Won't fill my pain meds and muscle relaxers

[sneal]

I am sure this is a common problem all over the US but it is new to me. I have 42 different prescriptions each month. I am newly diagnosed with MS  40 yrs since the first symptom when I was in college. but have been diagnosed for 10 yrs that it was fibro. and many diagnoses that weren't right.

I am a nice customer. If they  fill the med on the date on the bottle, I can't be trying to find my receipts to see when hubby picked it up much less 2 days after. On everything. Some I have been on for over 25 yrs.  . Since they (my drs) have me on way too much stuff, I rely on my pharmacy to make sure they are filled on the day ordered. I have stayed at this CVS for over 25 yrs when they were with 2 different chains before going to CVS. I had the same 2 pharmacists and assistant for all of those years. I stayed because of the volume and controlled codeine would make a different pharmacy suspicious.   2 yrs ago, my 2 pharmacists left due to illness and the sweet girls who helped left too. The lead pharmacist told me at the time that I would probably like a different pharmacy considering the team that moved into their store.

I am now progressive with my MS. I can no longer drive so my Hero (who has a fulltime job) has to go and pick up meds at some point each week. My clonazapam was to be filled on July 6. I called the pharmacy to make sure it was ready. I was told I had to wait until July 9th because that was the day my meds were picked up. Not the fill date, the pay and take it home date). I called again on Thursday and the girl told me it couldn't be filled until the 10th of July (the next day.5 days after the the filled date on the bottle.) I spoke with the lead pharmacist yesterday  it had not been filled but that she would fill it  then. I was then told that CVS has a new policy where they no longer go by the fill date but it
would now be 2 days after the picked up date. I can no longer handle stress. My brain is being destroyed by my body fighting itsself. I never once have ever requested an early script. In 2012, the pharmacy and the drs. office messed up and on the 4th day without it, I was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. The drs there said I could have went into convulsions and died. I called CVS corporate offices in another state and that man told me on Friday that they leave it to the lead pharmacist to decide when meds will be filled. A couple of months ago, another pharmacist there told me I am on a 32 day refill program. What??? I do not know what to do. I spoke with the one at CVS and I told her my insurance told me to change to another pharmacy. Do you have any idea of what a new drugstore will think if I transferred all of the pain meds and all the rest? My pain level stays at a high 9 on the pain scale and that is with the meds. .

I did it anyway. One day a couple of yrs ago, my CVS was out of stock for my codeine cough syrup. I have a rare lung disease also. (don't ask). She called Walgreens and the lead pharmacist told me then if I wanted to change, she would take me.  

I do not do well with changes in my life so I decided to try to stay with my CVS. I have problems every single week. They are not filling my prescriptions for several days. I am out at that time but I have to depend on the only family I have. My sweet hubby, to go and pick them up. So I called the walgreens and she remembered me and said she would get my records sent over. She called back a few minutes later and said she had spoken to the pharmacist and now she has the "whole story". The one I have fired told her that I go days without picking up the scripts.I tried to tell her that wasn't true but she wouldn't listen and told me they have the same picked up date for the next mth policy. I waited 6 days on my anxiety drug this month before she finally filled it Friday but my husband couldn't get there until yesterday.  

I do not want to cause problems but isn't it wrong to make a patient wait 6 days on a med that almost killed me 3 yrs ago when they didn't fill it? I called my dr also and they told e to change. But now the new one is saying her policy is the same as CVS. She said I have to be out of my medicine before they will fill it. Who else can I call or write to see if they can do this to me and other chronically ill patients ? Please help me. Thank you for listening

[fntn]

Typically a new topic should be approached by starting a new message. Too easy for very good knowledge and "inmate" exchanges to get lost otherwise. Look forward to hearing from you Dolph.

[remar]

I'm so sorry 're going through all of this.
Most pharmacies will fill prescriptions every 30 days. I don't know why your pharmacy made you wait 5 days, it makes no sense. If your husband was to pick up your script on July 6th then it should be ready again on Aug 5th because we have 31 days in this month.
If this is the only script they're giving you problems with I would recommend going to another pharmacy and ask what their policy is. If it's every 30 days then stay with that pharmacy.
Another thing I recommend, since you take so many meds, is to keep a list on your calendar of when your scripts were picked up and when they need to be picked up again. This way it will help you keep track of all your meds. You can't count on the pharmacy to keep things straight. They can make mistakes. Two months ago I went to a different pharmacy and they kept trying to tell me my script was expired. It was not. The start date was clearly written out by my Dr. They still refused and I had to wait until my regular pharmacy opened the next morning. I got it filled with no problems.
I do hope you get everything straightened out and can hopefully get some justice for what that pharmacy did to you. Every Dr and every person that works in a pharmacy knows you can not just stop Xanax cold turkey or it can be dangerous.  

[Randolpho]

I'm in the proess of gathering all my records and blood test results and
seeking out new opinions. Don't know if this is appropriate,to change the
subject from another person's question, sorry if it shouldn't be done.Dolph

[Randolpho]

I was just informed by my pharmacist that each different pharmacy has a
contract with the wonderful DEA. In this case Walgreens says they can fill
a script 3 days prior to the standard 30 days. CVS, being the fools they are,
has an agreement that dictates they can only dispense 2 days early. I can't
believe you have had to wait over 30 days. I live around Detroit and maybe
each state has their own policies. But the magic number here is 30 days
from the "date filled" on the vial. For someone like you to have to wait extra
days is insane. I hope you find justice. I would take the time and call every
phar. in your area. Seems like something is very unusual with your pharmacies.  Dolph

[cathy5841]

I learn something new from ya'll every time I long on.  Since my best friend is a pharmacist (not mine) I text and asked her about the pick up issue, she said it is legally the day the script was filled.  All pharmacies make their own rules but the new law is the day it was filled n for a thirty day prescription its 30 days from then.  Man the laws are getting crazy.  I have always gone to the Dr on Tuesday 28 days apart and then to the pharmacy.  No problems at all, now I will have to hold the script for 2 days before filling it.  Thanks for the heads up.

[fntn]

I would also advise you to steer clear of CVS. I used them for years myself and, with the very first prescription I had for pain meds, I innocently took it to CVS. The pharmacist there scowled and said we don't do that stuff here. I was shocked and did a bit of research and found that this was quite common in the CVS chain. So I pulled all of my prescriptions and found a much better pharmacy, and without any trouble every since. Good luck.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Sneal,

I'm so very sorry for what you are experiencing. What a crock! My heart goes out to you. As if you don't have enough to deal with - you have to put up with grief from pharmacies. So sad!

I do know that most pharmacies go by the pick up date and not the date on the prescription. It seems to be the "Pharmacy Law".  A physician will also go by the pick up date - it's just the way it is. Your hero has to do a better job of picking these RX up in a timely manner. Please please don't think I'm being cruel - I am sincerely trying to be of some help. You can't fight the DEA.

Now this 32 day refill is more than a crock! I've never heard of that. I've been with Walgreens for 20 years and have never been told I have to wait 32 days on any drug refill. I'd ask to see that policy in writing along with the rationale.

What I do know is that every Walgreens is different. Some have the kindest staff that will go the extra mile for you - the next one treats you like a drug addict and would really prefer you take your business elsewhere - and I do and have. However I just go to the next Walgreen, they are everywhere.

Other members will suggest you find yourself a small mom and pop pharmacy. If that's possible and you'd like to do that - then maybe that would be a better answer for your issues.

Okay, I'm assuming you are a Medicare recipient due to disability as I am. If that's so than call Medicare and explain the situation. Facilities listen to Medicare. It was Medicare that was able to "persuade" an insurance company to refund 6 medical insurance payments they took from my banking account when I change supplements. The insurance company was not going to refund - until Medicare became involved. Medicare really does look out for disability recipients - at least that's been my experience.

Also Walgreens will mail all your drugs accepted Scheduled ones. So it may behoove you to get on the mailing list. Hubby or a friend will just have ti make the pick up dates for the Scheduled Drugs.

Indeed do you have a relative or friend that could pick your meds up rather than your vry busy husband?   I don't know where you live but many towns and cities have volunteer programs that will help ppl that cannot get out. You may want to look into that possibility too. If you want more info on how to locate a help program please let me know. I'd be happy to help.

I hope something I've said has been helpful. Other members will offer their suggestions also. Please dear, keep in touch. I'll watch for your updates  and comments with much interest.

Take Care and Best of Luck,
~Tuck

[RASCOLIVICTIM]

OMG how can they do you like that and still sleep at night?? I would contact my state representative and congressman. That to me sounds like cruel and unusual punishment. How could they think that an X amount of days prescription last more than the amount of days its dispensed as?? That is lunacy. I would also contact Bill O'rielly at Fox news. He would probably sick a reporter on this as well as bring it to national attention which would get your state rep and congressman in high gear to get to the bottom of it. Those people are endangering your life. It would  also be a good idea to tell your doctor about this and maybe he would give them a call. I tell you something else that will probably help you if it is available and thats a NON-CHAIN pharmacy if there is one in your area. It is usually best to go to a "mom and pop" if there is one in your area. The chains like to exhibit their control over you. And pharmacists have a lot of control over you,too dang much if you ask me. I hope this helps you. I know a person that has to depend on meds for their well being has to be careful.I wish you the very best and truely hope you can get some help. If it were me that was done like that, having to go without my med because a pharmacy refused to fill my prescription on time and it caused me to almost die and the expense of an ambulance and ER visit I would very likely contact a high profile nationally known attorney to see what he or she could do about it. Just sayin if it were me I am not telling you what to do, but I would be looking for some justice. Good Luck