Owww!

[ravan]

Sinuses, I hate you.

Between tree spooge and wildfire polution, I have had a severe sinus headache since 4 am. I've actually had one off and on since Sunday night, but it went critical again last night.

The only way I can sleep more than an hour at a time is by taking benadryl. Then I get a 4 hour block.

I've had to dig into my hoard of guaifenesin/PSE, that I can't replace because it's discontinued, and replaced with lower strength and expensive OTC Mucinex-D (no more generic) that is only sold in small blister packs in quantities only enough for 10 days, and I have to show my fucking papers and sign a log to buy it, but only during pharmacy hours. Fuck you, Patriot Act, for restricting the quantity to only what one person needs for a short cold. Even buying it online is restricted, and you have to send them a copy of your DL, and they will only ship to the address on your DL (you're SOL if you moved and didn't get a new license issued.) Fuck you, FDA, for making this shit *only* OTC, only brand name, and only sold in small packages.

Comments

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

ok, so it's not just me. *sigh* Why was guaifenesin discon'd? It worked, made me high as a kite and cry in class but it worked.

[ravan.livejournal.com]

The guaifenesin wasn't discontinued - the 12 hour generic guaifenesin/PSE combo was discontinued. The FDA said that it "wasn't really" 12 hour extended release, and awarded the right to manufacture a 12 hour "extended release" solely to Mucinex. They successfully managed to take a generic back to Brand Name only, and then eliminated its sale by prescription so that you could only buy a poorer version in small, expensive OTC packages - thus making it not eligible for insurance and its lower co-pays.

The Mucinex-D (600/60) when on sale is about $0.60 a dose, and the older, prescription Guaifenesin/PSE 600/120 was $0.25 a dose.

The canadian EntexLA (guai/pse 600/120) is $19.99 for 16 doses:
https://www.getcanadiandrugs.com/view_product.php?ProductID=1774
A max order would cost $140, and be only 56 days worth.

I can get the 12 hour Sudafed (120 pse) in a 100 count for $49.99 plus shipping ($0.60 a dose) https://www.getcanadiandrugs.com/view_product.php?ProductID=80, then buy the plain Mucinex (600 mg, no PSE). for a mix and match equivalent. But that only lasts me 50 days, and costs essentially *twice* what a 90 day supply used to run.

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

Well you do know that some idiots are using PSE to make Meth. And so they have fucked the rest of us.
Yes, I do better with PSE than the substitute as well. And go nuts getting what I need when the sinuses hit BAD. Because like you it will last what feels like Forever, not some short time like 10 days.
And I horde it too.
Only I actually do better with the lower dose, the higher one makes me too hyper, and I can't sleep.
That said, I've been mostly depending on Alevert (since the sinus problems start with allergies) and Sinus Saline Rinse these days. This a.m. I streamed the saline in the sinuses to clear them out, and will be doing so again this evening before bedtime.
Saline is nice because you can do it whenever the sinuses are bugging you, and you can do it over and over again. Since it contains nothing but water and salt and thus no drugs to interfere with the system.

[ravan.livejournal.com]

I know about the stupid meth cooks. All they would have needed to do was take the stuff prescription only, and fix the problem. No fascist logs of licenses and crap, just get a script and route it through your regular mail-order pharmacy for a 90 day supply.

The substitute, phenylephrine, has about the same effectiveness as a placebo, and more side effects. Yuck.

I can't use the nose rinse thing - I can't stand water up my nose, and my family has a history of nosebleeds when trying to rinse.

[alyxreese.livejournal.com]

Walmart and Target both have it behind the counter at the pharmacy, Tylenol Cold Severe Congestion, and I am pretty sure Walmart still carries the generic of it. I usually just buy the Tylenol, its a 24 pack for 4 or 5 bucks. It's cheaper then my Alavert. It is not extended release, but I've never had to take more then 2 in the morning.