laws regarding pain medicine refills?

[GreyScale]

Does anyone have any idea where I can find out whether it is legal or illegal to ask a pharmacist to bypass insurance and allow me to pay cash for controlled substance? They are schedule III and some schedule IV. My prescription has valid refills on it. The pharmacist keeps saying it's illegal to allow me to pick it up earlier than usual. Yes, I'm running out sooner than usual, and my pain isn't controlled. I have an appoitment in april to fix this issue. I'm just curious what the law is in MIchigan regarding this subject? I googled it, but can't find a straightforward answer. I only get this medicine from one prescriber so it is not like I have multiple scripts floating around by different doctors. Thanks!

[marleasmomma]

*These people, me included in this, are treated like common criminals because a doctor, a professional M.D., prescribed us a medication that I'll be the first to admit, is an addictive substance that has allowed people with an addictive personality to make it an epidemic... " The Pain Pill epidemic" "Oxy epidemic" " Hillbilly Herion epidemic". People who abuse this drug and by abuse I mean popping them like pez, snortiñg it like blow, or shooting this medication like its regular old smack/herion with intentions of trying to get obliterated, people grasping for the next high. This epidemic is what gives off the impression to most people(ignorant people, uneducated people) whether they are pharmacist filling your script, or the person you walked past in the drug store after the pharmacist, who is the one mentioned above, calls your name over the intercom to tell you your medicine is ready for pick up, that anyone who takes their prescription pain medication the normal way in the normal, correct dosing, because its what works for them nd they need to take it to make the daily pain struggle go away or temporarily mask the pain...which ever way you perceive it... We take it because we need it to function, not to get wasted. I know not everyone is like me, but I can safely say that if people like my sister in law and I for example, could go with out the pain for one day.. Or hell even an hour, 30 minutes... I would take it up in a heartbeat. No handful of medication in the morning, that I have to take in order to "regulate" or really "poisonly regulate" my body and it's ability to function...just doing daily things, living a daily life without fearing that the pain is going to attack you at any moment in time and again you have to open that bottle and ingest another dose and so on and so forth for the rest day. Then you go to sleep and wake up the next morning to start the cycle all over again. So then again , there is another difference between the abuse of the medication and actually taking it for some good, dulling pain... Now some people become addicted without realization that it's even happening. Some take it long term, some take it short term for a broken bone or from being in an automobile incident and anyone with common sense know pain medicine is an addictive substance and sometimes really good people get caught in the web, they didn't bring it upon themselves(the addiction)... Sometimes people have addictive personalities, I know from personal experience with myself and some of my key family members. An addictive substance is just that, addicting... add in an addictive behavior and you have almost a 99.999% that it'll be inevitable and the sick cycle starts. Now these people to me are the exception, if at one point in time they were badly hurt and treated with pain medication(granted they were lucky enough to get to see a doctor period, especially with insurance most of the time being almost impossible and non-insured incidents that charge out from where the sun don't shine) and they took for a long enough time...which really doesn't take much time at all to be completely honest. Now, the non-insured are also in my book for the most part are also an exception. They get hurt and they can't afford a ludacris $285 initial doctor's visit fee, not including all the tests they do that you have to now pay for upfront or you get turned away or you barely scrape the cash needed together and they don't even genuinely pay your medical problems attention and send you home the same way you were she you got there, with no help, no relief at all, just an even bigger hole burnt in a pocket thts already went up into flames long ago ... So then you finally call up that one friend or family memeber that has been offering to help you with a few of his or her pills because you've been so miserable and your friends and family notice a major change and don't want to see you in agony anymore. So then if the pain doesn't get treated through the proper channels so you feel like you're left with no other option other than accepting the help you're offered. So in a sense, when a doctor turns a patient with real pain issues that need treatment away because they're in fear that a prescription with their name on it is going to hit the streets, they accomplish the exact opposite of what they are trying to avoid. They send this more than likely honorable person (a housewife, a wall street employee, a hard working blue collar man or woman, and so on) who wasn't coming to get help to get high, but to get help temporarily for the pain... And if they had been treated properly in a controlled enviroment with the help of this doctor(which last time i heard a big part of being a doctor is helping of any and all kinds, not judgement and ridicule) instead of being shunned away and leaving a human being(because that's what these people are,human) with limited options... Days and weeks and months and sometimes years of the heartache that addiction causes may have been prevented. Okay, sorry guys... Had to get it all out, all of it off my chest. I may be wrong about it all, but I guess that's the beauty of opinion. Thanks

[Dee1956]

I know this is old however it is not against the law but the pharmacist may say that because it gives you a Red Flag. But, if you go to an independent pharmacy they will treat you much better than CVS or Walgreen. Both companies  have a Red Flag sheet, and if you get a Red Flag it could cause problems

[Tmf8003]

Transfer the prescription or take it to another pharmacy not owned by the same  pharmacy company..like if you use cvs don’t go to another cvs go to Walgreens....tell them you will pay the cash price....

[backhurtz]

Most states have PMP (prescription monitoring programs) in place and ALL scheduled prescriptions for benzos , opiates, and amphetamines are tracked that you fill.
Transferring a prescription or paying cash will not bypass the monitoring programs.

[marleasmomma]

I live in North Carolina where pain medicine has become an even worse addiction epidemic than heroin, or even almost as back as crack in the 80's. Any pain clinic around here(I am obviously not familiar with other states and their regulations, even though I figure it's pretty much all the same give or take on the lax attitude of the M.D.s) test your urine(sometimes blood) to make sure you have the medication you're being prescribed in your system & to make sure its only your prescribed medication you have in your system. For example if you test positive for your medication am nothing else, you're in the clearing.... If you don't have your medications in your system most will jump to the conclusion that you're selling, whether you are or not and will result(again, depending on the state, FDA, and your pain clinic unique to you) more than likely in termination from that doctors care. If you have any other extracurricular drugs in your system(yes, even just "some weed"), whether your other medications that are meant to show up on your drug panel are present or not you should more than likely a!so be terminated from their doctors care. Pill counts are actually mandatory by the FDA, from what I know, so don't quote me on it, but they amount other things put your doctors mind at ease that you are not selling or allowing the medication they prescribed you to "circulate out to adddicts or one timers/every so ofteners". If it is found out that you are selling you medication you will be immediately cut loose, cold turkey because... Well for one that's not what they were prescribed to you for in the first place and secondly, it puts the doctors job and license on the line. All of this is why it is so hard for people like myself(suffering from extreme inflammation in my SI hip joints, degenerating disc disease in my lower lumbar spine, and ovarian cysts on a regular basis) & my sister in-law (suffering because of multiple surgeries resulting in extremely painful scar tissue and recovery from cancers in different areas, resulting in spouts of sickening and painful chemo, poking, and proding in hopes that it sends it into remission, which thank the good Lord Jesus, has happened) to receive fair, just, and effective pain management. I'm only in my early 20's, not even 25 yet, but I have many, many, many medical issues to deal with & the pain medicine I receive helps me to function in a normal life and do normal things, including being able to act as a mother should (especially a young mother such as myself) and more to my 2 1/2 year old amazingly bubbly, intelligent, and all around astounding daughter who deserves nothing less than a parent that can be fully and astronomically attentive and then some. But besides myself and my sister in-law, there are soooooooo many other people that get ridiculed or treated like a junkie all because they have a pain pill prescription on a regular basis that they need to help them function. I don't know if its like this in any other states,(even though I'm pretty positive North Carolina is the only one, ridiculous if that were the case though) but here in NC, any pain medication stronger than Hydrocodone (Loratab, Vicodin, ect.) which is for the treatment of MILD pain, has to be printed as a script or written by the doctor personally, which either way must be signed by the prescribing physician, to be filled. Oxycodone( W/ Tylenol: Percocet, W/O Roxicodone) or Oxycontin which are both used to treat SEVERE-CHRONIC pain fall under the catagory... And just a little over a year or two ago Hydrocode also has to have a brand new written prescription to be filled... No calling it in or faxing it in even with a doctor signing and or calling it in. So now, any pain medication prescribed has to be delivered by hand, on a hard copy(paper copy with multiple watermarks or traits which show its real and then can be filled... BUT then only after a photo ID is shown can you get your own medicine. Almost all of the pharmacies that I have been to, when filling my pain meds, in the past and the present, the pharmacist is so judgemental which I know I can say isn't fair... But it wouldn't matter because "life isn't fair", truly. I have thick skin & I know that I have nothing to worry or be ashamed about because this medication helps me live s normal of a life as possible. Of course my age affects their view of the sitution.. But then again at the same time, my appearance places a key role in this... And as much as I agree with what I said earlier about the situation not being fair, even life itself again, isn't intended to be a fair or an easy walk in the park... It still stings sometimes, as much as I should myself from it for good reason mainly being don't deserve to be treated any differently from Joe Bob stopping to pick up an antibiotic his dentist gave him for an infected bum tooth or 85 year old Mildred coming to get her pain medicine, insulin & syringes, and blood pressure medicine. These peop

[Tuckamore]

This thread was began in 2010. Please begin a new "Question" to post information or comments. You'll obtain better visibility and more responses.
Indeed TrayCee is no longer active on MH.

Your input is important to us. Please start anew.  

Thanks,
~Tuck

[Rec3490]

A note from your doc can supersede that if he designates a refill date prior to the 30 days.
I get a note from my doc for a 28 day refill every month. I think a 2 day overlap is reasonable right....

It really ***** that I have to go through this month  because of all the abusers out there.....

[Rec3490]

Not true for me in Maine, I refill 120-30mg oxycodone every 28 days with no problem except for 1 woman pharmacist at Target.
I simply have my doc a note authorizing the refill date I need, problem solved.

[RunningMom]

This post is 5 years old.lol

It's my understanding that the DEA monitors all the controlled substances you fill at the pharmacy whether you pay with insurance or not.  Getting medications filled early would be impossible.

If anyone is not having their pain controlled, it's best to see the doctor.  If your doctor refuses to help, find one that will.  It's a painstaking process finding a good doctor willing to help, but worth it.

[philnoir]

You may be correct -- i'm not familiar with today's federal standard.

However, state pharmacy boards and individual pharmacies have their own policies that may be more restrictive than federal law. It is best to ask your pharmacist about the rules that governs his/her organization.

[PatchesNY]

Incorrect federal law states 5 days early on schedule 2 drugs

[philnoir]

Good news on this front...

http://nationalpainreport.com/u-s-house-passes-bill-to-address-patient-access-to-prescription-8825987.html

[Jamiweslyn]

As I have had the same problem. But I call my RX three days ahead of time to let them know that I will be there in three days so they have time to order it and have it in. Now they are saying that the wholesaler are limiting all pain mess to a very low amount. And they are Kipping them for cancer patients only. I would like to know who can answer how much pain that a person is in. God forbid me to be in pain I only went head first down a 60 ft highwall and got broke up from head to toe. So they don't have an idea what pain is setting behind a computer in an air condition office.

[philnoir]

All of us maintained on COT understand your frustation and your problem.

Best bet -- visit your local big-box pharmacies, or another independent pharmacy.

Talk with the pharmacist about your needs. Bring in a few months' worth of empty bottles.

Ask the pharmacist to order your medication -- but do this so that you have a couple of reliable pharmacies in your area that you can use.

Only then can you be sure that someone in town will have them when needed.

In the mean time, tell your prescriber of the problems you're having. Perhaps he has a suggestion?

When you've found one or two reliable pharmacies, make sure to let your doctor know -- most controlled substance agreements require the use of one or two pharmacies.

Finally, every pain patient on COT needs to build a small reserve of opioid pain medications. I like to have 2 weeks worth of meds that I keep in my safe. Others get by on a weekend, while some aren't happy without a month's supply.

This is all very much against the rules. However, since the DEA and state regulatory agencies are pulling strings to limit the distribution of opioids at the wholesale level, we need to protect ourselves from the misery and danger of opioid withdrawal.

Smart pain patients build a "stash" so that if needed, they can get through a week while an Rx is on order.

[koaladog]

listening regulation and all the drugs that have been added to the class 2 any medications field on time is becoming a big problem. The pharmacies are no longer keeping large stock  of class 2 medication. in December of 2014 the pharmacy I have used for almost 6 years told me they would no longer be carrying my pain medication because I was the only one using that type. this was a privately owned pharmacy and I never had problems with refills,I switched to a national chain pharmacy in February. the first time I feel my prescription at this pharmacy the new one I asked them since I was now a member if they will always have my medication at the beginning of each month that they would automatically order it if by chance somebody else brought them a prescription for it. always told him that I was a member my medication would automatically go into the computer as a refill when it got below the amount that I was prescribed each month, because I have been taking this medication since 2007. On February 3rd 2015 was the 30 day refill on the prescription as I drop it off today February 2nd 2015 they told me they do not have it in stock and that they'd have to order it which will take 3 to 5 days. I reminded them but they told me that my medication was on automatic refill, so as this was the 29th dayI stay in the next 6 hours wasting a tank of gas to find a pharmacy who had my medication in the correct amount. It being a class 2 narcotic I could not call a different pharmacy to ask if they had it. I was told I would have to bring the prescription in then they would check, as I said earlier I spent 6 hours and a tank of gasgoing to 17 different pharmacies until I found one who could refill my prescription on the 30th day.the problem is now is that the pharmacies are not ordering like they used to, my  doctors wont write a prescription more than 2 or 3 days before it to be  filled. so the delima is now if if the doctor won't write a script early enough so that is the pharmacy has to order it, you won't run out of pain medication.

[Nicoblue126]

CVS in Effort PA has the same type of pharmacist, total smirky B working there! She eye balls you behind the counter, waits  for you to get there then says, NOPE, you can't have it, your dr, closed their doors. *this was a refill mind you* It's like all the pharmacists and their minions take it personally that you have some problems that tylenol won't fix from years of trauma. I shutter knowing they are out there supposedly "helping" the public!

[Nicole_Cpht]

I practice in Michigan. There is no particular amount of days that are governed by pharmacy law in which to fill a refill. It is up to the individual Pharmacists' discretion. The law tells pharmacist to use their discretion and not to fill controlled substances early if a patient is exhibiting "pill seeking behavior", such as wanting refills earlier and earlier every month. Usually we will fill our patients' pain medication refills from 3 to 5 days early.

[trixy71]

That depends on what kind of insurance you have. Most regular insurance companies (not medicare) charge you a flat co-pay. For example mine is $10 for generic, $20 for formulary brand, and $30 for non-formulary brand. So it really depends on your insurance. Now on another note, my thyroid med, I pay out of pocket because its part of the $4 prescription deal. But my pharmacy will usually charge the one that is cheaper. Some pharmacies might try to milk more money out of you, but I've never been to one that did this.

[truthseekr539]

What MOST people do not realize:  You can often pay less for your prescription by paying "out of pocket" and not using your insurance.  Ask the pharmacist what the out of pocket cost is vs. the insurance co-pay cost.

Sounded very strange when I first caught wind of this little unknown fact, but the truth is, pharmacies will charge your insurance company as much as humanly possible for Rx, and then the insurance company turns around and tells the pharmacist how much they can charge you to pick up your Rx.

Pharmacy makes big money, insurance company makes big money, you get the shaft...

Always ask what the out of pocket cost is...........

[FFXI_RDM]

Hello Addict63,

I find the differences between our pain experiences interesting.  You talk about the buzz and honestly my pain meds have never, ever given me a buzz.  The most they gave me is to dull the pain enough to allow me not to be screaming all the time.  (Ah, to put it another way, they take the edge off the pain, only.)

I suspect it is the type of pain, as well as my having a conservative pain doctor.

I'm been on Methadone (for pain) and Oxycodone since 2005 going from 15mg-30mg/daily for Methadone and 7.5mg-40mg/daily for Oxycodone during those 8 years.  Before going on Methadone and Oxycodone, I was on morphine for the pain and it did give me some side effects in my dreams being very vivid.  The morphine period lasted around 6 months (injections, liquids, and pills).

Honestly, speaking about dreams and sleeping, the longest periods of sleep I get at one time (with the pain medications) is around 60 to 90 minutes, with an average of 78 minutes.  These times are from when I was tracking my sleeping patterns.

I guess my point is one can have pain relief without a buzz.  I don't know if the following is true, but I've heard it from two different doctors, I suspect they mean in typical and general cases.  One key aspect to insuring someone does not get addicted to pain medication is to prescribe a dosage low enough to only dull the pain (e.g. remove the bite) but not remove the pain.  Allow the body and mind to feel / experience pain instead of feeling the medication over the pain.  REMEMBER:  This is a lay person's understanding and his relaying it.  So take it with a grain of salt.  Check with your own doctor, please.

The only time I truly have been pain free since the infection burnt my nerves (foot, ankle, and lower leg) was during my hospital stay.  The infection caused so much damage it burned my skin off and I ended up in a burn ward for 3 weeks (plus the week fighting the infection for a total of 4 weeks).  They had me on a morphine machine, where I could give it to myself.  The nurses would come in to fill the machine a couple of times a day (2 to 3 times at the start).  It always took two of them.  Each one had her/his own key and no one ever had the two keys at the same time (at least not in front of me).  The morphine they brought was also under lock and key until it arrived in the room, I assume.  It looked like a lot being in a cylinder about 5.5 to 6 inches tall and 3.5 or so inches in diameter. Maybe I'm getting the size wrong, it was 8.5 or so years ago and I was fighting for my life.

In any case, I'm sure some will say I'm addicted and maybe I am.  I know I tried to stop taking my meds a couple of times.  When I did it the last time, it ended up with my friend and family asking me to go back on the pain meds.  Why, as it is normally the other way around?  Well, in my case, when I go off my pain meds I go through a couple of phases.

First I'm OK for a day or so and then I become a bear to live with at home and outside the home.  I get a short fuse and get angry with people.  My personality changes from one of being loving and caring to a selfish short tempered ahole, IMHO.  In the next phase people withdraw from me and I from them.  Finally, I stay in bed and end up crying while curled in a ball.  I stay this way till someone tells me this attempt is over (or I come to the same realization on my own).  I should note the first two times I tried, I took it as a matter of pride and honor and whatever else I could think of to not take the pain meds.  I said to myself and others I can do this and I'm not weak.  In my case I had an intervention from friends and family to go back on my pain meds.

OK, I could be lying or deceiving myself, but this is my perspective.  (I learned at work once you have to accept and work with another person's perspective, as it is real to them.  As my boss' boss told me.  It doesn't matter if the person's perspective is right or wrong.  To him (or her) it is real and to you this is a fact.  You can work to change a perspective and/or use "this fact" to your advantage.  In any case, take it and process it as one of the facts in the problem.)

Well, that's it.  If there is one thought I'd want to insure you 'walk away" with from this message, it would be:  Pain relief is NOT a buzz, it is taking the edge off the pain and nothing more and nothing less.

Take care.

Final Fantasy XI Red Mage (FFXI_RDM)
(FFXI is a MMORPG - Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game)

[Mspriss1234]

I have Lupus and Fibro, I just got a new precscrption, 90 tablets of vicodin, at 1 four times a day.Isn't that a 22 day supply.It was last filled on the 18th of last month.

[spiderguy]

The female WITCH of a pharmacist in the CVS on McMullenbooth and Enterprise is a total *****.,She play games with Chronic Pain Patients. I watch how she reacts when she get a script for pain medication.  She like to make you wait till the very last day for pick up..She also like to tell you they are ready when you call.  You drive there to pick them  up. Then as she looks at you with a **** eating smirk on her face she says you can't have them until tomorrow or even 2 days.  Hell I even had one CVS Pharmacist tell me they did not carry narcotic and to go somewhere else. WTF is that?  I am a chronic pain patient. For 7 years nor taking the same medications...Until now I get this CVS Pharmacy which I had to move to because I moved. Start telling crap that is NOT TRUE, holding scripts and flipping playing games like its entertainment. Screw CVS They have NO compassion. 2 days early is not illegal!  And she is just a *****.

[nixx126]

You cannot by pass a refill unless its the right amount of time- it comes down to the "Days Supply" if u have a med that is 1 every 4 hours and you have 90 it is a 15 day supply that u can probably fill 1 day early.

[SickKat]

Sorry for all the typos and I am just now reading to the end of this thread didn't realize how old it was.  Let me clarify I am on 10-325's and also carisiprodol and lidoderm pain patches.  The original prescription was for one every 8 hours on the vicodin and I am now taking 2 of these every 4 hours.  Mostly because I feel I am hurting a hell of a lot more and it seems my pain level has gone up.  I did just meet with my doc the other day and asked to be put on a medrol pack and she is reluctant to do that.  She said she would prefer carisiprodol over the med pack.  Yes, I am running out of pain medication really fast and refilling sooner.  Yes, I am guilty of getting frustrated with the insurance company about refilling 2 weeks sooner than I should and will just pay out of pocket.  I panic at the thought of running out of my pain medications.  I remember being taken off Vicodin abruptly once and I was miserable for days.  So I think it must have been withdrawal that is all I can think that it was.  So the only thing I can assume is that I am in fact addicted.  Again isn't there an effective pain medication that I can be put on that isn't addicting?  I had been put on many many anti depressants and other off label type meds.. none of them did anything to give me relief.  Now I am feeling totally guilty about jeopardizing my doctor who is a very good doctor.  I will be out of pain meds by tomorrow.  I guess I need to just bite the bullet and get off this stuff.  Not sure how I am going to manage the pain though.  Maybe I will feel better once my system is cleared of it.

[SickKat]

OMG just reading your post.  I have had 3 spinal surgeries.  I have had everything done that you can imagine and have a great deal of pain.  I have been on Vicodin for about 2 years or more now.. and I find I am needing to take up to two 10-325's now to get any type of relief.  So I am running out of my pain meds faster now.  My pharmacy refuses to refill my meds sooner that the day before now.  I guess I must be addicted.  It does seem my pain has got up more since using pain medications.  Could this be the tolerance thing?  Or is this a true addiction.  I too get the buzzed feel whenever I take vicodin.  I was told by my pharmacist that I am on a system that has flagged me as a possible abuser.  I live in the State of Texas.  I just called my doc now is there something she can switch me to that will help with pain but not be addicting?  Am I going to go through some type of severe withdrawal now if I am taken off this medication?  Why don't the doctors talk with you about this stuff?  All I ever got was this medication can be addicting, but no other information about it.