no one has 10/325 percocets

I went to 10 pharmacies. No one has these. One pharmacist said I was the 5th person to call about these particular meds.

I called my PM doctor. I explained the situation, and was essentially told too bad.....there are no appointments tomorrow. They are closed the rest of the week,
and to just keep my regular appointment scheduled for January 15th.

I don't know what I'm going to do.

Thank you for writing mallardmark.... I really appreciate your input.

My doctor doesn't have any kind of emergency number.

The pharmacist at Walgreens said to call in the morning to see if any come in, they would expedite calling my doctor to confirm the script.

You know, if this were any other kind of essential medication, like high blood pressure, or heart meds, this would not be an issue....the doctor would be sure I would have something!

However, since it's pain management, it's apparently not as important......

When it comes to CII meds companies are only allowed to manufacture so much a year. At the end of the year the amt in stock can get low and cannot be replenished until after the Jan 1. It is a pain to go looking to see who has your meds. I have run into that at other years and try to have a refill date toward yhe beginning of the month.

Thanks MtnGrlNC....I wasn't aware of the manufacturing limits. If that is indeed the issue, I feel a little better....although I'm still not happy with my pm doctor.

Also, none of the pharmacies could offer any explanation as to why they didn't have them in stock, even though they had been ordered.....you'd think that if it were the manufacturing limit problem, that the pharmacists would share this, wouldn't they?

oh well, will see how it goes tomorrow.

I do not do business with Walgreen's anymore because they didn't care and would not get a script in for me. I've switched to Kroger's years ago and I've been good with them on everything except getting the methotrexate, but then they do call around for me and will locate it and get it in a day or so...After the holidays you might want to switch to another pharmacy...just make sure to let your doctor know about all this trouble you've had with Walgreen's...Some on here have never had a problem with Walgreen's but I've had a few dealing with them and refuse to drop to their level...
Hope you can get your medications...Many well wishes...

I just reread my first post.....I didn't call the pharmacies, I physically went to them. I apologize for the mix up!

Walgreens was kind enough to fill my script last month because my mom and pop pharmacy said they would no longer carry percocets.

At that time I did call my pm doc and tell them I had to go to Walgreens so it would be documented.

Today, I just assumed that Walgreens would have the meds in stock. So when I went, and they told me no, they didn't have any, and to check back tomorrow, I then drove to 9 other pharmacies....no luck.

Chartruex, We don't have Krogers here (just north of Tampa)...I use them when I'm in Georgia and they are fast and professional.

The pharmacists at the Walgreens in town seem to want to help, so that makes all the difference. I'm sorry you haven't had a good experience with them...all it takes is one bad pharmacist!

Lexi...after my phone call with my pm doc today (actually, his nurse), there is no way I'm calling back.

She was rude (and she's usually very nice), and nasty.

I was told there was NOTHING they could do, tomorrow is completely booked and besides, it's Christmas Eve (I wanted to scream at that point).

They allegedly can't fit me in before my regular Jan. 15th appointment. There is no way to ask the doctor anything...his staff blocks him well.

I'll try our (small) local hospitals first, and then possibly head to Tampa to see if I can get it filled somewhere .

The uncaring attitude of my pm doc's office really bothers me...they just didn't care.

Like I previously mentioned, if this were my cardiologist's office and I needed a specific medication, I'm positive they would make sure I'd have it...the attitude of the pm office made me feel like a junkie :(

I've run into the same problem with other meds and know first hand how frustrating it can be. My best recommendation is to get on the phone and start calling pharmacies that may be a bit further a field or different pharmacy chains you haven't tried before or didn't know about. Some pharmacies can check their local store databases, some (like Walgreens) don't. Here's a site that may help you track something down - http://www.wellness.com/find/pharmacy . Best of luck.

Litespeed...I'm so sorry you were treated so harshly! They were so rude to you. Did you have trouble finding a good pm doc?

I just may have to find a new pm.....My husband had talked to the pharmacist at our mom and pop pharmacy about this....the pharmacist strongly urged me to not go to a new pm doc since everyone is being so closely monitored by the authorities....doing so would send up a huge red flag and call all kinds of unwanted attention to myself....

I'm an excellent cp patient, I never lose my meds, etc,...none of those kinds of issues......but the thought of being even more closely watched does make me nervous.

However, in light of how I was so rudely treated, I'll revisit this option.

On the Rocks, thanks so much for that link! I'll start calling tomorrow.

Flower, yes, I will be driving around beginning tomorrow.....We've got some extras saved up, so I'll be ok for a little while.....It's just so upsetting not knowing if/when I'll get them!

I may need to switch meds (can't take anything with morphine). Ideally for excellent pain relief, I would love returning to Roxicodone......I had gotten the most relief with those.

However, several years ago my pm abruptly switched me, without warning, to the Percocet because the police were visiting all the pain clinics here in Pasco County, FL and telling the docs to stop prescribing the Roxicodone. So I went from 75 mg Roxicodone to 50 mg Percocet.

I went thru horrible withdrawals, even though I had the Percocet's......The timing was awful...it was August and school was starting (I'm a retired high school teacher).....

If anyone has any suggestions of what medication might be similar to Percocet, I would appreciate that info. Perhaps I need to go back on a long acting med.....I hate the trial and error period since they start you at such a low strength....I understand why...I just don't want to be in more pain.

ok, I also hope everyone has a wonderful, pain free Christmas day!! I really appreciate everyone who took the time to write and help me out.

thank you for the idea Linds, ......but The Walmarts around here are closed today....

Hope you're having a good day.

Tomorrow I plan on using the link that OnTheRocks provided, see if I can get any info that way, then I'll be driving around..... I'll start with my original mom and pop pharmacy...sometimes .it depends on which pharmacist is there..

Since yesterday was the day after Christmas, I thought I'd wait a day so that any pharmacy deliveries could be made.

Using the site that OnTheRocks provided, I made many calls....absolutely NO luck...you'd think I was asking them if they stocked resin. You could hear the hesitancy in their voices, some said they don't carry any narcotics at all...nothing, zip, nadda....like, seriously???

So I went to my regular mom and pop place...pharmacist was very nice, she explained it's not the supplier its the manufacturer which is what some of you have shared here.

She suggested I call back this afternoon....she actually offered a glimmer of hope, saying that she's sure it'll get straightened out especially right after the first of the year.....same thing some other pharmacies have said as well as here on HW.

I'll call them later. If there isn't any, I'll go try some others.

I do have some meds to hold me over for a little while that we squirreled away over time (just for an occasion such as this, and I have to thank my wonderful hubby for that!!)

It's the uncertainty that's so hard....will they really be in stock again? If not, what else can I take? (can't take anything with morphine for instance).....maybe I'm worrying for nothing.

Then there's the huge dilemma of whether I should change pm docs....I sure don't want to be watched by the authorities any more than I already am as a cp patient.

Sorry for ranting...I'm just feeling very stressed out.

I appreciate all the replies, suggestions and support that I've gotten from everyone here. It helps tremendously knowing you guys are here!

Thank you all so much!