Tramadol Supply

Why could we get no Tramadol early this week?
It's not as if anything changed other than its classification as a controlled substance, right?
The NDC didn't change...order numbers should not have changed. I mean, IT'S THE EXACT SAME DRUG IN THE EXACT SAME BOTTLE! Nothing Happened!
So I ask again, Why was it unavailable on its (Re)Christening Day?

Apparently we had to wait for the new bottles with the CIV designation on them. Look closely at the bottle. Look at the sticker that shows "CIV". Got it? IT'S A STICKER!

Apparently we were all waiting for someone to put the stickers on the bottles. It took 3 days to do it. It's not as if the company didn't know this change was occurring on 8/18/14. It's not as if they didn't have fair warning (45 days) to make bottles with the CIV actually printed on the labels.

Why do I bring this up today?
With the news that ALL HYDROCODONE products will be reclassified as CIIs beginning 10/6/14, guess what will happen with the current supply? Yep, pharmacists and pharmacies will start stocking up...squirreling a little away just in case this happens again in 6 weeks.

Seriously though...we went through over 2000 Tramadol on Thursday, the first day we could get more, because of the interruption in supply caused by the need for a fu@king sticker!