Just thought I'd point out that there is a nationwide (even global) shortage of morphine injectable. These was an 8 minute piece about the morphine shortage on CBS News last Sunday. People are suffering all over Africa, the USA, Europe---the entire world. And it's all because the US Drug War is destroying all the crops of opium poppy. Opium poppy is needed to manufacture morphine; it's not just for heroin.
I have been a chronic pain patient for over 3 years, and had NEVER had a problem getting my script for morphine filled until this month. There is a HORRID shortage of morphine, but my pharmacy didn't even know about it!
My pharmacist first waited a WEEK to tell me that she couldn't get my regular dosage of morphine sulfate. So I went to my doctor's office in terrible pain and picked up a new script for a different dosage of morphine.
The pharmacy then made me wait 2 WEEKS before telling me that they couldn't get my morphine. (They had PROMISED that they could get it. I never would have driven to my doctor's office in so much pain unless I thought they had my medication). The pharmacist also gave me some kind of B.S. about my FIRST script, telling me that she couldn't even ORDER the morphine until I brought in a NEW prescription from my doctor. For the record, my pharmacy ALWAYS orders ALL of my C-II meds well in advance, and they do NOT require that I bring in a script, since I am a long-time customer.
After waiting a total of 3 and a half WEEKS, I was at the end of my rope. Without my morphine, my pain levels go through the roof! I was going crazy!
After making SEVERAL calls to the pharmacy asking about the status of my order and not getting a straight answer, I finally went to the pharmacy IN PERSON and explained the SEVERE PAIN I was in. Finally, the pharmacist gave me back my prescription. (She should have done that WEEKS ago. You can't expect a chronic pain patient to go nearly a MONTH without her most effective pain med!)
Thank goodness that pharmacist gave me back my script. I took it to several other pharmacies and even called a few. I FINALLY learned what was going on! For starters, the "revised" dosage that my doctor wrote out didn't even EXIST, so it's no wonder my pharmacy couldn't get it. But it took the kind fellow at the OTHER pharmacy ONE MINUTE to tell me that this strenghth of morphine did NOT even exist. WHY didn't my pharmacy know this? They strung me along for 3 weeks, PROMISING that they could get the morphine.
I also learned that there is a nationwide (most likely worldwide) SHORTAGE of morphine sulfate, so this ALSO explains WHY my pharmacy couldn't get it.
I had to call my pharmacist and give HER this information! Is that backwards or what? The patient needs to know more than the pharmacist!
I finally got a script from my doctor for Dilaudid today. I had forgotten just how SEVERE my pain is when I don't have access to injectable pain meds.
Thank goodness Dilaudid injectable is avialable! Nobody can get morphine, so people are switching to Dilaudid. I worry that there may soon be a shortage on Dilaudid, too. I only HOPE this morphine shortage gets cleared up SOON. I NEVER want to go through another MONTH of HELL like I just endured.
I'm sorry for all the problems that people like you are having in Florida---I've read a LOT about it. I hate the way that the DEA is cracking down on some (presumably) innocent doctors, all in the name of the "Drug War". This hurts legitimate chronic pain patients more than I can describe.
I also live in California, so I'm glad to hear it's probably the most liberal state in the nation. I'd HATE for Florida's and other states' crackdowns to ever spread to California. In Calif., we DO have a statewide database available to doctors via the internet, so people really can't "doctor shop" in California these days. Soon all 50 states will have an online database. Florida has got to be getting one soon. Maybe then life will be easier for legitimate chronic pain patients. Good luck with your problem.