I feel like a criminal..... very upset

So today I had my follow up appointment with my PM Dr...... we discussed stronger longer lasting meds..... again... taking pains meds is new to me.... I was very, very resistant to taking any and all medication... I now realize it is something I must do in order to relieve my pain symptoms.

My PM Dr prescribed me 15mg of Roxycodone 3X per day.... doubt I'll take 3 a day but we'll see.....

So I go to CVS to get the script filled and am told because of the DEA indirectly CVS does not have them in stock and sends me to this tiny pharmacy right down the street.... I am with my husband and not in my own truck where I have my license (my husband drove me in his car to my Dr's appointment).... CVS has all my info and I never had to show my license before to drop off or pick up a prescription so I wasn't even thinking.... fast forward.... I am at the new pharmacy and ask the woman if they had my script in stock... she eyeballs me.... no smile no nothing..... walks over to the pharmacist behind the counter and asks him.... he says.... yes... we have that in stock.... she asks for my license and I say "shoot" let me get it... I will literally be back in 5 minutes (I live right down the street)

OK.. I admit forgetting my license looked kinda fishy.... again I am new at this and again I do all my refills at CVS....

I leave the script with her so they can call my Dr check it out and do whatever.... 5 minutes I am back.... there is a new guy behind the counter in a NY Yankees tee shirt he calls me over I give him my info and he is staring me dead in the eye asking me questions..... yes... at this point I am nervous.... I was never treated like this before.... he now tells me they DON"T have the meds in stock and they will be getting them in.... come back in an hour.

I walk away from the counter almost to the door and he calls me my first name to come back to the counter..... I thought how strange.. almost like a test.... he tells me he forgot that he needs a fingerprint..... OK A WHAT?

OK I understand people abuse the system and they have every right to check up on people.... but in all honesty it's how they go about it.... I have a valid prescription from a Dr.... I do not choose this lifestyle.... I wish there was nothing wrong with my neck.... I wish I didn't have to take medication.... right now I don't even want the darn script..... I am going to tell them too when I do to pick it up.... it's just not right!!!

Is this really what everyone goes through.... I didn't do anything wrong but feel like crying....

  

      Dear Draka,

 

     *Warmest Huggs*

 

     I am floored. I dont know what to say. I would never go to a stranger for things I put in my body... I can't believe they told you to go elsewhere. I would be taking a second look at my Doctor if Mr. *** refused to fill medications from him/her. Big red flagg. I've known Mr.*** over a decade now. I have had to wait for medicine to come in.. But just a few days wait, and they had asked if the medicine was needed right away.  I wouldnt allow someone to touch my perscriptions who isnt in appriate attire and badges to fully represent the pharmacy. If something was tampered with I would want to know the names of the ones touching m.. Oh my gosh. Too much crazyness. Those were strangers, delving in to your life *shivers* Figner prints? Did they ask for blood type too? .... isnt your finger prints on file with your local depeartment of transportation anyway? Mine are... That is all too much! Im so sorry that it happened to you... It all smells fishy, and Id remove myself from that whole mess. Seek a more reputable pharmacy.

 

*huggs*

dani

OK... I'm back with my meds and feel better about the whole ordeal.... just to clarify.... the pharmacy manager at the CVS I normally go to explained why she had to send me to another pharmacy.... if you type:

Roxycodone + shortage + FL + CVS

into Google you will see why she had to send me away.... it has something to do with the EDA only allotting the drug company to make a certain amount of the drug.... the CVS pharmacist explained she didn't know when they would be getting more of the drug in stock.... ummm.... way to go big government.... limit drugs that some of us need to operate on a daily basis.

I live in Boca Raton, FL... it's a very beautiful area with a large elderly population... the other pharmacy is a small family run business... it wasn't that they were shady... I just found it odd they were all not in white coats.... and that they made me feel bad.....

So I go back in to pick up my script I was all prepared.... so was my husband.... the pharmacist calls me over and tells me the whole time he cannot get a hold of my Dr's office to confirm the script..... he asks if I could call them.... wait what?

I pull out my iPhone and call my Dr's office and they pick up right away.... I explain the pharmacist needs to confirm my script and tell them he will be calling the office right back.... he goes (the pharmacist) I'll just talk to them from your phone.... WAIT WHAT?

You just took my fingerprint and now you are confirming with someone I called from my phone.... interesting security checks...

After the confirmation the tide changed with the entire place... they were all so nice to me!

The entire experience stinks though.... the stigma is bad... one cannot fully understand unless they go through it themselves... I myself never imagined.... now I know... education is key... gonna check out the whole fingerprinting state law deal now...


Thank you to everyone.... I am learning so much here!

I live in Hollywood Fl and take 300 mg of MS CONTIN daily with up to 120 mg of oxycodone for bt...I have 3 levels of disc herniations, spinal stenosis and facet hypertrophy along with other problems
...I use a pharmacy that knows me for over 5 years but a few months ago they were opt of the 30 mg Roy so my Doc called a local pharmacy that had it in stock and yes, I had to get fingerprinted. Since then, my regular pharmacy has had them in stock.

We need to write the president. Chronic pain is an issue that no one wants to discuss...and the od death of Mr. Jackson does not help our cause. He needed pain meds no doubt but demerol is a poor choice for chronic pain...how about stories about cp ers like me who can contribute to society despite severe pain...nope...it isn't sexy enough

I agree with you PALady the fingerprinting is bothersome and I wonder if it's just
something that Florida has implemented or if other states are doing it as well...
Sorry you had to go through all that Draka! My doctor always rights down on my
prescriptions what my pain meds are for and so far no problems from Kroger's
anyways, hope you have no more problems Draka...
soft hugz
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Draka)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Draka, I want to congradulate you for handling this situation so well. Many of us have had issues at the "Drug Store". It does make us feel like people look down on us but we can show them that we are not who they think we are. After my fusion surgery last year, I had to change to a new pharmacy. I tried to explain that my meds are billed to a 3rd party on an out of state work comp claim. The pharmistwas so rude and condenscending. I bit my tongue and allowed her to handle it her way. I went back and always treated her with respect. Now when I go to the pharmacy, I am treated like family there. They call me by name and even ask how I am doing. I realize that on any given day any of us can have a bad day. We can all do something that makes someone else feel bad. In your case, they did not have the right but it appears that you handled it right with integrity. To me, that means you win. You did not lower yourself to the level of a clerk who was a jerk. Oh how we want to let loose sometimes but I applaud you for your actions.

bluejet2 said...
Hi Draka:

I have never been fingerprinted when filling my scripts, but a few years ago, I had a CVS in my area (upstate NY) refuse to fill my Oxycontin - they said that they had a conscientous objection to the amount that I was on which was 80mg 3 x's a day. They were not my normal pharmacy, my pharmacy was out of it, so I wound up waiting until they got it in stock. I told my doctor about it and he said that it was against the law for them not to fill a valid script like that.
A lot of pharmacies in my area choose not to even stock Oxycontin of any kind. I've had an intrathecal pump for quite a while now, but when I was on it, only 3 pharmacies in my area even carried it.
I'm sorry for the way you were treated.
Lorie

Thanks for all the support everyone....

To answer some questions.... NO... I was never asked for a fingerprint at my original pharmacy (CVS) I tried to look up the legality of this online and really didn't come up with anything.... I guess it's like what happens at a bank if you go to cash a check that is not your original bank... they also take a fingerprint on the back of the check... at least in FL they do...

As far as pharmacist refusing to refill prescriptions.... pharmacists, Dr's and health care providers work under a "conscience clause" I believe each state has different variations of the law but.... but service like your refill can be refused if it goes against the beliefs of the persons filling the script.... mostly this relates to birth control but I guess it would relate to pain meds as well.

Not sure if I post a link.... but if you go to the: NCSL (National Conference of State Legislature) and type in Conscience Clause... you can see the laws for each state.

I'm sure most of you know this already....

Wow! That would certainly make me feel like a criminal as well! I've never heard of finger printing for meds! I hate going to the pharmacy. I feel like I live there (along with my docs' offices) because I usually only get 2 wk scripts since I change dosages & meds so often. Everyone knows me (it doesn't help that I'm the daughter of one of the local docs in the same small town), and they have never been unpleasant to me, but still. I always feel like I get a look & a groan - "not her again!" Of course, my age doesn't help. The head pharmacist there kinda creeps me out too. I ran into him in the grocery store the other week & it was very awkward. I feel like I'd get more respect if they knew what was going on. The pharmacist knows some of it, but only about 5%. Plus, he always thinks that my father is treating me, instead of my doctor, which is absurd because my father refuses to treat family for anything other than something minor like a simple infection or allergy & would certainly never prescribe pain medication to me!! It's just awkward. I hate feeling like I've done something wrong, just because I am trying to live my life in a relatively functional state.

Skeye

I get fingerprinted every time I fill a narcotic script. I live right smack in the middle of Appalachia and it's been that way for years around here, so nobody thinks too much about it.

I don't get what the big deal with fingerprinting is. Mostly the pharmacies here in IL don't do that, but there have been 2 individual Walgreen's stores that I have been to in Chicago that fingerprint. They have a lot of script-swapping/selling/stealing and they only use the prints to give to the police if an investigation is opened. Otherwise, the prints are secured & are not sent out anywhere.

Personally, I feel it has greatly benefited legit patients. Pharmacists were nervous about giving out those meds. Now those pharmacies in areas where the script probs were significant are often avoided by illegitimate users. That means two things: 1) more meds for the rest of us & 2) fewer problems with law enforcement hating on CP patients. I used to get cross-eyes looks from local police when they would see me with my medicine. Now they seem more willing to assume that I have it for legitimate reasons. :)

Well, that's my two cents anyways. I guess I would have a problem if they were running my prints every time I went to the pharmacy, or if they were storing my prescription history in some sort of criminal database, but they're not. I'm not really sure what the difference is between them "only" having my DOB, address, phone number, employer, next of kin, etc. and having all that plus my thumbprint. Maybe I'm missing something, but it just never really bothered me.

peace,
frances