Generic Fentenyl Watson vs Mylan

[spondygurl1]

I have been on Fentenyl( 75 mcg every 72 hrs ) for yrs now. 4 the last 2 years I have gotten my script filled at Walgreens because they had the Mylan brand which is smaller and is not fluid filled. I wear my patch onmy arm and am a very tiny person. When I filled my script in Dec, they gave me Watson brand. It takes up the entire top of my arm and makes a crinkly sound when my clothes brush against it.
I called the pharmacist and at first he thought he could special order my the Mylans each moth if I called 2 weeks in advance but He just called me backand said due to their Contract,he can now only order the Watsons even though he is getting lots of patient complaints. My question is,does anyone know which pharmacy carries the Mylan brand? He suggested I call around to the other Walgreens and see if they have any Mylans left but they will soon run out and will need to move my script else where. I left Walmart 2 years ago because they had Watson,anyone know what they carry now? What about CVS? Rite Aid? I have a new baby at the house and I don't want the baby near the arm that has a patch that big on it. I'm scared he may get some of the meds on him it is so big. I never worried with the Mylans. My arm is also breaking out around the patch. It didn't do this with the Mylans. Thanks for any help!

[Tbackpain1]

CVS carries the Mylan brand generic. I have to call a week ahead in order to be able to get the Sandoz generic.

No need to worry about the baby getting exposed to your patch, unless your patch is not sealing completely around the edges, which you'd be able to see, as the edges lift up. In the interim, you can get bioclusive covers at your local pharmacy that will seal over your patch. You may be allergic to the adhesive that is holding the patch in place, or the alcohol that the medication is suspended in could be irritating to your skin. Be sure to rotate your patch sites every time you change your patch to avoid this happening.

Theresa

[Pharmacist.steve]

I have been on Fentenyl( 75 mcg every 72 hrs ) for yrs now. 4 the last 2 years I have gotten my script filled at Walgreens because they had the Mylan brand which is smaller and is not fluid filled. I wear my patch onmy arm and am a very tiny person. When I filled my script in Dec, they gave me Watson brand. It takes up the entire top of my arm and makes a crinkly sound when my clothes brush against it.
I called the pharmacist and at first he thought he could special order my the Mylans each moth if I called 2 weeks in advance but He just called me backand said due to their Contract,he can now only order the Watsons even though he is getting lots of patient complaints. My question is,does anyone know which pharmacy carries the Mylan brand? He suggested I call around to the other Walgreens and see if they have any Mylans left but they will soon run out and will need to move my script else where. I left Walmart 2 years ago because they had Watson,anyone know what they carry now? What about CVS? Rite Aid? I have a new baby at the house and I don't want the baby near the arm that has a patch that big on it. I'm scared he may get some of the meds on him it is so big. I never worried with the Mylans. My arm is also breaking out around the patch. It didn't do this with the Mylans. Thanks for any help!

It would appear that Watson has/is "cutting a deal" with the "big boys". The big boys are all about the bottom line .. so I suspect that they will all fall in lock-step following the lower price Watson is offering. Presuming that you have a "drug card".. you are going to pay the same price .. no matter where you go... You might want to talk to one of the local independent pharmacies.. since you are normally dealing with the owner.. there can be a lot more flexibility in brand selection.

I am surprised that it takes Walgreen's 2 weeks to special order a C-II.. I work for a "chain" but we don't have a central warehouse and Mon-Thur I can get a CII order THE NEXT DAY.

I guess Walgreens is all about controlling their costs (and profits) as to opposed as to what the patient's needs might be...

[spondygurl1]

Thanks Theresa,
I just feel funny with that big patch on. I have the covers but I hate to wear them too. I like the small patches that no one sees or knows you are wearing and everytime I try to cover it with the bioclusive,I end up making a mess. I must be the world's most incompetant person when applying the covers because I get them all tangles with the stupid big patch and only half of it gets covered. lol I'm glad to know I can head to CVS Thanks!

[spondygurl1]

Steve,
The pharmacsist first told me it would be a week to special order because their next shipment is due in Tuesday and he would have to see if it could come in by Friday after since I missed tht one, then told me for future ref,I need to let them know 2 weeks in advance so they could get my order and make sure they had some there for me every month but I would have to call every month with the 2 week notice and they would put it up for me. I told him if it meant I could have the Mylans then I would be glad to do it but now he says their contract forbids it. At least he was nice enough to call me back and tell me that I would not be getting them.

[MamaRider]

I Liked the Mylan also. I truly think it worked better and longer. At first I found it to be stronger. Now, I really miss it. I cannot find it any where. And I have asked around all the RX's in my area. I got permession from my Pain Doc to go to a differetn RX for my Duragesic to find a brand I preferred. I have just given up. Now I just buy my own patch covers, and use them. They help 100%, bu are costly. One of these days, I will get off my lazy arse and look them up on the 'Net and find them way cheaper. Just so long as the Fentyal works, I am pleased. and I don't get too big a rash. I wear mine on my back, becasue I wear two, a 100 and a 75.

[brians2000]

I live in SC and all the pharmacies in my area have mylans and not Sandoz. I use the Sandoz because they are the same as the brand name Duragesic so I have to call a week in advance to make sure the CVS i go to has them for me. Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all carry the Mylan but no one carries the Sandoz unless I request it.

[Kira]

I had this happen to me in December, too. I HATED the Watson ones... they were much bigger, didn't stay flat, wouldn't fit under a single tegaderm (until I bought a box of the HUGE tegaderms, which was expensive). But the worse part was that I got a rash from every Watson patch I applied.

At my pain clinic appointment to pick up my scripts for January meds, I told her about it and asked her to write it "mylan only", and it turned out that was unnecessary. The pharmacist told me that they were getting so many compliants about the Watson ones that they switched back to Mylan. And, sure enough, they filled my order with Mylan ones right then and there.

I like the Mylan ones because they are MUCH smaller, softer, thinner, and easier to wear. They don't have that "bag of gel" like the Duragesic, Sandoz, and Watson ones do... the fentanyl is in some kind of matrix directly in the Mylan patches' adhesive system.

Anyway, this was all at Walgreens. The pharmacist told me that they tried to switch to Watson but it only lasted a few weeks due to so many people having problems with them.

Hopefully, this change from Watson back to Mylan affects all of the Walgreens stores, and not just the ones around where I live.

I agree with you, though... I HATED the Watson ones.

Good luck with finding a phamacy that carries the Mylan ones.

I have been on Fentenyl( 75 mcg every 72 hrs ) for yrs now. 4 the last 2 years I have gotten my script filled at Walgreens because they had the Mylan brand which is smaller and is not fluid filled. I wear my patch onmy arm and am a very tiny person. When I filled my script in Dec, they gave me Watson brand. It takes up the entire top of my arm and makes a crinkly sound when my clothes brush against it.
I called the pharmacist and at first he thought he could special order my the Mylans each moth if I called 2 weeks in advance but He just called me backand said due to their Contract,he can now only order the Watsons even though he is getting lots of patient complaints. My question is,does anyone know which pharmacy carries the Mylan brand? He suggested I call around to the other Walgreens and see if they have any Mylans left but they will soon run out and will need to move my script else where. I left Walmart 2 years ago because they had Watson,anyone know what they carry now? What about CVS? Rite Aid? I have a new baby at the house and I don't want the baby near the arm that has a patch that big on it. I'm scared he may get some of the meds on him it is so big. I never worried with the Mylans. My arm is also breaking out around the patch. It didn't do this with the Mylans. Thanks for any help!

[Kira]

Steve, 2 weeks sounded really long to me, too. They have to special-order my levocarnitine every month because they never have enough on-hand in the store (I take a BIG dose of carnitine). The carnitine they special-order usually comes within a day or two.

Also, I use these dipsticks called Hemastix (Bayer) to check for "heme" (actually myoglobin) in my urine when it feels like I am getting a rhabdo attack. They ALWAYS have to special-order those, because they aren't the kind of thing that tons of people request. It is not even technically a prescription item... just a bottle of dipsticks, like those Ketostix only for heme. They usually manage to get the Hemastix in within 1-2 days, too.

I have never been in the position of having to wait for thm to special-order any controlled substances, though, so it might be different for that. Or, maybe geography plays a role and it is a matter of how many Walgreens are in the area and/or how far away the warehouse is. Just guessing here, though.

Hope you figure out a solution.... because those Watson ones are REALLY annoying AND they give me an ugly adhesive rash. I looked at the "inactive ingredients" on a box of Mylans and a box of Watsons, and they were definitely different... so I'm assuming that one of the 'inactive ingredients" in the Watson patches gives me a rash.

Anyway, I'm rambling................

[Kathi49]

Brians,

Mine are Sandoz as well. However, they are still in my fridge! :eek: :) I know, I know...bad girl. I just am STILL afraid of them. MAYBE someday I will get over it. I just wanted to say that I ran into the same thing you did...no one carried them. I ended up going to the Pharmacy at the Hospital...they had them. I would assume, although I haven't asked, that if I put a request through to CVS they would order them.

Kira,

The rash you speak of reminds me of something else. And, yes, I am rambling too this morning LOL! A friend of mine gets a rash EVERY time she tries various estrogen transdermal patches. She also turns yellow...literally! To make a long story short the docs (she went to see a few of them about this) have determined she is allergic to the estradiol in any and all patches yet she can take a form of estrone in pill form I believe it is. I have never had a problem with those patches but we both laugh sometimes because it is amazing how our systems react to different things. Sorry, but when you spoke of the rash I just recalled what she had told me in reference to the estrogen patches.

[mrsdoubtfyre]

insurance carriers are requiring certain generics now. So I would call your insurance FIRST and see what is happening there.

If you pay out of pocket, that is not an issue, just get the store to order it for you. Big chains have internal rules, so not all do special orders on CIIs.
The chains may reflect the insurance reimbursment rules as well as have internal rules about inventory. Nothing is easy anymore about anything, it seems.

[whitfield]

I live in SC and all the pharmacies in my area have mylans and not Sandoz. I use the Sandoz because they are the same as the brand name Duragesic so I have to call a week in advance to make sure the CVS i go to has them for me. Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all carry the Mylan but no one carries the Sandoz unless I request it.

I always have to order the Sandoz a week early--tried the Mylan and they were worthless to me although liked the size--have not tried the Watson brand but am thinking about trying it because of cost--even though I have insurance--I have to pay the difference in price. Curious if you thought of trying the Watson--whit

[spondygurl1]

well I called CVS Monday and the pharmascist said she would order the Mylans. Went by today to pick them up? Not there. The rep told me could be 5 days and took my phone numbe. Luckily I have saved a few in the past and put up for such an emergency because i am on my last one of last month and will need to break into my stash until the patches arrive. I dont know how some of you get them in a day or two. Its been 3 days and now they are saying it could be 5 more?

[Pharmacist.steve]

I routinely order C-II.. tonight I placed the order at 5PM and expect that the drugs will be in the door no later than 10:30 in the AM. .. and .. I can - and do - this Monday - Thursday... orders submitted on Fri .. show up on Monday... although there is one *********rs that I deal with that I can get some generic C-II's on Saturday .. if I order on Friday...

I suspect that the chains are so ham-strung with their policies and procedures in ordering C-II's or they have to come out of their own warehouse and not a *********r... which they only get a delivery from once a week...

[Tbackpain1]

Steve, I know that when I talked with the PIC about this issue, that Mylan is now the "preferred" generic to be carried, that it was in regard to their own stocks, ie the warehouse. He said that in order to be able to get my scripts on time from the *********r, he had to have at least a week's notice. I don't know if this is the case for other CVS pharmacies, but it is the case for my location. Even though he has a "rough count" for each kind to order, he does have new scripts coming in from time to time, so that sometimes it can leave them short on one kind of generic over another, so its good to know that if I call ahead, the supply I request will be there.

Now, on my own PM doc's script refill line, the message states scripts should be requested in advance, as it can take up to 72hrs for some pharmacies to fill certain controlled medications. I would think that other doc's offices would tell their patients that, but apparently that's not the case. I would have thought that the revision in DEA guidelines that came out recently would have addressed this, because I know that some docs were refusing to write new scripts a couple days early, perhaps fearing some kind of scrutiny.

I just wish there was a better system overall for handling this, from the patient/consumer education, to the system for stocking/dispensing. It just seems to me that there are many SNAFU's that could be avoided by better communication all around.

Theresa

[Pharmacist.steve]

I suspect that with CVS and the other large chains.. it is more about policies and procedures that they have in place to help prevent diversion and/or it has to come from their warehouse - with a weekly delivery schedule.

docs could solve the problem .. all they would have to do is mail the Rx to the pharmacy 7-10 days in advance with explicit directions not to fill it before mm/dd/yy. The Pharmacist knows how long it takes to get the C-ii's in and the doc will know that the rx will not be filled before he/she wants it done and the patient should get uninterrupted therapy.

Plus the patient can't lose - alter - forge - what they can't get their hands on.. if the Rx is mailed directly to the pharmacy

I work for a small chain and we are very de-centralized... corporate handles A/R - AP - Payroll and just about everything else is handled at the Pharmacy level. To a large degree it is similar to when I had my own independent community pharmacy... I just don't have to worry about making payroll or paying the bills.

All I know is that I order about 3-4 bottles of C-II's each day and they come in the next business day - usually by 10:30am at the latest.

I suspect that if you tried to deal with a independent pharmacy.. they would be able to get the C-II's in a similar time frame as I do.

[Kira]

I just got refills of my pain meds... went to Walgreens as usual... and they gave me the Mylan ones again this time. The pharmacy tech told me last time AND today that they had too many complaints about the Watson patches... that no one liked them... and that the price difference between the two was not very significant, so they're back to Mylan for their generic fentanyl patches (at least around here).

[brians2000]

I always have to order the Sandoz a week early--tried the Mylan and they were worthless to me although liked the size--have not tried the Watson brand but am thinking about trying it because of cost--even though I have insurance--I have to pay the difference in price. Curious if you thought of trying the Watson--whit

Honestly I have not heard about the Watson until this discussion appeared. I wonder how much they cost and are they the same as the Sandoz or the original duragesic. If you know the cost please let me know. The Sandoz are a lot cheaper than brand name but they are still very high for a generic.

[whitfield]

Honestly I have not heard about the Watson until this discussion appeared. I wonder how much they cost and are they the same as the Sandoz or the original duragesic. If you know the cost please let me know. The Sandoz are a lot cheaper than brand name but they are still very high for a generic.

I hadn't heard of them either--I learned about the Sandoz only because it was what my pharmacy carried when I first was started on them (2003)--They looked identical to the Jansen and were exactly the same--It wasn't until a couple years later when I went to the same pharmacy with the same scrip as I get every 90 days that they gave me the Mylan--One of the pharmacist's said--these are the same--well, I took the 6 boxes of Mylan's home--Well--long story short--they were terrible--I even called the manufacturer and told them something was wrong--Called my pharmacy and they said they would exchange any unopened boxes (which was 5--all but the first one)--but I would have to pay the difference--think it was about $100 for the 5 boxes--not sure, but was more $--Since then, I always call a week early and they have the Sandoz--usually, they can get them overnight, but I don't like to take a chance. I would like to try the Watson, if they are cheaper--I remember that they had the only good generic for Oxycontin--get my next scrip for patches in mid-Feb, and will ask my pharmacy to get me 1 box of the Watson and 5 of the Sandoz so that I can compare price, and how they work for me--will let you know--Even though I have insurance, it is the Medicare plan and after $2200--I reach the "donut hole" and have to pay 100%--so.... cost is an issue and if they work well, I will change--I use a local "mom and pop" pharmacy for these only and CVS for most other things just because it is closer. Sorry for the long post--feel well---whit

[EMTGIRL1957]

Hi,

I have been on the patch since 2001 and then in March 2009 started itching. A friend of mine who also is on the patch but stronger dosage started itching as well. I have broken out in a rash from head to toe and itch so badly I actually have welts on my buttocks from scratching. My breast and chest area looks like some type of disease and now my fingers and legs and feet are starting to break out as well as my back. Dermatologist finally confirmed today it was drug reaction and now I have to get off the patch so I can take predisone again. Doctor gave me it several weeks ago, but didn't work because still on patch.

What I am worried about is they tried me on every type of drug from antidepressants, neurontin and now newer ones such lyrica, cymbalta and nothing worked. I did take oxycontin and ms contin & they worked somewhat. The Mscontin kept me drugged and well everyone knows the problems about the oxycontin & the FDA... So anyway I am in school and before the patch I couldn't get out of bed hardly. I was in so much pain! Now the only thing that has resembled giving me a life I have to get off of at least for several weeks! I HAD NO PROBLEMS till they switched to Watson...Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should ask my doctor for? I need something to continue to be able to get up and go to school, nothing that will knock me out. I made a 3.5 GPA last semester and despite the itching terribly and still have some pain, I made it thru. I have worked too hard to have it go down the drain....
Thanks for listening...
Joanne

[owwie]

I would try a different brand. All of them have different adhesive, and that could be what is breaking you out.

As far as the Watson's go, I don't like them either. I have had to get them the last two months because the Walgreen's didn't have Mylan. I have only tried those two, but the Watson seems to have the same amount of gel in it when I toss it as when I apply, and forget not using a cover. It just doesn't stick. I went up a dose when I was switched to the Waton's too, and I can't tell that I am getting anymore pain relief than on the smaller dosage. I hope my Walgreens will order me the Mylan or can offer me another brand to try. The Duragesics have a coupon on their website, so with that my co=pay would be the same if they can get it in.