What r u going to do w/o generic oxy??

Been on generic oxy about a year, works well for me, but now my HMO (Kaiser) will not pay for brand label (looked into it, talked to MD, Pharma, etc.) MD willing to prescribe morphine, but reason I didn't go with it in the first place is I suffer with bad nausea and any time I've taken morphine nausea hits me hard. Don't want Fentanyl patch b/c of skin condition. Methadone is out too. So, I can still get oxy and pay approx. 140.00 a month for it or switch to morphine and pay the co-pay of 5.00--really big difference. I can at this time afford to pay full price, but I feel I should save money for my very unpredictable future. What to do, what to do. I have one month to decide.

For those who take morphine (better yet, if you have switched from oxy to it) what's the pro's/con's? I guess I should mention that any time I've had morphine it's been in a crisis and given IV or IM, so there could be a difference with oral.

You can't compare oral administration to IV or IM. The side effects of morphine IV, and to a lesser extend IM, are more profound than those from oral administration. Most people have side effects from morphine IV (depends of course of the dosage, but IV is usually a more serous dosage than an oral administration and is usually only used in emergencies).

I use an opium tincture for intestinal problems. Morphine and codeine are the most well known derivatives of opium. The opium is mixed with alcohol which improves preservation and increases the effect (that's the basic idea behind any tincture). Had some side effects in the early stages (taking it for years now) since the initial dose with very high but nothing to worry about. There has also been a time when I injected myself with morphine (IV). Those side effects were much worse, yet morphine IV was the only thing to take out the pain in sufficient quantities to make me function (function like a zombie, but still function ... more or less).

I suppose you won't be allowed to inject yourself with morphine in the States (I live in Belgium. Here it is only allowed with a special permit from the Ministry of Public Health). Think you should try it out. If the morphne works fine, keep it, otherwise, go for the $ 140.00 a month (if that is legally possible in the States of course, I'm always looking at this from a Belgian point of view).

I have one question though. Why do you have to switch from generic to brand in the first place? Here in Belgium, the doctor who prescribes makes the decision, though patients always have the right to ask for the cheapest alternative. The doctor's choice to prescribe the brand has to be medically motivated, such as the patient being allergic to one of the other components of the generic product(s). Please explain to me how it works in the States as I haven't got a clue where to start searching.

Thanks.

Have you asked your doctor whether there aren't any meds comparable to oxy (who might be available in generic form) that are less "aggressive" than morphine? After all, one of the reasons to come up with additional opium derivatives was that morphine was so highly aggressive and addictive. I'm sure there must be other meds more closely related to oxy than morphine.

HI there
Here in Ontario Canada
WE only get brand name Oxy or MS Contin ( morphins)
I went from Oxys to Morphine so I could find a bit of a change in pain levels and I will be going back on Oxys when I want to ask the doc for them
YES the oxys and Morphine Slow release should NEVER be chewed nor crushed ........
They both have coatings
ALSO here in Ontario they are now making OXY with lil beads or gel same as Morphine for ppl that are misusing them ....or to stop ppl from misusing with syringe it will not break down they are saying
I dont get the gel caps
But I dont abuse my meds
The laws are ZERO tolerance here anymore
Just yesterday for the FIRST time I had to sign for my Morphine when Pharmacy delieverd ...I aksed if it was because it is a Scheduled Narcotic and she replied NOPE it is for EVERYTHING now that we deliver


......I find that I feel somewhat better with the M .S Contin now as I have been off it for awhile but I do know the time will come when I go back to Oxy's
I am blessed to have a doc that WILL not let me be in Pain.........LYN

Big Lucy,

Here is an idea. Try writing a formal letter to your insurance company, preferably someone in administrtion and detail your need for the brand name drug. Also, have your doctor write a note describing the reasons as well. Once things are in writing, sometimes an insurance company will make an exception. It doesn't cost anything to try and you just might get somewhere.

Personally, to answer your initial question, I was on percocet and it wasn't working for me, so I switched to oxcycontin and then to morphine. I found there were more side effects and the pain control wasn't much better, so eventually I went back to the percocet and it now works for me with no side effects.

I hope you find some relief without having to pay over a hundred dollars a month for your meds. That is so outragious and so unfair as well

Good Luck,

Lindaloo

Dilaudid has never done anything for my pain
Have no clue why but it is fact

LYN

I am finding the 100 mg of Morphine and 60 in the afternoon and then another 100 mg at night is rerally helping but I am feeling almost too emotional if you know what I mean
Like I am crying alot ..or snappy ..........never know what to exppect..........

I too am taking Oxycontin.  When generic Oxycontin became unavailable, my doctor gave me a discount card from the manufacturer of Oxycontin (PurduePharma) that discounts the brand name Oxycontin $50 per script.  It is valid for 5 or 6 fills, and then he gives me another card.  I give the card to my pharmacist, and they input the numbers into their system, and it automatically gives me the discount every month.  It just so happens that my co-pay is $50, so in effect, I get it for free.  I would think you could ask your prescribing physician for one, or have them ask the Purdue Rep. for some.  They exist, so everyone should be able to get one.  The discount is applied after insurance, if you have it, and is like $50 cash. One time I filled my script, but forgot to get a new card.  I payed the full amount for the script at the time, and returned two weeks later with the new card.  The pharmacist gave me $50 cash back. I am in Arizona. I don't know if it is available in other countries.  I hope this helps some.

The coupon is a good idea--even though my HMO has a in-house pharmacy and am wondering if they take coupons?--but, I feel really bad using a coupon when actually I could pay the full 140.00/month right now b/c currently working FT; don't want to take any opportunity away from someone who can't afford their meds. Just having a hard time paying it on principle b/c all my other meds cost me 5.00 per RX. Furthermore, trying to save as much as possible b/c who knows what my health is going to be like in the future.

Yes, I could write a letter, etc., but just really tired right now and it's just takes all my energy to go to work nine hours a day (yes, nine with lunch factored in). I have been thinking about calling the patient relations dept (which deals with complaints/quality of services issues), but I think I've been hesitating b/c we're talking about a narcotic and don't want to deal with the stigma or be flagged in any way.

PAlady: sorry to hear your economic situation is getting worse. Are you working at all anymore? I've been back to work now, what, 2-3 months and finally found a routine, but, wow, is it exhausting. The days are sooooo long when you have chronic fatigue from a chronic illness(s). Added bonus is that I just can't eat while at work b/c of all my gastrointestinal issues, hurts too much, slows me down, etc. so I have very little energy, no nutrients to keep me going. I keep well hydrated and take supplements, but not good enough.