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Psychiatric drug shortages!


Barbarannamated

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I'm again unable to find a decent trazodone (generic of Desyrel which is no longer manufactured in brand)

I've been thru this before and it's really bad ~the generic made by PLIVA (now merged with Teva ithink) is ineffective even at double dose ~

I use it to sleep and am not sleeping the last few nites

I've called so many pharmacies but none have any but the PLIVA generic (big angular pill)

 

I'm crashing fast and hard

If anyone has recommendations please let me know

I may try the new trazodone XR brand or nefazodone to get through

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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There is a forum Crazymeds which is good at helping people in these situations - it's a pro-med site.

Withdrew cold turkey from six medications: Celexa, Zyprexa, Depakote, Ativan, Ambien and Phentermine in 2002. It has been 10 years since I told polypharmacy to take a hike and have joined this forum to let others know that success is possible and to hopefully save people from experiencing the suffering that I did under psychiatric "care".

 

MY STORY

 

"TENSION is when we try to be who we think we should be, RELAXATION is when we are who we really are."

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Thanks ~i will try that

It effected me so badly last night especially ~feel hungover and very sleepy but agitated at same time •

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Just be forewarned: they are extremely pro-med on the that forum so I wouldn't mention anything anti-med on there. But they do believe in WD.

Withdrew cold turkey from six medications: Celexa, Zyprexa, Depakote, Ativan, Ambien and Phentermine in 2002. It has been 10 years since I told polypharmacy to take a hike and have joined this forum to let others know that success is possible and to hopefully save people from experiencing the suffering that I did under psychiatric "care".

 

MY STORY

 

"TENSION is when we try to be who we think we should be, RELAXATION is when we are who we really are."

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Thanks ~

i rarely mention withdrawal yet ~im too weak to explain that I took the poisons for 15+yrs even though they never helped/defend/get into statistical analysis of studies/and the general fraud of the FDA

~I haven't learned to keep it simple YET as you can probably tell

I have enough trouble living with a doctor husband who still uses

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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How about mail order pharmacies, with a valid prescription?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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I haven't used them but good idea

~ there has been terrible shortage and discontinuation of meds and finding specific generics is challenging ~ they seem to be regional

 

Had blood drawn today -9 tubes - and had minor accident on way home even though I waited an hour to drive ~ no injuries except to cars

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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  • 8 months later...

I'm having another go-round trying to find generic trazodone that works for me. After 1 nite completely without while waiting for pharmacy to get correct generic (Mylan or Mutual), husband picked it up for me and it was TEVA, which is terrible. I was completely out so took it anyway. After a few days, I was spiraling downward. Back to pharmacy yesterday with photocopied, laminated pic of correct trazodones (very distinct shapes) to be given 2 tabs of "150mg" football shape with label reading "Mylan 150mg". It all looked correct. Got home, took tablet out just before sleep and took one.

 

I subconsciously realized that it *felt* different in my hand. Looked more closely and read imprint: "Barr 100-100-100". So, it's 100mg..??

Looked it up in the morning to find it is not 100mg or even 150mg. It is 300mg!

 

I looked at the label again thinking I must be losing my marbles by now. Sure enough, the label says "Mylan 150mg" but the pills are Barr 300mg.

 

http://www.drugs.com/imprints/barr-733-100-100-100-495.html

 

Aaaaaargh!!! Back to the pharmacy. Transferring my business elsewhere!

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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I'm having another go-round trying to find generic trazodone that works for me. After 1 nite completely without while waiting for pharmacy to get correct generic (Mylan or Mutual), husband picked it up for me and it was TEVA, which is terrible. I was completely out so took it anyway. After a few days, I was spiraling downward. Back to pharmacy yesterday with photocopied, laminated pic of correct trazodones (very distinct shapes) to be given 2 tabs of "150mg" football shape with label reading "Mylan 150mg". It all looked correct. Got home, took tablet out just before sleep and took one.

 

I subconsciously realized that it *felt* different in my hand. Looked more closely and read imprint: "Barr 100-100-100". So, it's 100mg..??

Looked it up in the morning to find it is not 100mg or even 150mg. It is 300mg!

 

I looked at the label again thinking I must be losing my marbles by now. Sure enough, the label says "Mylan 150mg" but the pills are Barr 300mg.

 

http://www.drugs.com/imprints/barr-733-100-100-100-495.html

 

Aaaaaargh!!! Back to the pharmacy. Transferring my business elsewhere!

 

This is the hell of what happens when you put the whole country on drugs. Too many drugs. Too many generics and too many pharamcists working too fast and not paying close enough attention. You'd think a pharmacist would be more cautious about that stuff, but not always plus some pharamacies (like where I am CVS) are always in a rush, have it like an assembly line, which in general scares the hell out of me beyond just the literal of what it means. I'd be transferring too. You suffered because of them. They failed. Technically, it is still the wrong drug if the requirement called for a specific generic brand. Big screw up on their part.

 

Hope you get the RIGHT one asap.

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Yep, it was CVS. They are HORRIBLE!

 

What amazes me is that they dispensed not only the wrong manufacturer, but also the wrong dose. They believed it to be 150mg but was double that. I usually take 75mg, but had been sleeping so poorly for days that I took the whole "150" which turned out to be 300mg, 4x my usual dose.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Yep, it was CVS. They are HORRIBLE!

 

What amazes me is that they dispensed not only the wrong manufacturer, but also the wrong dose. They believed it to be 150mg but was double that. I usually take 75mg, but had been sleeping so poorly for days that I took the whole "150" which turned out to be 300mg, 4x my usual dose.

 

Heh, I knew it! CVS sucks. They really are an assembly line of pill pushing drones. Except actual drones could actually get it right. They really need some lawsuits. class action ones. I'd love to see something like that bring them down a few notches where everyone who got the wrong doses or meds from them came forward. Even if it did them no harm. Such a thing would be priceless and maybe then they wouldn't corner the market then turn it to crap. It's like a monopoly.

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My insurance uses Caremark/CVS (pharmacy benefit manager) and claims to offer special prices at CVS if we don't do mail order. However, I've found CVS _to be pricier and more restrictive in how they will fill scripts.

 

And now giving wrong drugs. Give me an independent pharmacy any day.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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My insurance uses Caremark/CVS (pharmacy benefit manager) and claims to offer special prices at CVS if we don't do mail order. However, I've found CVS _to be pricier and more restrictive in how they will fill scripts.

 

And now giving wrong drugs. Give me an independent pharmacy any day.

 

What about Rite Aid? I have a former boss from Pizza Hut that is a supervisor in their store support help desk in Mechanicsburg, and worked there briefly (as a $&@%**£€ contractor) back in 2005, before I was left go during probation for missing too much work (after I gave most of that call center streph throat).

History:

1995--Prozac--Quit CT by GP

1995--Effexor--Quit per my GP

1996--Amitriphene--Quit CT when changed GP

2005--Citalopram and BusPar. Prescribed when I decompensated in my GP's office. GP referred me to behavior health. Psychiatrist prescibed these drugs. Taken off citalopram in 2011 due to FDA warning. Quit Buspar during transition to viibryd.

Viibryd--2011 to present. Had a severe reaction in March 2012. Advised both GP and Psychiatrist I was trying to get off these drugs.

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I don't have much experience with RITEAID, good or bad. I used Target for years when paying out of pocket so that I could use Target Visa and 10% off coupons from reward points.

 

Will keep in in mind. I think independents may have more customized service and not locked into certain wholesalers and generic manufacturers.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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CVS filled this WRONG for the 3rd TIME on one prescription! They filled it with wrong drug #1.

 

UNBELIEVABLE!!

 

Should you ever hear of some crazy woman "Going Pharmacy" in Southern California, come bail me out, PLEASE!

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Now it's getting to be a game to see how many tries it takes to get the correct prescription.

 

Attempt #4 - CVS filled with exact same thing as yesterday. New bottle and label.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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Now it's getting to be a game to see how many tries it takes to get the correct prescription.

 

Attempt #4 - CVS filled with exact same thing as yesterday. New bottle and label.

 

Barb,

 

If I was in your situation, I probably would have been arrested for disorderly conduct at CVS.

 

They should give you some free meds for your problems but of course, that will never happen.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Barb....my mother takes and has taken nefazadone for a long time. She likes it alot.

 

I took it very briefly and it did stop depression and anxiety very quickly. It takes some getting used to and you may feel high, but that should pass.

 

You do have to get your liver panels done periodically on this med.

 

There were patients (who had live problems to begin with) and sadly died, so the brand name Serzon was stopped. I've had two physician's who said it was a very helpful drug, no weight gain, no sexual side effects. Good Sleep.

 

One Psychiatrist pulled up the stats for me about the people who had complications and it was very low. Again they had compromised liver problems at the time.

 

Do your homework....I can only tell you about my experience, and it wasn't bad.....Famous last words in terms of AD's.

 

When my daughter got off Trazadone she went thru some insomnia and agitation for a brief time and it passed.

 

Can you swap it out for something else?????

 

Hugs

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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To finish the trazodone caper..

 

My endocrinologist phoned in script for 150mg which is made by Mylan, the generic that works for me. However, CVS decided that I had to get a 90 day supply for insurance to cover and they'd have to call doc back to get 90 days approved. This is after 4x filling 30 days with wrong generic.

 

I got 30 days and paid cash.

 

I really hate CVS.

Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc).

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To finish the trazodone caper..

 

My endocrinologist phoned in script for 150mg which is made by Mylan, the generic that works for me. However, CVS decided that I had to get a 90 day supply for insurance to cover and they'd have to call doc back to get 90 days approved. This is after 4x filling 30 days with wrong generic.

 

I got 30 days and paid cash.

 

I really hate CVS.

 

That's the pits Barb, I'm sorry you got such a needless runaround.

As always, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! A proud supporter of the 10% (or slower) rule.

 

Requip - 3/16 ZERO  Total time on 25 years.

 

Lyrica: 8/15 ZERO Total time on 7 or 8 yrs.

BENZO FREE 10/13 (started tapering 7/10)  Total time on 25 years.

 

Read my intro thread here, and check the about me section.  "No matter how cynical you get, it's almost impossible to keep up." Lily Tomlin

 

 

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