Frustrated and angry

Hi everyone I'm just beside myself that this has happened again. I called my doctor last Monday to get my Fentanyl patch and oxycodone refilled. I told the receptionist that I needed both. I called yesterday to see if my pharmacy had received the scripts. They told me the oxycodone was there, but not the Fentanyl patch.

I called my doctor's office today, asking about the Fentanyl script. The receptionist put me on hold. She came back and told me that the oxycodone was the only one that had been sent to the doctor. I told her that I asked for both.

Now I have to wait until Monday when my doctor is in for her to do anything with the script.

That means that I'll be going through withdrawls and lots of pain, because I have my last patch on, and it was supposed to be changed last night (Friday).

I just can't believe this is happening again.

love and hugs
Loretta

Sorry to hear that, Loretta

I know how I would feel it if it were me with the Fentanyl.

Mine can not be sent by fax in this state, has to be a hard copy. Is that the same way with you?

Usually, I try to time it to where my dr. mails me my Fentanyl script several days before due. But due to some past mailing programs, I had have no choice but to make a 60 mile round trip to the cancer center and pick them up in person. It's a hassle, but I would rather do that then to run out like you have.

Hope you can make it through the weekend without going out of your mind or in too much pain. It's a shame this had to happen, if these people only knew how much trouble these "problems" cause their own patients. Hope it never has to happen again like this.

Good luck and steady nerves

David

Oh Loretta! I had a bad feeling about this weds when you posted needing the Friday on the "awesome CPers " thread. I even posted back I hoped you got them ok.

There's got to be a solution to this and your going to have to make 2 calls, one to request them and one to make sure they sent them. They have to keep a copy of every scheduled med they write so they can very well look and see if they sent both!

If you dont always take the full amount of b/t meds everyday then certainly do so now! Dont wait until your in deep with the pain. If you can take say 4 a day then take them on a scheduled basis until you get the fentenyl! .

Is there any possibility you can get to the office to get it or do you have to sit and wait til she writes it and mails it to your pharmacy? Personally I think they should have to overnight and pay the expense! Even if whoever took your call didnt write down the fent when they pulled your chart to prescribe the oxy they very well could see that the fentenyl was due as well.

I've said it before and I'm saying it again, that office leaves a lot to be desired. I've never seen a Drs office mess up someone's request for refills as bad as that one.

So sorry you have to do this again but blame the pharmacy too! Almost all state laws and even the DEA says in case of emergency? The Dr could have told them to dispense 1 patch to you to cover the weekend, Dr then has 24 hrs to get the hard copy of that order to the RPH. They do Not like doing it but can.

I hope it doesn't drag out again and that you dont have too much trouble or pain.

Loretta,

I'm truly sorry you are going through this... but I feel the only solution is one that we've mentioned to you many times - and that is to physically see your doctor on a monthly basis and receive your prescriptions that way.

With all the kids and everything else - it's truly an inconvenience to see my PM each month - especially when it's just for a med refill. But I do it each month (a couple of days before I run out of meds) - so that everything goes smoothly w/ getting my refills.

Can you just make an appt for every 4 weeks? That way, you get your meds and don't have to go through this?

Hang in there..... --Tina

Loretta when you can get ahold of the Dr, be it today if she's got an on call number or Monday morning you ask for permission to go up on your oxy until your patch is received and not just in your hands has time to re-enter your system! Account for everyday and if possible record that phone conversation.

They have a great way of forgetting they told you any such thing.

Like Tina said if they wont write 2 prescriptions at one time when you go then your going to have to go every month.

Is is some state law that they cant write 2 months at once? Like the DEA allows the Dr to write 2 scripts, seperate and both dated that day with once saying "do not fill until " I know some Drs wont do that because they want to see you every month either so they can charge for every month or urine test. That's obviously not the case here since she doesn't see you anyway.

I've wondered before about the 2 month rule for you. You would think if any state were going to override federal laws over prescribing it would be here in Florida but they haven't yet.

There are a few exceptions to that 2 month prescribing but fentenyl in your forms not. Tina's I believe is restricted.

Please do something to get them to remedy this, its hard on us to suffer W/DS. Physically can cause all kinds of problems for already compromised health issues.

I get what Vickie is saying about the every 2 month script thing -- obviously that would be ideal.... but I would, at the very least, insist on coming in monthly.

I don't know how you've dealt with this on an ongoing basis.... not only from a pain perspective - but a withdrawal one too. Being on a 50mcg or 75mcg patch (can't remember which one your are one) - and then dropping to essentially nothing (at that point - the 10mg of oxycodone is pretty insignificant compared to the fentanyl).... that's just so unhealthy for anyone to cold turkey off meds. That's why we have said about seeing your doctor monthly.

If I have too much going to the following month, my doctor will give me two scripts (the current ones and the next month's).... but for a variety of reasons (my medications often need adjustment/rotation; I'll need an injection; etc) - it just works out best for me to see my PM every four weeks. I would really, really recommend you insist on doing this too, Loretta....

Call your doctor very first thing on Monday..... --Tina

I'm sorry to hear that you're suffering because of their mistake.

I go to my PMC every other month.The off month I'm supposed to call 5 days prior to my prescription being due and then pick it up on the 30th day.

One month it was written for Nucynta 100 instead of 150.I went ahead and accepted it because I was afraid of being without for 5 days.

I hope you're not suffering too much and get
this straightened out 1st thing in the morning,
Rick

Oh my I am so sorry this is happening again. I am don't want to cause trouble with doctors and I think that is why you have not put your foot down and made them do something different. If I am wrong I apologize. If it were me I would be afraid they would not like me or they would stop seeing me. But it has passed the point you can think like that anymore. They are going to keep doing this until you stand up and say Not Again. They work for you. Like others have said this medicine going out of your system and then going back in over and over is very dangerous. They are not making your care their priority so you have to advocate. Make a plan and stick to it.

I hope you know I am not trying to be mean. Standing up for myself would be so hard for me. When I first starting having pain I just kept getting shipped from doctor to doctor. My gastro would say see gyno, gyno would say see neuro, neuro would say see gastro. This went on and on. I thought they are doctors who am I to question what they say. Then finally I stood up and said this will not keep happening. I told the gastro what test I wanted. I told the neuro what tests I wanted. I made and appt with a second gastro in case mine feel through and I made an appt with a PM. I finally got the care I deserved. It was really scary for me. I thought they would hate me or stop being my doctor and I would be all alone to deal with this. But that did not happen. What happened was we found the answers.

So very sorry this has happened to you, sure hope it gets cleared up soon without you going into withdrawal. Prayers and do keep us posted! I'm worried about you.

Interesting how doctor's do things differently. Because I am two hours away, my doctor mails me two scripts at a time and notes on the script the second can be filled 30 days later. My wife's doctor, who is an hour away, refused to mail the scripts. She will give her two at a time but makes her come in to pick them up. Like David said, in SC the doctor can't call in or fax in a pain med RX such as Percocet or Oxycodone. Last year at Christmas I ran into a problem as my pain med was scheduled for refill while on vacation. I had a very difficult time getting the pharmacist to fill the prescription. It took a couple of visits to get it taken care of. Of course he called the doctor's office to confirm. Just can't help but think his first impression was that I was some type of drug abuser trying to use a good sob story on him to get my meds.