Dextroamphetamine And Medicare (Page 2)
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My mother was told that her doctor could no longer prescribe the dextroamphetamine that she has been taking, at minimum dose, for oer 50 years. She takes it for ADHD and narcolepsy. Her doctor tells her that it is no longer legal to "provide" it for her because congress has made it illegal to "provide" to any medicaid patient for any reason. Can someone help me follow this up? If the story she is telling me is true, I need to write my congressman to protest. Since when does the Federal government have the right to interfere in our private health care needs - she is not asking them to pay for the medication, she has simply LOST THE RIGHT TO HAVE IT PRESCRIBED TO HER. Is there anyone else out there that thinks this is WRONG?!

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REPORT

March 19, 2015 In the recent present past, two manufacturers distributed the "Generic" version to Glaxo Smith Kline 5 mg d-amphetamine sulfate, and, Mallinckrodt Labs, also produced the generic versions to the former ShireUS DextroStat in 5 mg and 10 mg Instant release sulfate. Unverified information to me states that Core Pharma, with previous ties to the infamous Ranbaxy of India, were also producing at least the 5 mg d-amphetamine sulfate I/R pill. I have been exposed to C-II stimulants since the year 1969. There could be another mfg I have missed, that sells to retail pharmacies. My concern is very recent data, of alleged FDA tampering with the production, of Barr Labs, (Teva of Israel). I hope I am wrong from my recent unverified sources. The Orange Book rating on the Glaxo Smith Kline product of Dexedrine 5mg, was the "final step up" in 2008 and 2009, with a top rating a AA, rare, for OrangeBook with 17 rating codes for product
purity. GSK and company produced the best I/R d-amphetamine from 1937 until 2009, the latter years, Giant Abbott Labs of North Chicago,IL actually made the pills for Glaxo Smith Kline. Price increases? Greed. GSK sold the patent to 2 or 3 different small USA, Canada, and UK producers, and the BRAND NAME DEXEDRINE WILL COST YOU THE MOON, The price has risen for brand from less than $100.00 US per 100 5mg tabs, to $350.00 + and up if you are wealthy enough to pay cash out of pocket for the Brand name. The Generics also went up in price, about double . but it is the only way any insurance company will assist you, to save money. I know the Mallies have a controversial reputation, just like Core Pharma, and Ranbaxy, who IMHO, should be banned from production in the USA.
Just google up the complaint list with Ranbaxy, and you will be amazed. I have a fresh script to return to d-amphetamine sulfate tabs x 60 take two 10mg per day, and after, being on Adderall for 15 years, and, I cross my fingers, that I can find the Barr (Teva) 10mg round tabs in a pink color with a b on one side and a 953 underscore 10 on the other side. Informed sources in the medical field, tell me our US FDA is determined to put all instant release CII's out of business in the next 3 to 5 years. I hope this is NOT TRUE. Otherwise, only made in Canada, UK, and Australia

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Hello Taxi,
I'm sorry that medicines&our illnesses have become our life instead of giving us a chance at a life. Patients have been increasingly penalised for having to take ANY CII at all. By pharmaceutical companies charging up to 1000% increases qquoting legislation, pharmacy techs&pharmacists (not All) I use to take Ritalin till my frustration got the best of me&I didn't have a car for a year+ So, my dr.tried Nuvigil (too $$$) now Adderall, for 4 months I could usually get it filled at a Walgreens after checking the local two, the third only a couple miles further always had it, untill October when I went to leave it and said I would come in and wait&was told by the tech I usually dealt with that it would be a couple of hours which he seemed nervous about? So, I asked if they had enough or was there a problem, anyway my drs.office called and found that they'd labeled me Good Faith Policy regected?! So, I've spent days looking for anyone to fill it. Oh if course Walgreen was the only one carrying Teva. Ugh, I don't have to deal with Narcolepsy, I've got Fibromyalgia, Lupus&Chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD and luckily for me my boyfriend lets me stay home since losing my job for not being as fast or on it as the teenagers. But, after getting my medicine filled 1+week late while it was ordered asking specifically for Teva or Sandoz, guess what my boyfriend brought home. I've been barely able to get out of bed. Now, I'm feeling sick, headaches, feeling mentally off, etc. So, here's a website I found for pharmacist, Modern medicine network. They've the latest about legislation concerning rising generic cost, quality and Good Faith Policy contents as well as FDA deporting link. Good Luck And post me and let me know how you're doing.

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Whatever the reason, the legal term is nonfeasance, and it IS a criminal offense.

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I agree, it's the only thing that helped me. I tried all the others and Adderall is the worst side effects, it's something in the ingredients that has bad effects for me. Can't understand why its so hard to find and get the regular single ingredient Dexedrine/dextrostat anymore... & Why if you can find it...why is it so expensive now? Is there some kind of conspiracy against it & if so why?

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Actually people, including myself, do get prescribed desoxyn, or methamphetamine, the 5 mg instant release (all they come in now, used to have 10 and 15 mg) for ADHD. I currently get both the dexies and desoxyn every month and luckily have an insurance that covers all generics for $15 a month per script (only 90 dexies, 120 desoxyns a month max tho). The doc I go to is a big advocate on using amps to treat ADHD, has ADHD himself and takes dexedrine, so he is favorable in prescribing dexedrine over Adderall. I qualified to receive Medicaid but am worried it might not cover my scripts cost every month compared to my insurance. My insurance doesnt cover my monthhly doc visit anyway but I know it costs a fortune for these meds, as it lists the price without insurance on the bottle, and I'd hate to screw myself by dropping my insurance, switching to medicaid and either not having one or both meds covered or have to go through some alternative doc to qualify. It took me forever to find this doc and what he prescribes me actually works better than anything else. I know Dexedrine would probably be covered but i'm wondering how many a month and I'm especially worried about Desoxyn as I don't see that anywhere on any list of medicaid preapproved meds. If anyone knows, any info wouold sure be helpfull.

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TaxiPriest,
Your post is more than a year old, so I hope you're able to get this response. Your story is very similar to mine. I reached the point where I could only keep awake for 4 hours a day and every week would sleep straight through for two or more days. All this on an unheard of high dose of MAOI's combined with 40mg of dextroamphetamine -- a combination that's supposed to be lethal. I want to emphasize that this was under the strict supervision of a well known psychopharmacologist. He said my inability to keep myself awake was part of my depression. Desperate, I turned to my not-at-all-famous family doctor who did some blood tests. It turned out that my thyroid was severely underactive. After about two weeks on thyroid medication I could remain awake for 8 hours a day. After that things continued to improve. Eight years later, I still take 40 mg of dextroamphetamine a day and thyroid meds, but no antidepressants. (And over the years preceding my thyroid diagnosis I'd been on every antidepressant in every possible combination imaginable.) Perhaps after all these years I'm addicted, but at least I can function. Not with super human energy, but at something approaching normal.

I urge you to have your thyroid checked out. If you already have, check it again. There are also many alternate therapies out there that I've found helpful. I found this site because, like so many of you, the price increase of dex is outrageous and I wanted to find out why.. Last year the shortage drove me crazy. I'd have to call at least 25 drug stores before I found one that had it in stock. And I live in New York City where there are probably thousands of drug stores! Perhaps the shortage was simply a prelude to the price hike. Good luck to all of us!

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TaxiPriest:
Only $10 with insurance.
I am assuming your blood has been tested? You are obviously lacking something or have too much of something. Not a man made drug but a natural chemical made by the body. Have you tried changing your diet and do you work out? Of course see a chiropractor.

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Have her contest that. I grew up on ADHD meds, my longest periods on Dexedrine. If I don't take it, my maturity level drops to age 15, my impulsiveness is back in full blast (i.e. saying what I think and hurting people unintentionally, running out in traffic because of no patience, arguing about everything etc.) I used to have issues with altercations. I was always smart, AP classes, finished early, got bored and caused trouble. I have been down the med game BS and once I went to legal aid. Medicaid will cover what medicare will not. They used to cover my clonazepam but Medicare offered the Wafers and those work better. I deal with manic episodes in the summer and ADHD and have since age 4, I work and go to college but I get Medicare Part D because I am in work study and my manic episodes escalate faster without ADHD meds and I have true mania so it is necessary. (my mania was pediatric and developmental so I don't respond to adult onset bipolar cases, when I get psychotic, after the episode ends, I am fine in a day or two, many adults never really come back from that because they had a childhood and I had to deal with this, so it is like a headache or diarrhea to me)

If they want to begin refusing to cover them, make them cheap like Klonopin, I had to buy them once waiting for a prior authorization and they were $8.99

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If you have encountered a massive price increase, please report it to the FTC here:

ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en

It takes just a few minutes and nothing will happen unless there is an outpouring of outrage from those that are prescribed dextroamphetamine. Even if you have insurance and are not directly impacted, know that this may increase your premiums or your insurance company may no longer cover dextroamphetamine due to cost. Please file a complaint using the above link.

We can either sit back and let the drug companies/distributors take advantage of us or we can fight back. The choice is yours!

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What happened? Oh, no... I am f+#*ed. Went to Walgreens to fill dextroamph rx tonight. Instead of approx. $75 they said for me with self-pay it's $355+!!!! This is for ONE month. No way I can afford it! Suddenly? What the _ do I do? Taper down with the 2 more days of pills that I have? So, you just blow, they are saying to me. Just be sick, and here, we'll make it so you're much, much sicker!!!

Are all the pharmacies going to have the same astronomical price hike? Has anyone got information about about this?

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I have enjoyed your informative posts. I'm sorry i'm posting a reply 9 months later.

But, maybe (hopefully) it's a good thing. Maybe in all this time you have figured out the answer to this mess.

Have you?

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Everyone is talking about the shortage of Dextroamphetamine and similar..
I guess I missed the shortage.

I pick up my Rx every 2 ~ 3 months or so.

In 5-ish years the price has hiked a few times for the Barr generic 10mg..it doubled in fact. All the way to $60 a couple of months ago. Today the price was over $350.00. According to Barr, Dextroamphetamine is back on the pharmacy shelves. (and it IS)..it costs
6 x's higher than it was.

Please help me to understand with whom I should be focusing my anger and resentment.
Costco?
Barr?
The drug addict tweens/teens who break into pharmacies because their drug of choice is the medication I need?

Soccer Mums who pretend to be ADHD because they're into stimulants?

Anyone who alleges they have Narcolepsy because they want more energy during the day DESERVES to have what I have.

I have
no-joke, full-throttle, real-life Narcolepsy/Cataplexy. I fall asleep for no reason..sometimes every 20 seconds. I can't drive because I fall asleep at the wheel. I walk & talk, phone police, run outside and drive in my sleep. I live in a constant sleep coma and there's no waking out of it.

I'm one of the only people who actually really has it. Everyone else wants the Rx for energy when they're cramming for exams and I need it to have just a little functionality.

I've been prescribed every Methylphenidate, direct, indirect stimulant, antidepressant, MAOI..Provigil, Focalin..Ritalin. They sedate me. In minutes.

The one Rx that allowed me a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit of functionality and it's now cost-prohibitive.

I'm being punished because of others substance abuse?

Should candy bars be $50 each because some are morbidly obese/chocoholics?

Should Kettle One be $500 p/bottle because there are so many drunk drivers?

I'm paying for this.
I can't afford it because I haven't been able to work in 4 years. Of course I don't have health insurance. Disability is still pending status and from what it sounds like, SSD won't cover Dextroamphetamine anyway.

Soccer Mums, and med students who claim to have ADHD/Narcolepsy so they can score Speed CAN afford it, though. The only person who can not, is the one who actually needs it.

GSK stopped making the tabs and the time-release made me dizzy and sedated me..so no paid Rx program for me.

Barr is a generic and there are no patient assistance programs for generic (only one cancer med). The price is something I can't afford.

I had to leave the Rx at the pharmacy today because I don't have the money and I won't have the money. I'm officially out of my med and that means sleep coma.

I'm sorry about the rant but my head's about to explode. It isn't like Dextroamphetamine "fixed" me. It didn't. But after years of countless other meds and combo's, it was the only one that came close for the last 5 yrs. Now I don't even have that.

Nobody is trying to discover new treatments for Narcolepsy. Only erectile dysfunction and chronically short eyelashes warrants million$ in research and medication development.

It's a joke. The walking & talking in your sleep-thing..it REALLY happens. It's freakish and strange and there's no cure or treatment..and there won't be, in my lifetime.

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You all are all so alert and sharp as tacks..you're about to make my head explode.

You know what..?

I WISH I took Dextroamphetamine because it enhanced my energy..or helped with focus. I WISH I had enough energy and drive to comment my ass off re: important and relevant topics such as this one..but I can not.

I'm going to rant a little because if I don't I may start crying and never be able to stop..okay?

I have actual, full throttle, no kidding around, Narcolepsy and I've had it all my life. That means I fall asleep for no reason. I walk & talk in my sleep (I phone the police, run outside and drive cars in my sleep). Some lights make me pass out. I can no longer drive because I fall asleep at the wheel. My Uncle had it, he died last year, asleep at the wheel. I have no life. This is no life.

I've had every single, solitary direct and indirect stimulant known to man prescribed for me..antidepressants, even a few MAOIs for good measure..and combinations of all. I've had Provigil, Focalin, Ritalin..all the Methylphenidates..and they sedated me.

I'm talking direct stimulants that would wake up an elephant for a week..and in 8 minutes I'm sound asleep.

The Barr generic for Dextroamphetamine allowed me a tiny (and I mean tiny) bit of functionality..but compared to no functionality, I'll take it.

Now even THAT is gone. The last time I filled the Rx at Costco it was $55 and today (about 2 months later) it was over $350. Just like that. I couldn't afford it..so it stayed behind. I don't have health insurance. My God, I haven't been able to work in four years..I can't even babysit because I fall asleep.

It isn't as if it "fixed" me because it didn't. I've been prescribed the Rx for over 5 yrs or so (after the newest Rx(s) didn't pan out) I'd go back. Now I don't even have that.

GSK stopped manufacturing the tabs and the time-release made me dizzy and sedated me. Ritalin sedated me. Provigil sedated me. I'm a freak, I know that. But what are freaks like me supposed to do?

All of the tweens/teens who break into pharmacies to get their grubby little paws on a Rx that I NEED and they want for kicks
=
I'm screwed. I'm paying for everyone who has a substance abuse problem, I guess..? Soccer Mums who want a little more energy during the day, all claim to be ADHD..? Anyone who claims to have Narcolepsy because they're into stimulants DESERVES to get this..for real.

I, and we..all pay the price for all of the above.

Should candy bars be $30 each because some people are morbidly obese/chocoholics? Should a bottle of Kettle One be $500 because there are so many drunk drivers? Is it my (or your) fault that some want to use my prescribed med as their drug of choice?

No one's studying what I have. It isn't going to be figured out..not in my lifetime. It isn't erectile dysfunction or chronically short eyelashes that require a Rx so they'll grow lush & full. It's some kind of freakish sleep coma that isn't (successfully) treatable. Anything that comes close is removed or banned or part of a "shortage"..or the price is raised 6 X's higher
=
only the people who don't really NEED it can afford it.


now what?

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Ridgerunner007.... I had to look all over at Prescott, AZ. for a Pharmacy. The pharmacist told me the ere getting calls from Phoenix, a 2 hour drive. I found one, Walmart, which when December came around and was getting Barr marked 10mg Dextroamphetamine bid aka # 60 a month. I was told to get double the amount of 5mg as there were some of them around so for december I had a script for #120 5mg. Well they were all out of 5mg and 10,s except Walmart. January 19 came around and I went back to the 10's. Again only Walmart had them, but told me I took the last of theirs. I figured they would have gotten there new quota for the pharmaceuticals company's by then. I guess not, All I get the orange Barr over the last several years the 10mg immediate release dextroamphetamine sulfate. Yes I so remember the SKF E19 pink hearts. Did I understand you correctly that they were putting waxy fillers in the immediate release Dexies along with the time release release spansules to stop the snorting of dexies immediate release from pressure from the DEA or is that just the time release and some of the immediate release. Do you know of the barr's owned by Teva, which I just learned from you. I have no problem with Teva generics and for sometime Barr. I am assuming Barr still makes them, just that Barr is owned by Teva in Isreal. When did they purchase Barr. I also get another schedule II, an opiate, Dliluadid in generic hydromorphone, 4mg (120) always made by Mallinckroft. I have never had any problem getting them. It sounds like you are saying, anyone make IR Dextroamphetamine Sulfate is on the DEA's list of pressuring to go else where if you want to do business in the USA per DEA don't make dexadrine IR.BTW I was cut off by my Drug Plan, as they raised them from generic last year $6.00 to brand name tier at $45.00, even when I appealed it, they found no medical reason I coudn't take generic ritalin, I immediately found a drug company that I pay $23.80 a month and all true generics, including dextroamphetamine sulfate at tier I, which is $ 00.00 copayment. All 9 of 11 meds are generic and clonazepam (all benzodiazapines) are not covered by medicare, until they made a decision to start covering them in 2013 or 2014, can't remeber it was over a year ago they made that decision, and nthe albuterol inhalant was forced by the USA to save the ozone and make them without CFC;s and now they se HFA and now all inhalant meds are brand name instead of generic even tho they have been around for years, it's a new drug because of the propellant. They did that a few years ago to prescriptions, and December 31, 2011, the only over the counter Primatene Mist was taken off the market because of CFC's. So no Primatene Mist available until they get it made with HFA and approved by the FDA. It seems the government has no concern about your health, mas they will decide what is best for you, and no concern about your rising cost of meds taking more and more out of your pocket. The desicion a drug insurance made over my DR. to have me take Ritalin instead of what my DR. wants, which they contacted. The denial just to rub it in my face, was signed by a Nurse, a RNP. Will you get back with me on the Barr IR dextroamphetamine sulfate 10mgs, are they using just normal fillers or waxed based fillers. I agreed on you with the Desoxyn...That has been around for ever and went generic in 2010 where only Mylan makes the only generic 5mg, and Desoxyn isn't made by Abbott any more, but Ovation and only 5mg, what happen to the 10mg gradumet. Your right, just because of the conatations on meth, no one prescribes it, and few pharmacies carry either the brand or generic. Last but not least ..Preludin Endurets 25,50 and the 75 mgs. that was potent, wasn't it just a few years ago they took that off the market along with my Placidyl 750mg, the med that were available in the 60,70's that had potential for abuse where schedule III in 1970 when nthe controlled substance act went into effect, then a few years latter they were schedule II's then they were off the market. I'm so glad the government has decided what's best for me and not my Doctor. Carl

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I agree with Carl. I will add to my deepest sorrow, that, Smith Kline and French of Philadelphia PA, which merged twice in the past 25 yrs, with Beecham Pharma, and now with Glaxo, of United Kingdom, has stopped producing the brand name "Dexedrine Sulfate in the 5 mg instant release size (after manufacturing the pills since 1937 until the second quarter of 2009). They even added many years ago a waxy effective matrix, to the Dexedrine E-19 orange hearts, to discourage, and most effectively, did so to stop recreational users from crushing up the pills and snorting them like Cocaine. Also, the two remaining manufacturers in the USA, Ethex, was closed down by our FDA and DEA for "irregularities" data on the internet states that the generic Dexedrine was actually too strong, rather than being too weak, and the last mfg, of generic Dexedrine sulfate "IMMEDIATE RELEASE" in both 5 and 10 mg. FORMERLY BARR LABS, NOW TEVA OF SELLERSVILLE PA, has reached production quotas for all of their generic and brand products containing pure dexedrine sulfate, "immediate release" and other brands they produce with variations of dextroamphetamine chemical variations thus, all dexedrine is of today on back order in the USA. My personal psychiatrist who has treated me for 12 years uninterrupted, told me 4 days ago, that I quote, our USA govenment is trying to put Barr Labs, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teva of Israel, out of business for good, and the agenda, is to make the sustained release versions of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, as the DEA and FDA's interpretation is that it is being abused too much by the target specific 18 to 24 yr olds who are able to obtain the medications from friends, with whatever ailment they have, and are, I quote, trying to snort the dextroamphetamine, expecially without the patented waxy matrix formula now removed by Glaxo Smith Kline, 2.5 yrs ago, and that, even without crushing up the pills for IV or nasal "nose candy" our government regulators, are obsessed with safekeeping their jobs, in the past decade it has been on the controversial "OxyContin" and the Florida Oxycodone Express, now, the emphasis in on all instant release C-II stimulants, in all forms, (not the slow release versions), and the war on drugs on marijuana, and, on cocaine was lost over ten years ago.....................the war on drugs is now on target specific "abusable, medications, yes, but, there are so many very hungry Americans in fear of losing their jobs in this very, stubborn recession, that our governnment regulators, have illusions to "justify anything, to protect their jobs, including, slickly manipulating statistics" The DEA really is to be feared second to the Nazi secret police of WWII, do not take them lightly, the employment numbers of the payroll is staggering with the DEA, and, they have successfully crushed the production of other controlled drugs that were abuseable, by recreatrional users, in our country, and they have such long reaching arms, they will travel around the world to bully other countries to cut off chemical precursors to illicit drug dealers, to wipe out the recreational abuse of drugs, at the cost of most unfortunately the often great majority, like your Mother, who takes the meds as prescribed. Finally, ShireUS, and formerly Richwood Pharmaceutical, have stopped making the Orange book rated AA rated "DextroStat" competitive to "Dexedrine Sulfate by GSK, also rated AA by the Orange Book who reports directly to the FDA, thus, the only fast acting stimulant around, is the very, very, outrageously expensive fast acting, methamphetamine, by Ovation Pharmaceuticals, that, has such a strong stigma from the 1960's abuse, to the illicit abuse of homemade crystal meth, a real problem in our country, that I do not know of any M.D's in over 20 years who specialize with adults with ADD or Narcolepsy, who will dare prescribe Desoxyn, but it is legal and is prescribed by a few M.D's and Neurologists, and Sleep Disorder AMA Board Certified Specialist for Sleep Disorders, but they are far and few between, and it is truly much more powerful mg. for mg. than dexedrine sulfate. ...............a very sad state of affairs indeed in our country...........................

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Of course it has to be a legal drug to prescribe :)

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This is not true. I take 2, 10mg dextroamphetamine sulfate a day for ADHD and I am on Medicare. My guess is the Doctor no longer wants to prescribe it, so uses that lie so there is no confrontation. I was also getting it while on Medicaid. A doctor can prescribe any medication for ANY reason, it's called "off label" prescribing, when the drug is prescribed for not what the FDA indicated it use for. It is completely legal, and a common practice.

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