I have a question about a prescription....

[redblazerx]

I called my doctor 2 weeks ago to get a prescription for hydrocodone and voltaren for my herniated disc in my back. I asked her for a 90 day supply since I am changing jobs and losing my insurance until my new insurance kicks in at the new job. Well I found out that I had a refill still available on an older hydrocodone and went to fill it tonight and the pharmacist said that it couldnt be filled since one was last week at a different location.

He said it was considered prescription fraud and pharmacy shopping b/c it was filled at two different location. I explained to him that I was trying to get it refilled to last me 90 days so I wouldnt have to pay for it out of insurance. So, he cancelled the refill and said that the DEA doesnt think to good on doing that. He also said that the doctor shouldnt have written it if I still had a refill on another bottle.

I am not an abuser and take them as needed, somewhere around 1 or 2 a day.

What am I looking at if he turns me in or contacts the doctor about it ?

 

[Steve03SVT]

Id head south for Mexico! I doubt the guy will turn you in though.

 

[redblazerx]

Id head south for Mexico! I doubt the guy will turn you in though.

It kinda scared me b/c that is a known problem with alot of drugs. I really didnt like him profiling me either, but I have enough problems.

 

[oldmodman]

There will be no repercussions.

Any decent pharmacist can tell drug abuse fraud from someone just trying to save a few bucks.

You should have seen the looks when I filled a prescription for injectable dilaudid.

 

[spinscan]

Were both scripts from the same Dr?

 

[kirks5oh]

you shouldn't be on that medication long term. its a highly abused narcotic. hope you're not driving after taking it. sorry, just being honest with you

 

[Niks97cobra]

This thread is a joke, right? You went to a pharmacist and told him you still had pills left and you tried to fill it at a different location? Lol. Do you realize how profitable prescribed drug sales are?

Your not going to get in any trouble for what has happened, however, with those kind of prescription drugs, you are either lying to us, yourself, your doctor or your insurance company if you want more drugs. This may not be true, but this is how everyone else will look at it.

 

[redblazerx]

Were both scripts from the same Dr?

They were from the same doc. I called her and told her that I was losing my insurance for 90 days until I can get it with my new employer and asked her for a 90 day prescription. She should have seen that I had refills available on other bottles, but I didnt know until I got home. He said that she could get in trouble too for writing 2 prescriptions of the same meds. But thats not what i am after. I cant afford the meds with a pay cut and no ins.

 

[kirks5oh]

They were from the same doc. I called her and told her that I was losing my insurance for 90 days until I can get it with my new employer and asked her for a 90 day prescription. She should have seen that I had refills available on other bottles, but I didnt know until I got home. He said that she could get in trouble too for writing 2 prescriptions of the same meds. But thats not what i am after. I cant afford the meds with a pay cut and no ins.

how about not taking narcotics??

and no, she would not get in trouble. she should not be prescribing you that. if your pain is that bad, and the medication that necessary, then you can afford it---clearly, you have a computer that you're typing on---sell it, and use the money to buy your narcotics.

 

[black 10th vert]

how about not taking narcotics??

and no, she would not get in trouble. she should not be prescribing you that. if your pain is that bad, and the medication that necessary, then you can afford it---clearly, you have a computer that you're typing on---sell it, and use the money to buy your narcotics.

Dude, that is a really harsh judgement - WTF?! Have you ever had a herniated disc yourself? Are you a doctor? Anyone that is about to lose their insurance would do the same thing as the OP. He may not NEED the narcs for that whole time period, but what if he does need more, can't afford them? I'm thinking by the tone of your posts, that either you, or someone close to you has had a drug abuse problem, and you are projecting your feelings on to this guy...

 

[txyaloo]

Dude, that is a really harsh judgement - WTF?! Have you ever had a herniated disc yourself? Are you a doctor? Anyone that is about to lose their insurance would do the same thing as the OP. He may not NEED the narcs for that whole time period, but what if he does need more, can't afford them? I'm thinking by the tone of your posts, that either you, or someone close to you has had a drug abuse problem, and you are projecting your feelings on to this guy...

He's an orthopedic surgeon. So yes, he is a doctor.

In my experience, some physicians feel very strongly about prescribing things such as narcotics, stimulants, and benzos while others are at the opposite end of the spectrum. I think there is a happy medium because some patients do need those medications but think narcotics such as vicodin should not really be used for long term pain management due to several reasons.

 

[black 10th vert]

Ok, that explains a bit on his views. My wife had the same thoughts about narcs back when I had my herniation (she is a nurse/case manager that specializes in ortho injuries). I really think that I could have used some type of pain killers along the way, but she felt very strongly about me just using high doses of Ibuprofen to control the pain. I also used an electronic muscle stimulator type of device, which helped a lot too. My argument with her was that, in this day, and age, why should anyone have to endure pain, when there are meds to keep you comfortable (as long as they don't become part of the problem)?

 

[kirks5oh]

i've seen narcotic abuse many times in the medical field. it is a downward spiral that is very difficult to get yourself out of. keep in mind if you get in a car accident with narcotics in your system, you will be charged. pain medication masks the real problem, which is inflammation around the herniated disc in this case. pain medication allows you to work harder, thus creating more inflammation around the disc and making the overall situation worse.

the solution is to decrease the inflammation by one of the following 3 methods

1) a good anti-inflammatory---naprosyn, ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc---i prescribe tons of mobic (meloxicam)

2) cortisone shot at the level of the disc

3) surgical removal of the disc

only time i prescribe narcotics is after a fracture, after a surgery, in certain other limited situations---either way, if someone needs narcotics for more than 3 months, i get a pain specialist involved. i guarantee the original poster is getting pain meds from his family physician, who should have referred him to a back specialist or pain management LONG ago.

 

[TrueBlueGT]

I love the fact that I'll never be addicted to anything like that. I was prescribed a narcotic for very short term pain management after having my left hand rebuilt with a titanium plate and a bunch of screws. Took the shit for three days and it made me so sick that I flushed the pills down the toilet and threw the bottle away. It was easier to deal with the pain than feeling like I was in the middle of the worst hangover in the history of drinking.

 

[redblazerx]

i've seen narcotic abuse many times in the medical field. it is a downward spiral that is very difficult to get yourself out of. keep in mind if you get in a car accident with narcotics in your system, you will be charged. pain medication masks the real problem, which is inflammation around the herniated disc in this case. pain medication allows you to work harder, thus creating more inflammation around the disc and making the overall situation worse.

the solution is to decrease the inflammation by one of the following 3 methods

1) a good anti-inflammatory---naprosyn, ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc---i prescribe tons of mobic (meloxicam)

2) cortisone shot at the level of the disc

3) surgical removal of the disc

only time i prescribe narcotics is after a fracture, after a surgery, in certain other limited situations---either way, if someone needs narcotics for more than 3 months, i get a pain specialist involved. i guarantee the original poster is getting pain meds from his family physician, who should have referred him to a back specialist or pain management LONG ago.

I have also seen narcotics abused from when I was an EMT. I have seen way to may overdoses with ambien, oxy's and others. As far as being charged in an accident with narcotics in your system is false, been there too. As long as there are legitimate prescriptions for them and how they affect that person are different. I can drive on them, some people cant.

I am on Voltaren ( how good is it? I have no clue ) as far as anti-inflammatory medicine and it does ok but I have to take 3 a day in which the doc said it could cause stomach ulcers.

Cortisone shots, bla bla bla. I had 3 within a week, its like taking any other shot. Didnt help one bit.

Sugery is not an option. The chiropractor and doc said that only 5% of herniated disc patients have surgery. Its funny that my doc didnt mention a pain specialist and didnt say a word about a chiropractor........hmmmmm must be for the insurance $$$$.

The chiropractor that I am going to now is a reconstructive back specialist. From the x-rays that he took tells that I am wayy out of wack. My spine is curved to the left at the lower back and to the front in the neck area.

I did find out that the meds are only like $20 without insurance, I would have thought that it would be way more. But of course the doc will want me to come back in just to get a prescription which will cost $$$ without insurance.

I did talk to another pharmacist tonight and she told me that the other guy overeacted and should have explained to me why it couldnt be filled. In SC any drug cant be filled within 10 days for the same drug. The nice lady I talked to today said I did nothing wrong. She even told me to come back and see her when I needed them filled.

As far as the comment about selling stuff to afford drugs is uncalled for. I have another thread about my job situation. Taking a 10K paycut already hurts and then not having insurance for 3 months is going to hurt as well, along with the $70 chiropractor visits (each time). I have already learned that we should all live within our means, but thats a different story.

But I do appreciate the comments and advice, especially from the doctors.

 

[kirks5oh]

I have also seen narcotics abused from when I was an EMT. I have seen way to may overdoses with ambien, oxy's and others. As far as being charged in an accident with narcotics in your system is false, been there too. As long as there are legitimate prescriptions for them and how they affect that person are different. I can drive on them, some people cant..

well then you should know that being on narcs long term is not the answer

Sugery is not an option. The chiropractor and doc said that only 5% of herniated disc patients have surgery. Its funny that my doc didnt mention a pain specialist and didnt say a word about a chiropractor........hmmmmm must be for the insurance $$$$..

funny, surgery is a great option for people who have a blown disc that is refractory to injections. chiropracter knows nothing about surgical indications and should not be advising you regarding surgery. i love how people think the physician is 'holding out on you' to somehow collect insurance money. do you want to know what he probably made on your office visits?? maybe $150, where more than half of it went to pay his office staff, office rent, and malpractice insurance (overhead). he won't make any money unless he operates on you.

time to see a new surgeon--you might not have even seen one yet--plenty of dr.'s are 'non-operative' spine specialists. we have one in our group who refers people like you, who have failed injections, to the surgeon for consultation regarding possible surgery

The chiropractor that I am going to now is a reconstructive back specialist. From the x-rays that he took tells that I am wayy out of wack. My spine is curved to the left at the lower back and to the front in the neck area.

i feel sorry for people who actually believe chiropracters. it is not possible to correct the curve of an adult's spine by 'adjustments' or 'manipulations'--it just simply isn't. the only people that this is possible in, are adolescents--and they have to wear a brace 12-18 hours a day in order to do this.

be careful when going in to the chiropracters for 'manipulations'. they like to reach into your back pocket when you're not paying attention and steal money out of your wallet.

far as the comment about selling stuff to afford drugs is uncalled for. I have another thread about my job situation. Taking a 10K paycut already hurts and then not having insurance for 3 months is going to hurt as well, along with the $70 chiropractor visits (each time). I have already learned that we should all live within our means, but thats a different story.

sorry if you thought that comment was out of line, but i have very strong opinions on narcotics, and feel you are misusing them--period.

funny, how you're all suspicious of the physician, but willing to shell out $70 per visit to the chiropracter, who is nothing more than a glorified massage therapist, and is being completely dishonest with you.

 

[mysicman]

Many areas have "prescrition monitoring" programs that electronically register and monitor narcotic and controlled drugs. Every time a targeted substance is dispensed that prescription gets logged. It will flag up a history with warnings as applicable and may even require a code to bypass it. This may require consult with the patients doctor, pharmacist or presciption monitoring program. It is used to monitor patient, doctor, and pharmacist! Also it is common practice,and in many areas law,that a new prescription will cancel out any old refills.

 

[jredwood]

Not all people using narcotics are drug addicts:nonono:. I have been taking a lite narcotic for about 4 months now. I have a torn labrum, possible rotator cuff tear, arthritis, and a cyst in my left shoulder. I sustained the injury loading heavy logs in a trailer from a tree i had cut down. i went through all the physical rehab with no results. So now i am getting surgery in 2 weeks to fix everything up.
The only reason i take the narcotics to help ease the pain i get from working all day (electrician). If i didnt have them i wouldnt be able to perform my job and risk losing it, which i can not afford. If i sat at a desk all day i could probably get by not taking them.
So to all the ass hats generalizing people that take narcotics are all drug abusers you can kiss my ass!!!!:cuss:

 

[PonyFever]

In theory, getting a 90 day script may sound okay to tide you over until you have medical insurance again, but in practice, most prescriptions I've had/seen have a 30 supply at any one dispensing. I had a 12 month prescription for COPD inhalers when I switched jobs. It meant I could have the prescriptions filled, just that I had to pay, or bill Cobra, until my new insurance took effect. Good luck with it.

 

[kirks5oh]

Not all people using narcotics are drug addicts:nonono:. I have been taking a lite narcotic for about 4 months now. I have a torn labrum, possible rotator cuff tear, arthritis, and a cyst in my left shoulder. I sustained the injury loading heavy logs in a trailer from a tree i had cut down. i went through all the physical rehab with no results. So now i am getting surgery in 2 weeks to fix everything up.
The only reason i take the narcotics to help ease the pain i get from working all day (electrician). If i didnt have them i wouldnt be able to perform my job and risk losing it, which i can not afford. If i sat at a desk all day i could probably get by not taking them.
So to all the ass hats generalizing people that take narcotics are all drug abusers you can kiss my ass!!!!:cuss:

that could still be considered short term usage in my book--but you're still causing more inflammation in your shoulder by working to the point you require narcotics--that is an undeniable fact.