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confusion on fill date for controlled substances

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Posted 9/23/2020 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Because of a chronic condition I have been using opioids for many years. I thought I knew the rules pretty well but a new pharmacist took me by surprise with his interpretation. I have never had a problem filling opioid prescriptions but my usual pharmacy closed and everything was transferred to CVS and this is when the problem began. I know I can get my opioid prescription filled every 30 days and there is very little leeway, if any at all. I always make sure I fill my prescription on the first day permitted. This past month I got the prescription filled on the proper date, however I picked the prescription up a day later because I was out of town. This month I went to fill the prescription (I actually dropped it off today and the fill date is tomorrow and I will be out of town) and the pharmacist tried to tell me he couldn't fill it tomorrow as it would be a day early. He reasoned that my actual "fill" date was the day I picked the prescription up last month, not the day it was actually filled. I told him my understanding of the law is that the fill date is when the prescription is filled, not when it is picked up and that the only reason I didn't pick the prescription up was because I was out of town and that using his reasoning I would actually lose a "use" of medication day. He then theorized I had lost nothing. If I didn't pick it up on the date it was filled it meant I had medication leftover. And he even went as far as to say if you pick your prescription up a week later that would be the new fill date because I obviously had medication leftover and didn't need it. I told him his explanation made no sense that the fill date is not based on if I have any medication left over but that it is 30 days from the last fill date. He finally gave in, I hope, and said he would fill it. I won't know for sure until tomorrow. I do know if he persist in this odd reasoning I will be finding a new pharmacy. Anyone have any thoughts on who is correct? Maybe the rules have changed and I wasn't aware of it.
Posted 9/23/2020 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi & welcome to the forum. You are correct it's the date your script was filled, not when picked up. Be sure to take your empty bottle with you to the pharmacy to pick up your new script. I will not use CVS, the pharmacists tend to make up their own rules. If you take other meds I would move them to another pharmacy too.

You can also do a google search for your state to confirm this. Good luck picking up your refill.
Posted 9/24/2020 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Some pharmacists and doctors go by the date the prescription is picked up. Their reason is the one the CVS pharmacist gave you. Some pharmacies allow patients to get a Schedule II filled 2 days prior to the 30 days date. On the other hand, some will not.

I agree it would be best to go to a Independent Pharmacy. They are usually not open as many hours as chain pharmacies. But the pharmacists are almost always easier to work with.

It you pickup your prescription early. You will have that many days of additional medication. Some doctors and/or pharmacists/ insurance companies look at that before writing or filling a prescription. (Doctors can see the date a prescription is picked up on your states Prescription Monitoring Drug Program profile) After several months of picking up a prescription early. You could end up with a total of a weeks worth of additional medication on paper. That might be considered before writing or filling your opioid prescription. If it is you might not be able to get your new prescription for a week after you got your last one.
Posted 9/24/2020 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
Straydog, thanks for confirming my understanding of the rules. The only reason I am reluctant to change pharmacies is that my only other choice is closed on Sundays but they may be a small price to pay if CVS takes this stance.
Mercy&Grace, I have never been able to fill an opioid prescription early. So I am very diligent about following the 30 day rule. I still don't understand their logic about making the pick up date the fill date. What does it matter if I have a few pills leftover provided I follow the rules.
Posted 9/24/2020 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
I had something similar happen last month and spoke with my pain management doc this week. Last month i didn’t pick up my breakthrough med ( Percocet) until the following day so I could get with Fentanyl patch. When I had appt this week they said your meds were filled sept 11; and 12. I said yes but picked both up on the 12th. They called to verify while I was having my visit. This is a small local pharmacy. I got away from Walgreens years ago. Also, if I a, due on a Sunday or holiday my doc makes sure I can fill the day before. She does not want me going with out meds.
Posted 9/24/2020 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
One thing I always do is look at the fill date on my bottle. I count 30 days so I know what date the refill is due. I do this for myself. Pain mgt drs do not see their patients every 30 days, it's impossible because of weekends, holidays & that sort of thing.

Paper scripts I held until the due date. Now that my dr does the electronic refills my pharmacy sends me a text on the 30th day that my script is ready. Right now I see him every 27 days, so they hold the script for 3 days.

Yes, if a script is picked up early the following month it will affect the refill date. I hope today's refill goes well & yes, you need a pharmacy that is open 7 days a week, otherwise things would go bad.
Posted 9/24/2020 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
straydog, I have a calendar and mark down the fill date each month so I know when the prescriptions can be filled. That is why I was so irritated with the pharmacist. But get this, I went in today to get my prescription. The medication was filled YESTERDAY. And he was giving me grief saying he could not fill the prescription until tomorrow...so they filled it two days early after telling me he couldn't. I will decide next month if I want to move my prescriptions. There are pluses and minuses no matter which way I go. But thanks everyone for the input. I felt reassured to know that I was right in my thinking.
Posted 9/24/2020 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
It sounds like a different pharmacist probably filled it. They want to keep track of how many pills a patient has due to the risk for abuse. It is uncommon for established chronic pain patients to start abusing their medication. But it does happen.
Posted 9/24/2020 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
Marking your calendar is fine, you need to keep your existing bottle before picking up a refill.

A pharmacist filling your script 2 days early, I would have issues with the practice of this pharmacy.

I would spend the next month looking for a different pharmacy & visiting a new pharmacist about how they handle their refills.
Posted 9/28/2020 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Many younger pharmacists do this. I swear I've seen the glee they had when telling me guess what your insurance covers it but you have to wait until the next day because that's the day you picked it up last month. Only problem was the previous month had 31 days in it. I've also had more senior pharmacists overrule said youngster's denial only to see the disappointment in his eyes. Labels and stigma serve no one, least of all those of us who deal with it when it's in our face.
Posted 9/28/2020 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Education is vital and required. But experience and education are not the same thing. Younger pharmacists do not have the experience of older ones.
Posted 10/26/2020 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Tdnjam,

You are correct in your assessment on fill dates, however I use cvs and I can’t believe the difference between cvs pharmacies. I’ve been lectured and looked down on because of my opioid prescriptions. I had one pharmacist actively try to deny my prescription almost every time I went to pick it up. I’ve finally found a older cvs pharmacist that treats me well. He knows I don’t abuse my meds.

I’m going to move to a different state soon and as far as I know opioid prescriptions don’t travel at all. Does anyone have any knowledge about this?

Good luck with your pain and I hope you find a reliable Pharmacist!
Sabre
Posted 10/26/2020 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Be sure and keep your opioids in the prescription bottle they came in. You also might want to get a copy of your medical records from your current doctor. Although a new doctor will probably want to get a copy of your medical records directly from your previous doctor. You need to read your medical records in case your doctor made any mistakes or typos when writing your patient notes. You can talk with your doctor about editing any mistakes or typos before leaving his care.
Posted 8/15/2021 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I have gotten my vicodin filled for years without issue (disabled with 30 conditions), never had an issue. Then suddenly, pharnacies were being allowed to let their personal issues decide when and how my pills were filled. Then the ridiculousness of the opiod crisis. I understand addiction issues are awful, but adding HEROIN addiction (already illegal) data to your prescription opioid data just to make it sound worse is just wrong and should be illegal itself.
Now, my sleeping pill, zolpidem has been moved to class 2. I have one CVS pharmacy suddenly saying the prescription itself has "fill at 30th day only" on it. 3 times in 6 months this ran me short so no sleep. Yet when my doctor called it by accident to a different CVS, those words weren't on the script. Unfortunately,, now they are playing the 30 after pickup, not fill date, game. My insurance has informed me that they go by fill date only. FDA goes by fill date. Pharmacies can pick an choose an arbitrary date that is nowhere to be found on the bottle... just their computer. They are also telling me they, the pharmacy itself, (not my insurance, I checked) are tracking how many "extra" days I have gotten and will cut me off those days after I reach 7.
So, I can legally call in a script 2 days in advance (being disabled, I need to arrange a pickup), but if I actually get them 1 or 2 days early, at some arbitrary date of their choosing, they will simply without my meds for a week.
The worst part is they get away with garbage like this. My husband drove the half hour each way to pick it up on a friday last month after he picked our granddaughter up from her school. The pharmacy says he picked it up on Sunday. Since it is he said vs their computer... they win.
Pharmacists should not be allowed leeway to decide if and when a script is filled. The FDA laws, The doctor, and your insurance should not be allowed to be overturned because a pharmacy/pharmacist wanted to.
Posted 8/16/2021 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
I have information for anyone that uses CVS. I called my sleeping pills yesterday. It was not filled until I got the text message TODAY, 8/15/21, @4:01pm. I called yesterday and today and it was not ready. They started giving me garbage about their arbitrary pickup date from last month.
The date on the bottle is 8/14/21. It says it was filled YESTERDAY.
Check your bottles against their texts.
Posted 8/19/2021 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
It sounds like the text message wasn't send out until 8-15. You should go by the date on the bottle. The date on the bottle is the date it was filled. You might want to try a independent pharmacy.
Posted 9/17/2021 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
It is a good idea to read your state laws governing the filling and refills of Schedule II and other schedule prescriptions.
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