Possibly needing an early refill?

Be sure and talk to your pain dr and explain the situation and do whatever they recommend. You also might want to take a copy of the obit in to your next appt if your name is in it. It would be proof that you were telling the truth. The pharmacist can only fill rx's like this within certain guidelines. You may want to get "permission" from your dr to get it filled this one time at a Walgreens where you're going to be staying.

Welcome to HW and you hit the nail on the head about being slave to one thing or another!!

I also am a longtime Walgreens customer and I had a similiar experience. The PM actually give them permission to fill early but its still entirely up to the RPH as to whether he will do it or not and expect to pay out of pocket as insurance companies generally wont cover early.

As for laws on filling schedule II meds out of state the DEA says only if the Dr writing has a lic for that state as well and an assigned Dea# for NYC. Not likely unless its a bordering state or he went to med school there.

There are several ways your Dr can actually help if he will. He can change the dosage or times and they will fill and insurance will cover.

Example: say you take oxy 30 twice a day,he can write oxy 15 four times a day for 2 weeks, this is example only so you can see what I mean, I didnt actually use your dosing. He would write something like 4 xs a day.

Giving you the same mgs but different dosing schedule but he and you would know to take the same as your usual dose. The change would only be for the pharmacy and DEA regs.

He can also change your dose adding and ectra 30 to your total and again that would look perm but would actually be temporary. He would change it back when you get back.
Like it was a trial and didnt work or a flare.

I have a great pharmacy manager and she worked with me and my Dr another time where I had to be up home for a custody hearing and before leaving she took the script and filled when due,fed-ex it to the walgreens there and I had to pay for that of course but then I was able to sign for and pick up my package there.

Unless you have a good relationship with the Walgreens most wont do it.

Make sure you can prove your going out of town and for what as this will make it easier to get them to help.

Good luck

DEA numbers are federal, so having a different one from state to state makes no sense. Although each state does have it's own state licensing board for prescriptions. Each dr having to have a actual number for a state before a patient can fill a rx when the dr doesn't practice there is something you need to check out. I do know that there are many people who travel to different states to see a dr and take back schedule II meds to their home state.

It seems that the best thing to do would be to see if the dr will write you another rx for what you're already taking. For me, this would not be the time to try a new med not knowing how well it would do and/or if there might be any problems with it. You will probably have to pay out of pocket, depending on the insurance company and the way your dr writes it.

Lortab and all hydrocodone combination products are a Schedule II in the state of new york and has been since Feb 2013. Although, that shouldn't effect you as long as the dr doesn't write for any refills.

Post Edited (Mercy&Grace) : 3/23/2014 11:30:29 AM (GMT-6)

They will be Schedule II later on this year in every state.

Both

If you fill at Walgreens all you need to do is get a script from your doctor. Find the nearest Walgreens ahead of time. I had this happen and my Walgreens contacted the one I went to ahead of time. Also since their systems are all linked they could see my fill history. I had no issues, the only issue I had was my doctors medical assistants screwed up the dates and it took until last minute to get script with right date.

….not every month has exactly 30 days, and can be an issue at times. I have gotten my Dr to script meds at a 31 day rate, and gives me a few extra for situations like this. When convenient, address this with your Dr, and hopefully he/she will accommodate you. Keeping a few extra back can be wise, but may also be hard to do.

I do sympathize with you on this issue, and at one time or another, most of us have run into this. Personally, I never rest until I have a fresh 30 days worth in my hands, and locked up safe and sound.

Good luck!

I brought script with me as filling pharmacy needed it. But my normal Walgreens made it a no hassle fill.

Do you know if your name or the name of another family member that you can be linked to will appear in the obit ? I know you said that all you had was a picture. But, when the obit appears in the paper/online you need to check it. Even if the dr doesn't have a problem with it, it would be good for the dr to see the obit and be able to state in your medical records that you did provide proof that this was the case. You would also need to get a copy of your medical records from this visit and the next one, if you're able to take the obit, to be sure the dr notes it.

I realize all of this may sound silly to some people. But, unfortunately, that is the world chronic pain patients live in now. You also have to think ahead to when/if you may have to change drs.

I know you think there are 2 possible outcomes from the appt, but there is a third. The dr may tell you no and not give you any more rxs and tell you to find another dr. I don't mean to be negative, but it is a possibility.

Post Edited (Mercy&Grace) : 3/23/2014 6:40:11 PM (GMT-6)

@Mercy The third outcome would for sure be a shock but I guess it is a possibility I have considered. Its a slight mess since his nurse takes literally 5-6hrs at the earliest to respond to a phone call... on average it will be a day or two. I need to be on the road by mid afternoon at the very latest. So just showing up at his office at opening time is really not the greatest idea but after I go through the waiting to see him and maybe get a script filled it will be time to get on the road. I would hope the relationship we have is a decent one since he has me on every other month just pick up the script instead of an actual visit. This month is just a pick up the script month. Figured that was either a decent relationship or he is too busy to keep up with the workload.

I have looked and so far no obit is online but assuming it mentions his children then it would easily link to me since I have the same last name as his daughter. I will make a point to grab a copy of something from the funeral and find the obit. He just died yesterday and no clue how long it takes for an obit to hit the papers. Only things I can prove at this moment that says I am leaving town is boarding all of my pets tomorrow morning and a hotel reservation.

Just wondering is switching PM Dr's really common? I still see the same family med Dr for the last 15+ yrs. Switching Dr's is not normal for me. I haven't really looked but where I live it seems PM Dr's are very rare since patients come from all over the state to see this guy.

I hope things with this Dr are easier than the bad scenarios you have mentioned/hinted at. Guess you guys will know on Monday.

@1 day Insurance should be more than good to go on the refill. Its a walgreens issue and haven't even seen my PM Dr yet. If SyXx is correct then I am good to go and won't even need a refill before I leave the state.

Post Edited (Rand0m9) : 3/23/2014 7:35:33 PM (GMT-6)

Its 3 days out as of now for the funeral. I will talk with the family that is handling this to locate where it will be posted.

I have a pain contract... and just looked it up online (has been almost 2yrs since I signed it) and it does say that no scripts will be refilled early. So I have agreed to this but hopefully he is understanding of the situation or at least understanding enough to write the script with the understanding I will fill it on the 28th in VA at a Walgreens.

I planned to just go to his office in the morning explain to the receptionist my issue and see if the Dr can fit me in this morning. My appointment is actually on Wednesday.... same day as the funeral.