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The new Fed Med law

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Posted 10/1/2014 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone, My name is Ray I'm 53 and a chronic pain sufferer, My L4-L5 - S1 & 2 were damaged in a work related accident in 2000 I ended up having surgery with bonegraph and Titanium bracing, I believe that due to my insurance demanding that my PT start immediately that my surgery was unsuccessful, 14 years down the road and I suffer 24/7 with middle and low back pain that extends down my legs and through my feet the only relief I get are the 10/325 hydocodone that I take every 4 hours along with several muscle relaxers a day ( 2 to 3 depending ) These do not get me high or buzzed but allow me to at least do some of the things a person needs to do during the day, light house cleaning etc.
My Doctor for the last 14 years ( she originally diagnosed me ) retired recently, she gave me six months of prescription refills on all my meds ( I also take heart med, and a few others ) and recommended a new Doctor who I will be seeing for the first time on the 23rd of this month, Here is my problem, My most recent refill runs out on the 11th of this month, I have refills 3 more in fact but due to this new law I cannot use the refill after the 6th of Oct which means that I will be completely out of medicine from the 11th to the 23rd , I live in NC and they will not refill early so I am in a fix where I know I am going to end up in the hospital or worse . Is this new law effecting anyone else like this or am I a lone sufferer ? Thanks for any input
Posted 10/1/2014 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hey ray.
Welcome to Healing Well.Most of the Posters here are in Pain Management and have to go in every month.

You're in a tough spot there.Hopefully someone will have a suggestion for you because I'm really not sure what I would do if I was in the spot you find yourself in.

Does the Doctor you're seeing on the 23rd know about this gap that you're going to have?They may possibly write you a partial prescription to get you by til your Appointment with them.

I don't think a Doctor that you're only going to see once would help you.So the Doctor that's going to take you on the 23rd may be your only answer.

But,like I said,someone more knowlegable than me may have a better suggestion.

Again,welcome and make yourself at home.Take care,

Rick
Posted 10/1/2014 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I would call the office of the new dr. You can't be the only one in this situation.
Posted 10/1/2014 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Rocky,
This thing is going to foul up a lot of people. Your new doc probably won't be surprised and narco is a low strength analgesic . . . Q
Posted 10/1/2014 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ray and like stated most of us are seen monthly but I was in Walgreens today and saw the new notice advising folks to get in touch with their DR before the new laws take effect. I realize yours is nolonger working and at some point you may have had an issue regardless due to her retirement. Same if you have refills from a Dr who moves out of state or simply passes away. Many pharmacys would not honor those refills. I would at least let the new office know and if they can't get you in maybe they can put you on a on call list if they get a cancellation.
Posted 10/1/2014 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in North Carolina too. I'm not in pain management yet so I see my primary doctor for my Norco prescription. At my last visit he told me about the new law. He said he's not even able to write a new prescription if its not within 3 days of last prescription and that now I must come in the office to see him every month to get a new prescription. I've already posted about how hard it is for me to get to Wilmington for doctor visits & PT as I live about 30-35 mins from there. (I have a hard time with increasing pain for sitting that long in a car). So, this is going to cause extra problems for me. Also, my primary doctor is close to retirement age. This might become a problem for me as so many other doctors are afraid to prescribe narcotics. It really sucks that we are judged because we take narcotics for pain on a daily basis. It is so unfair.
Posted 10/2/2014 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hey beachbumcindylou,great name.It's getting to where if a person requires daily pain medication they may as well be in Pain Management.

I'm not sure if my PCP that I see twice a year would want to see me every month.

Without Pain Management I would be expecting him to anyways.

Take care,

Rick
Posted 10/2/2014 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
Tidalmouse- I'm at the beginning of my journey compared to most that I've seen on here. Waiting on a referral to a teaching hospital right now. I'm pretty sure primary dr will put me in pain management after referral if I am told yet again that there is nothing they can do.
Posted 10/5/2014 5:54 AM (GMT 0)
Actually according to the federal law, if you get a rx before October 6 2014 & there are refills on it, you can get the refills until April 8, 2015. But, it appears that the majority, if not all pharmacies are choosing to not do this. The law does say "may."

Scroll to " VII.Requirements for Handling HCPs", then scroll to "Prescriptions". It is towards the bottom of the page
www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0822.htm
Posted 10/6/2014 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
A follow up, M&G is correct and most Pharmacies are choosing the strictest law between state and federal to follow. Tennessee will not fill the scripts period ! My Pharmacist chose to give me another month after talking with his superiors , He said the law has changed almost daily and is confusing the hell out of everybody, Anyhow, I'm covered through my next appointment : / Thanks for the thoughts and advice : )
Posted 10/6/2014 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
I'm very glad to hear you got it taken care of! That would have been a miserable few weeks and I'm glad you won't have to go through it!
Posted 10/6/2014 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
rayjay6361, The only way you could not get the refills is if it is against your state law. You being told that your state will not do refills on rxs written before today with refills is a lie. The fact that the pharmacy will is giving you one more refill means that each pharmacies is deciding how tdecrestionhey want to impliment this part of the new law, if at all. It may also mean that if a customer is aware of exactly what the federal law states, that the pharmacy may be willing to meet the customer half way. Of course, the word "may" means it is at their discretion. I'm glad you're at least getting some of your refills.
Posted 10/7/2014 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
If I can figure out how to post it I will scan it and post, It was a flyer attached to my wifes B/P medicine from Wal-Mart ( I refuse to do business with them ) I took the flyer to my Pharmacy and they confirmed it, But like he said they were changing it almost daily, Then he showed me this on Saturday http://www.ncbop.org/ but went ahead and gave me an extra month to be on the safe side.
I blame the pill mills and unscrupulous doctors in Florida for this craziness that those of us who actually need these drugs are going through and as with everything Gooberment the innocent get the short end of the stick. The sick part is that those who are abusing these drugs are now going to turn to street heroin to get the high they need/want/crave .
My wife and I have been talking and we might go to California and check to see if there is a strain of medical marijuana that could replace hydro , I've been taking these pills for 14 years and while all my blood panels have come back clean its only a matter of time before they start wearing on my kidneys and liver, I'm not getting any younger and I sure would like to watch my Grandchildren grow up.
Posted 10/8/2014 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
rayjay6361, the info there does state that refills can be done on rxs written before Oct 6, if there are refills on it until April 8, 2015. Now you will know if they refuse to do the remaining refills that it is the decision of the individual pharmacy and not a Law. "Laws" doesn't change daily. It has to go through a process to be changed. State Laws are ususally voted on by Legislators or citizens in an election in order to be changed or established. The Federal Law regarding this change wasn't voted on, but had to go through a process involving several different federal agencies before it could be changed. There was also an opportunity for public comments & testimony before the change was reguested as well as before the change was made to Federal Law. If a pharmacy decides that they aren't going to go by the Law, that is a Pharmacy Policy Change and that can be done at the drop of a hat.
State Board Of Pharmacy websites are also good sites to check regularly to be sure and stay current with state laws.
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