Comment from Jenny Doss
Jenny DossSupportIndividual
Summary: Jenny Doss, a Family Nurse Practitioner, argues that the ingredients for the antihistamine Phenyltoloxamine should be released for compounding. She explains that this medication is a safer alternative to muscle relaxers for patients with sensitivities and that patients are currently forced to use old, potentially unsafe compounded supplies.
To whom it may concern,
My name is Jenny Doss. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner. I am writing this email to inquire about the halt that has been placed on the drug Phenyltoloxamine and the active ingredients used to compound this medication.
For years, I have both taken and prescribed this medication for the use of tension related headaches and muscle aches. I initially started taking this medication in the OTC version Percogesic. I later took and prescribed it under the names Z-Gesic and Flextra DS. This medication, being an antihistamine, works very well for the above noted purposes without the extreme sedation and side effects caused by taking muscle relaxers.
Once the formulation of Percogesic was changed over to Benadryl, I could no longer take it due to the sedation effects. Then, they took all of the prescription medications with this ingredient in it off of the market. I then resorted to having this medication compounded. I also prescribed it for my patients as well. A few years back, I received a call from the compounding pharmacy stating that they could no longer get the ingredients to compound this medication.
When I take this medication, I typically fall asleep within 30 minutes of taking it, sleep like a baby, wake feeling rested with relaxed muscles, and with no residual hangover symptoms of extreme drowsiness the next day. The one and only time I took a muscle relaxer, I took the lowest dose possible and cut that in half. I felt like I could not breathe. I am very sensitive to medications and have had anaphylactic reactions in the past.
Since I have been unable to get this medication, I have resorted to taking my leftover medication that was compounded years ago and use it sparingly when I absolutely need it for a tension headache or muscle aches. Surely it would be safer to release the ingredients used for compounding than to have patients take years old medication. It is an antihistamine. It would be a much safer alternative than using muscle relaxers in the patients who are sensitive to these medications like I am.
What are the chances of having this medication taken off of hold for use in these patients? Please reply. Any help that you can offer regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated! I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Jenny W. Doss, CRNP