Traveling for Christmas, controlled refil question?

If at all possible you should get filled early by your regular doctors. It is a real possibility that you could have trouble getting a script filled elsewhere. Be sure you travel with the prescription (on the bottle), but I would not take more than 3 days extra, even if travelling abroad. Leave the rest at home. I've been in PM for over 15 years and my doctor would have little sympathy if I lost, had stolen, or was otherwise dispossessed of a prescription.

Excellent question! Something we all need to think about, not just this time of year, but anytime we are travelling away from home, even within the same State! Weather can be a factor in getting our meds, too. Talk with your doctor.

Actually you can not get a scheduled med filled out of state unless your Dr holds a license in the state your attempting to fill in. Occasionally that may happen on border states or a Dr that's relocated but unless your really lucky probably not. The only exception to the rules use to be border states but with the prescription monitoring system in place they will not do it any longer either or your military and your scripts been written by a Dr with a addendum to his DEA number a Dr without borders. I'm guessing none of these apply so you would be stuck in Cali with NO meds.

They're allowed to fill every 28 days so normally that wouldn't be a issue but in your case the 28th days going to fall on Christmas day and unless your using a chain like Walgreens or CVS that has a 365 day operating policy your still going to have a problem. If you are using one there should not be a issue filling on the 28th day but we all know what happens when there shouldn't be a problem and the offices are closed and you can't resolve it until the Dr can be reached so I would definitely approach them prior to the date and ask if there would be one.

Your Dr can override and request the pharmacy to fill before the date and this is still dependent on the pharmacy because they don't have to do it,most will considering but be sure to have some actual proof that your travelling out of state. Your insurance company however is likely to not go along with the plan and refuse coverage and you may have to pay out of pocket for the months meds unless,and some drs do this,write a totally different script for say a weeks meds or just enough to cover until you return and then fill your regular meds.

Last be extra careful traveling with your meds especially if you plan on taking the entire thing with you. They will not replace it should something happen to it. If the bulk of them can safely be left locked away at home while you travel then ask the pharmacy for a "purse or pocket" bottle and to please label it for you. I have not yet had any problems getting them to do that and there's always a few label's extra on your paperwork if you choose to make your own. Its just a smaller bottle with the appropriate label so you can safely carry the number of meds that you will need while gone. The label must be on it.

Remember as well to include at least one or two days extra in case you get held up for any reason and don't get back on the scheduled date. Always be prepared and your vacation will not be ruined with you being caught without meds.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

It's not a state law its a Federal Dea diversion act on controlled substance.

M&G you and others can find the rules that govern the necessary requirements by the DEA's US office of Diversion Controls Manual Section V-Valid prescription requirements. I can't get it to links, it's a PDF for working practioners.

It states : second paragraph ; A prescription for a controlled substance may only be issued by Physician, Dentist 'Podiatrist, Med level practioners who are
1)Authorized to prescribe controlled substance by the jurisdiction in which the practioner is licensed to practice,Registerd DEA or exempted from register (public health, Federal bureau of Prisons, Military practioners )

The file contains much more but that's the part that pertains to this.

HOLY COW-that's a long document :)

My personal experience has been that a prescription for a narcotic can be filled only in the state in which the prescribing MD is licensed and holds a DEA number.

I was in an acute hospital in Oregon and was transferred to Stanford Medical Center in south San Francisco, California. I was provided with enough medication for me to travel (air ambulance) and for one day's transition. The new attending MD in California then took ownership of my care.

Not sure how they're doing that because the dispensing pharmacy regardless of whether its chain or not cannot fill a narcotic without the hard copy in hand. If faxes were sufficient Drs would never give patients prescriptions and would fax them. That would be a sure way to cut down on ppl altering them. I don't know of any chain that will fill narcotics even if the chain in the originating state holds the hard copy. The same diversion rules state many reasons why you wouldn't be able to get them if you don't live in the state you obtained the prescription and the Dr prescribing is.

Here's the shaft to real patients Cary we have to try to get meds on the way out but the methadone clinic has a emergency plan in place to meet with their meds at a predestined point inland should coastal evacuation becomes necessary. They can't have the addicts missing their doses over a weather emergency!!

I just wanted to say my pharmacy holds my hard copies still. I just dropped 3 months worth off.