Fentanyl Or Equivalent Strength Meds

[axact]

Hi,

I use Fentanyl patches and brought with me 3 months supply, the most UK doctors are allowed to prescribe.

I have a doctors letters confirming that I am prescibed the meds.

I tried farmico but they shook their heads and said no can do. I also emailed the Watson Pharmacy chain but no reply.

I emailed Bancock Pattaya Hospital who only had 1 (yes 1 ) patch in stock and that was a 50 mg/hr whilst I use 100mg/hr. For that single patch they wanted 2500 Baht. The patch lasts me 2.5 days ! At those silly prices it would be worth me flying home every three months as I would be over a £1000 better off !

I did speak to a UK Pharmacist who gave me the equivalent doseage of Morphine Sulphate should I be unable to get Fentanyl in Thailand, so info on that or availability of similar strength medication would also be useful although I would prefer not to use MS.

I am aware I will probably have to get a prescription from a doctor.

I posted the above so that people can see I am not trying to do anything illegal.

I suffer from chronic pain and the source of the problem has not been found despite 4 MRI's and 16 years of medical attention so please no advice about finding the cause.

I am looking to source further supplies and am seeking advice where to find.at a reasonable price or at least an address of a pharmacy preferably in Pattaya who speaks English.

I will go to Cambodia if necessary to fill prescription so if anyone there can offer advice also it would be appreciated.

Apologies for the long post

[Sheryl]

You won't get anywhere with pharmacies as there are controlled substances in Thailand and available only through hospital pharmacies on prescription.

Thai doctors are extremely reluctant to provide opiates on an outpatient basis.

Your best bet is to consult a specialist in pain management as such would be the most likely to appreciate the need for the medication. However, do not be surprised if, even with the letter from your doctor back home, they want to try other approaches or lower dosages. Other foreigners in your situation have encountered this.

There aren't very many specialists in pain management in Thailand. these are the ones I know of (all are in Bangkok):

Samitivej Hosp (Sukhumvit Branch)

http://www.samitivejhospitals.com/Doctor/DoctorProfile.aspx?DoctorId=11917691&lid=en

Bumrungrad Hospital

http://www.bumrungrad.com/overseas-medical-care/plan-your-visit/search-for-a-doctor.aspx

You won't fare much better in Cambodia unless you can get by on just codeine, that's available there over the counter (Codalgin Forte = 500 mg para + 30 mg codeine per tablet, all the pharmnacies have it).

Regarding the cost of the fentanyl, the quote you got sounds like an import. there is a locally made version. Ask specifically for "Fentanyl GPO"

[smokie36]

Strong opioid analgesics like Fentanyl are Schedule A drugs here in the UK. I can't imagine its much different in Thailand or anywhere else.

Get a prescription first and you will find somewhere supplying it for sure. I can't believe anywhere would give you this without one.

To put in perspective in every hospital in the UK each ampoule has to be accounted for on a daily basis....wide open to abuse these drugs and strictly controlled.

Edited November 19, 2010 by smokie36

[axact]

I said I would be willing to go to a hospital for a prescription. I am well aware of the UK classification as I have been taking it for over 3 years.

It is widely prescribed in patch form to patients in the UK which as I stated is what I have...No one said anything about it in liquid form . Of course that would have to be accounted for at a hospital just as I am sure liquid morphine would have to be also.

The original license holder makes the patch in a form that would be very difficult, if possible at all for a drug addict to abuse !

Please, I asked for people in Thailand where I could purchase at a reasonable price only to save myself a flight home every three months where of course they will happily supply me.

I also read on THIS forum that Cambodia was much more relaxed at supplying drugs over the counter & I will be visiting when I renew my visa which is the only reason I asked about that country, not to circumvent obtaining a prescription.

Edited November 20, 2010 by axact

[Sheryl]

Please, I asked for people in Thailand where I could purchase at a reasonable price only to save myself a flight home every three months where of course they will happily supply me.

I also read on THIS forum that Cambodia was much more relaxed at supplying drugs over the counter & I will be visiting when I renew my visa which is the only reason I asked about that country, not to circumvent obtaining a prescription.

Calm down, I don't think anyone meant to imply you were.

Please see my reply above, particularly re the locally produced brand of fentanyl. Unfortunately it is not possible to know for sure, in advance, that a particular doctor will agree to prescribe a particular scheduled drug. I've given you the best advice I can so as to maximize the chance of getting what you need, but there is no way to know in advance of actually going to these places and consulting these docs.

Cambodia is not at all relaxed when it comes to morphine etc, even the hospitals don't have it (which as you may imagine makes having surgery there quite an ordeal....). Codeine for whatever reason, is OTC there. I have never inquired about Fentanyl but I would be surprised if it was easy to find...the hospitals don't use that, either.

[zorro1]

I also suffer from pain being neuropathy. If yours is nerve related then you can purchase as much lyrica or topomax etc as you need straight over the counter.

Its hard to explain to anyone how critical it can be when your out of meds.

I can feel your pain, good luck.

[smokie36]

I said I would be willing to go to a hospital for a prescription. I am well aware of the UK classification as I have been taking it for over 3 years.

It is widely prescribed in patch form to patients in the UK which as I stated is what I have...No one said anything about it in liquid form . Of course that would have to be accounted for at a hospital just as I am sure liquid morphine would have to be also.

The original license holder makes the patch in a form that would be very difficult, if possible at all for a drug addict to abuse !

Please, I asked for people in Thailand where I could purchase at a reasonable price only to save myself a flight home every three months where of course they will happily supply me.

I also read on THIS forum that Cambodia was much more relaxed at supplying drugs over the counter & I will be visiting when I renew my visa which is the only reason I asked about that country, not to circumvent obtaining a prescription.

Sorry. No offence was intended. As Sherly said above someone in pain management such as an anaesthetist specialising in this area should be able to help.

Good luck.

[axact]

Hi, An update,

I have been to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital and been to see a pain specialist.

I am stiill in the position of the hospital trying to rip me off by charging 5 times what pharmacies in the UK sell to the NHS for !

So I still am asking the same question as the before, where can I find an English speaking Pharmacy who can give me a real price for the medication, I will have a Thai prescription for the medication.

Someone on the forum pointed out that Thailand produces a generic form called Fentanyl GTO so it must be available probably cheaper than the UK generics.

Otherwise I am stuck with having to fly to the UK every three months just to get medication which is a ridiculous state of affairs

Even if someone knows the company who manufacturers the generic brand would be useful info.

Any help greatly appreciated as I only have 1 month supply left.

[Sheryl]

It doesn't work that way for this class of drug in Thailand. Pharamcies can't dispense it even with a prescrition, a special license is required which in practice only hospital pharmacies have. So you have to get it at a hospital.

The generic brand is Fentanyl GPO. GPO is the Government Pharmaceutical organization of Thailand, in other words this is a government made brand. They would certainly have it at any government hospital. And they could certainly get it at any private hospital if they so desired.

Your dilemma is that the government hospitals are a serious pain (no pun intended) to deal with and only a few have pain specialists. As I understand it patients in their pain clinics are required to some in weekly for urine tests to prove they are taking, as opposed to selling, their meds, an inconveneince and humiliation I am sure you'd rather skip.

But a private hospital pharmacy, if indeed it does not already have this in stock, could certainly get it in. I assume you have already tried being adament at Bkk Pattaya about wanting this form and they have not been willing to accomodate you? If so I'd suggest a trip up to Bangkok and go see Dr.Laksmi at Bangok Hosp, Bkk she is by all account a very nice lady and I think likely to be more sensitive to your financial constrain ts. Don't be put off by the fact that these hosps are part of the same "chain", the parent hosp in Bkk is quite different form its offshoots in the provinces and esp in Pattaya. It serves mainly middle class Bkk Thais while BPH is specifically aimed at the tourist market.

Since they are affiliated, it might be possible for you to email to Dr. Laskmi there and explain that you have been presecribed fenatayl by the pain specialist at BPH but that they have only the expensive import in stock and ask if she has access to the GPO brand. Provide your hospital number, doctor name etc in the message so she knows it is legit.

Or you could try making a bigger stink at BPH and insist they order in the GPO brand. Your call as you know best how far you've already tried in that direction.

good luck

[axact]

It doesn't work that way for this class of drug in Thailand. Pharamcies can't dispense it even with a prescrition, a special license is required which in practice only hospital pharmacies have. So you have to get it at a hospital.

The generic brand is Fentanyl GPO. GPO is the Government Pharmaceutical organization of Thailand, in other words this is a government made brand. They would certainly have it at any government hospital. And they could certainly get it at any private hospital if they so desired.

Your dilemma is that the government hospitals are a serious pain (no pun intended) to deal with and only a few have pain specialists. As I understand it patients in their pain clinics are required to some in weekly for urine tests to prove they are taking, as opposed to selling, their meds, an inconveneince and humiliation I am sure you'd rather skip.

But a private hospital pharmacy, if indeed it does not already have this in stock, could certainly get it in. I assume you have already tried being adament at Bkk Pattaya about wanting this form and they have not been willing to accomodate you? If so I'd suggest a trip up to Bangkok and go see Dr.Laksmi at Bangok Hosp, Bkk she is by all account a very nice lady and I think likely to be more sensitive to your financial constrain ts. Don't be put off by the fact that these hosps are part of the same "chain", the parent hosp in Bkk is quite different form its offshoots in the provinces and esp in Pattaya. It serves mainly middle class Bkk Thais while BPH is specifically aimed at the tourist market.

Since they are affiliated, it might be possible for you to email to Dr. Laskmi there and explain that you have been presecribed fenatayl by the pain specialist at BPH but that they have only the expensive import in stock and ask if she has access to the GPO brand. Provide your hospital number, doctor name etc in the message so she knows it is legit.

Or you could try making a bigger stink at BPH and insist they order in the GPO brand. Your call as you know best how far you've already tried in that direction.

good luck

Thank you very much for the reply,

I have emailed the hospital again and once again got no where,it feels like I am banging my head against a brick wall, all I have been told is that they have one patch in stock which is half the required strength, totally ignored my question about a generic make !

I think your suggestion about going to the Bangkok Hospital may well be the route I will have to take.