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Posted 11/14/2013 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
not really sure where this post should go so i'm hoping i might get some insight on a topic.
so anyway my wife suffers from many ailments and chronic pain is one of them. she takes
percocet/some/xanax and has been for about 5 years or so. well yesterday afternoon i
took her script to our hospital pharmacy and they filled it with no problem. no sooner than
i got home my wife received a call from her PM saying they won't prescribe some any more.
they are to ones who were giving her medicine seens the get go. anyway to make matters
worse she was red flagged by the DEA. well she is not and never was abusing drugs in any
way shape or form. well i was wondering if anybody has heard of this before. looking for
ways to set things right and not sure where to turn.. thank you in advance for any input..
Posted 11/14/2013 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Mark many Drs are veering away from Soma altogether and we are hearing from more and more ppl losing it after years of being on it. Its fast become one of those widely abused meds and the powers that influence our Drs have advised against prescribing it and especially in combination with opiates and benzodiazepenes, both of which your wife gets. Thats 3 highly abused scheduled medications to her and that gets those "eyes " watching the Dr they he doesn't care to be watched by.

That same combination also causes those everwatchful attention on your wife and alone could have got the flag. But, the fact she got a script and filled it then gets home and gets a call from the Dr is pointing to something else occurring to flag her.

One, what states allowing anyone but her to fill that combination of scheduled meds? Do you use the same pharmacy? Is there anyone who would be unhappy with her using Soma? Family who thinks she's abusing it or doing something other then taking it herself? Is she drug tested at the Dr? Are you? Do you use the same Dr? Anyone that may have called in and said something about her taking all 3?

Im not insinuating wrong doing I'm trying to get my mind around whether this was just automatically done because there are certain combination of meds that get you flagged and even doses add to someone other then her picking them up another no-no in scheduled med protocols or if something or someone preempted this.
Posted 11/14/2013 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
How did you find out she was flagged? And did the doctors say they are dismissing her completely or just that they will not prescribe soma any longer? I'msorry you two are going through this. I thought it was rare to find a doctor who would prescribe soma at all anymore. Good luck to you both. There are many other muscle relaxers out there. Hopefully she can find one that works just as well, or better.
Posted 11/14/2013 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear of your situation. You may never know what happened, it could be as simple as a pharmacy tech having a bad day and wanting to spread the misery around. One phone call is all that it takes and unfortunately, it is encouraged. Guilty until proven innocent, if you're even provided the chance to prove it.

It stinks I tell you. Government has no business here. Approve the drugs as safe, that I'm okay with. But to tell doctors how to prescribe, no. A bridge too far.

Sincere wishes that you can clear this mess up.
Posted 11/14/2013 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
I think nearly every member here at the forum that was on Soma has been taken off of it. This has been going on for over a year now.

I would talk to the dr on the next appt.........Susie
Posted 11/14/2013 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on my phone so excuse the briefness in my answers.

Something doesn't sound right on this Mark... Not saying you guys did anything... But Vickie posed the questions I would be asking. Getting a call like that - "something" happened.

Lastly, I'm in the minority I know... But I use soma as my muscle relaxer. The one thing that I fully admit about it - when mixed with other drugs - it can cause major problems. I'm no longer on meds fit anxiety... But when I was - I could not mix those with soma. Anyway it's def a med to use with caution and I do understand docs getting away from it. That said, nothing - not even fentanyl - helps with the severe muscle spasms I get in my back except this med.

Mark - give us some more info and we will try to help.
Posted 11/14/2013 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
Im glad your seeing what I'm seeing Tina. Its as if something occurred between the appointment and getting the script to the pharmacy and home?

What most people dont realize is certain behaviors, or things can cause a pharmacy to call the Dr!

Being on certain combinations of meds is an alert, never picking them up yourself and yes even paying cash? I know stupid but it's there!
Posted 11/14/2013 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
thank you all for your replies and input. very interesting things there.

When we took the script for the percocet in, the pharmacy said they were out of it and the same thing was coming from all the pharmacies in the area. So, decided to try the hospital pharmacy, they had it. Then, they ran the script through and it popped up with the other meds and they sent it through the DEA and called her letting her know they would fill it this time but not again if she continued on all 3 meds. So, next, the doctor called her and this is the same doc she's been using for over 8 years and always gets her scripts from letting her know they wouldn't be refilling the Soma and they weren't going to go for any other type of muscle relaxer either.

So, I think it was because we usually don't use the hospital pharmacy, didn't have issues with the normal pharmacy.

Does anyone know how we can "fix" this, she doesn't see the doc until Jan. She's freaking out about it because she is always so careful not to take her meds before it's time, etc....she's really anal about it. kellys not the one to do doctor shopping or anything like that..

Thanks again.
Posted 11/14/2013 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
That makes more sense Mark but unfortunately once the Dr knows someone is scrutinizing his methods of writing its like your chances of winning the lottery to change their minds.

They rake us over the coals for taking a script to other pharmacys and it doesn't matter if we're out of meds or going to run out they expect you to wait until your regular pharmacy has them!!

Its getting so ridiculous!
Posted 11/14/2013 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
I don't believe the reason you were given, DEA, has anything to do with it. I believe that is a "word" often used to stop people from complaining and to scare them. When was the last time your wife was in that hospital ? If it was recently, was she given any prescriptions when she was discharged and did she get all of them filled ?

Soma is another med that drs have/are stopped prescribing because of addiction and deaths associated with it. The hospital pharmacy has the same PMP database they must check before filling a out patient prescription. It is different when someone is inpatient vs outpatient/ready for discharge patient.
Posted 11/14/2013 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
prescriptions do not get sent to the DEA, this person is not "flagged" by the DEA. there is something else going on but it's not the DEA. they don't care about one person's prescription.
Posted 11/14/2013 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
mallardmark, do you know if the pharmacy contacted the drs office before they filled the rx ? It the things I asked about in my earlier reply don't apply, it seems like the dr may be under investigation. The DEA is involved when it comes to illegal activities, either the patient or the dr. But, as has been said here, the DEA/Red Flag excuse doesn't make any sense.
Posted 11/14/2013 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Mark, are you just afraid she was flagged or did you receivesome sort of lletter? It doesn't even seem like they would used that terminology.
Posted 11/14/2013 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
well kelly has been going to the same pm doc for about 8yrs and only to her kelly goes. she also avoids the hospital til it is absolutely necessary also she has been using the same pharmacy and refills
her meds when they are due. do you think it could be the doc who might be under investigation??
Posted 11/14/2013 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
It makes more sense that it's the dr than it does that it has anything to do with your wife. What state do you live in ?
Posted 11/14/2013 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
my wife mentioned to me that the doc that has been prescribing these meds for over 7yrs. has told her more than once to go to another doctor because her pm told her that she wanted her on something stronger because the doctor didn't want to write a script for something strong. do you all thing that the pm doctor could be being watched and that that could be way my wife is also being flag..

to me,(mark) that kinda sounds fishy cause why wouldn't the doctor just prescribe because my wife was against going on something stronger.
Posted 11/14/2013 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Is your wife getting these rx's from her PM dr or her regular dr ? Drs have been urged to put patients on long acting meds. If your wife hasn't wanted to do this and the dr has been suggesting to her to find another dr, it could be because he is/has been under investigation or because he doesn't want to deal with patients that won't cooperate.
Posted 11/14/2013 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
she is and always has gotten meds from the pain management doc. everything always went smooth until yesterday. so this was a shock to both of us..really bizzare......
Posted 11/14/2013 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
By the way, xanex is another med many drs are no longer prescribing due to abuse, addiction and death. There are other drugs they have been told to use.

I just had a thought. Do you think the problem could be with the insurance company ? The insurance companies have meds that shouldn't be combined and some of them have began to stop paying for them without alot of paperwork from the dr, if then.
Posted 11/14/2013 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Mark,

Something about this still is strange, somewhere I think there is still some info being left out?

I don't think it has anything to do w/ the doctor being under investigation or anything.

I think somehow the pharmacy contacted the PM office.... were the meds filled early? Were you just trying to fill the Percocet and not the other meds? Like I said - something def doesn't add up.

I don't think it has anything to do w/ the insurance company either.

When the PM office called - did you asked why they called? Why they aren't going to script the med any longer? Those would be my first questions.

Like I said - somewhere (not saying just through you) there's a glitch in the "whole" story...
Posted 11/15/2013 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
yeah, something really doesn't seem to be adding up. thats all she told me though and i don't really have any reason to doubt her. maybe she's not telling me the whole story. (i don't know) seems to me if your flaged for any reason that they wouldn't fill the script to begin with...
Posted 11/15/2013 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
sorry about all the hub bab and i know it's not directly related to chronic pain, i thought maybe might have had any issues. thanks again for all your input.
Posted 11/15/2013 9:03 AM (GMT 0)
umm, using a different pharmacy than normal is "flag" number one.
do you have Medicaid?? BC they have to look you up, call your insurance, document, etc.
If she's never used this pharmacy but taken the meds for years, they may ask whats up.
is she under a one pharmacy contract?

2. Those are the 3 most abused meds that government, pharmacies and doctors are making extremely hard prescribe, fill or take, so consider the script alone a "flag".
it does confuse me that the soma was what was taken away though... I'd figure it was the more controlled meds first, but who knows.

I live in TN and Psychiatrist are no longer prescribing any anxiety medications anymore. No doctor other than PM's are prescribing more than 12-30 pain pills at a time (for the most part) and it has to be "indicated" for what you are having. (ex:sugery, broken bones, not a cyst or toothache)
In the last 3 months, 75% of the pain clinic's in my area stopped accepting Medicaid eccept for "interventional" pain clinics that do mostly shots. For example, shots didn't help my shoulder pain. After 90 days since they couldn't prove the interventional stuff helped, they were not allowed to do long term MED management. After 90 days, they dropped me.
if your back doesn't hurt or the shots don't "work" (where I live), you don't get into pain clinics. I had one long term clinic say they would do shots under my insurance but not med management bc of rules and regulations...and shots don't help me.
ok sorry this turned into a bit more than It should, but my point is they are getting a bit crazy on controlling Dr's, pharmacies and patients. SO with those 3 scripts, I can see where the pharmacy may have called someone....
Posted 11/19/2013 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
If it was my guess, I am betting it has to do with the pharmacist. They are under pressure from the DEA to monitor anyone on these kinds of meds. As everyone said your wife is on the 3 most watched. I am thinking since you don't normally use the hospital pharmacy the pharmacist felt hinky(even though you guys gave him no reason to) and called your doc.

Also they took away the least of the meds in my opinion. If the DEA were involved they wouldn't have filled it at all and if they did take away one it would have been the pain med. Again just my opinion.

This is one of the things that has been frustrating me. Why do they just not tell us the truth. Instead they come up with this cockamamie story that the DEA has red flagged you. Even waiting for my meds I have heard pharmacists and techs lie about what they have and what's allowed. I even had a doc do it with me in a pain compounded medicine with 5 ingredients and one of them being ketamine. I was told not one doc in the Rheumy practice was allowed to prescribe any schedule meds, even schedule III. They told me it was FL law.

100% Bullcrap. I researched and it was a lie. I went back and told him what I found, asked him to show me documentation where he couldn't prescribe it. Needless to say I walked out with a script for my pain crème with the ketamine.

Most of us would do better dealing with the truth. Quit wasting time with all the lies.

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