...that says "you don't need to check back with us anymore about the Lyrica prescription being ready because it's not like anything that will be immediate...It takes awhile to get a Lyrica prescription because it's hard to get through insurance and all....What I mean is that it's a long process....I'll have to call it into the pharmacy and then insurance will turn it down and then I'll have to jump through a lot of hoops with the insurance company which will take a while to get it to go through.......oh and the tapering the manufacturers were addressing on the package insert is just for people that are on a higher dose than what you have been taking so don't worry about that...."
Does that (it's pretty much verbatim btw) really strange or is it just me? This same Doc had given me three weeks dosage three weeks ago of free samples of Lyrica. I had left him a message earlier this week after noticing in the patient information that it is very important to not just stop this medicine abruptly (and I was thinking he must have just forgotten to write that particular script at my last appt since he had seemed pleased that it seemed to be helping me some). That's when we had the above conversation.
I would really love to know what anyone else thinks of this! I mean, wouldn't he call it into a pharmacy first (which I know he hasn't) before just assuming my insurance would decline it? And even if my insurance did, or would, decline it - if you were the doc and that was the treatment plan that you thought was best for your patient, wouldn't you still present that as an option for your patient that would need to be paid out of pocket if they so wished? For all he knows, I could be independently wealthy anyway and more than willing to pay for whatever would help me. And for that matter for all he knows my insurance would approve it anyway.
Seriously, the more I am thinking about this whole situation, the wackier and wackier I am thinking that this is...
It is a little suspect if you ask me. Maybe Doc forgot to get the ball rolling with Ins. They could have at least offered more Samples.
"Oh and the tapering the manufacturers were addressing on the package insert is just for people that are on a higher dose than what you have been taking so don't worry about that...." I would be very worried.
Keep your gaurd up and let us know how it turns out.
Thanks for speedy reply especially at this time of night RAJAY. This IS really bothering me and I have no choice but to NOT TAPER as his timely (sarcasm) return of my calls has left me with NADA...
I'd be thinking time to get a new doctor. He sounds extremely detached and as if he is trying to dissuade you from even bothering with this medicine. It certainly sounds like HE finds getting this medication a bother. And telling you the warning is for higher doses than what you're taking. I wouldn't wait much longer. I'd to find out the box is right and not the doctor.
Good luck with him! Yikes!
Hugs,
Steph
I'd be looking for a new doctor, one who actually has some knowledge of the medications he was prescribing and the seriousness of side effects. Also one who knows how to 'jump through hoops' with a minimum of fuss and learn to apply for drugs and get it right the first time.Melly,
I would talk to your pharmacist ASAP and get his opinion on the tapering.
PJ
Melly, I've been on Lyrica for years, including an abrupt stop last year when an idiotic infectious disease doctor told me to stop cold turkey and it wasn't fun.
Something is very wrong with the way this doctor is acting.
For the immediate situation, is there anyone else in his office (perhaps a nurse or medical asst) who could give you more samples? Has he actually called in the prescription now? If so and the insurance does decline (and you are not independently wealthy...), maybe you could ask the pharmacist to give you just a couple of pills to hold you over until the insurance comes through.
I can't believe that a dr would set you up on a med like this and then leave you hanging! OK, well unfortunately I can believe it and I'm sorry it is happening to you. Hopefully you will be lucky and not have any symptoms from the abrupt stop.
Thanks for your responses. I guess VALIDATION is actually what I am seeking more than anything else right now. So I really appreciate the replies.
BTW, I don't believe this Dr knows anything about my insurance in particular because he tried to hedge around and avoid going forward with trying one of the biologics when I started inquiring about Remicade etc after being on the MTX for 4 months with very little improvement. And then was openly shocked when I came back to him with the info I gathered from my insurance company that all they needed was a letter from the Dr saying I had been on MTX for at least 2 months w/o improvement and that my copay would only be 15 bucks. He then apologized saying he just doesn't normaly even bring them (biologics) up to patients because the copays are usually high. I thought that incident was exceedingly strange in itself.
Fortunately I do have an appt this afternoon with a new RD. Of course I have no idea if this will be a good fit for me or not, but the timing couldn't be better...so I will see what happens there.
I feel like calling this guy back today though to try and re-clarify what the heck he is talking about AFTER calling my insurance company and/or my pharmacist to see if there might possibly be any truth to what he is saying here, which I am now willing to bet there isn't.
And that has been a hard mdicine to get used to. I didn't think I would be able to stand at first side effect wise, but then those faded away for the most part and so did a lot of the pain in my legs, hip and shoulder blades - even allowing me to cut back on the narcotics
Regards,
Melly
I take Lyrica also and once I let my prescription run out and waited a few days to fill it. My doctor neglected to warn me about stopping it as well. I quickly learned exactly how much it was helping and haven't made that mistake again.
I have BCBS and I never had any problem getting it filled. Not even in the beginning. Some folks do though; I have heard that. As far as biologics go; the majority of us that have been on them paid between - a month co-pays. What your doctor told you isn't correct and I'd take that statement as his second mistake. Either he's an idiot or thinks you are. It's not unusual for a doctor to screw up on things and then say things like he said about the lyrica to cover his butt. Sadly there are many people out there that just take their doctors word for things and never question them. They know that.