Class Action Against Purdue/hmo's/dea Reformulated Oxycontin (Page 2)

Updated

'K. I'll try 2nd report about my personal experience and need for any help to find a Class Action Sit against Purdue and all invoved in the mistreatment of Chronic Pain Patients who have been prescribed the reformulated oxicontin OP. Some of my history of treatment for my Chronic Pain. I have suferred since 1980's : was prescribed Vicodin until I could no longer tolerate tylenol and was referred to the "Pain aClinic in my HMO. I was prescribed 80mg of Oxycontin and 5mg Oxycodone for break through pain. The intake Physician said that if I needed more to contact him. I was told at the time that Oxycontin/codone was entirely safe for the treatment of pain without the damagiing effects to the body. I was given injections to try to releive the pain but eventually I was told to see the Prescribing Physician for the Pain Medicine, When I visited that Dr. I told him that I would like to try a different med. and he worked out a titration schedule for going on Methodone. The Methodone did not work and made me ill; nausea,vomiting,stomach pain and more.I asked the Dr. to retitrate me back to Oxycontin. I was returned to Oxycontin at 40mg tabs every 8 hrs, which was far lower than the original dose. When I attended my next DR appointment, he asked" how I was doing on the REFORMULATED OXYCONTIN." I responded "IS THAT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT??" IT DOSEN'T WORK" I reported the same side effects I had with Methodone; and that it did not treat my pain. The Dr has tried to push other things i.e., Fentenyl path and Lyrica. I have children whose experience with the Fentynol Patch was nery negetive and I refused this option. During my titration changes I received call from the Pain Dept.. Staff questioning everything possible about my medicine administration; "what was the dosage schedule for that weekD? What else was I doing to relieve the pain? On the 1-10 Pain Scale; the worst least and average. "whether I was constipated etc. The elapse time perion for all of this started early 2010 and continues. The Dr. refuses to treat my pain and continually reduces the strength and amount of this useless oxycontin-OP, which I refer to as Oxy-Placebo. There are RX Meds that I have requested in the past and was denied with the explanation of dangerous side effects, but now that I am continually ill, the Dr. has prescribed to me. This is a direct contradiction to his previous statements. The last conversation with this DR went nowhere and he has ordered a referral to see another DR fore a consult. I told him that I have little faith in a DR within the same HMO and beleive the physician are being given their "marching orders" by upper athorities. After enduring all of the pain and misinformation haded out by my HMO and no help in sight, I am hoping that this site will advise me of any
class Action suit to compensate honest people who trusted their Dr's for legitimate pain treatment. The unreformulated Oxycontin worked for me. I was able to conduct daily work. Now I am in constant pain, and side effects of "meds". I have been treated as an addict and humiliated by Dr's in other Dept's. as well as negative remarks by Pharmasists. I have worked hard all my life and approach 70 yrs. in age. I am ready to take action against Perdue, Kaiser permanente. and the DEA. This is a "Battle Cry" from someone who is a good fighter for a rightous cause. PLEASE ADVISE!!

43 Replies (3 Pages)

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21

i just tried sending some info. they said they will review it in several business days. i don't think they want anyone connecting off the site, or... they are being ultra protective of their clients. we'll see if my message posts. it did not have my email address in it but rather another account with private messaging. xoxoxoxo

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22

I won't bother with this site as I tried to contact you and so on. If the this site and the admin who's blocking aka sensor our posts I'm gone with this site forever. I will look for yours or my email we both posted and were deleted.

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23

Hi everyone,

In response to recent posts here, we wanted to clarify that we typically do not allow individuals to post their personal contact information on our discussion threads. This is part of our privacy measures on the site so that the identities of our visitors remain anonymous.

We hope that this makes sense and helps to dispel speculations as to why certain posts don't make it on the site. Please also note that we take a strong stance against posts which are written for the purpose of selling or trafficking any medications.

Wishing you good health!

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24

I agree with every single person on here! My mother and I had been on the OC original for 5 years because spinal and joint issues. New OP does not work! First dose was in WD's does not release as should. On opans now. Ok but pain relief not as good, but better than OP. Will not spend money on that anymore! Damn dope addicts ruined the med. Please join me at "American pain foundation action network Florida" on Facebook. I will add you to the group that private to talk if you like. Ask to be friend or leave message. I feel so sorry for all you pain patients. We need to stop the addicts from hurting legitimate pain pats. Also there is a new oxycodone IR that's much larger tab. Its ok, but sure miss main med! See ya at the group I mentioned.god blessn pray for pain relief!

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25

I've been on oxycontin for over 10 years. I don't notice any change in the medication. Ever since they changed it to OP there are so many complaints. I wish every one would quit complaining about it changing from original to op and start getting back to one complaint!!! The one about no generics. I have to pay over $4,500 at the first of the year for my oxycontin. Just because There is no generic. GREED! Purdue only thinks of themselves. I am disabled ,retired. My savings are going down so fast. All the money I have saved all my life. I can't take any other kind of meds. I have tried. I'm allergic or they just don't stop my pain. I've had so many back surgeries you wouldn't belive it and I have tried everything. Their insurance is only good if you have no other insurance. Because I have Medicare and Prescription Ins. They won't help. Again I have tried. I can't get help from anyone with my meds because they say I make too much . But my medical bills take it all. Every month. I'm broke from paying for my medicines or doctors or hospital bills. Oxycontin. is so expensive. I can't believe they don't have a generic that I can buy anywhere. I don't know when or if there will be a generic available. It is so hard for me. The $4500.00 I have to pay,is for the first three months to get in and out of the gap then I have to pay till I get out.Then I still have to pay $116.00 a month for my prescription even when I am out of the gap. It is horrible, I wish everyone would complain about getting generics back. Maybe that would speed them up! Purdue is a very CRUEL COMPANY. The pain they have and keep putting people in . So Cruel. I am really shocked how they could do the things they do to hurt people. The disabled and elderly and the poor. The rich don't care. So Sad! AND I do feel sorry, for the people that are having a problem with the op's I'm sorry for saying what i did earlier.I hope they change it back for you. My problem is that I can't afford the Name Brand.

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26

Purdue didn't change the formula for the good of the people like we're all being told. Why would a multi-billion dollar company care if some people were overdosing? Do you see whiskey companies changing their product b/c of alcoholism...no. I think Purdue got caught by the FDA and were forced to change their product. There was something in the old OC's...maybe a derivitive of cocaine, something that was illegal and they got caught.

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27

good point, marti. the fact that people have to pay that kind of money for medicine for pain is disgusting, and from what i've been told, that is the MAIN REASON kaiser is getting everyone off the med, NO GENERIC! that's what my doctors have told me, that's what pharmacists have told me. so i have no reason to doubt this. they say there is community pressure due to overdoses and i don't doubt it, but they bring up the money issue first. yes, purdue is obviously all about the money. they changed the formula so as not to lose all the money they are making from oxycontin. yes, let's get down to basics. i'm exactly like you, no other medication has worked for me; they either make me terribly nauseated or they knock me out. oxycontin is the only drug that has worked. but why in the world would they not allow generics? greed, absolutely. ~laura

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28

It looks like Purdue is making Oxy Neo? I sure wish attorney's would take on Purdue because I'm looking. Laura and the other person who we tried to post info, please contact the moderator and please email me. I would like to chat about your experience and also your HMO issues. Thx again.

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29

I am a disabled vet. I was on 10 mg oxy for 6 years, it took the pain down enough to be manageable. I have degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis - the new formula for the oxycontin has been hit and miss when it works. I take it and most times it is 2 - 3 hours before I notice that the spasm in my lower spine have calmed down enough to be able to sit comfortably. Has anyone noticed that there is a side effect of severe leg pain in the shins and seems like just when it starts to work, an hour later there is break through pain.?

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30

I too have suffered much like yourself on the Oxycontin for near to 10 years to the point of near death. I have been off the medication for over three years but suffer stiff from it's affects. I am wondering if you have found anyone to talk to about a class action suit. I have been trying to find someone to talk to but have found no one who is taking any patients. I was told they are only dealing with doctors at this time. We the patients are the once who have suffered we deserve someone to help us. Please if you have any information or would like to stay in touch email Joni at xxxxx@xxx {edited for privacy}.

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31

I also have a similar problem I have ben taking oxycontin since 2008 my doctor retired the new kaiser doctor has reduced my dosage to two 40 mg per day I am dying from the pain I am in I have had 2 ambulance rides to the hospital when unable to walk .how do we get help

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32

"I also have a similar problem I have ben taking oxycontin since 2008 my doctor retired the new kaiser doctor has reduced my dosage to two 40 mg per day I am dying from the pain I am in I have had 2 ambulance rides to the hospital when unable to walk .how do we get help "


Jon, may I ask you from what does mgs are you dropping? You say it was reduced to " two 40 mg per day", what was your dose before the drop? Also how many days have you been dropping and is this your first drop? It takes three days to make it through one drop.

I was dropping 90 mg per day following my doctor's written instruction to drop 30mg per week, So when I dropped I stopped taking 30 mg per dose. My highest dose at around 8 years was 160 mg 3xs per day so that was 420 mg per day. So I was dropping 90gm a day of that 420 for three days and night once a week then I would be able to cope again until the next drop 4 days later. It so happened that I started on a Friday my first drop. It set me up to not having the right support when I got in trouble because it was always the weekend when I was taking the next drop. I ended up in the hospital once and was given 2 liters of fluids and sent back home to ride it out.

I took a lot of hot showers and stared for hours at a blank wall because there is not much sleeping going on in the three days it takes to make it through each drop! You just have to find ways to focus your mind or your attention of other things. I won't go into detail here but I got creative and intune with my body finding ways to take the edge off the trauma.I listened to my body and did what ever felt like it needed, I focused on my breathing, counted my breaths, breathing deep and long, slow breaths. I had to be alone, I couldn't of handled it otherwise but I had people coming in to check on me from time to time and I had the phone nearby.

Mostly I prayed and let my mind wander while It carried me into a dream state as far from my pain as I could go. I've had some training using my mind to escape my pain, using a higher power to focus on and turn control over to because I could not do it anymore! I was at the foot of the cross but at the same time I was on the cross. I knew the suffering, the sharp pain, the electrical fire that rages through the body.

At the end of the third day I began to feel a bit human again, each drop I grew weaker so by the end of the 5th week I couldn't go on anymore, I stopped before I had it all out of me. I still had 60 mg I was still taking, but I needed a break to gain some strength back. It took me another 6 months before I could get it all done, but I did it and have been off all narcotics for over three years now. I am learning to use nature to help myself.

I had been on the Oxycontin for 8 years then one year of being on Morphine to get me off the Oxycontin. The morphine was kinder to me, I didn't have such an adverse reaction to it and was able to go to the pool that year before I planned to got off it all, swimming helped me gain the strength to fight the fight. I won, but even three years later I am still detoxing off the drug because it is stored in the fat cells so every time my heart rate goes up when I am upset, working hard or exercising, it pushes a little bit more of it out of my system and I feel the pain of withdrawal again.

There is no quick fix, there should be more help for people who are fighting for their lives like this because that is what you are doing, you are saving your life getting off those narcotics, I know, I saved my own life. You must have the will and the hearts desire to live then you must go through pain to get out of pain, keep your eyes on the focus point, that one thing that gives you the most strength then don't look back you will make it! I have three children and three grandchildren I wanted to be around for, I wanted to live!

Three days and night is normal amount of time to go through each drop and withdrawal, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I would encourage you to keep asking for help from your doctor! Ask where is the help? We need more help, but for now we have is each other.

Now I am learning natural ways to help myself like with herbs that calm the nervous system. I still have neuropathy pain I believe is from the chemicals still in my system over three years of stopping all medications.

The state has treatment centers but I worked in one and the one I worked in I would not want to find myself in ever. Maybe others are different but my experience kept me from seeking help there.

I was a detox counselor and never in the three years I worked with people in withdrawal did I see anyone go through what I want through. Mostly they slept, I could not sleep or eat for three days, I lost 80 pounds which I put on because with every increase I would gain more weight regularly. It was a nightmare being on that stuff and it was a nightmare coming off of it, but here I am with a life again!

Hang in there ask for help from whoever you can get to listen, there is hope and you are not alone. Let me know how it is going. I will be praying for you!

Joni M. Miner "Oxycontin Survivor"

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33

Since taking the reformulated version of Oxycontin i had severe,wishing death due to the severity of the moment by moment pain, that I daily, thought I wouldn't be able to endure the inhuman degree of the pain, I just prayed for God to take my life. I desperately want to be on the class action lawsuit as they seemed to not give a hoot how damaging the new formulation was doing to so many people and with cancer any stressor could very well take me back out of remission. Thank You! Cheri .......xxxxx@xxx {edited for privacy}

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34

Thank you for your service in the military!

I am a Kaiser member. Like you, I was on 10mg Oxy-C 1-2 3X/Day and it did not make me pain-free, just took the bad edge off the pain. In addition, I have radio frequency ablations on my cervical and lumbar spine regularly. The nerves that exit the facet joints (on the sides of each vertebra) are located via needles into the areas, then those needled areas are tested via electric pulse. Once the nerve location is verified, lidocaine is injected. After all needles are in place and tested, they are hooked up to a machine that heats up (ablate means burn) and kills the nerves. It is not pleasant, but it does provide another vehicle of pain relief. I suggest you ask your pain doctor if s/he does this procedure. I would have jumped off any available cliff long ago if I did not have this avenue of additional pain killing. Nerves regenerate, which means that whatever pain those particular nerves may have caused will likely be back in 3-6 months. Then you can get it done again. If you can get on the procedure schedule. I have had at least 41 of these procedures in the past 10 years.

I learned just a couple months ago via a phone call from my primary care doctor that Kaiser was no longer RXing Oxy-C or Opana (a close 2nd), period. My choices were: morphine, fentanyl patch or methadone. I don't really consider any of these a choice. But, I'd tried the fentanyl patch and it nauseated me something fierce, plus I felt intoxicated, droopy, wilted. Methadone just has a built-in prejudice since it is basically heroin's red-haired stepsister. So, I take morphine, which is not so effective, besides causing major mental distraction. I feel that it keeps the user distracted about his/her pain rather than lowering it effectively. But, I had to choose.

I leared from my KP pain doctor, whom I LOVE, that primary care physicians at Kaiser basically declared war on the pain doctors by going to Kaiser bigwhigs and demanding that pain doctors not be allowed to prescribe ANY painkillers for their patients. So, the specialists are being hand-slapped when they are, in fact, the only people in touch with and trained on present day pain care. Additionally, pain doctors are allowed to perform procedures like RFAs (as I described above) and epidurals (steroid shots). However, in SoCal, my pain doctor has ONE patient room in which to engage in pre- or post-procedure appointments with her patients. So, pain patients are taking quite the hit. As are the pain doctors.

As if things aren't weird enough, there is a NEW pain department that is headed by a shrink! I was told that Kaiser wants out of the painkiller business altogether. My primary care doctor wants me to see someone at the NEW unimproved pain clinic regarding my pain. To date I have not done so as I decided I needed a vacation from doctor appointments for a month, at least. I don't want a psychologist telling me it's all in my head. Can you imagine being a cancer patient with end-stage cancer being sent to a shrink with regard to your pain? To me it seems just plain sinful on the face of it. Maybe it is a good change. I am highly skeptical.

I know how hard it is to even begin taking narcotic pain killers. I had to be talked into it after all other forms of pain relief had done their jobs on my stomach. I used to eat ibuprofen like it was candy. That was before I knew it could kill me. I tried Vioxx (wiht its heart attack/stroke side effect), Celebrex (with its heart attack/stroke side effect), Neurontin (really weird and dangerous drug - suicidal feelings side effect), etc., and ad nauseum. All of us pain patients have something in common. We are not taking narcotics because we want to. It is not something I like to tell people because often they either want some because they think it's fun to take or they act like I am a weak human seeking sympathy and a high.

There is no one to sue. We all have the right to move on to another provider. Doctors don't have to prescribe any drugs.

When the generic Oxy-C was removed from the marketplace, that was the beginning of the end. What had been a $10 co-pay for the generic became a $400+ co-pay for the name brand. I got an exemption because I had tried all alternatives. Then they decided not to prescribe it at all. But, just by looking at the price difference, it is very hard, indeed, to think that Kaiser is playing the role of secret savior of American society by stopping all prescriptions of Oxy-C and Opana. It's all about the $$$. If generics were suddenly available, they'd be handing it out like fishes and loaves. My opinion. My premium is $1,001/month. One month of named-brand Oxy-C was over $400. I think the picture is very clear. Profit. Bottom line. Greed. Capitalism.

FYI, folks should bear in mind that if you are taking ANY generic drug and you have a terrible side effect, including, but not limited to, death, you can't sue anyone. Only the ORIGINAL maker of the drug is responsible for all its flaws. Those companies that make generics are doing so based upon the science of the original drug. This was upheld by the US Supreme Court and it makes as much sense as putting psychologists in charge of the pain departments of the largest single medical provider/insurer in the U S of A, Kaiser.

Thrive!

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35

Just found this discussion site. I too agree reformulated oxycontin is not as effective as original. Someone suggested possible illegal meds in this product as reason for reformulation. Actually, if you research it, our wonderful Congress are who we have to thank for it as part of the war on prescription drug abuse. They enacted rules which the pharmaceutical companies had to follow to make these meds crush proof, burn proof, etc. I was told the only difference is the outer shell. I was also told it now contains a type of flame retardant along with crush proof polymer. I also started to experience new side effects that had not been there during the many years prior to reformulating and when I had successful pain control. These included hair loss ~ especially in the front areas of scalp; leg pain; mysterious upper right side pain that my Dr. was unable to diagnose despite several tests, scans, etc. Upon learning about reformulation of oxycontin & discussion with my Dr. I decided to switch to opana er. This seemed to work out ok the first 2 months and my side pain went away, hair stopped falling out by the handfuls plus leg pain went away; therefore, leaving me and my Dr. to believe these symptoms were in fact from the reformulated oxycontin. Then I had a note attached to my opana script saying half the pills looked different but they were the same medicine, just new pill shape.It's been 7 months or so and I've lost my pain control. The opana doesn't last like it used to. My hair is falling out again. My right side has been aching off and on again. Researching opana I discovered that it too had to be reformulated for same reason as oxycontin ~ congress ordered. And, there are sites like this where many folks share the same findings as me ~ the reformulated opana er does not work like it used to, and it's causing new side effects. This truly sucks. It's one thing to have to deal with so many who want to label us as drug seekers til they truly get to know us at medical facilities (or as my Dr. did for me, he has it noted in my file that he is not concerned about me abusing my meds in any way so to please respect that fact and treat me accordingly ~ it works wonders too.) plus having to sign contracts that include random UA's &/or pill counts to prove trustworthiness. But, the street users have caused this entire fiasco of ruining what was once great pain control for those of us who need it by abusing these meds to point Congress stepped in and said change it. Yet, these same street user/abusers have already found a way around the new outer shell reformulations ~ {edited for safety reasons} Just like they did with the original pills. It just takes a little longer to prepare nowadays. In the meantime, we who take it as directed are left with having to leave that shell on in order for the release rate to be accurate ~ which it no longer is. What a catch 22. I'm considering going back on the oxycontin as they're more options with it as the main stay than in using opana. Any helpful info would be appreciated. Also, I'll gladly jump on the bandwagon in search of a positive resolution to this problem if someone finds a direction to go. Thanks for letting me have my say.

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36

I agree with you. My back surgeon screwed up my surgery and damaged my leg nerve. Only pain medication that works is Oxy and I just started reading this forum and learned that the new formula doesn't work as well. Now I know why. I have never responded to pain medication my entire life. I have red hair which I have read effects how Rx's act differently on red headed people. I have to take a boat load for it to effect me. I cannot take methadone because it makes me so sleepy I cannot get out of bed. I am really tired of being treated like a criminal because a pain medication works and that is what is it suppose to do. Pain patients need to start showing up at their gov reps offices and start complaining. I am now doing this very thing because this Rx costs Medicare $4000 a month for my medication because a surgeon screwed up. My back surgery was to be just 4 hours but went to over 8 hours and he already had a 4 hour surgery before mine. When I woke I was unable to move my left leg and could not feel it either . Slowly when the feeling came back it was massive pain that I did not have before because it was a sciatic back leg pain. The surgery fixed the original pain but he damaged my front thigh nerve and it was worse than the sciatic. The surgeon did not put a word into my medical file aabout any of the complications or what happened in surgery. I had to file for social security disability and received it 4 months after I filed. That was 2001 and I have been on Oxy ever since.

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37

Same experience for me with reformulated Oxycontin. Dr. switched me to Opana which was fine until it too reformulated and now does not work. It seems the problem comes from the Federal level as they forced the drug manufacturers to change these products so the street users could not easily crush or burn their extended release tablets in order to get the full effect "high". So...manufacturers were forced to change the coating/shell of these medications by adding fire retardants along with polymers to make them crush proof. Problem is - this resulted in making these meds less effective for those of us who were successful in using the non-reformulated meds for pain control. And...I've been told the street users have found a way to slip this outer shell off the reformulated meds in order to get to the drug inside to use it as they may anyway!! So...what else can we do? Contact any and all Legislatures with our stories. Let them know that the street users will always find a way around the safety protections to get what they want so they need, no must allow these drug manufacturers to go back to making their product the way they were which is also the way that provides the most success for pain control for so many legitimate people out there. Not a law suit of the drug companies as they were forced by Congress. You have to start there my friends. Good luck. I'm still searching for my level 4 on the pain charts pain control again.

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38

my stomach is killing me... on oxycontin.. had similar pain in 09 to the point of stabbing pain and could not even eat.. had Barastat endoscopy which proved I now have "visceral hypersensitivity".... in other words.. . could not put a thing in my stomach and had to go on tube feeding food orally for 3 mos and take atavan and nortyriptalene... and detox from oxycontin and any and all narcotics.

I finally got better. Now it is 2014.. just had double back surgery and back on OXYCONTIN!! gettiing stabbing pains in gut back again! scared.

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39

Rochon genova

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40

I completely agree I'm in so much pain with fevers headache etc my doctor will up my dose and has been and nothing changes.

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