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Purpocylpse

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I cant believe I’m writing this.  The news is so shocking that my brain cant wrap around exactly how this could be.  I mean, part of me wants to do cartwheels, and another part of me just wants to sit and sob.  Its like I came home to find my wife making out with another hot chick and asked me to join while throwing me a huge dildo.   Shit I’m getting blue balls just typing that.

Hold on to your hats because……………

ACTAVIS IS NO LONGER MAKING PROMETHAZINE WITH CODEINE!

IM NOT FUCKING KIDDING YOU! THE INFAMOUS PURPLE DRANK IS FUCKING DEAD!

Dont believe me? Check your ordering system.  Amerisource has no listing.  McKesson has MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUED.  One of my sources reported that someone called Actavis and they stated that they have just decided to stop making promethazine with codeine. tumblr_mklix14Yc81rrotfzo1_500

No longer will we be getting “do ya carry da actavis?” calls.  No more bitching from the crackheads that the QT or Hi-Tech brand “Dont work” or “I be allergic to dat shit”.  No longer can people say “I can only take Actavis” because you know what, they can take a bunch of fucking nothing now.

Prometh with Codeine will no longer taste like ghettofab syrupy purple, it will taste like how all cough syrups should taste, like goat anus.  They aren’t meant to fucking mix with Sprite and enjoyed after a long night of fucking your bitches and collecting taxpayer-funded benefits; they are meant to be choked down because you’ll do anything to get rid of that fucking cough.  Wait, did I imply that ‘da Actavis’ WASN’T used for legit medical reasons?  Well unless theres an ICD9 code for “My life sucks and want to get high”; then yes, I did imply that.  If you want to get fucked up on cough syrup, deal with the aftertaste of pennies and last nights digested dinner in your mouth you fucking crackheads.

This is fucking great.  Hats off to Actavis for actually realizing that their name was synonymous for “Abuse and Diversion” like Kleenex is to facial-tissues. If Watson stops making the DAN Somas, I think I just might die.

Now if we can only get QT to take the yellow out of the Norco 10.

Comments #

Comment by Lisa on 2014-02-26 22:51:16 -0800 #

You never cease to amaze me!! Laughing my ass off!!! Well done! My angry friend!

Comment by Juliet on 2014-02-27 01:42:22 -0800 #

Hey mr.pharmacist. I do think your rants are fantastically brazen and funny. But I’ve one question for you. Have you ever had a chronic illness?

Comment by chicagoME on 2014-02-27 06:12:13 -0800 #

So you’re excited huh? 🙂

(Seriously though…reading your entry was a joy, right down to the gold teef grillzzz in Patrick’s mouth)

Comment by Cynical Intern on 2014-02-27 06:55:18 -0800 #

Maybe I’m mistaken, but since Watson got bought out by Actavis, doesn’t that mean that technically there aren’t going to be any Watson brand Soma anymore? We’re still able to get them right now, but stock has already been depleted on the Percocet and Azurette and those are not coming back, so I assume once the (three billion bottles I’m sure they have of) Carisoprodol are depleted, Actavis will want to put their own name on the product.

This is in conjunction with the fact the Watson brand Lortab isn’t going to be a thing anymore. It’s really just pharmacy christmas.

Comment by Joe on 2014-02-27 07:03:22 -0800 #

Cool, now you only have to deal to middle aged white people addictions, approved by their doctors. That’s gotta make it easier to live with slangin’ (not pushin’) opioids as a significant part of your career.

Comment by CH on 2014-02-27 07:16:28 -0800 #

I guess we can thank Justin Bieber for this?

Comment by Rancid Poodle on 2014-02-27 08:17:23 -0800 #

“Its like I came home to find my wife making out with another hot chick…”

“ANOTHER” hot chick. Nice save there, dude.

Comment by Tyler on 2014-02-27 12:50:05 -0800 #

Fo shizzle my nizzle brotha! I’ve heard it all at the counter just like you.
“I gotsta get da ACTAVIS kind cause I be (allergic/senstive/whatever excuse I can make up so I can make sizzurp) to dem other ones!”

Comment by Quantravious Jackson on 2014-02-27 12:53:20 -0800 #

No mo’ sizzurp?! What we gon’ do?

Comment by Loki on 2014-03-02 11:05:43 -0800 #

“Well unless theres an ICD9 code for ‘My life sucks and want to get high’;…”

I’d say 994.0 is pretty close to “my life sucks,” and if I ever had that one, I’d want to get high, too. As far as shame goes, not a whole lot tops having to go to the ER with 937.

Comment by oldantiredrph on 2014-03-02 19:58:02 -0800 #

The pbm’s are making me angry, the addicts are making me angry, the mac pricing is making me angry, but most of all, the pharmacy associations are making me angry by not helping us. The only glimmer of hope/sunshine in my day is that I don’t work at a chain. Keep posting and making me laugh.

Comment by BurnedoutSOStech on 2014-03-06 19:16:43 -0800 #

Unfortunately Qualtest is still making it.

Comment by KLS on 2014-03-08 17:10:27 -0800 #

OMG shut up. This is not about you and/or your chronic illnesses of which I am sure you have many.

Comment by pillpushingjane on 2014-03-11 16:32:22 -0700 #

They definitely stopped making it… my pharmacies (i work for the 4th ranked US wholesale company) are all upset and pissed that they did….only reasonably cost product is the Qualitest and apparently it takes disgusting… sorry pharmacists gotta tell your customers to get high by other means.

Comment by SlapAHo on 2014-03-20 18:54:16 -0700 #

Ah! Soo funny, I just found an empty 6oz bottle tossed in my front yard. Label still on, patient info, everything.
Date Filled: 3/14
Date Found Empty: 3/16
Sig: 1 tsp Q6H PRN

I didn’t even have to do the math & was pissed that some crackhead was throwing their abused meds in my front yard.

I called the pharmacist and told him to put a note in the computer that his patient was a purple-drankin-no-good-junky-crackhead.

Comment by Eradicator on 2014-03-21 13:33:40 -0700 #

U sound mad th@ u aren’t the doctor & just a pharmacist .. Jus fill the script & stfu .. People like u lack heart & rant online bout YOUR job guess you’ll continue to fill roxicodone for your own kind

Comment by GRUMPY RPH on 2014-03-24 07:13:30 -0700 #

It is the other way around. Watson is buying Actavis. But either way there no way in hell the tablet would change. “DAN” is the street trademark and will probably stay on the tablet. Watson added it back to the tablet when they bought out Danbury Pharm. years ago, presumably to increase familiarity and sales. It would like someone buying Anheuser-Bush and changing the name of Budweiser beer. It’s not going to happen, if it does it won’t stay that way for lone. Years ago (prob. 30 years) SKF was criticized for it’s product DEXEDRINE. The lions portion of the product was being sold in Mexico, then coming across the border illegally.

Comment by lOVELY on 2014-04-04 14:23:51 -0700 #

IS THIS JUST FOR THE UNITED STATES OR WORLDWIDE? SO MORE PURP, WHAT ARE GOING TO DO ??? COUGH COUGH ! I GUESS BROMFED DM WILL HAVE TO DO, LOL

Comment by Philip CHase on 2014-04-08 01:45:24 -0700 #

it will let me quit the damn shit it just tastes so good i swear i dont even enjoy sleeping like that but if you ever tasted it you would say its the best thing you ever tasted lol the junkies are who fucked the game up i just wanted to sip a cup every now and then just liek some pot .

Comment by PsychiatryResident on 2014-04-13 07:03:39 -0700 #

This is hugely educational, and I plan on letting my attendings know about this blog and the comments. Thank you!

Comment by PsychiatryResident on 2014-04-13 07:13:10 -0700 #

I am the doctor and am learning here MORE about how things are being abused.

If you live your life in a way that you need to be numb, you’re not doing it right. If you’re my patient, you’ve already heard this from me.

Comment by Russ on 2014-04-13 12:58:03 -0700 #

Who really gives a dam if it tastes good or mixes with Sprite? Why should cough syrup taste bad? Why? Do I really care, no not really I find it comical though. Do I give a dam if people drink that junk as their Saturday nights drink, no. What I think matters very little. I say give a dam bottle and a pack of smokes with every 12 pack and double the codeine.

Comment by Patrick on 2014-04-22 22:18:49 -0700 #

RIP Actavis

Been seeing this coming, socal is dry of activis!

Miss the old days when i could get a pint for $100 everyday on the streets.

I blame the rappers and social media. People need to kearn not to blow up the good things in kife.

Lmao, used the im alergic, only take actavis lines so many times. Now doctors and pharmacist just look at me like ima crack head, smh.

Bless the dirty doctors and pharmacist still out there, they are becoming a rare breed these days

Comment by phuturepharmd on 2014-04-25 20:20:34 -0700 #

their chronic illness is only treated with da purple drank!

Comment by phuturepharmd on 2014-04-25 20:30:20 -0700 #

the good news is, while in many states pharmacists do not have prescriptive authority, they do have the right to refuse a prescription. Pharmacists are the front lines of fending off crackheads from these medications and making judgment calls as need, as well they should.

Comment by Ava on 2014-06-28 08:51:14 -0700 #

Hey, pharmacist how do you know what goat anus taste like?

Comment by Kyle on 2014-07-09 00:14:08 -0700 #

Love this! However, my pharmacy never got the Actavis brand of Promthazine with codeine. we’ve always gotten the qualitist brand.

Generic soma though is supposedly on back order from my warehouse. Haven’t had any of that in weeks. I like telling people, sorry you have to go somewhere else. In my mind I am thinking, take your fake ass script somewhere that will fill it.

My favorite part of my job even though it’s a simple task is when the doctor faxes back “DENIED”! LOVE THAT!

Comment by FRANK R on 2014-07-18 10:43:10 -0700 #

this was the only thing i was able to comment on for some reason….i must say u are a fuckin dickhead…i see u are the type of scumbag that judges most legit chronic pain people (even cancer patients) as drug addicts because they need their meds to function. Its pretty easy to talk all this bullshit behind a computer screen and be a keyboard warrior….i know me personally if i ever caqme to your pharmacy to get a script of something filled and u acted this was and talked this crap (which im sure u most definitely wouldnt do it to someones face) id knock u right the fuck out cold. i really cant believe some of the shit u write!! Is ur life that fuckin horrible?? R u really this miserable?? u should be ashamed of yurself talking shit on some people who are truly sick and hurting. Im not a chronic pain patient but i hate when some of you ignorant “god-like” pharamcists judge and treat people the way u do because they want to get a narcotic script filled….i dont know if ur home life sucks or if u cant get laid or what but u obviously have a horrible life dude. U need to be on some meds. Did u ever think of taking some of your meds for help?? Maybe u should try 400MG Quetiapine once a day, 5MG Diazepam twice a day and i would definitely put Percocet 7.5/325 (1-2 every 6 hrs as needed for pain) on the side for when someone beats your fuckin brains in. You will definitely need it for the pain. So have a great day u goofy hammerhead tool and i wish u luck and hopefully noone ends up killing your dumb ass for being such a fuckin straper. Eat shit bitch

Comment by GRUMPY RPH on 2014-07-21 06:01:30 -0700 #

You sound like one of the patients who comes in each month 6 days early for his/her prescription. No we don’t judge people by their prescriptions, we judge them by the way they act in the pharmacy. By the way we come under scrutiny by the state board and the DEA for filling controlled drugs. The wholesalers will not even accept the pharmacy as a customer if we dispense too many controlled drugs. The questions we ask you about your pain medicine are the same as those asked us by those authorities.

Comment by FRANK R on 2014-07-31 10:38:28 -0700 #

actually fuckhead i dont take any medications….i am just giving my opinion and i think you are a fukin hammerhead goofball and you talk bullshit and judge people based on meds…im sure u deal with junkies and dopers alot just like every pharmacy does but why the fuk does that give u the right to run your mouth and talk shit? Of course u wouldnt put the name of your pharmacy on here due to fear and due to one of your customers coming in and smashing your face open. My poor brother was a cancer patient who was prescribed oxycontin and other narc meds because he couldnt handle the terrible pain from his terminal stomach cancer…thats why i get pissed because people like my brother (who by the way died january 8) that get judged and looked at like junkies because of jittbags like u….just like that stupid comment you said about how i must be one of them people who come in to try and get my script 6 days early….like wtf r u retarded?? My ass doesnt even take OTC shit and u wanna assume i get scripts “6 days early” lmao gtfo u strapper!! I used to always pick up my brothers meds from CVS (who treated me with respect) and they knew exactly wtf the deal was and never judged or assumed anything!! U must really have a miserable horrible life for u to actually make a blog about your daily shitty life as a cashier…i mean a pill counter….i mean pharmacist sorry!!! Grow some balls and put your stores names on here i would love to come and visit u!! Like i said before u talk all this bullshit and judge people BEHIND A COMPUTER SCREEN!. U know you would get ur head handed to u on a plate if u acted this way in person….I definitely would not have any issues giving u my address and phone number….have a good day u noodle.

Comment by bandaid4riteaid on 2014-09-06 21:09:57 -0700 #

I am so sick and tired of you narcotic pill poppers. What really discusts me is when the parents are pounding narcotics and the kids -ALL OF THEM – are taking amphetamines. What a fucked up family. When America has 4 percent of world’s population and consumes 85% of all narcotics and amphetamines produced there is one helluva problem. I hate it when someone is nicely tanned and come waltzing into the pharmacy with more pep in their step than 90% of the population wanting his Oxycontin and Percocet prescriptions filled month after month. GET A LIFE scumbags!!! And Doctor’s get a brain or some balls or whatever it is your lacking and send these weak, pathetic individuals out the fucking door. I would love to be a fly on the wll of some these households. I can just picture the parents in a narcotic induced stupor and the kid zonked-out on the couch while Jerry Springer is on TV at max volume, but none of the Shady Bunch (not Brady Bunch) can hear it. What a fucked-up life many American families are living. How pathetic and sad.

Comment by John on 2014-09-12 04:22:42 -0700 #

It saddens me daily with the insensitivity people have with Chornic Pain/Illnesses, but at the same time I understand why there is such hositlity towards opiod use.

There are people that have addiction issues and don’t actually have anything wrong. They abuse the system. Take advantage. This goes for BOTH doctors and “patients.” However….there are people that have major back problems. And no, not a simple muscle cramp. I’m talking about Decimated discs. Damaged beyond repair, or “fixed” from surgery…but only virtually fixed.

And it isn’t a new thing. People have had those issues for centuries, but they either drink themselves to a near stupor, take opiods mixed with alcohol back in the 1800s, or smoke Marijuana(which thankfully is starting to become more accepted.)

I’m sure people are tired of these kind of rants…and possibly I, and others, are projecting. But it isn’t just people online that judge those of us that can barely walk, let alone be productive physically. Families judge us. Friends judge us. Many group CP patients in with the same people that abuse the system. That have nothing wrong with them.

I’m not directing at you…unless of course you believe that ALL those who are Prescribed Opiates for the long term(and don’t have cancer) are automatically addicts. And I don’t think you do. It just struck a chord with me…as it reminds me of comments laid against many just because they are Rx opiod for constant pain.

I apologize for this long winded rant…and I don’t mean to take away focus from the article. “Purple Drank” has been ridiculously abused for years. I honestly have no ides who it would help…but if they seriously need a more powerful pain killers with their cough syrup there are other choices out there.

Comment by Frank R on 2014-10-02 12:31:23 -0700 #

Man oh man you guys are fuckin stupid and pathetic!! How dare you judge people because of the meds they take?? As i said before, I DO NOT TAKE ANY PILLS! NOT EVEN VITAMINS! If I get a migraine (which i get at least 3 times a month) I fucking DEAL WITH IT! I dont even take asprin or Tylenol. But you want to judge people like my brother who had stomach cancer (he died Jan 8th) and needed his oxycodone for pain??What are you fuckin kidding me?? Thats a real scumbag move! Thank god the pharmacist knew me and my family and our situation because the million times i picked up his script for him if i ever dealt with people like you guys behind that counter i would be in jail because I would beat the fuckin balls off them. You scumbags judge everyone who takes pain meds and assume everyones a junkie because of the idiots who Dr shop and mess it up for real pain patients.Thats the same way people judge all cops and call them pigs because of the few scumbag cops out there. You all forget about the million cancer patients and cronic pain patients who are literally dying in pain just like my poor brother was and are only looking for some relief for the last few days/months they have left on earth. Thank god i never dealt with people like you guys because you fuckers would be dead. Especially disrespecting and judging a terminally ill person in my family. You dopes need to think wtf you are saying before you hit that “SUBMIT COMMENT” button. Its pretty easy and “cool” to talk crazy and stupid and tough behing a computer screen but like i said to the “angry pharmacist” you guys would NEVER EVER EVER talk this way to your customers in person. You guys wouldnt have any teeth left and you would all be taking oxycodone to deal with the pain from the severe beatings you would get! Peace out!

Comment by MIke on 2014-10-06 19:04:07 -0700 #

At our pharmacy, we help a lot of chronic pain patients and we truly sympathize with our patients. Some of them take extremely high doses of pain medications and we we endure the stress (from the DEA, from the Board of Pharmacy, etc) because we really do want to help these folks.

On the other hand, there are a lot of drugs abusers that have messed up the system so bad that the DEA and state board have us in a choke hold. The DEA have started targeting wholesalers directly rather than chasing down street dealers. The result of that is we get cut off from our wholesaler (for controlled substances) and we end up having problems filling for our chronic pain patients. It means we have to become very selective in choosing only legitimate new patients. Even the most compassionate person in the universe would have a difficult time with this paradox. You want to help pain patients but other illegitimate patients make it less possible for you to do so. It’s really almost impossible not to get jaded to some degree. You may not appreciate the rant and humor involved in a forum like this but others do because they’re feeling the same frustrations.

If you want to leave your opinion, you should. Your feelings are definitely valid. You suffered a significant tragedy in your life and you definitely should express how you feel. But the opinion of this person is no less valid so you can disagree but you should not threaten someone. Have control over your emotions. That’s not how real men react. You should be expressing your opinions without threats.

Comment by Jay on 2014-10-16 11:33:23 -0700 #

I am sorry to hear that the Pharmacists have probs with the distributors and ins comp. but you are still filling them for people. When I go the pharm and watch people give their script and hear the tech or pharmacist say..let me see if we have these in stock…and then take or deny the script, I’m not stupid, I know what type of script it is. I also see that the person who turned it in appears to be in no pain at all. In fact they’re asking how quickly they can pick it up and walking jumping around with no probs at all. Then I hobble up to the counter with my little 3 wheeled walker (I’m only 47 yrs old.(Do you know how much your life slows down when you have to use a walker to get around…it fucking SUX. Sorry, not here to bitch bout my pain probs) and I’m told they haven’t had what I’m prescribed in months. It makes me sick to my stomach. I have offered to and have brought in my mri reports, but the pharmacists don’t want to read them. I explain that I have been getting them regularly for some time but now my pharm is telling me that they are back ordered,(which will make sense as you read further) so I have to go somewhere else. I am inclined to think that when pharmacists see someone with a cane or walker they automatically think that person is faking it. I say this because I am in a support group for people with chronic pain and it seems like if you can get up and run to the counter you get your scripts filled all the time, but if your in my position you couldn’t get your script if you offered a million dollars. That seems to happen to everyone in my group. Why do you pharmacists do that? I believe it’s called profiling. Without even checking database or calling Dr. you’ve made up your mind before someone even gets to the counter. I just don’t understand. It’s a huge power trip I guess. To decide who gets what. Your job must be very tedious, I understand, with all the ins forms and requirements, but please stop taking it out on us! If you don’t like working in a pharm…if you feel like your not using all your schooling as you would like to…then get a job at some pharm company instead of a drug store. But please stop taking it out on us! I can hardly stand up straight without this medication (well, as straight as I can). I know it’s frustrating for you, but imagine how frustrating it is for those of us who need it for reasons that, God forbid you will never have to endure. BTW, I dress nicely, and I have NEVER been rude or questioned my pharmacist. I have however, a bridge (that’s like a capped tooth except it’s 3 teeth together) fall out. It was 30yrs old. It also happened to be 3 front teeth, so I am sure that I am immediately tagged as some kind of crackhead or drug abuser. That is simply not the case. I am aware of the power these drugs can have and take them exactly as prescribed. But I am not given the courtesy of having a pharmacist give me a chance by checking the database or calling my Dr. The techs just looks at me, then my scripts and says “We don’t have these” or “We’re not getting them in our order”. There are a number of reasons why they won’t fill my scripts. But we all know the real reason. Pharmacists profile and they’re on a power trip right now because they can override what doctors order! Hell, I probably would be a power trip too, if I able to snub a doctor lol. In the mean time people like me have to suffer. That’s all there is to it. And if you want to tell me any different, please do. I would like to hear it. I started this off one way, but every time I start thinking about it, my blood starts to boil and it all always comes down to the same thing. Pharmacists are on a power trip period! There I said it again, and to a real pharmacist. Prob is you work for the small drug store and are bitching about getting screwed on money from ins comp. But I wonder, do you profile? If I came in, dressed nicely, well spoken, with my 3 wheeled walker, and oh, let’s not forget the one and only thing you will actually notice, my missing teeth, from my 30yr old bridge falling out. Would you give me the time of day or would you automatically assume I am one of the “crackheads” that come in. (Btw my scripts do not include your “purple drank” but there is an er narc and an ir narc) So I ask again, would you give me the time of day? Thanks for listening. I really do see the frustration from both sides, but got off track and would like to have an answer to my question if possible.

Comment by SmartPinkRose on 2014-11-10 13:17:15 -0800 #

I’m just wondering, are you as stuck on “redneckfab” as you are on ghettofab?

Comment by chris134711 on 2017-03-16 13:49:15 -0700 #

I jump in here because I will guess no pain problems; probably not a vet. Prescription for methadone: A Davey Raynes Novel #1 for fun, light, drug diversion reading for the old RPh

Comment by chris134711 on 2017-03-16 13:50:55 -0700 #

Tell them about the REAL patients also, please.

Comment by chris134711 on 2017-03-16 13:54:19 -0700 #

Pharmacist in full agreement with you. Broken back, neck, several herniated disks, 2 spine fusions, real pain that never goes away. Writing on the subject now in novel form. Brendan Drury Amazon.com

Comment by Kathy on 2017-07-27 10:21:23 -0700 #

I know this is an old post but both my primary doctor and pediatrician would prescribe this which I never understood. I would have to call the pharmacist and tell them not to fill it as I wasn’t giving my children anything with codiene in it. Seriously it took years of telling both doctors. I guess I would make a lousy drug addict

Comment by Zeth on 2017-08-25 09:50:54 -0700 #

You’re NOT the doctor.

Comment by Mr. Man on 2017-09-13 15:57:46 -0700 #

Frankie you scare me with your threats to beat my balls off. Such a tough guy………………..

The Angry Pharmacist
Author
The Angry Pharmacist
Started this site in 2005 out of frustration that pharmacy school does not prepare you for dealing with the ungrateful unwashed public. Was hugely popular until life called and I had to take a break. Now I try to provide low brow potty humor that applies to the pharmacy population at large. Except you clinical fucks, go play doctor with your white coats and snobby attitude.