Pharmacies, patients without Oxycodone

A nationwide shortage of the drug Oxycodone is leaving shelves empty and patients with nowhere to turn.

[Rich]

I sure hope my CVS does not run out of Oxycodone. I have a severe back and leg injury and I need them on occasions. I sure hope the suppliers get their act together. Thanks. Rich

[Nicole]

Does anyone know if they are taking all oxycontin and oxycodone off the market? I am hearing all these rumors that nation wide all pharmacies have been told there is a recall. A friend of mine just went today to his doctor and was told that they can no longer prescribe these meds and gave him morphine instead. His pharmacy said the same thing and that the DEA is trying to crack down on the drugs and people who abuse them. What about the people who really need them?

[jerry]

there will be a shortage until the U.S. get's more troops into afganistan. Afganistan, is the largest producer of opiates in the world. once the DEA is able to move large shipments out to the phamacutical companies they will be able to produce more "legal" herion for americans to consume.

[KMKStoner420]

So THAT'S why Obama wants to move all the troops from Iraq to Afganistan, because of the roxi shortage! It all makes sense now, Go Obama!!!

[Janet]

jerry wrote:

there will be a shortage until the U.S. get's more troops into afganistan. Afganistan, is the largest producer of opiates in the world. once the DEA is able to move large shipments out to the phamacutical companies they will be able to produce more "legal" herion for americans to consume.

Jerry, this was caused by thge Ethex voluntary recall and limitations placed upon the manufacturers by the government. The drug companies use growers in far more stable countries and they do not depend upon the war torn nations as the primary source of their supplies.

[jerry]

Janet wrote:

<quoted text> Jerry, this was caused by thge Ethex voluntary recall and limitations placed upon the manufacturers by the government. The drug companies use growers in far more stable countries and they do not depend upon the war torn nations as the primary source of their supplies.

they might use stable countries now but once we get over there it's gonna be a different story

[jim]

From I have seen the past few days is that all oxy products will be reformulated so they can not be liquified and shot through a surenge to the vein. The re-formula will gum up and gell up if someone were to try to liquify it so it may be used improperly. It is said that it should be back on the market in mid may and untill then you might be able to get your doctor to perscribe morphine or deladid or methadone . They all do a fair job of replacement although they dont make you feel quite as good but they are about the only ones in the same class as oxy [class two narcotic].hydrocodone, codine, [class one narcotic] is not of the same class but helps some.class three narcotics are the illegal ones , like heroin,opium,.

[Cristina]

Yes! It is very true that these scum bag drugs are off the shelves...for now any way. I lost my best friend to an oxy addiction and just like your typical drug addict she claimed she needed them because of back pain. Realize folks.. most of you who take these pills are junkies and your getting ready to be sick as hell, and what is your wonderful doctor going to do now? Perhaps switch your addiction to methadone?

[Junior]

There are people that need these or need something to be able to funtion with there disabilities. It is the abusers that are hurting all of the people that need the drug. I am unable to move most of the day due to a bad accident. there will be a substitute and it will be there soon. You know that if the people can make money Pharmacies then they will find a way to produce them.

[trouble]

hey jr

[bad ass bass]

why oh why i need my blues im gonna die somone help my legs are falling off help what do i do can i gaet some head

[doner]

asap in st. pete. just got some in but you gotta ack quick 3.00 each (ouch)

[jerry]

it's legal taxable heroin. the phamacutical companies figure out a way to control the heroin market with FDA approval. That's why were going to invade afganistan so we came become a nation on dope. just like iran-contra in the 80's it was cocaine not it heroin. i cant wait.

[Psychopharmacolo gist]

I don't know where you guys are getting your info from, but almost everyone who posted in the first 5 posts on here has some sort of innacuracy.

First of all, when there is a recall, it doesn't mean that the drug will no longer be prescribed, it just means they want to change out the pills like what Jim said.
Secondly, America does not manufacture or prescribe any sort of "legal" heroin. It is a schedule 1 drug, meaning it is only used for research purposes. Therefore, unless they change the laws, Heroin will not ever be prescribed in the US legally. Only in Canada and the UK.
However, Jim was wrong about the scheduling in the US, I don't know where you got your classifications of drugs, but its not the US's system. The US uses schedules from 1-5, and Heroin & Opium fall into Schedule 1 for not legally prescribed.
Oxy, Methadonee, & more are in Sched-II, and are considered most difficult to prescribe.
Hydrocodone is a schedule III, which is easier to prescribe than Schedule II.
Lastly, the US would be smart to take Afgan's opium supply and use it to manufacture prescription drugs, however it isn't that smart, and you're right (Janet), about how they use their own farms of opium in order to produce their pharmaceuticals.
Also, I'd like to say to Christina, you are not very intelligent. I'm sorry you lost your friend to Oxy, but I think everyone knows someone who died from Oxy or anotehr drug. I will always take opiates because I like them, and they relieve my symptoms. I don't care if someone calls me an "addict" or not, but the fact is that my brain works better on them, and I'm able to live life pain free with them. Yes, people die who take too much, or who are not smart enough to do research on the drug first, or who just have too big an ego to care about their own health, but that is human nature and will never go away.
We will never eradicate the need for drugs by people, of whom 10-15% of any given population is termed an "addict" by their own civiliazation, but that's just how it is. The answer isn't to stop producing drugs, because people will end up finding their own way to produce opiates synthetically, take the example from history of how Methadone was created, which doesn't require the opium plant to produce it. A group of Nazi's wanted to stay high when China cut off their opium supply, so they found a way to create a similar drug without having to have the opium plant.
Taking away drugs from a population that wants drugs will only make them resort to more dangerous and worse ways of making, transporting, and taking those drugs.

[RoxStar]

Cristina wrote:

Yes! It is very true that these scum bag drugs are off the shelves...for now any way. I lost my best friend to an oxy addiction and just like your typical drug addict she claimed she needed them because of back pain. Realize folks.. most of you who take these pills are junkies and your getting ready to be sick as hell, and what is your wonderful doctor going to do now? Perhaps switch your addiction to methadone?

Sad but true, people claim they cannot move without them; that's correct when you are hooked and going through withdrawl. I used to be one of those people, "I need them" everyone needs them when your hooked. Those who get all mad and meltdown answering to such a post are just showing how addicted they really are.
I was hooked at one time for a couple years, script and all. I needed them too, I thought. The mind is a powerful thing people.

[jerry]

if i was dying i would want either heroin or oxycotton. it's all the same. If afganistan's heroin can fix our economy i'm all for invading them and harvesting their crops. obviously, stealing iraq's oil didn't help. lets get their dope & sell it to the world. Also, let's incarcerate the street dealers so we can get paid on both ends of the drug dealing that our country does. Yes the US sell drugs. Let's hear you people argue on behalf of the USA and tell me they don't sell drugs.

[pharmer Oz]

There is only a shortage not a recall. Please go to fda.gov and read through their press releases or you may call Mallincrokt Pharmaceuticals customer service at 1.800.325.8888 as they will confirm a shortage. Nothing has been "pulled" from the shelves with regards to oxycodone. Thanks, Oz

[Kendrax]

jim wrote:

From I have seen the past few days is that all oxy products will be reformulated so they can not be liquified and shot through a surenge to the vein. The re-formula will gum up and gell up if someone were to try to liquify it so it may be used improperly. It is said that it should be back on the market in mid may and untill then you might be able to get your doctor to perscribe morphine or deladid or methadone . They all do a fair job of replacement although they dont make you feel quite as good but they are about the only ones in the same class as oxy [class two narcotic].hydrocodone, codine,[class one narcotic] is not of the same class but helps some.class three narcotics are the illegal ones , like heroin,opium,.

Hi Jim :)

You've got your classes wrong. Class 1 drugs are the ones rarely, if almost never prescribed. Class 2 is Oxy, Morphine, Demerol, etc. Class 3 is Hydrocodone, and alike...just wanted to clarify.

[Kendrax]

I have to admit, it makes me somewhat angry that people blame the drug for the cause of death.

The statement of "Oxycontin took my friends life" is infuriating. It wasnt the Oxy that did it. It was your friends misuse of the drug that did it. People make the choice to take these drugs. A good majority of the people take these drugs to relieve their suffering. I am one of those people. Without the medication, my pain is so bad, all I can do is cry. On the medication, I can lead, a some what, pain free life. I take this medication so I can have a life. I've been on them so long, they dont make me "high", or give me a rush. They simply make my pain more tolerable.

There are the people who miss treat these drugs. It happens a lot more than people thing. But those people are making the choice to misuse pain killers. They choose to take more than is needed, and they choose to do it over long periods of time. Dont blame the drug, blame your friend for not being responsible.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There is a medical difference between Opioid Dependent, and an Addict. But if someone dies of an overdose, it's not because of the drug, it's because of that person.

[tiamolife]

Cristina wrote:

Yes! It is very true that these scum bag drugs are off the shelves...for now any way. I lost my best friend to an oxy addiction and just like your typical drug addict she claimed she needed them because of back pain. Realize folks.. most of you who take these pills are junkies and your getting ready to be sick as hell, and what is your wonderful doctor going to do now? Perhaps switch your addiction to methadone?

I am so sorry to hear about your friend. Unfortunately your friend had issues underlying his/her back problem. It is unfortunate that the abusers of these drugs cause people whom are actually ill with legtimate MRI's, medical records etc..suffer because of the abusers. I am one of them. I have 3 herniated discs, 4 bulging, and 3 of them are cracked from a disc disease. This was from a severe car accident I had that left me unable to walk for 6 months. You cannot be angry at the medicine look at what went on in your friends life or childhood etc..that caused them to be an abuser.