new prescription regulation | Arthritis Information

Wow, that was some morning you had. My RD's office told me about the new regs last time I was in and that they could no longer mail out scripts, but luckily I live only about 10 mins away so I can come pick them up. If I lived far away it would be a much bigger problem cuz I'm on Fentanyl (Duragesic) patches and they can only prescribe 30 days worth. Even though I see my RD monthly, if the days don't line up right, I'll have to go in to pick it up in person from the office. I didn't know about the specifics of the prescription form itself, but I know my office stamps the back with a bunch of notices to the patient that seem to cover sticky legal situations (like doctor shopping and driving while on the drug).You're being way too polite, Snow. I wouldn't tolerate that kind of abuse from a stranger, much less a pharmacist I've been dealing with for three years. Maybe she should get a job waiting tables if she can't handle the regulations of getting important drugs to the people who need them.

I don't think you have to defend yourself as "not a pill popper" either. That she made you feel that way with her self-absorption is doubly offensive. Anyone can have a bad day, but to take it out on your customer is pretty low. I'd have had a long conversation with her boss, and likely found a different place to get my prescriptions filled. For my part, I'm having a tough enough time as it is without having to deal with the lunatic behavior of someone who's paid for making my life easier.

I found your description of your day amusing, though it raised my blood pressure!

LOL... not at your expense at all, Snow, but I am laughing my butt off at this: Only mosquitos and dogs could understand her.

Sorry you were so troubled... my goodness what crap good people have to put up with because of abusers....... sheesh.

Thanks for the heads up on all the new regulation, Snow. I just hate the hoops we with chronic and very real pain we have to go through... no wonder the pain often does get ahead of us!

I don't think this will slow *them* down sadly. *They* will always find a way, but it probably will effect us the next time we have a surgery, go to the ER, or need a script to cope with the day to day pain we all legitimately deal with in our RA lives.

Thanks for the heads up and the giggle I had when I was envisioning the pharmacist - mouth moving but no audible words for human ears! [QUOTE=SnowOwl]I hope I haven't upset or offended people taking pain medications. I should use mine more than I do, I'm afraid that's true of too many RAers and other people who need these drugs. This new regulation is almost certainly a response to abusers of pain medications and that's the shame, that now we, everybody involved in having them prescribed and made available, have to jump through even more hoops and come under even more intense scrutiny when we just want to subdue the very real pain. How on earth DO people get these kinds of meds for "recreational" purposes? And will this slow *them* down?[/QUOTE]

No worries here Snow

I do have to say though...I have to get mine through the mail order plan because of my insurance and I find it hard to believe that they are able to send a three month supply through the mail

It just boogles the mind My goodness, Snow, that was an ordeal.

There certainly are a lot of regulations. My pharmacy said they can't put my little daily Tramadal ER on their automatic refill plan, my Hydrocodone Rx (vicodan) is restricted to only 10tabs/month (it usually takes 6-9weeks for me to use them), and today when I got a Cold/flu OTC just to have on-hand, I had to show ID... I'm 60!

Been there, done that, bought the Tshirt, recently when I went into hospital, I did post about it as it was utterly senseless, gees this makes me mad! Janie. Its not like we asked for these drugs we were given them because we NEED them!!!!!! Having treated addictions for over 20 years I know how they get the drugs, but 1-2 years ago when I desparately needed something for pain, I found my RD was not willing to write a pain prescription. He said "I don't want you to get hooked." I felt insulted and as if he didn't really care about any pain I had just protecting his own backside. I know that prescription abuse is a serious problem especially in the area I live in but the flipside is that people who are really suffering are now being treated like addicts. I heard one nurse say to a chronic pain patient, "You are on narcotics????" She made it sound like the worst thing in the world. I know sometimes the pendulum swings too far one way and takes awhile to reach a happy medium but am not sure I have the patience to wait. I feel for you having to deal with a pharmacist like that. I would speak to her supervisor.oh my I am sorry you had to go through all that, but I haven't laughed that hard in ages.

Can I use your line "only mosquitos and dogs could understand her."? that is one of the best lines I've heard in years.