Pharmacy's refuse to fill my Fenytal Patches"

Hi, I am new to this group, after reading a lot of your post, I finally decided to join.

I hope if anyone has experienced the trouble obtaining their Fentyal Patches. Since Dec of last year, 2014, it's being a nightmare running around trying to get my patches filled. I am on .75 mcg patches. You would think I was a pure drug addict , the way my regular pharmacy , CVS started treating me lately .

They tell me they don't have the patches, and don't know when they will be getting them in. I lived in Vero Beach, when this first started. Sometimes, I would find them at another CVS pharmacy up there. The real nightmare started when I moved down to Boynton Bch.

My pain Mgmt Doctor fills my prescription each month, then the frustration begins . I call around to every pharmacy I can think of, always get mixed answers, they are not very cooperative at all.
I am told I have to bring in the written script, which I fully understand this, but they absolutely will not tell me if they have them in stock or NOT" I go all the way there just for them to give me a no.
They will not give me a NO "on the phone. I am so frustrated .

I am taking Hydrcodon-Actaminophn 10-325for breakthrough pain 4 times a day.
I also have problem getting these. The only other meds I am taking that my primary dr is prescribing is Clonazepam 1mg tab 2times a day times 60, My Prozac for minor depression.
Seriquel to stimulate my appetite . Slowly over the years, I have lost 15 to 25 pounds. I only weighed 97 pounds when my primary doctor prescribed the Seriquel 15 mg at night, I gained 3 pounds. After starting the med, so I think it is helping somewhat.
So you see I'm not on any thing for the Pharmist to get the idea that I'm a junkie, although they sure treat me like it.

I even had a Pharmist at a Publix tell me that he had the patches, but he was saving them for his regular customers. I have no problem at all getting my other scripts filled. I have obtained a somewhat of a relationship with this one Pharmist at another CVS here. This just happened recently.

When I explained to my PMD, about the hassle it was to get the .75mcg patches and the pain meds filled, he then lowered my patch down to . 50 mcg, and switched my pain pills to Tylenol 3 w/ codeine . He said maybe, I wouldn't have such a hard time filling these. Mind you, I had being on the -75 mcg patch for about 20 years or so?

Well sure enough, when I presented my scripts to my Pharmist , her whole attitude changed toward me. She acted like we were best friends. She told me she didn't have them in stock, but would have them in on Wed. Of thy week. I've never had a Pharmist to even revel that much info, like what day they would be in, they, all of them would be so secretive . They would always hand me back my scripts and say they didn't have it in stock and didn't know when it would be there. Some would even give me some bull crap story, that a lot of times they would order it, but some times it wouldn't be on the delivery truck.

It's hard for people to believe what I've been through, just to get my pain meds.
Well this Pharmist not only told me the .50 msg patches would be in on Wed, but she took my prescription to keep and told me, she'd call me once they did. Well that was a change. I wanted my prescription for the .75 mcg patches filled, that I still was carting in my purse and still got it, because every pharmacy I go to hands it back to me, will not even keep it until they do get them in.
With these .50 patches, I am in more pain.

My doctor did write me a script for Clonidine HCL 0,1MG , 30 tablets to take twice a day.
You would think at 2 times a day he would have written the script for 60 tabs. He actually wrote my script for the patches for . 25 msg . When I came out into waiting room, my husband saw me in tears, because I was scared and also frustrated that my doctor had lowered my dose from the .75 to .25 mcg patches. So when my husband saw what my doctor did, he took me back in there and told the doctor that neither one of us were comfortable with the big decline in my dosage, that we didn't think it was safe so he changed the script to .50 mcg patches.

I still hurt and try not to take the Cloidine , no more than I absolutely have to, I don't want to run out. He only have me 30 pills, but yet said to take 1 tab twice a day. Crazy, he actually gave me 2 weeks worth of the med for withdrawals.

It's scary when you are in pain, and you are at the mercy of Pharmacist , and they could care less, how much pain you're in. It's going to be interesting and scary this up coming month, to see if I have any trouble getting my pain medication? I am laying here my body throbbing with pain at 3:30 am. Just because my pain can't be controlled , since pharmacist tells me what I can and cannot have for pain.

Sorry to ramble on, but think it's important for public to know how one or lots can be treated and nothing a person can do about it.
It's absolutely scary .

I have made some paragraphs in your post to make it easier to read. Some of our members have tracking problems when reading. Thanks.

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 5/25/2015 11:28:20 AM (GMT-6)

Welcome Carol to the CP forum and sorry your having trouble but unfortunately we hear it more than you think. Florida especially is giving people a hard time and if you didn't see WESH news story back months ago try looking for it as it was a undercover operation with investigating reporters actually taking scripts to the pharmacy. I also live in Florida and right up the coast a few miles from you and although I have had problems with CVS and Walgreens I have not since January when the fiscal year for them actually ended. From September to then it was a nightmare trying to get anything filled. It seems every pharmacy has a yearly and even monthly quota on class II meds they can order as well as the amount limits that are imposed on the manufacturing process therefore leaving everyone out in the cold at years end. Yes they can order and yes there won't be in in the truck simply because the warehouse can't obtain enough from the manufacturer because they are close or over quota. They end up splitting what they can send between several other pharmacies and yes those pharmacies hold for their regular longtime patients. Its extremely important for this reason to stick to one pharmacy as much as possible and become a established patient. Is it right for them to hold meds? It's good customer service but bad for getting new customers.

Mom&Pop places can be better than chain drugstores if you can get your foot in the door.

The other issue causing problems may be your diagnosis code your Dr is using,meaning it needs to be sufficient to justify the amount of opiates your being prescribed and if you got the lesser filled with out issues I'm guessing it wasn't. Also what treatment protocol is listed for the actual diagnosis. You didn't list any so I can only give you a hypothetical here. If I am dx and coded with a pars defect at L4-5 and that's causing sciatica then I'm only trying to fill opiates and am not being treated with what the standard treatment protocol suggests I'm going to have a more difficult time filling the narcotics. Its suggested I should be on a med for neuropathy,a muscle relaxer,and some type of anti-inflammatory meds as well and possibly a non-narcotics like mobic. Also what other modalities am I doing or meds I have tried and yes that information is required on the paperwork from the Dr for authorization. All that's looked at before a pharmacy considers filling and yes I personally don't like them having that much control over my treatment or deciding what they think my Dr who actually knows me should be doing for me but that's what Florida lawmakers have done to curve the pill mill mess they let run rampant and out of control for way too long.

So looking at your meds and not knowing your diagnosis I can say based on their guidelines your not going to have a easy time filling unless he adds some other things to the mix. Walgreens actually has more regulations they require you to meet to fill. One of those is how far from the pharmacy do you live and they don't care to hear none of the closer one's carry the meds your looking for,even look at the people who come to the store with you judging by their looks as well as yours,taking several ppl with you suggests your diverting meds?? It's absurd.

Then there's the blacklist or whatever pharmacy calls it of Drs they decide or are told by corporate NOT to fill for. Yes they all have them and if your Drs on it they don't care how long you have took the meds or what it is they will not fill anything that Dr writes.

As for calling and them telling you what they have or what day the truck comes in they can't for safety reasons. They can't be sure your not planning on robbing them and trying to obtain information about what's kept on premises. Same as pinpointing a date of delivery.

Not making excuses for their actions here just giving the information as to their reasons behind a action or protocol.

The clonidine should actually only be needed a few weeks and your body should be able to adjust to the lower dose by then,not your pain just the w/ds from being cut back. Comparing Tylenol 3 to hydro 10 the dose of Tylenol 3 1:1 is not sufficient either. Your going to feel that as well. Likely more so than the fent.

So what can you personally do? Not much. There's a few of Florida's lawmakers asking for changes to happen so legitimate patients are not denied the meds they need so I would find out which one's are for the changes and write via email of your problems. They actually had a petition awhile back and that link was on News2s video and 3 part report they did on the subject.

The RPH that you have some kind of relationship with may give you some what to do and not do,talk to your Dr about the actual diagnosis he's giving them and find out what meds are generally prescribed for that. Now here's a story of mine. I have broken hardware in one of my knee replacement as well as numerous moderate to severe spinal issues and for that I should be on a muscle relaxer,however I have only the muscle,ligaments and tendons carrying the knee with broken hardware so taking a muscle relaxer of any sort leaves the knee unstable and leaves me with a severe limp. My Dr said I don't care if you ever take the flexeril but you have to fill it!! Throw it in a drawer and call it a day!! I'm sure my insurance would love that.

Anyway there's what I know and not that it's much help maybe you can get enough out of it to better understand why it's happening to you.

Glad you joined and this is a awesome group of folks and this,being able to talk about our lives and issues is therapeutic in itself.

Absolutely Cary!! Compliance is aggravating but pain is more so and legally there's nothing else we can do,just the right thing.

Good advice Cary.I've been at my PMD for going on year.

I told the PA I see there that one day she would tell me that I'm a perfect patient.She told me that I was a work in progress.

I'm planning on being their patient til one of us shuts down.

I get 9 prescriptions filled every month at a family-owned pharmacy a mile from my house.Only 3 are controlled.I've been there 10 years.

They're closed on Sundays and Holidays but they give personal service.

I hate hearing about anyone not getting treated like they should at a Doctor or a Pharmacy.

You're right.We can just be the best patient we can at our PMDs.Find a Pharmacy that wants your business.

Hope y'all have relaxing low-pain days.

Rick

Post Edited (tidalmouse) : 5/29/2015 5:56:03 PM (GMT-6)

If you can look back to my first posts and how I came be be here you see that CVS made my life a living hell. I have so much trouble getting pain meds too. And telling your doctor just sends red flag up for them ... Not nessesarliy you are an " addict " it's just that if the pharmacy if screwing with you about your prescription soon that pharmacist can report lies and crap stories to the DEA about the prescriber too. Cvs is the worst offender. They have made it their mission to NOT fill prescriptions that may be addicting. To some people. They don't take into account that some people take " addictive " pills for a reason that the need for the drug outweighs the risk of addiction ( which statistically is very very low ... Look it up seriously ) I have been trolling the Internet for months trying to find a way to stand up to the DEA , the APA ,congress etc. sadly the
AMA stayed silent through this whole new law's process. Patent advocacy groups have been noisy but ineffective. Basically it's a tsunami and we're in a row boat. What does this mean for patients ?
Your going to suffer in pain because a few pill pushers and a few drug addicts got themselves to be noticed by the powers that be and it came crashing down on patients who do not abuse the medications, they use it , they don't sell their prescriptions ( are they nuts ???? I need it for me I won't part with one pill !!!) but we suffer.
My rhummy used to let me get my script a few days early because we have good days and days where death would be a mercy. But now it's 30 days. Period and well some months have 31 days and sometimes it falls on a Sunday where the pharmacy is use now is closed !!! How did this happen ? My rant on how cvs treating me like an addict I think it scared him into thinking the DEA was going to ask questions about why one script was in this day the next is on this day they overlap by two days here. ( my ins only pays for 21 days of meds period. No exceptions. Don't care about the law. ) so I have to make 21 days last for 30-32 days depending on the month.
It sucks. He started me on lyrica to see if it helped me through the pain it has had a minor effect on helping. So he isnt not trying to help. But bottom line is your not going to find getting anything narcotic filled at a pharmacy easily now. Pharmacists have too much power over your care now. Here in California there is a special certificate they can get that makes them able to disagree with a doctors perscrition. Example RA medication say you get a script for avarra and the pharmacist thinks you should be on methotrexate they can refuse to fill it based on the fact that the doctor hadn't tried the most common medication. Then the doctor has to submit to the pharmacist why you can't take methotrexate. Crazy huh?

I have to say I do not live in Florida, but Colorado and the Pharmacists seem to have way more control than the Drs. I see a real change in this last year but where I do feel fortunate is that I can be honest about this with my PM Dr. She feels very angry about her patients being treated this way and does not feel they should be practicing medicine.

It does not seem to raise any red flags for us to talk about this. She has supported me and others every step of the way. It is different everywhere but the Pharmacy has way too much power and control and it works-there are times, I just want off the meds. Rufous

Do the mail order, it works! I know its unbelievable. Its such an obvious target. I have never had a problem. You must plan carefully & add in days for the US post but since you are already agonizing for days without meds why not give it a try. I've been using this method for years, not one single problem with Schedule II meds through the mail, ever!

I have been following this thread as the worst part of being a CP patient these days seems to be the Pharmacy. I live in Colorado and have not heard good things here about ordering Schedule II meds through the mail. I do agree with Vickie about Rite Aid as we have them here and while not perfect, they have turned out to be the best barring one pharmacist who WILL find a problem even if he has to invent it. I always hope to avoid him. It baffles me to feel so disliked for no other reason than being in pain and he is the meanest person I have run into and I am ashamed to say on one occasion made me cry. After that I never had a problem again. The other pharmacist goes out of his way to take care of me and I am so grateful but know this could change any moment and this is how we all live-waiting for the other shoe to drop and never knowing when or why.

I have been yelled at too for no reason. I still do not have a thick enough skin for this but as I say I am lucky that my Dr. is aware of what is going on because almost all of their patients have this same complaint and she tells me the Drs. are treated no better. Hard to believe really. I agree with P&S. These pharmacies have no right to just keep our prescriptions if they can't fill them but they sure try. I demand mine be given back to me and the latest trick is that they try and write something on the script quickly usually having to do with when the script can be filled, the implication being I am trying to fill it too soon.

In Colorado, the law says I can fill my Class II meds 3 days prior to fill date which I rarely do but the MEAN pharmacist tells me Rite Aid has their own rules and it has to be 2 days and he tells me this as if I should just know. When I suggested they give all of us something in writing clarifying the rules he looked at me like I was crazy. Seems to bring out the sadist in some of these folks. It is bad enough we are in pain and then to be treated this way.

Well the upshot is that the other pharmacist and corporate told me there is no such policy and I can indeed fill my scripts 3 days early if need be. I am getting long winded here but we absolutely have no Mom and Pop pharmacies anymore and like Vickie, Rite Aid has been the best for me. They do keep my regular monthly pills in stock and have no problem ordering things. Other than the one guy, everyone has been nice and they seemed happy I confronted Mr. Mean Pharmacist. I myself have been taught to be polite and helpful when doing business so this whole thing is hard for me as I know it is for all of you. I have to work to not internalize this, by somehow blaming myself. Rufous

tidalmouse, what DEA rules? Even things like not getting pain meds from another Dr aren't DEA rules. The only law the DEA has is about not selling or diverting pain meds.

Hey Mercy&Grace.They didn't give me one but most folks in a packed waiting room had the sheet.

I just glanced at it.I don't think it was anything specific,just them periodically stating that "We follow all DEA Rules".Maybe it said something about them expecting patients to follow DEA Laws.

But,a lady I was talking to said they had been reducing some patients' meds.I don't know anything about that.

She prescribes me a total of 120 mg of Morphine a day.I kind of get the feeling that that's as high as they'll go with that.

Interesting Thread.Kudos for the different posts.

Something is definitely wrong when Pharmacist have more power over patients than their Doctor does.

Hope everyone has a relaxing low-pain day.

Rick

Post Edited (tidalmouse) : 5/29/2015 6:01:00 PM (GMT-6)

"the latest trick is that they try and write something on the script quickly usually having to do with when the script can be filled, "
-- Rufous
Isn't that totally unethical?! He doesn't have any authority on that Dr's DEA license, how can they actually write on it?

That guy sounds like a raving D*****. I would be the crazy lady who ends up being physically dragged to the front door because I start yelling back.

Welcome!

So so sorry you (& others) having issues w/ getting your scrips.filled.

Knock on wood, I've not had those problems. I cannot begin to imagine how much stress that adds to your everyday life.

about hhmm 10 - maybe 12 yr ago, one friend of my (adult) son's friends was in school to become pharmacist. The students were being told that, eventually, doctors would diagnose & pharmacists would prescribe. So each could concentrate /specialize in those areas.

Everytime I read these stories I wonder if this is indeed the beginning of that transfer of responsibilities.

Rufous,I don't think the Pharmacist has any business writing on the prescription.

My PMD always writes across the top "Fill on month/day/year.It's always 30 days.

Rick