Ascend Methadone Won't Control Pain

This just happened to me! I took 2 tablets of the 10 mg before I noticed. They were already dissolving in mouth . I am so scared because I had been in withdrawrel for days before I was seen and only had enough money for 16 tablets of the Mallikot. I called the pharmacist right away but once you leave you are stuck! At least he believed me. But now I need a new Rx from my Dr who is so busy I always wait 3 hours. I left her a message but I am terrified! Any help or thoughts are helpful. If anyone know if other ways to fix this let me know ASAP ! Myrna

i just started on the ascend brand methadone and they are different no only do they not help with pain as much but they are given me headaches this is the second time this happened so i called the pharmacist and they just switched brands to ascend so I am switching pharmacies. Check your pharmacy to make sure they don't carry ascend

I also have been taking Methadone for pain control for about 4 years. My Pharmacy has always had the mall. brand until last month when I got both. I noticed right away the ascend brand was not as effective. so I just mixed the two together and it worked ok for that month..I just went in a couple days ago to get this months refill and didn't think twice about. No words from the pharm. tech and nothing on the bottle telling me it was the same med but didn't maker. so as I opened it for the first dose I noticed it was that Ascend brand!!..I called the pharmacy but that is all they have. I did call the pain management clinic I go to and she called last night to get me in tmrw. I am hoping she can help. I have never complained about my meds before and take as told. My pill count and UA are always on spot. I am hoping that she understands and will give me a new script and not scold me or make me feel like I'm looking to "score" more pills. I'll update.....

I did get to my appt. My doctor was awesome. she did say there can be a 25% strength difference per pill by law. going up in strength or down...usually down tho. so she took my remaining pills and wrote up a new script and I couldn't be happier. Headed home on the two hour drive and stopped at a Rite Aid in the Seaside toen before mine and they had the correct brand..In fact my doctor is now including that on my paper prescription that only the Mallinkrofdt brand be used. There is definately a difference in the methadone brands. I'm heading over to the FDA site right now and fill out my formal complaint with Ascend mfg.

I TOTALLY AGREE

I've been on methadone for pain for 6yrs at 120mg a day,I pay cash for my meds,3months ago my pharmacy,big chain pharmacy started carrying this new ascend,I can't walk up 2 flights of stairs w/o the cold sweat skin crawling feeling we all no,I'm afraid to say anything fearing of having my Dr. Say well maybe it's time to cum off,or switch meds, the other generic methadone my pain was controlled,I agree it's garbage,just look attention the name lol it should n descend,sick n tired of being tired n sick

Asc sucks I've been on methadone for twenty years roxane and Mallinckrodt works great roxane 54142alot better but I think they need to take them off the market thanx

It is awful.I received this seven months ago.and I've tried my best not to ever come across it again.but this was all the phramisit had.so by the time I thought about getting my prescription back I had left out the store and I forgot u can't do that...I tell u one thing it won't happen a Third time that's for sure..but they really need to take this ascend brand off the shelves asap.

I've been on methadone (mallin) since 2005. They switched me to the ascend about 10 months ago and have been having seizure symptoms, small seizures, and one grand maul since the change in manufact.. I am just now learning of all you others experiencing this.. Government's way of getting people off opiates that THEY brought here along with the current heroin epidemic all from afghanistan!@!!????

At my pharmacy, there are several pharmacists. I have spoken to each one off and on over the past 6 to 8 months (as of 5-10-16). My complaint to each one was the fact that they quit selling the Mallinckrodt methadone and instead switched over to Ascend methadone, which is crapola. It is ineffective and weak. I stay in mortal pain (both feet due to an accident in 2004). For the past 6 to 8 months while being on the Ascend version, I have lived on my couch. I have no life anymore. I can't be on my feet or I am put into mortal pain. Up until about 6 months ago, I had been on methadone by Mallinckrodt for about 11 years. Sometimes I would get stuck with the Roxane Labs brand, which is also weak. And there were other times I got stuck with the Ascend Labs version. However, I usually was able to get Mallinckrodt methadone. Not anymore, I can't. Only, and I repeat, ONLY the Mallinckrodt brand is truly effective. Every pharmacist at my pharmacy said they order the methadone and request Mallinckrodt, but they just receive "whatever the send us" (the pharmacy). I asked how they could order methadone by Mallinckrodt but yet receive Ascend Labs. I have yet to hear an answer to that. I called other pharmacies in my area and it seems that the only people who would say anything about opiates on the phone just hinted that they also do not have the Mallinckrodt brand. What is a person to do? My only hope is the blocks that my pain management doctor does, but I need effective medicine. I did find one little pharmacy that I used to use years ago that can get the Mallinckrodt brand. However, they refused me. They told me they can only get "so much per month" and they have to use it for their "current customers." They won't accept my business, and there is no law against that.

I am about your age, and I have chronic pain in both feet. It is terrible to have your life ruined when you're still relatively young. The only thing worse than being in pain is being in pain and being alone. My only support system is my mother. I have no other family. My friends also took off on me, except one. That one true friend, unfortunately, died a few years ago. It gets overwhelming to deal with pain, deal with not having a support system, dealing with figuring out how to get things done in life you have to do (like shop for food, get to doctor appointments). I know you wrote your post a long time ago, but if you want to contact me, please, feel free. My name is Kevin. Best of luck to you!

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I am on methadone so have some perspective and have been reading about different peoples problems with a change in the methadone or any opiate from one generic company to another. Regardless of what any pharmacist, doctor, other patients, or anyone says is that no matter the reason, placebo, psychological, different binders etc...if a person is not getting the results they deserve and have come to expect then it should be the case that they opt for one generic or brand which works for them. I have heard clinics, pharmacists, doctors say the same for years. Placebo, psychological...etc Yeah and...I have learned to just ignore the rudeness and ignorance. I hope each patient can change pharmacies and get the generic or form they want. Maybe they have no other pharmacy and the one they use will not order the one they have had in the past. In most cases that is a pharmacy motivated by profit or the feeling of power and control they get from their ability to limit a patients options. Why??? Wanting control over other peoples lives is like an epedemic in todays world. They don"t like addicts and often assume anyone taking opiates is an addict and they are bad people. They do not have the right to take a drug and feel better. Heaven forbid. When i read about someone with Myasthenia Gravis being told their symptoms are from placebo i am not surprised but thoroughly disgusted. Methadone clinics may only offer liquid and just dispense one brand but in my experience they almost always have pills. They may not give clients an option for various reasons and often the clients have to just swallow their medicine.

Yi know this is an old thread but you should apply for section 8. I went through a community agency and got mine in 4 months when the list was officially closed for ten years. There are ways and I encourage you to keep looking.

That being said I've been through just half what you go through daily but i have a major brain malfunction and although I was born this way, my mother chose to horribly abuse me instead of getting me the help i needed and its caused me to lose every important person in my life, ALL friends, and my children who are my entire world, and major depressive disorder is a symptom, among other very severe disabilities... each & every day i struggle not to kill myself because where i live if you cant afford insurance then you're not allowed to have or be treated for this horrible problem, like there's an income limit to treatment... SHAMEFUL!! Furthermore the horrible pain, torture and anguish I endure is peppered with rotten medical "professionals " who discriminate, deride, even physically abuse me, (one ambulance guy grabbing my boob and viciously TWISTING when he thought i was faking a seizure, and i was unable to move or cry out but I WAS AWAKE AND I FELT EVERYTHING! He assumed I was faking all because he was discriminating against me for my income and the rarity of my neurobiological syndrome)

So yeah I was asked today by the therapist if i ever feel like killing myself. I had to LIE because of fear of involuntary hospitalization, but the truth is I HATE MYSELF, MY LIFE, AND THIS HORRIBLE BROKEN BRAIN OF MINE and yes, i struggle each and every minute of my life, not to jump in front of the next redline and escape this lifelong misery!

Go find your nearest methadone clinic, go super early, like when they first open, usually a ridiculous hour like 5am, but you only have to do THAT c**p once, then show them an OLD prescription, make sure the doctor working there is ok with starting you at that dose, and DRINK THE RED WATER. That way you'll always have a backup option when the going gets tough.

Next thing is, although you are not ambulatory, find or ask if there is some kind of way to work around that obstacle. they generally do their best to provide you with either transportation, or a voucher for a cab. Not always, but usually. Also be prepared to sign up for a drug and alcohol class, counseling, or both. They are usually pretty lax about attendance, particularly with your transportation obstacles, and yes you have to swallow your pride, but it's worth forming that relationship if only because you won't have to go to the ER if you run out of meds, or if you have a pain flare up. *BE SURE TO ONLY ANSWER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE WITH THE EXACT INFORMATION AND NOTHING MORE OR LESS. You will find this practice serves you well in ALL LIFE'S SITUATIONS. might as well start practicing here, right?

Finally, go early one morning, get the highest dose they will give you, make sure you've printed up the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the pharmacies you planning on going to. This way you'll have the pain at least temporarily under control, and the opportunity to go digging for a good pharmacy.

Alternately, you can request your doctor to write your script as "Your Brand Name" Only. Have Dr specify the brand you like like and write on the prescription where she writes the strength and dosage, which brand you want ONLY and it might take longer to fill, but it will be filled correctly.

Finally, if these two methods don't work, try calling each pharmacy, insist on speaking to the PHARMACIST ONLY, and explain that, while you are NOT asking if they CARRY methadone, but rather ask them IF you bring in the script, can they AT THAT TIME determine if they have it or can order it. Make sure you tell them the medication, dosage and strength, and offer them to bring in your records from your previous pharmacy. Also be sure to have a reliable contact number for your doctor, and go in ONLY on the day your doctor is in, or able and expecting to take the call. Be extremely sweet and ask them if they need ANYTHING ELSE. Stress that you do NOT need to know what's in stock right now, but that you are not mobile, so you only need to know, IF you bring in the script, if they are ABLE to either fill it or order it. STRESS that you ONLY use ONE PHARMACY and that if things work out, that you will be transferring ALL your prescriptions there, and KEEP YOUR WORD. I find that even in the toughest spot on earth, if you can convince them you're legit, and if you can nurture a warm, honest working relationship with them, they will usually bend over backwards for you.

Good luck!!

I've been on methadone for almost twenty years,I've had everything from liquid,metadose,Roxanne 10mg,mallikrodt 10mg and ascend 10 mg I had to bring the ascend brand back to my Dr. I was having no pain relief,withdrawal symptoms it is absolutely the worst methadone I've had.My Dr said he's had many other complaints,so now my pharmacy has it mandatory on my prescription to get mallikrodt only
.ascend needs to take there c**p off the market