Problems getting my pain meds filled.

Hi... I'm in MI too. Are you having trouble at a specific store because I haven't heard or witnessed any issues personally except with Walgeens who has become a bit of a pain to deal with, in general. What are are you in? I use the hospital that my pm practice is in but for my patches (the hospital won't sell the specific brand I HAVE to use) I go to Rite Aid.

I'm sorry to hear you are having such trouble. I don't think you would need to cross state (or country) lines. If you would be willing to share your city and type of medicine I may be able to point you in the right direction!

Beaumont is where I Was going to suggest. A dear friend of mine has cancer and he's on a lot of medications. I used to pick them up running everywhere and I stopped in there and it's amazing. They have a small team of pharmacist and the most we've ever waited was 15 minutes. Definitely try there. The Walgeens across Woodward is the only one I've personally been told I'd have to wait three days while they investigate if I could get my meds.

The Beaumont pharmacy is in that the small building right outside of the parking structure. I think you should have no problems at all if you go there.

If you still have trouble, let me know. Some friends on Norco have been having issues with finding meds since the schedule change from III to II. My friend with cancer has had no issue because he only goes to the hospital pharmacy there.

Good luck and welcome to Healing Well!!

This time of year it can be very dificult to find some Schedule II meds. Manufacturers have a yealy quota they are alloted for Schedule II meds. When that is gone they have to wait untll the next year to make any more.

I realize this is not going to be of much help now, but next year we all need to carefully plan ahead to fill Schedule II meds in Nov. the earlier the better. The Atty General (still Eric Holder) sets a manufacturing quota every Oct. 1st (since 2013 with the ACA). Those companies which exceed their quotas will have that amount subtracted from their following year's quota. There is great incentive to stay within the quota.

Mercy & Grace is right about this.

Pharmacies can and do make up their own rules about which scripts they choose to fill & for whom (I'd call this practising medicine). I started noticing this in Oct. when my pharmacy "ran out" of QualiTest Norco, the yellow ones, they are popular & I won't be getting them until next year because QualiTest met its 2014 quota & is not manufacturing them.

If pharmacies can't even get meds due to their lack of production, we are doubly screwed. Yes, pharmacists can determine who gets them & who doesn't!! We must plan to get our scripts filled in Nov. for the holidays & into the New Year. My PM gave me 2 months worth of scripts in the beginning of Nov., each for 30 days or 120 tablets.

Funnily, haha, there seems to be no shortage of Fentanyl patches this year.

The shortages are with all Schedule II meds, you know which ones. Get them now, or forget it until after the new year. I see this only causing heaps of problems for us low life CP addicts & driving up the street price.

Wish this was better holiday news. Start rationing your meds now. Get your PM refill appts now too for the 1st week of Jan.

Cary

Good news friends, I went to Beaumont, and they were able to fill it, so I transferred all my meds there, it might be a short drive, but well worth it.

Thanks everyone:) :)

these quotas are not new, they have been around for years. it was part of the controlled substances act from the 70s

This is just a general question for discussion and pondering... But if pharmacies can *only* dispense a certain quantity of pills per year, how do new patients (new to CP, new to the area, new condition) EVER get their meds filled?

As we've seen by Vickie's plight, even being established doesn't always work. And traveling to find a pharmacy to work with us can backfire and flag us. There seems to be no middle ground or universally accepted path.





M.