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half empty vyvanse capsules?
Hi all, today I obtained a new script for 20mg of Vyvanse (a switch from Adderall XR). I got it filled at CVS, and having read accounts of tampering, I checked out the capsules and noticed their contents are low, and significantly varied. Most of the capsules are only HALF full, and none of them are entirely full. I'll also note that I picked the script up myself, and kept them in a secure place until I opened them. I assumed they wouldn't be vacuum packed but the amount free space looks strikingly redundant. I tried calling both the pharmacy and Shire, only to get the runaround. CVS said that the pills are delivered pre-assembled, and Shire gave a lecture about "natural settling" and FDA enforced measurement uniformity. My instincts tell me that somebody opened the capsules, took half of the drugs out, and will dispense or use them at their hearts dictates--scot-free. Because who's to say I didn't alter them myself? After all, it's a "controlled substance" user's word against a drug company and or giant pharmacy chain. Anyone take these? Is it normal for the caps to be half full? I hope I'm wrong on this one.
It is the variations in amount that is troubling. I would not use them. Show your doctor. Give him the pills and get a new prescription. Have it filled at a different pharmacy.
1 Comments
I have two family members on vyvaanse 50 mg and have had about 10 empty capsules in the last three batches. I have contacted pharmacy, DEA and Dr. I'm awaiting responses. I am very pissed. This is expensive medicine.
that happened to me this week too. Do not stop there in letting someone know. DEA diffenitly need to know. ASAP. Mine too were half to 3/4 filled and some had holes in them. I fit mine at Walmart. I took my complaint to my physician and she about flipped. and I wasn't the only who contacted her either!
I told walmart RX and he got defensive very quickly, also said the compacting of the powder made it smaller! I've been taking these for two years and I know what my pill fills like when I press on it! I'm not stupid. So I contacted my dr. office.. and they are going to do something about this. it's the same med, vyvanse. I would do the same, ASAP! this is a controlled substance and this is a criminal action. on the pills that had holes on one end, to me it looked like a a neddle was used to poke a hole and drain contents out. This is the first time I got a bottle that looked this.
don't think that.. about , they could think that I did that myself, I can guarantee the dr. office won't. cuz you won't be the first in thus recent problem. don't let this issue go.. if the dr. office us giving u the runaround also take it straight to the DEA. And of course they come preassembled, but wats the chance of one of your employees or some where down the line someone could have opened these up and then put them back together again. Don't let them talk down to you. this is a too sensitive issue.. I used to be a pharmacy tech, I know the importance of an issue this is.
And it is not just the possibility that the contents were drained out. Some nut at the same time could have injected a poison into the capsule.
I did a google search today because I have two daughters on Vyvannse.
I came across this blog.
We have been through turmoil the last 24 hours trying to figure out
what/who was to blame for them having empty capsules in their Vyvannse prescriptions. It started with my youngest saying she didn't feel they were working with the last re-fill, so she started checking them out. Found that they were empty. Of course some of the capsules were pinched from her trying to shake and look at while holding up to the light. She went
to the pharamacy and they replaced them. You could tell an immediate difference in the weight of the capsule. Apparently the pharmacy counts them, but does not weigh them. As parent, we became concerned that my daughter had abused them after reading stories of such on the internet. Her father talked to the pharmacy and she assured him that they would not have dispensed those pills (especially b/c some were pinched). Although the pharmacist had initially replaced the empty pills, she now decided she was going to have to report to the insurance company and the manufacturer, that my daughter would have to return the new pills and go back to the doctor for new prescription. In other words, she had now decided that someone had taken the powder out. It was all very emotional, especially for my daughter who was adament she had not tampered with them. We tried to trace the container where abouts to see who else may have been to blame. Then, after discussing with my older daughter, she mentioned that she hadn't felt hers were workin as well either. Said the first few in the refill always seemed stronger. So, she checked her new bottle (which was dispensed at same time as younger daughter). All on the bottom half of bottle were empty. She then checked the few she had left in her old container and they were empty too! We do not have a resolution, but sounds like either someone at the pharmacy or more likely the manufacturer is ripping people off. Spread the word.
I came across this blog.
We have been through turmoil the last 24 hours trying to figure out
what/who was to blame for them having empty capsules in their Vyvannse prescriptions. It started with my youngest saying she didn't feel they were working with the last re-fill, so she started checking them out. Found that they were empty. Of course some of the capsules were pinched from her trying to shake and look at while holding up to the light. She went
to the pharamacy and they replaced them. You could tell an immediate difference in the weight of the capsule. Apparently the pharmacy counts them, but does not weigh them. As parent, we became concerned that my daughter had abused them after reading stories of such on the internet. Her father talked to the pharmacy and she assured him that they would not have dispensed those pills (especially b/c some were pinched). Although the pharmacist had initially replaced the empty pills, she now decided she was going to have to report to the insurance company and the manufacturer, that my daughter would have to return the new pills and go back to the doctor for new prescription. In other words, she had now decided that someone had taken the powder out. It was all very emotional, especially for my daughter who was adament she had not tampered with them. We tried to trace the container where abouts to see who else may have been to blame. Then, after discussing with my older daughter, she mentioned that she hadn't felt hers were workin as well either. Said the first few in the refill always seemed stronger. So, she checked her new bottle (which was dispensed at same time as younger daughter). All on the bottom half of bottle were empty. She then checked the few she had left in her old container and they were empty too! We do not have a resolution, but sounds like either someone at the pharmacy or more likely the manufacturer is ripping people off. Spread the word.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Ummmm, somewhere, somehow, somebody is tampering with the pills. Machines do all the work. I suppose somehow the machine could not have filled the capsules, but you would have a very hard time convincing the manufacture of this.
Frankly, when you get the new bottles, I would personally check all the capsules. Maybe even film the process of you breaking the seal and checking the capsules. And I think that (just to eliminate the possibility), you should make sure that you do it and not your daughters.
By the way - fastest way to check is to weigh the whole bottle and record it. Take out about 20 pills, check them and then weigh them. From then on all you have to do is to weigh out groups of 20. If they all check out, then you know the bottle weight is also accurate. And from then on all you have to do is to quickly weigh each bottle when you get it. You of course will need a pretty accurate digital scale. look for a postage scale.
Frankly, when you get the new bottles, I would personally check all the capsules. Maybe even film the process of you breaking the seal and checking the capsules. And I think that (just to eliminate the possibility), you should make sure that you do it and not your daughters.
By the way - fastest way to check is to weigh the whole bottle and record it. Take out about 20 pills, check them and then weigh them. From then on all you have to do is to weigh out groups of 20. If they all check out, then you know the bottle weight is also accurate. And from then on all you have to do is to quickly weigh each bottle when you get it. You of course will need a pretty accurate digital scale. look for a postage scale.
Today I found out that me and my daughter had empty capsules of Vyvanse. My sons was filled I just got his yesterday. I was noticing that I wasn't having any response to the medication. We all take the same mg so I decided to take one of his thinking well maybe they take effect if their fresh from the pharmacy which I got yesterday. To my surprise I was able to feel the medication and so did my 12yr old son. I decided to look at my pills and to my surprise there was no powder in my pills. I then asked my daughter to give me her bottle which she got last week and I find theres no powder in her her Vyvanse pills either. I went to pharmacy and she looked at me like I was a druggy and asked if anyone took our pills. I have no one who would do that or whos going to sit and open each pill. I then thought well maybe the medication is evaporating? could that be? Now I need to go see our doctor call Walgreens corporate and my insurance and Who else? Someones stealing our medication. Who is it? The pharmacist? The Manufacturer? What the heck? Now need to count our meds and look at each capsule with a flash light before I leave Walgreens? They'll probably think i'm some kind of druggy lol The pharmacist didn't refund our copayment or refill. What came out of her mouth is she needs to report it. Well who do I report?
Feel free to contact me anyone if you have experienced this!
2 Comments
This just happened to my son yesterday he hasn't been getting the same feeling he should when taking the Vyvanse he told me yesterday when he picked up his new prescription they did not weigh correctly. So where is this medicine going??? I am pissed Walgreens shows it was filled on the 26th but he wasn't allowed to pick up until yesterday. Who do we take this to?
One of the advantageous of Vyvanse for many people is that it is a much smoother medicine in its onset. After a while, many people do get used to it and sometimes feel like its not working. Of course, a poor nights sleep will do or give the same feeling. Make sure he has a good high protein breakfast as that can make a huge difference. And talk to his teachers to see if they have noticed a difference. The Vyvanse not lasting as long would be a good indication that something is amiss with the amount. Probably, the pharmacist at Walgreens would be a starting point if teachers and you feel the med is not lasting as long as it should.
I have noticed the same thing. My exhusband use to steal my meds, so I know how full the capsules should be. Also, I take 1/2 a capsule twice a day- so, opening capsule is something I do daily. I have definitely noticed a decrease in powder. Thought it was odd for about 2 weeks... Thought perhaps the babysitter or something got to my meds. Decided to google this to see if anyone else was experiencing this, and sure enough, I am not alone. I have never worked in a pharmacy so I am not sure how easy it is to steal meds. At $50/ month and the fact that this is a controlled substance, a criminal investigation is warranted.
1 Comments
I also take half doses to save money. I have noticed that the 30mg capsules contain varying amounts of powder in each prescription. I have weighed them and they average around 22mg! This has been like this for a couple of years. I think the manufacture is cutting corners or has defective filling verification equipment/standards.
I only received 30 of my 60 count pills for vyvanse from CVS in cedar hill texas, talking to the manager tomorrow about it. Pharmacist was no help today.
I would dump them all out on pharmacy counter and check them when I picked them yo so they can't say u tampered with the medication
COMMUNITY LEADER
Sounds silly, but double check the label and make sure that they didn't cut your order in half.
I am very happy to see that there are others discussing the matter of half-full capsules.
This was the case with my son's script. I discovered this today!! I will continue my investigation. Has anyone had any success resolving this matter?
This was the case with my son's script. I discovered this today!! I will continue my investigation. Has anyone had any success resolving this matter?
1 Comments
Let's talk to a lawyer about this matter it's not right, I have had the same problem
The amount medicine can appear lower due to pressure fluctuation. I think you are all imagining things.
1 Comments
I don't think so
This is happening to my son's pills also...in fact it has been an issue for a couple of years and I just don't know what to do about it.
Ok, here goes another thing. I have been on Vyvanse about 4 yrs. and being a detailed oriented person I had noticed that the capsules in the past had the lettering lined up on the capsules but when I started feeling like they were not working I checked on the capsules and sure enough they were off centered, but they still felt the same weight, unlike what you all are talking about. Of course people who tamper could have gotten wise about the weight of them. I have been on the same mg for a long time so just figured that I was getting a tolerance for them. I have definitely noticed a difference for several months now. When I checked on the internet for others questions on this I saw several other people with complaints. So checked the wording on the capsules. When I checked originally it was to see if there was a generic for Vyvanse and several people were attributing the lack of effect from being maybe a question of a change in the generic.
Please contact me. I would like to know if anyone knows the gram weight to each capsule. I just weighed each capsule and had weights from 11 to 16 and none of my capsules were full. This is the second month in a row this has happened. The capsules were difficult to open the first 4 months I was on medication, now they are not. I know we are being ripped off. I am on 50 mg capsules.
1 Comments
I was wondering if you know what the correct weight of the capsule. I'm on 50mg too,i got my new script Monday and even took it later than normal it I notice at work it wasn't working right n only about 2 hours in they uasally I don't notice them wearing off till the end of the night. I don't want to accuse pharmacy n make them not like me.I contacted my Dr but haven't herd nothing back
Please contact me. I would like to know if anyone knows the gram weight to each capsule. I just weighed each capsule and had weights from 11 to 16 and none of my capsules were full. This is the second month in a row this has happened. The capsules were difficult to open the first 4 months I was on medication, now they are not. I know we are being ripped off. I am on 50 mg capsules.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are you on a generic ? Also try weighing something like a quarter, several times. a gram is a pretty small unit of measure and the scale could be off.
I'm looking into the same issue. Numerous clues over the last year have led me to wonder if 1 particular pharmacist is taking medication out of my pills. I didn't really think it was possible, so when the medication worked some days and not others I didn't think too much about it. But I got a large prescription filled (90 tablets) and this particular pharmacist took the prescription apart twice and reshelved it. The pharmacy claimed it was their error, but seriously, who does this twice? She took it apart on day 31 of a 30 day prescription claiming it was too early to fill. I ended up getting it on day 32. The levels of medication in each pill differ significantly. Taking it apart twice would have given the pharmacist the opportunity to take a fair amount out, i.e. up to 3x90, or 270 pills worth.
I was informed that there is no generic form of Vyvanse available. Also, I take the 60 mg. This is a weight measure and the pill should weigh 60mg plus the weight of the capsule. So weighing an empty capsule should allow you to get the total weight of a full pill. Some of mine are full right to the top, which I would expect with that dose. My son is also on ADD medication, adderall in his case, and his look low as well. No chance of abuse in his case, as he doesn't even want to take any on weekends, and often doesn't.
I think I can provide the weight of 50 mg pills for alwaysalice22, as I have some old ones around. But as I said, weight is weight. It should be 50mg + the weight of the gelatin capsule. Thats why pills of higher mg weight can get so large. I'll do some weighing when I locate my scale and report results back. None of us should have to suffer because of a pharmacist who's an addict.
I was informed that there is no generic form of Vyvanse available. Also, I take the 60 mg. This is a weight measure and the pill should weigh 60mg plus the weight of the capsule. So weighing an empty capsule should allow you to get the total weight of a full pill. Some of mine are full right to the top, which I would expect with that dose. My son is also on ADD medication, adderall in his case, and his look low as well. No chance of abuse in his case, as he doesn't even want to take any on weekends, and often doesn't.
I think I can provide the weight of 50 mg pills for alwaysalice22, as I have some old ones around. But as I said, weight is weight. It should be 50mg + the weight of the gelatin capsule. Thats why pills of higher mg weight can get so large. I'll do some weighing when I locate my scale and report results back. None of us should have to suffer because of a pharmacist who's an addict.
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