As soon as it went out of patent, they patented the drug + transdermal patch. So, in order to keep their profits up, everyone went without the patch system until their original patent was about to expire. So now they can charge $2,200 for something they developed in the 1990s, but intentionally kept off the market to monopolize.

This happens as a matter of course, with every new drug.

Without the transdermal system, I can't take the drug. I have to take too much of the active ingredient, and it causes pain and permanent hearing damage.

Thanks for suggesting grey market alternatives - I hadn't given it a thought. However, they would definitely be grey/black market, since it's not off-patent, which means there will be higher risks, and it will harder to obtain.