half empty vyvanse capsules?

[carriec174]

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.

[letty5purple]

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?

[Sandman2]

    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.

[Vyvannseconcern]

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.  

[allmymarbles]

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.

[Deltaflygirl]

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.

[Deltaflygirl]

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.