was TEVA also. That stuff is horrible, mine lasted about 4-6 hours after the pain releif set in. The name brand OC last me a solid 6 hours and 8 on a good day. I read the posts here about this debate on Generic vs. Name OC and researched myself. I then spoke to my PM Dr. and presented my case. Long story short, he now writes my Rx for medically necessary name brand ONLY. Last month he forgot and I figured I would try to endure/see the differance again with the TEVA. I wish that I never had. It was once again far inferior to the name brand OC. Also, if it helps any, I found (for me anyhow) that the generic manufacture WATSON was just as good as the name brand. I too use walgreens and for some wonderful reason they decided to stop carying the WATSON generics and now carie the TEVA instead, so to avoid the problem with having to hunt down WATSON's on my refill day I have my PM DR write for name brand only.