Comments on: About Talwin and Generic Naloxone Pentazocine

By: Kay

Kay — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:25:27 +0000

I am quite familiar with this particular drug. Since 1974, I have been taking the original Talwin, then Talwin NX, then Pentazocine /Naloxone, (when the patent expired and went to a generic). Over the years the product was made by different companies, and changed it’s look several times. It has always worked however, to relieve my chronic back and neck pain. It actually allows me to be a normal, functioning person. One who went to college, has a career, and raised 3 beautiful grown children, restored 4 homes, 22 churches, 4 state capitols, 7 vintage theaters and 8 historic hotels. (There is more, but you get the picture). I now travel the globe during the winter months and run a fine art & antiques gallery during the rest of the year.
I have NEVER abused any drug or alcohol, (or even tried an illegal drug).I’ve never been arrested, or in any “trouble” of any kind. I understand this is a controlled drug, one that others have abused, but not once in the 45+ years I have been on this med. have I given anyone any reason to suspect a chance of misuse. Never, not once. I have always followed dosing directions to a tee.I am allergic to Codeine, Demerol, Darvocet, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, which is why Talwin is the ONLY drug that works for me, until 2 months ago, when everything changed.
I went to pick up my 3 month supply and noticed this was not the same green tablets marked WATSON, that I had been taking for many years. This new pill was yellow, and the bottle said it was from Gavis Pharmacutic,al, a relatively new company located in New Jersey. I noticed that after I took one, that these pills were no where near as effective as the prior prescription. They might as well could have been aspirin, or a sugar pill. Absolutely no relief from pain. So, I took 1 and 1/2 pills, something I ONLY had done in emergencies before. Still nothing. I called my Doctor of six years to complain, I sat down and talked with my pharmacist of 10 years and told him of my concerns. Also, did I mention, I was charged $500.00 for one bottle? I have to pay in cash, (insurance does not cover it).
After all of this, I was informed that the pharmacy could no longer order the Watson brand through his distributor, (pills are not returnable either), and my Doctor told me she wrote a script for a 3 month supply, I filled it, and she WILL NOT be writing another for 3 months. So, I am screwed. I have been bedridden now for weeks, unable to do the simplest things for myself, or anyone around me. I sleep 20 hours a day, being comatose is the only way to endure the glass shards stabbing me in the back and neck. I cannot hold my head up for longer than a minute or two without feeling like it will fall off. I cannot work, dress myself or go to the bathroom without help. I am an invalid at age 53.
If anyone who reads this could be of help, I am sure to listen. I am lost, and I do not know where to go, or who to turn to. I just want my life back, please. Kay

By: T

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:48:24 +0000

I’ve taken Talwin NX occasionally for over 10 years to help with fibromayalsia. I have consistantly had problems with this prescription being “in stock” at pharmacies. At one point I could get the brand (Talwin NX – the yellow ones) which were very expensive but more effective than the green Watson generics. As of a few months ago I was told that the brand name producers of Talwin are no longer making it and Watson is the ONLY sourcing company – making only a generic available. It takes longer to get it now as well.

A doctor told me (and I later also found online) that the history of this drug is in the 70′s it was considered the “housewife drug” — do to widespread misuse of it, it fell out of fashion to be prescribed. Over the years of all the Dr’s I’ve mentioned this drug to, maybe 10% has even heard of it. When I see my prescribing doctor quarterly, he typically says, “they are still making this?” I have no idea what to request for a substitute and have never heard of Talacen.

I am trying to determine if there are any long term effects of using Talwin NX approx 1 pill a day every other day. The only thing I’ve noticed is I can no longer take it before I go to sleep and if my level have dropped from not taking it a few days, my face gets itchy. I am curious if Talacen would be a fall back option if Watson stopped producing Talwin. If not, has anyone tried another medicine that was similiarly effective? I’m worried this may be pulled due to the low distribution it’s had and continues to have.

By: Maryann

Maryann — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:50:54 +0000

2-25-2011
I have been waiting and asking for over 6 weeks for the generic of talacen. The pharmacy keep saying it was on back order and did not know when it would be in. Frustration set in, so I decided to seach the web. Thank you Mollie (comment above) for your info. I contacted Watson and found that it was still available. I contacted the pharmacy. I will be able to pick it up later today. I did also contact Sanofi-Aventis today to see if Talacen is still being produced. They stopped production last year. I hope this helps anyone else looking for the generic of Talacen.

By: debbie verstegen

debbie verstegen — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:36 +0000

i have had back pain to some degree most of my life. i was hit by a car when i was 5 yrs old. allthey saw back then was a broken right leg. as years went by my pain and posture took over but no dr would do anything. finally in 91′ after just recovering from a complete hysterectomy, i went back to work and thought things were ok. but after a few months, my back started in again in again. no one in this town would beleive me. so i went to a dr where i grew up and found i had ruptured disc. he wanted me in the hospital the next day, but felt guilty for missing work after the hys. i came back home. a few days later i was back in my hometown having back surgery. after that i strted taking tylenol 3 which worked fine for awhile but it was eating my stomach up. so another dr suggested talacen and it worked great. the real thing though, not the generic. i could most time take 1/2 a pill and did great for 15 to 20 years. it got to where i could only get it in the town i grew up in, so my parents would pay for and send to me through the mail with a prescription and i would send them the money. it really upset me when icalled for another refill and they said it was recalled without a word. i have been trying others, but nothing really works. it is very frustrating when things like this happen without explenation ahead of time and after what 2 or 3 years still nothing. i read somewhere that china and japan and one other place still produced it. big help here if that is so. no help from manufacturers or drs.

By: Angie

Angie — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:54:12 +0000

I found this site looking up some other info and I am glad I am not the only one that noticed I difference in the pills!!!
When I contacted my pharmacy about the difference in look, and actions, I was told no, there is nothing wrong, it must all be in my head… isn’t that a lovely way to be treated!?.. I don’t shop there anymore..
I have not asked my DR for a refill on the Talwin since, I didn’t think there was a point. They did nothing for my pain anymore.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:45:22 +0000

I was just placed on Talwin NX tablets yesterday and I had them filled at the Wal-Mart pharmacy in Springfield Missouri. They gave me the generic ones but at least I got it filled. I don’t know if I’m just not used to it yet or what but the first one I took made me extremely nauseaus (spelling?) and very bad cold sweats about an hour and a half after I took the pill. I’m supposed to take 1 every 6 hours but I sooooo do NOT want to have that feeling again like it was when I took that first pill (I’ve only taken the one tablet so far since 6pm April 1st and it’s almost 9am now on the second). I have 3 herniated discs in my neck and the pain is NOT fun.

By: Doris Gentry

Doris Gentry — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:17:11 +0000

I also have been taking Talwin NX for over 15 years and have just recently found that it can’t find any pharmacy in my area who has the medication in stock and doesn’t know when it will be available. It is the only medication I have found that helps my arthritis pain, migraine pain, and other “back” problems. What can we do to get the manufacturers to produce more of this medication?

By: chris

chris — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:56:15 +0000

wow, i went from taking lortab to talacen last april b/c my doc and i thought i might be having a reaction to my pain meds i have been taking for 5 years. the talacin did not work near aswell as the lortab did.it almost made me feel like i was hallucinating all day. turns out it wsa an infection causing my problems so i went back to lortab. but since then i noticed the daily tylenol was having effects on my liver so now i take oxycodone 15mg with no tylenol at all in it and have noticed a big difference in my gi, liver, urine, etc. i still have the remaining talacen and will never take it or any tylenol meds again. look up an article by dr watkins for purdue pharma and see the lab results of tylenol on your liver and you will ask to be changed.

By: Bob Herlich

Bob Herlich — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:45:54 +0000

Until recently, my local pharmacy was able to obtain the generic from Watson.
The generic does not seem as effective as the brand.

By: debra burrell

debra burrell — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:38:32 +0000

i taken that medication for a very long time and vicodan makes me sick

By: debra burrell

debra burrell — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:35:50 +0000

i just need to know where i can get the genetric for talwin nx, but i need the yellow tablet because the green makes me itch and my heart races. i live in california.

By: Janice Fulkner

Janice Fulkner — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:08:48 +0000

I have been taking Talwin Nx also for many years & now all I can get is the generic & you are right it does not work like the the brand name . The pharmist I have in Calif. says he doesnt know why but he can get it stll Is ther e anythig ele besisd Talwin NX that works the same way. I am going to my DR tommorrow & he does not know of any thing except strong nar. drugs & I have tried Vicodin & Norxco & they make me sick. I take 5 pills a day & they are costing an arm & a leg I have no insurance Help if you can?

By: cindy

cindy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:52:03 +0000

Gregory Irace is CEO of Sanofi-Aventis. Sanofi-Aventis makes Talacen and Talwin NX. I e-mail Mr. Irace to ask him what the manufacturing issues are with the third party , who is the third part manufacturer and isn’t the only difference between Talacen and Talwin NX is that Talwin NX has naloxone and cost three times as much as Talacen. I rec’d a reply back dated 11/11/08 stating that they are unable to advise me when, of if, Talace wil lonce again be available in the U.S. and unfortunately Talwin NX is in a similar situation.
So I urge you to e-mail the CEO at Gregory.Irace@sanofi-aventis.com. as I feel that this corp. should let it’s consumer know the answer to my above questions.

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:35:59 +0000

I have been e-mailing the FDA, NYS Attorney General Office and Sanofi-Aventis as my disabled spouse has been taking Talacen for many years. I feel that it is very unfair for any consumer to put up with the nightmare of talacen being available, then unavailable, then available. Going to the doctors to find another pain pill, etc. is more than a nightmare! I can’t imagine what is happening to inside his body and mind from switching from one pain pill to another . He has tried Talwin NX and all the generic’s, plus other pain pills…and all I hear from him is why can’t you get me Talacen ? So…for you folks out there that want Talacen….e-mail the FDA, the Sanofi-Aventis Corp, etc. This is not right and something has to be done!!

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:05:56 +0000

Sanofi Aventis wrote me a letter dated 10/3/07 which states:

Thank you for your interest in Talacen (pentazocine hydrochloride, acetaminophen) tablets.
I am writing in response to communications with our offices regarding the current unavailability of Talacen tablets. I understand that your husband has pain in the aftermath of a severe leg injury from being hit by a car and uses Talacen for that pain. I further understand that the reason for your call is that “generic Talacen” does not work for your husband and you have been unable to obtain Talacen.
First, I want to assure you that what you reported being told to you by a pharmacy, that Talacen “is not a money-maker for the manufacturer so they stopped making it,” is not correct. The fact is that sanofi-aventis U.S. has a contract with another company to manufacture pentazocine hydrochloride, acetaminophen tablets for sanofi-aventis U.S.,which is sold under the brand name Talacen. Unfortunately, due to ongoing manufacturing issues being experienced at that manufacturer is actively seeking resolution of the manufacturing issues and we continue to keep abreast of their efforts. As is sometimes the case, however, it is not yet clear when these issues my be fixed.

In the meantime, in the interest of helping you to help your husband, we note that pentazocine hydrochloride, acetaminophen is a generic product, also available from other companies. For example, according to information of the U.S. Food and Drug (FDA) website, there are two other products that offer a combination of acetaminophen and pentazocine hydrochloride identified has having: identical active ingredients, dosage form and route of administration and strength) and as such are considered by the FDA OGD as “identical” to Talacen. Those drugs are pentazocine hydrochloride,acetaminophen tablets marketed by Actavis and Watson Labs. We recommend that your husband consult his doctor about the potential to try one of these alternate products, or some other appropriate medications, while Talacen is out of stock.
We regret that Talacen is currently not available for patients in need of relief, including your husband. We will keep your name and contact information available and notify you when Talacen is again available.

By: Susan Puexwll

Susan Puexwll — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:53:26 +0000

The latest on Talwin RX. I have spent all afternoon on researching Talwin, and this is what I gathered. For most wholesalers, the drug ended up being back-ordered. Pharmacies are now slowly being able to place orders, so check with your pharmacy to see if they have access to Talwin yet. If not, call every two weeks or so. One of the distributors (to wholesalers) is Watson at 1-973-355-8300. They handle generic Talwin and if your pharmacy’s wholesaler has Watson as their distributor, you can still get it now (with a prescription, of course).
The good news was that Talwin would be available again–but who knows when.
Good luck–plus I need it too–it really worked on my RA.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:38:48 +0000

Talwin NX is still being produce, just not available in the US for prescription, because it is an OPIATE. Believe me, I have check into it!

By: Carole Daniels

Carole Daniels — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:49:57 +0000

I AM MAD AS HELL over the sudden unavailability of my pain meds Talwin NX tablets. After 5 yrs of Pain Management & trying various pain meds I was happy that this pill worked best for me. When Walgreens Pharm receives a new script it can only be transferred twice without requiring a new script. Each transfer requires an additional co-pay if the script is filled at a diff Walgreens location. So I pay 3 co-pays for one script, My Physicians” Prescriptions computer program isn’t set up for so many different quanity / partial refills; which in turn requires a call to the Dr. & someone has to try to explain to him why the script he wrote for 180 tablets requires additional authorization for 20 tablets because it is a different pharm location. This whole situation has been HELL for me. No relief for my physical pain, not to mention my fustration, plus depression & STRESS, etc. because I have had to go without my meds. My whole world went upside down. It will take time for me to get back to that comfort level I once had. I have been reassured by Walgreens that the Mfg has started to release product again & hopefully we can believe them. What can we do as patients when situations such as this occur? I wasn’t happy about the way Walgreens handled this rumor & backorder situation plus the extra cost for backorder refills. I will give Walgreens props for listening to my complaint & actually contacting an alternate mfg co (Watson). What does Medicare have to say about this? My HMO sent me a stmt stating Walgreens had charged me for a backorder filled at a different store, but will Walgreens issue me a check for all the extra copays? Is this the beginning of a way for Walgreens to make extra money by not stocking adequate quanities of meds & sending us to another store to fill the balance & we have to pay another copay. Could add up???? Hopefully, Walgreens will take a look at their procedures & have a game plan to meet our needs? Good Luck to all of those who are still having trouble obtaining this med. & my personal apology to my Dr. for the extra time it has cost him in trying to dispense my meds. So who is really at fault here?

By: kacherra

kacherra — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:27:52 +0000

I have just gotten my talwin meds for my arthritis refilled and i had no problem at all i cannot take any of the cet meds at all so thank god im able to still get this i live in nc

By: patricia fiore

patricia fiore — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:50:30 +0000

I also have been on Talwin NX for 6 years after extensive , 5 disc, surgery. I have gone thru the trials of “try this med., no here try this med, and absolutly nothing else works., Morphine, Lortab, etc.So what is the problem with getting this drug to our pharmacys? If it is helping even just ONE person with this God awful pain, then why can t we get it. I also have been told that it will no longer be available…Where can it be gotten???? Pat Fiore