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out of meds / Can I fill prescription early?

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Posted 1/3/2014 7:18 AM (GMT 0)
I don't want to be lectured I'm just looking for understanding people with honest answers. I'm out of my oxycodone. It's Friday and my next prescription says "do not fill until" Tuesday. This is a written prescription my doc gave me along with 2 (3 total) others, each 2 week prescriptions. I already gave it to the pharmacy and left it with them. My question is, is it possible to fill this early? I'm dreading the 4 days of pain I'm about to face and am getting extremely depressed. I only took it to manage my pain, it's the only thing that helps.

I'm asking because about 2 years ago, I was prescribed Valium. And I remember there was one time where I went on vacation and I was able to fill my prescription a little earlier than my doc wrote. The only differences is that the Valium wasn't a written prescription (no piece of paper that said "do not fill until __"), and it was a different doc that prescribed it.
Posted 1/3/2014 9:05 AM (GMT 0)
Hi JB and I wont lecture you on the ills of taking 14 days worth of Oxy in 10 because you already know that wasn't wise and unfortunately your about to find out why we don't do it!!

If it says "do not fill " until date? It's not going to get filled no matter what, running out, vacation, etc, until then unless your Dr were to OK it and even then the Rph and insurance can say no.

If you tell your Dr you ran out early you could lose them altogether as well as the subsequent scripts. The time to tell him you were having increased pain was before you took extra.

If you ask the pharmacy for it to be filled earlier he will likely call your Dr and the Dr could void the script altogether.

A few years ago and a benzo without a "no fill date " was a totally different ballgame!

With all the new laws and DEA regulations it's just not possible to do. Sorry

I've said this a lot here lately, I wish folks like you would go online and find us when your pain increases and let us give you advice about how to deal with that issue and not after the fact when all we have to offer are tips on how to deal with the w/d and pain that's inevitably coming.

Good luck to you and if you would like us to tell us some things to do to help you get thru those 4 days just ask.
Posted 1/3/2014 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi JB! Yep, the "Do not fill until..." says it all. There's no way the pharmacy is going to fill it - and going to your doctor now and telling him/her you are out of medication isn't going to fly. It's obviously too late for the 'coulda, woulda, shoulda', but you should have definitely called your doc before you took more than your prescribed dose. It's totally understandable/expected that there will be times when our pain levels increase and we might need additional medication - but when that happens, you should call your doctor and ask what you should do. If he says you can take an extra dose or whatever, just make sure that it is noted in your records. When I have 'bad pain days', I may take more medication - and then I will 'adjust' my dosage on the 'good days' to make up for it. HOWEVER, my doctor allows me to do this - he knows that my pain varies, both in intensity and duration and he trusts my judgement and knows that I'm responsible with my medications - I've been dealing with chronic pain for over 25 years.

Like Vickie said, no lecture here - just sage advice from people who have 'been there/done that' when it comes to CP. Sorry that you're having to go through this - I know how much it stinks.
Posted 1/3/2014 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
hello jb and welcome to the forum. i've on a couple occasions been out early by a day or two even if
the script is writting early,as vickie had mentioned, it seems that insurance companies have a final say.
my insurance won't fill my scripts early. i wish you good luck.
Posted 1/3/2014 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
With the do not fill until date... They won't fill it until that date. Its not up to the insurance, the pharmacy or anyone else at this point. If it were just an early script then there are times you can get it filled two or three days early (under rare circumstances) but that date solidified when that script is useful. Its like a milk's expiration date but in reverse, if that makes sense! LoL

I had one when my son was having surgery so I didn't go to my monthly doctor's visit and I tried to drop it off the day before the do not fill date and they wouldn't even let me do that. I had to bring it back the next day.

Are you going to be okay pain wise? :-(
Posted 1/3/2014 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello.Welcome to HW.

My Pain Management Doctor,or whomever writes the script,always puts the "Fill Date" across the top for exactly 30 days from my last.

My Pharmacist told me there was no way they could fill it even 1 day early.She loaned me 1 the day before though.

Other meds,such as my Xanax,they will fill on the 27th day.That's pretty much the policy of every pharmacy I've dealt with.

Good luck,
Rick
Posted 1/3/2014 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
What gets me is my doc tells me I can take 4 (tramadol) a day but writes for 3. If I would take 4 I would run out. I've told him about it but get no answer and he writes for 3 again.

So, I complained that the tramadol wasn't adequate all the time and he wrote for 20 Norco, just not at the 10 mg level I need, only 7.5. (5 is like taking an aspirin which doesn't do anything at all.)

I don't have a "fill date" but have to look at the date it was last filled. Trouble is I forget that some months have 31 days. Prescriptions are usually for 30 days, although insurance will allow for 32 or 33 days. I have one that is due (30 days) on Sunday but the pharmacy is only open a few hours.
Posted 1/4/2014 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
You also need to be aware that your dr can look up when you get your rxs filled through your state PMP. Some states even require a rd do that before rxing pain meds. So he may have questions if you get something filled early.
Posted 1/4/2014 10:53 PM (GMT 0)

nvrthesame98 said...


Good luck to you and if you would like us to tell us some things to do to help you get thru those 4 days just ask.

If you have any ideas on how to get through this more easily I'd appreciate it. I am getting extremely depressed and the pains so bad I feel like dying. I haven't gone outside, talked to anyone really, or done much for a while now. Probably about 48 hours. This isn't the first time this has happened and It's extremely discouraging. I'm not sure where to go with my pain management and I feel trapped. That adds to the depression. Minutes feel like hours and hours feel like days right now.
Posted 1/4/2014 10:56 PM (GMT 0)

Linds_ said...

Are you going to be okay pain wise? :-(

No, but I don't seem to have a choice.
Posted 1/5/2014 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
If your pain management whatever it is doesn't seem to be working and looks from my point of view it isn't, I suggest a long honest down to earth talk with your Dr!

If that particular meds not working for you may be it's time to explore other meds. Not many of us here can rely solely on our pain med to accomplish pain relief. We have to do other things, take other classes of meds, to boost those meds and when we get the pain numbers down then we turn to the narcotics and then they have a better chance at working.

Most of us have regular injections, some type of therapy, use heat, ice, compound creams, ten's units, stimulator, nerve meds such as neurontin, lyrica, cymbalta, anti-depressant meds because this lifestyle isn't easy, anti-inflam meds. A host of other things in a combination that works the best for us and that takes a good team of caring Drs and that takes some a long time to find and accomplish sometimes.

As for now and what to do? Drink, drink more and keep drinking!! Stay hydrated it's important even though you probably dont want anything! Treat your symptoms, immodium, and u can take the highest recommended dose on instructions, if you dont have phenergen or something for nausea get some zantac or pepcid, melatonin is a natural sleep med and you can get at any pharmacy, some people prefer benedryl or sominex, whatever works and use it during the day to if your restless. Warm showers often and OTC meds for pain, better to alternate those, motrin then tylenol, analgesic creams if you want.

Distraction, and more distraction, read, listen to iPod or whatever, PlayStation, solitaire, in small doses.

Talk to your Dr before this happens again, this is hard on your body and mind and this is why we learn to do other things to avoid reaching for our meds and leaving ourselves without even for a day.
Posted 1/5/2014 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Another thing that will help (although I've heard the immodium is the best thing you can do) is to keep your potassium levels up. And take over the counter meds for pain... I'm sure it won't take away all your pain but it might help some and will relieve the body aches.

Again, immodium is your best bet. From what I understand, its an opiate and will help stop the diarrhoea and some of the withdrawal symptoms. my uncle used it when he had an issue with being in withdrawal after a pharmacy refused to fill his vicodin script for a week.

And he also took really hot showers, as hot as he could stand. Do you have any other meds you are on? Anything for sleep?

And does your pharmacy stay open all night? My uncle went right at midnight when they refused to fill his script (they added up all the days he'd been early for six months and told him he should have a week of medication left). He was there right at midnight and they gave him his script since it was officially the date they told him he could come back. I know it isn't much but those nine or ten hours can make a difference when you are suffering. And if they are open at midnight then you only have 76 hours left. Three days sounds long but its really not. Look at how far you've come already. One day at a time.

And I must echo what Vickie said... Please talk to your doctor. You mentioned this isn't the first time so your pain obviously isn't being managed well. Also try to remember how you feel right now. I know you think "one more pill and I'll be out of so much pain" but then remember that you will be setting yourself up for extreme pain at the end of the month. Having your pain relieved 55% of the time for the whole month is better than 70% relieved for 23 days and then six days of hell and zero relief.

But I think if your doctor knew you weren't being managed with your current treatment plan, he/she would try something else. Their goal is to help our quality of life improve. My doctor feels so accomplished now that I'm better than I've ever felt. He is proud that he made that happen. It's the reason they chose pain management. I'm sure your doctor wants you to feel good... Not just okay. Or less than okay from the sound of it. Good luck and you can make it!

Distraction is another good idea too. It'll help the time pass by before you know it. And we're here for you.
Posted 1/5/2014 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Do you have anything that you can take, or something you can do, to help with the anxiety? I understand it won't "fix" the problem, but being in so much pain, and being in that forever-and-a-day waiting game can bring about quite a bit of anxiety, and that symptom itself can exacerbate what you're currently going through.

As Linds said, it's 76 hours to get through. For now, perhaps consider that your short term goal of making yourself as comfortable as you can (lots of great advice was given), and use this opportunity to have a heart to heart with your doctor about better managing your pain.

There are always alternatives....presenting by honestly expressing that you feel genuinely frustrated and that your pain is not being managed to a sufficient degree for you to maintain a quality of life,...these conversations are important.

If the doctor doesn't know that your meds aren't working sufficiently, they can't alter your treatment plan for one that better suits you.



M.
Posted 1/6/2014 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
Next time you go in, tell your doc that you're still in a lot of pain after taking the amount you're prescribed. The only way you'll get a change in meds is if you're honest with your doc about how bad your pain is.
Posted 1/6/2014 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
As suggested above, immodium is a great tool. Also, if you have anything rx'd for anxiety. It doesn't take away withdrawals but it will help a touch. Good luck to you and hydrate yourself as much as possible.
Posted 4/17/2015 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
I will be out of oxy meds 6 days early. I have a rx from my same dr from 3 months ago that i never filled. it is for 2 per day from when we tried the fet patch.

It has never been filled. Do I risk trying to get it filled at anothor pharmecy n pay cash???? In Ohio
Posted 4/17/2015 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum lynnier. Now with the prescription monitoring system in place it prevents people from doing just what you asked about. What you are questioning is a very good way to get kicked to the curb by your PM dr & then the odds of another one taking over your care is slim to none. It is just not worth the risk in my opinion. Things have really tightened up & become much stricter not only for the patient, but the drs as well.

We do invite all new members to make a separate intro post so that all members will see it & be able to say hello & welcome aboard.

Since this is an older thread I will lock it so others do not post here. We like to keep the older threads off of the main page. Thanks.
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