Pharmacy Refuses To Stock Qualitest, Which Is The Only Kind That Works For Me

Updated

I have two medications that are made by Qualitest (which I understand both have been moved to other Pharmaceutical Co.) 1. Hydrocodone 10/325 cannot find locally in Qualitest brand so I have been prescribed Mallinckrodt. They cause my ears to ring at an extremely high level that I can't think or do anything. I am extremely nauseous constantly. This ringing in my ears is driving me crazy. No pharmacy will get the Qualitest brand. 2. Phentermine (also the same situation), no pharmacy will carry Qualitiest brand. If the drug works for said person, is still being made and the said person has legal prescription, why isn't there a way to force the pharmacy to get it? Why are we forced to purchase drugs we know won't work for us? Are there any lawyers out there that can find a way to make them get these medications for us? I have Fibromyalgia and there is very little that works for me and my system. Please help me. I am close to beating my head against the wall to stop this ringing in my ears.

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Hello Comments,

I'm sorry to say that this a bitter pill a lot of people have to swallow, no pun intended. Ultimately pharmacies are businesses and with that being the case they have to make choices on which brands they choose. To make a comparison, choosing a brand of pills for a pharmacy is similar to a fast food restaurant having to choose between carrying Pepsi or Coca Cola products.

I don't mean to upset you by any means and empathize with your situation, I am simply trying to explain the reality of the situation. It just isn't financially profitable for pharmacies to stock every single brand and cater to every single individual in the same way a food establishment would not be able to cater to every customers drink request specifically.

What I can do is give you some generic tips and information that I have gathered during the time I've spent on this website from others with the same problem.

Do not focus on one pharmacy in particular, in order to get what you want you will likely need to make many phone calls to different pharmacies to find which one will be able to meet your needs. If you are comfortable with the idea, there are online pharmacies which are far more capable of meeting your specific demands because they do not need to have a brick and mortar location to sell.

Many users have told me that the smaller mom and pop shop pharmacies tend to have far better customer service and flexibility when it comes to ordering specific brands. I would start with these.

People say that patience is important but perseverance is far more important. With your quality of life being on the line, it is important that you take the initiative in ensuring that you get the brand you need.

Lastly, remember that the people behind the counters are not always the ones in power. As frustrating as the situation may be, try to remember that they are far more likely to help your situation if you are a pleasant customer. Leave the venting for after you've walked out the door of the pharmacy.

I'm sorry I don't have all the answers but this is the best I can do for you at the moment. Best of luck.

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2

First of all I have tried several pharmacies local to me. They promise the world until you transfer your scripts all over to them and then they fall short. Pharmacies are screwing the patients out of medication and that is the real truth. I have done this before and I guess I will have to go back to my doctor and request that I get brand name so that I can have medicine that works for me. I will have to pay more, but I refuse to pay for stuff that is supposed to be the same, but is far from it. My ears ring so badly that I want to take a hammer and beat the crap out of my head and ears. Why doesn't anyone care anymore? Why is the almighty dollar more important than getting people what they want. BTW...they tend to start you out with the lowest of the grade of generic and if you complain they bump you up, if you don't you only get a portion of the real thing. It is a sham. It is an inservice to the people and it should not be tolerated. I have called Pharmaceutical Companies before and spoken with my doctor and looks like I will have to do this again and again and again. I will also sit down and write to DEA while I am at it, cause they are causing a lot of this.

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3

Focus on a small mom-and-pop pharmacy, they are your best chance bringing in what you want. But be prepared to pay more as it may cost them more.

But your post displays a “the world revolves around me and everyone should cater to me” attitude.

Use some common sense and understand that that obviously they are not in business to give you the burger anyway you want it. They have 1000 customers a week and they probably carry three different brands of each med. If they had the cater to every single customer they would need a warehouse to stock pills.

You’re not being reasonable or understanding to think that the pharmacy is some kind of a custom shop there to give you what you want.

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Re: Master Plumber (# 3) Expand Referenced Message

You're absolutely correct!
Where I live my mom & pop pharmacy will order what ever brand I request if it's available to order. Sometimes the supply of better quality generics is low due to the fact they work better and the independent pharmacies across the country are the ones snapping them up for their customers.

The big chain pharmacies these days seem to go out of their way to carry the most ineffective narcotic generics they can find. They don't want your business because to them you're just a lowlife drug seeker!

I've been using my mom & pop pharmacy for over 20 years. Ever since a Walgreens treated me poorly and wouldn't order a brand that I was getting there for years! This type of pharmacy behavior started many years ago!

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5

Hey Comments, I had the same issue with mallinecroft meds they are the best for what I have & things have gone well for years untill last month when they ran out of that brand & I got something from India, Man they did not work and gave me gut issues My Pharmacist told me they have a contract with a dist. and once they meet there number tough luck. BUT I have the last great pharmacist in America he called around and so did i, and was able to secure at least a months supply for me. Thank our Lord I will be able to live this month. The fact is the pharmacy don't have to fill anything! If they don;t like the way you walk they can tell you " we don't have that BYE!" When you call a pharmacy and ask for a certain controlled drug THEY WILL LIE TO YOU unless they know you. Its like your calling to make sure they have what you want to come and steal from them. Many will just say NO! or they will run you thru the PMS. Best luck go to a Mom & Pop local and get a relationship with them, even if it costs a bit more you know its worth it to know you will be able to live some type of life. God Bless

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Wow! Thank you everyone for coming forward and sharing your experience. It really sounds like mom and pop shops are the way to go with faced with this issue.

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It's not the Pharmacy, it's the Drug Wholesalers. The pharmacists are upset also because their Corporate Office is buying the cheapest drug made.

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8

Do you know were i can get this medication?? As it us the only medication that helps my anxiety.

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9

Par took over Qualitest, works better than Mallinckrodt.

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You need to get the code from the pill, most of the meds are distributed but are actually made by companies from around the world and repackaged by numerous companies in the US

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I tried using the HYDROCODONE manufactured by MALLINCKRODT sold by Wal-Mart. This does NOT work for me. They quit using the Rx coupons making it harder to get. I do not understand that part. Walgreens carries the HYDROCODONE 10/325 manufactured by WATSON. That at least gives me some kind of quality of life.

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12

What are the codes stamped on the pill you need? Insurance companies are hindering many meds being carried by wholesalers, Express Scripts is causing many problems. Many insurance companies have made deals with pharmacies and no matter what pharmacies you use they charge the same price. I stop telling pharmacies i have insurance and asked for the best cash price and found i could get my meds far cheaper than the copay i was paying. The system is rigged. If you live close to the Canadian border i found i could get my meds legally for pennies on the dollar compared to the US. People in the US are getting ripped off by big business.

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13

I am so sorry. I know! Ive been through it too!! We all need to get together and get an attorney to help us!! These drugs we are getting from chain pharmacies are pure garbage!! I HATE GENERICS!! What ingredients are we being poisoned with!? There is a war on chronic pain patients because of those people that think its ok to "party" with them!! My meds that have worked the same for years are now INEFFECTIVE!!! WHY!!!??? Its NOT because of tolerance like they are trying to get us to believe. It's BECAUSE THE MEDICINE NOW IS S***!!!
They are taking out more of the pain relieving ingredient, antianxiety and antidepressants and replacing it with s***!! I'm so sick of this!!!

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Re: Master Plumber (# 3) Expand Referenced Message

I love that you have said what a lot of people think but won't say. You nailed it. The more i read through this site the more i get the seeker image though not everyone sounds like it.

People fail to see that getting medication is a privilege not a right. No doctor or pharmacist has to give you anything. Be grateful your doctor isn't one that has cut you off completely with no warning or weaning like a big majority has and aren't suffering like the millions are or have. I feel like there are other underlying issues to some besides just a medication generic/brand switch. Our bodies change so our needs and wants change.

Google ringing in the ears. Google anything really and you'd be surprised.

I don't mean to sound like im attacking anyone. Just my opinion and everyone has one. That said, dig deeper and be surprised at the similarities and differences when it comes to medications, coincidences and side effects.
EXAMPLE: I just started a medication that i took 5 yrs ago. I haven't needed it. Recently needed it again. When i took it my cheek and jaw swelled up. First thought was i was allergic and it was the medication. Then i thought but I've taken it before with no problem for 7 yrs prior to the 5 without. There wasn't no other report of that happening to anyone else. Well it turns out it was coincidence because i had a wisdom tooth grow into my jaw bone over night. That hair of growth caused the swelling and pain. Point is that i thought it was the medication and it wasn't.

But you do have the option to report that side effect to the manufacturer so it is on record just in case it isn't just coincidence. Not all side effects are reported and patients just switch medications. So ringing in the ears may be have happened to others and they just didnt say so there's no record. Plus a lot of our side effects or reactions are mind fed. Just in our heads. Hard to believe but true. EXAMPLE: You read headache as a side effect and boom you have headache. You read insomnia is a side effect and boom you cant sleep. Point is a lot of things are in our head so they happen physically. Not saying all are though so please don't think i am saying yours is.
With that said, I hope you find your answers soon and that you find relief in your symptoms asap!?

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Re: Comments (# 2) Expand Referenced Message

You are so right! Are there test kits we can get to test the efficacy of the generics that are being forced on us? Can we find an attorney that will take on this corrupt system? The medicine these days is crap!!

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Sorry to hear about your experience. Chain pharmacies usually can't control what brands they get, and lawyers aren't interested unless an injury or life-threatening side effect occurs. The FDA encourages people to report side effects so that substandard drugs can be identified.

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I do not think any lawyer would touch this in our life time the drug industry is BIG business BIG money and no lawyer would could afford to do it. I looked up Aurobindo pharmaceuticals ans found many pages of where they were fined for cutting the actives in the med I was taking. I did this after a few days of taking that med because it was not working. Since it was a controlled drug I could do nothing but suffer untill refill time. I went to my doctor with 10 pages of where Aurobindo was cutting the actives. He didn't even bother to he he simply said they are "allowed" to short by 20% Thats a whole lot of cutting. No wonder they are made in India.

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Re: Michael (# 11) Expand Referenced Message

glad the pills you get from Walgreen's helps you I get mine from walgreen's also and they are like taking nothing the pill says Watson on but Watson is no longer Actavis took it over and the pills are horrible they don't work but if they work for you good luck to you

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Re: Karen (# 18) Expand Referenced Message

I picked up my latest refill from Walgreens last week. I noticed the Watson pills are smaller, they dont work on the pain. They only make me tired. Dammit!! What is going on!!?? Its obvious they have changed the pain medicine even more to make it less effective!! This newer pill makes me tired, dizzy, stomach feels like its on fire. My pain is not relieved. What the hell is going on!!??

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Re: Kevin (# 6) Expand Referenced Message

I've been with Independent Pharmacies. If the Drug Wholesaler is now not buying the drug you were on, the Independent Pharmacy can no longer get it for you. Trust me, this happened to me on 2 different drugs. The Pharma is still making it, the drug wholesalers are no longer buying because they can get something else cheaper.

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71

I agree it is absolutely sickening the FDA isn't doing their job none of the generic Norco works anymore I am about to become homeless because there is no more pain relief . I pray a lawyer will get some balls and help us. This is absolutely sickening. The only one that last worked was qualitest and nobody will order them or tell me what pharamcy carries them.

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Re: Karen (# 69) Expand Referenced Message

I know the new brand does not work carried by Walgreens. Walmart uses the same name brand as Walgreens. Now I'm thinking about switching to the CVS brand1

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69

Re: Michael (# 11) Expand Referenced Message

the walgreen's here in Tenn use to carry the Watson brand which was taken over by Actavis which was horrible but the marking on the pill said watson now Walgreens carries the Mallinkroft not sure of the spelling and they have used them for the last 2 months and the pills do not work

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68

Re: myst (# 66) Expand Referenced Message

If you find a pharmacy that carries what works for you, here in florida you can tell your dr, that you had to change pharmacies, because other one no longer carries it, they understand and hasnt been a problem here.

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67

No, you can’t force them to buy a specific brand for you. You can try having your doctor write that generic brand name and “no substitutions” but then you may not be able to fill it at all if nobody carries it. I used to use CVS. They are only allowed to order from one wholesaler and they get what they get. Last year at this time CVS had 2 wholesalers and I found which stores use which and traveled to the other side of the state to get specific generics. Then I moved and switched to Walgreens because their wholesaler sends brands that work. Good luck.

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Re: Kevin (# 1) Expand Referenced Message

I totally get what you are trying to explain with shop around to get what brand works for you.Problem is in my area there is only a Walmart and Walgreens and an hour drive which I have to get a ride if I leave my area. So as far as finding the right brand not as easy to do. Next problem is if you are getting a controlled substance you sign a paper that you will only use 1 place to get your meds. It honestly never occurred to me to get my meds from the hospital/clinic that I go to. I could of but it is already to late because when I signed my agreement I signed I would only go to 1 place. The place I use to get my meds has switched the brand that works for me and it totally has changed my life so I get it, that it is frustrating.

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65

Re: Kevin (# 1) Expand Referenced Message

I agree,yellow 10/325 norco the best,good luck trying to get it,if you ask to order.they look at you like your a drug addict loser,its getting worse

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Re: ThunderHeart (# 13) Expand Referenced Message

I agree,yellow 10/325 norco the best,good luck trying to get it,if you ask to order.they look at you like your a drug addict loser,its getting worse

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63

Re: Comments (# 62) Expand Referenced Message

You haven't spoke out of place... Please stay every voice counts... Also look at this.. the FDA needs to hear from you as well. I'm sorry if someone gave you a hard time....we are all in the same boat here.

uspainfoundation.org/news/deadline-to-submit-comment-to-fda-is-sept-10

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62

Roro (#60) --

I apologize for speaking out of place. Since I started the thread, I didn't know that the replies are not just speaking on my post. I don't speak on these things. I apologize. I am now convinced even more that this is not the place for me. You can have it all you want. I am deleting my profile and won't bother you again. I am so sorry.

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