Topic: Mylan Lidocaine patch has 1/5 the amount of lidocaine, plus doesn't work!!!
Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
I have been using Lidoderm patches for pain relief for many years; they helped a lot. You can't use them everywhere, because in some areas they wouldn't stick. And you can use only up to 3 patches in a 24 hour period.
When the generic came out, I was switched to the Watson brand of lidocaine patch. The generics are never as good, but this was close enough. I order 3 months' worth at a time through the insurance mail order pharmacy, which now is CVS for Aetna.
This time, they filled it with the Mylan brand of generics. (Yes, they are the company that raised the price of the Epi-Pens 600% & wouldn't back down!).
As soon as I tried to use one, it was impossible. They are made out of a very thin piece of plastic, and you can't separate the backing from the plastic, in spite of spending more than 15
minutes trying. The plastic is what you are supposed to stick to your skin. What??!! It would make you sweat & wouldn't stick, plus sound like heck when you move.
So far, I've tried for a number of days, and they are impossible to use. I went online, and tons of people are complaining about it. Even more shocking, someone pointed out, and I verified: the lidocaine, the active ingredient, is supposed to be 700 mg. In this one, it's 140 mg!!!
Generics by law are supposed to have the same amount of the active ingredient, but are allowed to be 30% under or over, which is crazy to begin with. This is 1/5 of the amount of the active ingredient! Plus, unusable anyway.
I will complain to CVS, but know from past experience that they are unlikely to reimburse me and provide a proper product to replace it with. And likely won't replace it with anything else for 90 days, because they've dispensed 90 days worth.
I will try with them tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll try Mylan (yeah, good luck with that!). If that doesn't work . . . then what? Yes, I can complain to the FDA, but that doesn't get me a replacement. Well, we'll see.
I've been through the same darned thing with an rx of injector pens of the generic of Imitrex, a migraine abortive med, when 80% of them malfunctioned---both the generic and brand, which are made by the same company. I got absolutely nowhere with both the pharmacy and the manufacturer over a long period of time. Both said the other side was responsible.
Grrrrr!! I depend on these! And I paid for them. I'm sick of this rampant disregard for people by the huge corporations. Profit above all. Anyway, if no one will replace them, I'm out of luck here with not much recourse. When will this end?? I go through it endlessly with insurance.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
I get the Watson lidocaine patches directly from the pharmacy, as in face to face. Perhaps that's a better way to go, to ensure you get the brand you want?
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
I didn't have time to call Aetna's Mail Order Pharmacy today, which is CVS. I really doubt that they will replace these or allow me to order another brand for 3 months. Which would mean that I wouldn't have any for that long. They are essential for me.
I tried yet again last night to put one on, but it didn't work to stick it on at all. I have a big box worth of completely useless product for which I paid. I'll call tomorrow. But I know how things go with them. Not well.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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