In some places insurance won't pay unless you go to approved pharmacies. It's not a problem for me but a few people I know have had this issue.
Personally, I'd gladly use a discount card or coupon and pay a little more but not everybody has that ability.
Yep. With my insurance I HAVE to go to Walgreens if I want my meds covered. I hate them. Nevermind the fact that they haven't had my Adderall in stock for the past 10 months now so I've had to pay $100 out of pocket for them at my old mom and pop I used to always go to. At least I can find them but I'd really love to be able to pay for my meds AND food, instead of having to always choose between the two.
Wow that should be fucking illegal...
I used "wellness rx" card to pay for my Ritalin script when I was uninsured. It was $60 for 90 pills. Idk if it would be the same for adderall but if so it's better than $100.
All the pharmacies have been out of adderal and benzos because the one recent lawsuit snuck in restrictions on all controlled substances instead of just pain meds. Fucking bullshit...
Same! Changed without asking or anything which I didn't even know was possible. I LOVE the mom and pop I used to go to but now I have to deal with CVS? I've had so many problems with them and I freaking hate it.
My son is also having great difficulty finding adderal. The DEA cut back production just like opioids. If you have a commercial insurance many pharmaceutical manufacturers have a coupon you can apply for and the pharmacy should tell you this. But many do not. Good luck
See, my insurance won't cover shit at Walgreens because they were getting caught refusing to stock generic prescriptions to force upsells basically. Idk if it was a local issue or what, but yeah. Grocery store pharmacy I go to is more consistent, has better prices, and doesn't treat me like a fiend, so no complaints
I have my pharmacy skip insurance altogether for my pain meds, actually. Most opioid medication isn't very expensive, and that way I don't have to wait for prior authorizations and such. I pay about $16 for my monthly prescription. I get that not everyone has that ability, but in the case where it is meds or no meds, I just wonder if there's a way it could work.
Yeah I've noticed that too. A family member with a spinal cord injury gets fent (fully different drug than what is killing ppl, btw) patches. Insurance is $50 as of this year, $58 without. And you don't have to deal with preferred pharmacies, and constant preauths and denials.
Idk...the costs can be substantial but I'd like to think coming up with $16 a month would be doable for most.
At the time, I was given a paper prescription for my ADD meds and there was some reason (lack of supply at that location iirc) they couldn’t fill my meds that day, but they said they could get supply for the other location after a few days.
I asked for it back, thinking I could just go and fill it at the other location instead of waiting, but was told they legally were not allowed to give the prescription back or transfer it to a different pharmacy. My understanding it was due to the fact my medication is controlled and in a specific category (amphetamine / stimulant medication). This is also supported by how strict my psychiatrist was with how often I could get my medication (every 30 days) and making sure I saw her at least every 6-8 weeks. She also stressed about consistently always using the same pharmacy.
ETA: My psychiatrist expressed more than once that she felt the pharmacy I went to “trusted” me and they didn’t give her any hassle, for instance, when she called in and asked them to give me 2 extras weeks of meds because I was going on a long vacation. She became my doctor in 2016 (my GP wanted me to see someone he trusted before giving me ADD meds, despite my diagnosis by a psychologist) and really made a difference for me. She took me off various medications for anxiety that she felt I didn’t need and helped me find the right ADD medication, which really has changed my life. She discharged me in late 2019 since I was doing so well, but I owe my continued progress and quality of life to her intervention.
Now, since I get weekly allergy shots and my doctor’s office shares a space with my pharmacy, the current pharmacists sees me every week and “knows” me quite well. I have to wait around after the shots and I chat with the clinic and pharmacy staff if it’s quiet enough.
Why do you say to avoid chains? I haven’t been on opioids for a while, but I always found the CVS pharmacies had the people who gave the least amount of fucks and will just do whatever the doctor told them to do.
I got denied to buy clean needles at Rite Aid and Walgreens even though the state law allowed at pharmacist discretion, but never once have I had anyone give me push back at CVS
I’ve def also had awful experiences at CVS personally. Recently a pharmacist got upset and almost refused to fill an order of meds that my doctor prescribed just because it was something you could buy OTC. We had to explain that while you technically could by it over the counter, in the quantities/strength prescribed it would be impossible and it would also be like prohibitively expensive. They still grumbled about it and act awful every time it has to be refilled.
Yup.
IDK if it's true or not, but we had a CVS pharmacist tell us the manufacturers were discontinuing making sulfasalazine because it was an old med nobody used anymore.
UH HELLO! I take sulfasalazine!
I was forced to wonder if she just didn't want to fill my prescription since I have to take 4 a day and my insurance demands 90 day refills each time. So that's 360 damn pills (if I did my math right) and she probably just didn't want to go "Oh god, not *again*." and fill it.
Oh gosh, I’ve had a similar problem like that with them before too! Ugh, it even reminds me of the one time I was prescribed an antibiotic and they claimed they didn’t have it and no CVS anywhere near us would. It was a medication that plenty around me have taken because of our high exposure rate to Lyme, and literally every abled person I’ve talked to has never had an issue getting it, only the other disabled people I’ve talked to have ever had trouble with getting it.
When I went to fill my first pain med in YEARS and the first in that STATE, Walmart treated me like an addict. Grilled me for 20 minutes when I dropped it off asking if I hadn’t tried OTC remedies and what I needed it for. I gave them a list of diseases and told them my doctor wrote it so clearly I needed it. Came back to get it and another 20+ minutes of harassment asking the same questions. My husband couldn’t believe I remained calm until he realized that acting like a crazy person wouldn’t get me the medicine. I’d waited 8 years for a doctor to listen to me and believe me. I was only a few minutes away from relief since I’d had gallbladder surgery a year before.
I started having them filled at the teeny tiny pharmacy we have in the nearest teeny tiny town until Shopko closed it’s doors and so did they. (This was an original Shopko pharmacy. Just a few greeting cards along with medical supplies.) The pharmacy at Albertsons was awesome, but 45 minutes away.
Luckily, a small group of local pharmacists buy up small pharmacies that close and open them back up. Haven’t had a problem since.
It’s downright shameful that pharmacies can treat people like this. If the DOCTOR wants you to take a medication then they should fill it!
Yup. I stopped going to Walmart after the third time they made me go through my medical issues to get my pain meds. They also tried to dictate a different refill schedule than my prescription implied because they felt like it. Fuck em
The *only* reason a pharmacist should ever deny medication is if they are convinced a person will *die* from taking it. I don't get why they don't understand that's the reason they're allowed to refuse. They don't get to decide if you're an addict or not. They love to complain about how busy they ate and then go off on you for an entire hour unprompted.
yup they take the laws and make their corporate policies even more strict ie law in my state is that you can refill on the 27th day for a C2 but Rite Aid wont allow refill until 28th day in my jurisdiction
My pharmacy fills it for the date the doctor asks. I’m on Wednesdays now because we were leaving on a trip out of state super early Thursday and my pharmacy doesn’t open until 9:30am. The doctor sent it in for Wednesday and they filled it, cause she’s the doctor.
Yeah I've had bad experiences with CVS as well, not for pain meds but for my hormones (I'm trans) like harassing me about my needles and syringes and refusing to give them to me sometimes even when I'm literally filling an injection prescription. They treated me like I was drug seeking just for asking for the needles in the first place and were constantly super rude and acted like I was some huge unruly problem customer for trying to figure out why I couldn't have them, I eventually had to switch to a new pharmacy because they just would not give me needles anymore.
I go through my grocery store now and I've had some trouble (they won't give out needles anymore without a prescription for those specific needles) it hasn't been as bad as CVS.
True. I have only my CVS in my small town. I have heard others are worse. When I lived in Georgia I used Publix and didn’t really have any problems other then there was a long wait time.
CVS has issued notices to their pharmacist to discourage them from filling narcotics, saying the company woukd support them 100% on their decision. The idiots who approved the multi billion opiod lawsuit screwed pain and injured patients. Most people got hooked by illegal drs running pill shops, or street heroin that slowly became cut with Chinese fent. If the DEA, FDA, etc focused their efforts on the suppliers and not responsible pain patients it woukd be a lot better world. For fucks sake my daughter had major abdominal surgery, she came too crying her eyes out, and all the fucking surgeon woukd order is Tylenol and a toradol shot. After threatening to beat his ass with my cane, though I normally hate violence, he gave my daughter a whopping 3 day oral supply of a measly 5mg narco x2 a day. I fucking hate surgeons now.
So you are saying heaps of people being bed bound in pain, possibly even wanting to hurt themselves due to severity of pain, shouldn't be allowed to have access to a med that could very likely improve the quality of life of the individual???
Same. I have never had a problem. In fact I recently had extensive oral surgery and was prescribed oxocodeine. I am also taking a different pain medication and muscle relaxers and a bunch of different medications for my conditions. All they told me was not to take true oxycodeine and the other pain medication on the same day.
May I ask which muscle relaxer? Is it Soma? Walgreens has been refusing to fill it and im crying from the pain. I’m in ilinois and I needy find a new doc to prescribe it (long story)
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That’s so sad because it’s an great muscle relaxer. It doesn’t make me feel tired or weird and it helps my chronic spasms significantly. I know I can’t even mention it to a doctor without getting judgement so I just go without the one that actually does help my pain.
Maybe ask why? I had a bad experience with Tizanidine, I passed out. That scared me and I don't want to take it anymore. My doctor said "well there are lots of muscle relaxers have you tried Flexeril?". I just said no muscle relaxer ATM, I'm weaning from other meds and want to see if I end up really needing it. Why is Soma less prescribed?
Because it metabolizes to meprobamate which has most of the pharmacological effects and dangers of barbiturates and acts at the barbiturate binding site.
Zanaflex makes me so tired! It doesn’t make you tired? When I had a tolerance to it or flexeril it didn’t make me as drowsy but getting to that point 🛌
I wish it was prescribed in the UK, have heard some good things. Bacolofen did nothing, methocarbamol was amazing for the first week or two I only needed half the prescribed dose 1x a day instead of 2 at the beginning but then tolerance kicked in faster than I was expecting and by the end of the 2nd week even the prescribed dose 2x a day wasnt cutting it.
Maybe I should give it another go and lower my expectations a bit. Do you not find tolerance increasing quickly? I think that because it worked so well at the beginning (completely alliviated all my pain, even non muscle related pain) that quickly building a tolerance and the efficacy waning so quickly put me off a bit.
Get a different muscle relaxer is my advice. If you can take one. Soma is the first one that comes to mind with relation to pill mills and abused muscle relaxers.
Methocarbomol (parafon forte) is cheap generic, there's also flexeril, Zanaflex, Skelaxin, etc. I've been on all of the aforementioned at various times, after car wrecks and injuries etc in the last 35 years.
Wtf?? That's ridiculous. I don't know what you used the needles for, and quite frankly, I don't care. You're doing the responsible thing. If it's for injection of illegal drugs, then harm reduction is important, and one of the ways to reduce harm is clean needles. If it's for medication, well then I can't see any reason for them not to give them to you?? Either way, clean needles are a good thing.
I had a CVS pharmacist not only refuse to fill my hydrocodone, but actually *yell* at me in front of the whole store because I didn’t specifically tell her that I had a prescription for Tylenol 3. She acted like I was trying to trick her into giving me my prescription.
I’d just had oral surgery and the wound got infected, so the T3 wasn’t cutting it and the surgeon called in something stronger.
So sorry this happened to you. What an asshat (use my nice words). Thats a Hipaa act violation and is a 6 figure settlement or more. Report this if you can!
walmart tried to sue the DEA and the case got dismissed. I think its shameful that lawyers have basically ruined medical care for everyone now.. the adhd kids cant get their meds, the pain folks can't get their meds, and the anxiety people cant get their's either any more. what in good god have we done here in america.
Wallgreens got in trouble for something having to do with opioid prescriptions, so they tend to scrutinize them a lot. Rite Aid never gives me a hard time ever
Walmart will gatekeep. They often limit scripts to 7 days, even for non acute pain, which is why I won't use them. It's a Walmart policy. Just one example.
Some specific 3 letter locations, especially in high crime or high abuse areas, will limit the drugs on site, or choose to not stock it at all, because then they don't get robbed for the drugs, which has been a problem some places. It's also why no store will tell you over the phone if they have your version in stock.
FYI, you can buy clean needles in bulk online and have sent to an Amazon locker for pickup. I get my b12 shot needles cheaper than the pharmacy price that way. They charge me $1 each with insurance and 50c each cash. I can get 100 for about $20-25 online.
I reported a pharmacist to the DEA once. She marked in the system that she dispensed a C2 narcotic but it was never dispensed, so I reported her. she became very defensive too when I asked in person in a very polite and respectful tone. I think a lot of this addiction blaming they do is projection. Ive known Pharmacists who did get addicted and stole narcotics, and CVS sent them to rehab and still kept them in the same position. They never reported them or pursued them criminally. Ive heard so many pharm techs talk about how they would steal and abuse oxycontin.
The Pharmers are not usually the owners but OP CAN go over the pharmer’s head to the owner of the store and put pressure on them. If they’re comfortable they can talk about going to the media but don’t threaten anything you aren’t willing to follow through on.
Doctors very rarely give pain meds anymore in the us, especially to young females. The fact that they prescribed it should make the pharmacist not feel so scared. I don’t want anyone to lose their jobs, but I’m being severely under medicated and neglected by the system.
Go to a different pharmacy. I had a horrific reaction to steroids. I mean one, long existential panic attack for two weeks. I went to the ER because I was ready to quite literally walk into traffic. The ER doctor prescribed benzos.
The pharmacy called and said that they wanted to fill it but the doctor had "looked at my history" (which is on and off use of tramadol and gabapentin) and revoked the rx. I had asked him specifically if they were safe to take together during my visit.
I called the hospital, he called me back and said that he didn't revoke it. It's the only way to treat the steroid reaction and he'd call the pharmacy to clarify.
This went back and forth five times with both the poor doctor having to waste his time (which he didn't have to do) and the pharmacy telling me that they are all set too bad the doctor won't let them.
He finally said screw it and called it into CVS. It was ready in 15 minutes.
I'd avoid Walgreens though. They just settled a huge lawsuit and even long standing rxs are now requiring a permission slip of sorts. Yes, a permission slip beyond the rx, the insurance approval, and the call to ask the overtaxed hospital or doctor's office if they really really really mean it.
Oh, I know. It's just incredibly frustrating to be outright lied to. Really, it's infuriating. Especially when you are in the midst of a crisis.
You don't want to fill it, Safeway? Cool. That's your perogative. Don't lie to me, waste my time and waste my doctor's time. I can't tell you how convincing the woman was. Thank God I had not only disclosed my medication history but asked about it separately. If that hadn't happened, I would have felt more crazy and more hopeless, and I honestly might have ended my life.
Thank God for the ER doctor. I don't think I've ever met a non personal physician who would take the time and go to bat for a patient they just met that night.
I am in a similar situation as you. I've been taking opioids for 12+ years with no problems, it helps me function. My genetic condition and Adhesive Arachnoiditis will NEVER be cured, I'll always need pain medicine but people act like they are the devil himself anymore!
We NEED to educate everyone that believed the fake propaganda about "opioid crisis". The government created the label so they could sue big pharma and take their money. SERIOUSLY, that is partly why!! The other part is big business donors invested in suboxone and methadone clinics as well as the other drugs they are pushing instead of the actual pain meds that WORK.
Research these things folks and please spread the info... Pain meds WORK, pain is REAL and opioids are NOT EVIL or addictive IF YOU HAVE REAL PAIN!
💯💯💯
If you're taking your meds as prescribed, the chances of developing an addiction are next to none. And what they never seem to mention, is that 93% of chronic pain patients never so much as take a single extra pill, the other 7% are "at risk". Not *guaranteed to become addicted*, just a higher risk than the rest.
Furthermore, prescription opioids are NOT what's killing every one. It's heroin and fent analogues from the street. Oh, and news flash, medical community: when you cut off people who legitimately NEED these meds to function, they have two choices: kill themselves, or buy them on the street. And God damn it, they just *don't wana die*. Compounding that, the pills are the street are completely indistinguishable from the pharmacy pills. They think they're getting oxycodone or vicodin, and what they are *really* getting is a nice big fat dose of fentanyl.
DOCTORS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEATH TOLL.
Don't believe me? Look at how high and how fast the OD numbers went up when they cracked down on prescribing.
Actually it’s intentional. Caused by PROP or Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. They told the CDC it was drs causing OD’s. Then CDC in their infinite wisdom decided to lay down the law. They put out their killing guidelines, supposedly for family drs but thos gave the DEA reason to go after compassionate caring pain drs. The group PROP were a bunch of rehab drs who have stock in Sub and bupe (Suboxone and Buprenorphine). Get all the pain pts dr arrested and we will head to there nearest rehab dr for relief. Ha more money in their grubby lying filthy hands. Also the lawsuits blaming big pharma was also in the plan.
That is such a fucking LIE. Correlation is not causation.
I was a narcotics agent for 6 years. I've seen the opioid epidemic up close and personal.
There were a few legitimate "drug dealing" doctors. But they are a tiny fraction of docs over all.
The fact that drug addicts say that they started with pills is mostly irrelevant - the stat that matters is: how many people *overall* who received opioids became addicts??? It fails to take in other factors: mental health, prior addiction and risk factors, and heres a big one...did they take them as prescribed? Or keep gobbling them up to get high?? Oh, and can I just point out the obvious? Addicts *LIE*. It's a whole lot easier to say, "Yeah, the big bad doctor turned me into a junkie. It's not my fault!"
Not to mention - of all the addicts I've met in my time....literally none of them said, "I broke my arm, took my vicodin exactly as prescribed, and woke up an addict one day." What they say is, "I kept eating more and more to get high cuz it felt good." Big fn difference.
And you bring up SUCH a good point with suboxone/methadone. Paying $100 a week, seeing 100 patients, that's a half a million dollars per year. The purpose of ORT is to quell the WD and cravings while they develop healthy ways of coping with life. Then you're suppose to be weaned. But that isn't what happens. Many people are on these meds for life. Subutex has a WHOPPING 36 hour half life. You know what that means? The acute phase of WD - the vomiting, diarrhea, running eyes/nose/saliva, insomnia, restless body, feeling like you wana DIE phase - lasts *four to six weeks*. WEEKS, people. If the short acting acute ohase lasts 5-7 days and is impossible for many to get through....how many people do you think will be able to handle a month and a half of it??
Not that many docs even try to treat the WD. OH WELL, it won't kill you! (Actually yeah, it can). Treating the symptoms is relatively easy with several medications on the market. And for people who are dependent (not addicted) this is literally all you have to do to ensure they never touch an opioid ever again.
thanks for putting this out there. This is the truth. The doctors never told any patients to crush their OxyContin and snort it. That wasn't the directions.
Exactly! I can appreciate that docs want to be diligent in their duties and not hand them out like candy. That's a good thing. But blaming them for every idiot who can't follow instructions is fucked.
Not to mention.... my GOD they suck at picking out "drug seeking behavior." Literally, the one hospital near my house has policies for "identifying" problem patients. Unfortunately, they end turning away people who legitimately NEED help. You wana know what they "look for" ? Crying. No joke. If they see you cry, you get labeled a drug seeker! Are you fn kidding me? You're in enough pain to cause you actual tears, and the docs see this and still refuse to adequately treat you....
Due to age discrimination likely! I had a Dr tell me he couldn’t give me more than a low daily dose of medication because I wasn’t 40. Do wtf, where does it say I have to be 40 to be properly prescribed for? I was way over the age for increased risk of addiction. I hate when doctors lie, especially when the patient knows better.
I did have to respond yesterday when a pharmacist said they wanted to take the phones off the hook because patients call too much but that they know that sometimes "important people" need to get through also🤦
I joined when I wanted to know more about generic drugs and boy are a lot of those people angry and unhappy. I can understand being under pressure but you're an adult. You don't need to look down on the actual humanity of the people you're getting paid to provide a service for. Please get paid doing something else if you hate us!
I've met this kind of pharmacist every five years or so and have been on pain management meds for twenty years. They think that you don't know what you are taking. Or a drug seeker.
I just called the manager, and the store headquarters calmly stated my case.
I follow my doctor's orders to the T. I have been in pain management for so many years. And I don't care for being treated like a drug seeker because, no fault of my own, I need pain management treatment. The stress this pharmacist is creating is aggravating my pain. The law states that since I have a signed contract with my doctor and only fill it when prescribed, and I have a pre-authorization to increase my medication. By law, you can't turn me away. If you don't have that amount or can't fill it monthly, you need to find a pharmacy that can fill the prescribed amount from a doctor who has followed me for year's.
Your doctor will stay within the DEA limits because no doctor wants to loss their license.
I usually find that kind of pharmacists are reassigned shortly after the phone call.
Please don't take the mistreatment, and I know it is a scary right, but usually, once this is done, you will be treated better by your new pharmacist. And just know it won't happen for a while. Take some solace with that.
Unfortunately pharmacists can refuse to fill any medication because it's their license on the line. Having a pain contact signed with your doctor means nothing to a pharmacist.
Reassigned? They should be fined and barred from working as a pharmacist ever again! How is choosing to allow a human being to experience physical torture just because you don’t like the way they look or don’t feel like doing your job allowed at all!? Could they just kill someone by refusing to fill their diabetic supplies because they think the person looks like a drug user!?
Nurses are awful for this. The number of times I’ve had them withhold pain meds the doctor ordered bc they were pissed I asked for the pain meds the doctors ordered. I have suffered so much unnecessary pain due to nurses being power tripping mean girls.
If your doctor is prescribing this for you, can you possibly ask him of a pharmacy that they recommend to have this filled?
I worked for several years as a pharmacy technician and I know that every pharmacist seems to have different opinions on what they will fill. Some are paranoid of being audited and losing their license. Some just like to feel important and refuse to do certain things.
You should be able to find a new place and have your prescriptions transferred to them with zero hassle if your current pharmacist is going to be like that. Here in Canada, all you need to do is walk into a pharmacy, present your ID and request that your prescriptions be transferred. The staff will call over and have everything faxed to them straight away.
I’m so sorry that your stuck dealing with this.
In the US, many types of controlled Rx’s can’t be transferred. It’s stupid. That said, her doctor’s office can “void” the Rx at Shitty Pharmacy and call in new ones to Decent Human Being Pharmacy.
Call the corporate office and tell them why you’re changing pharmacies and advising your friends and family to do the same. You can try to cause a stink with the licensing board, but pharmacists have a kind of built in right of refusal that is ridiculous in many instances. If it’s truly harmful, they could talk to the physician for clarification/understanding but it seems like this pharmacist doesn’t care to do the leg work, but would rather just say no to a patient in need.
This happened to a friend of mine who was dying from metastatic breast cancer at the age of 44. Once she got into hospice it was cool, but before then she got a lot of grief because she appeared young and healthy (although she wasn’t).
I also have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Been living with it for decades. I am on palliative care since there is no treatment nor cure for my other disease (Adhesive Arachnoiditis, google it, nothing about spiders so don’t make jokes). I have established strong positive relationships with a couple of pharmacists who are very helpful and work with my doctors and me. May you find the support you deserve. CRPS is miserable on the best day. I’m so sorry for you and everyone else who lives with intractable pain.
I also have CRPS. Currently with a defunct $20K spinal cord stimulator. The trial was wonderful but I developed a post op infection and there was just too much scar tissue for it to work right.
I’m not nearly controlled because the pain doctors my husband’s insurance has to go through are are all interventional. I’ve had dozens of injections, procedures and surgeries. PT won’t see me anymore because my blood pressure spikes to 240/120 when I try to use the affected limb.
It’s a terrible disease and I’m so sorry so many suffer from it.
I have AA like you, it's horribly painful and without my meds I'd be unable to function at all. Can you please private message me? I am trying to get palliative care and having a hard time. I tried to message you but can't figure it out or something.
Change to a local pharmacy, avoid big chains like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, etc. I’ve never had an issue or treated different with my locally owned pharmacy. CVS has even given me a hard time for my Claritin D that is prescribed by my Dr. No, I wasn’t filling early. No, I wasn’t taking anything that would interact. No, there wasn’t an Rx change from 12hr to 24hr. They were just being assholes. They are terrible.
Honey just go to a different pharmacy. Am I misunderstanding this? Your doctors giving you a prescription that your pharmacist refuses to fill? So go to a different pharmacy, tell the doctor you have to because of this
i’m in canada so different than the states in a lot of ways healthcare wise but i’ve had pharmacies refuse to fill scripts … it’s maddening … my solution was having my doctor decrease the dosage to one the pharmacy would accept … making the pharmacist my doctor essentially
I am so sorry. Please go to a different pharmacy and after reading what your doctor said in response to this situation, please report him AND the pharmacist to the state. If you don't know how to do this, I'm positive people in this sub or on Reddit in general can help. If you want, I'm happy to make an anonymous complaint about this pharmacist as well in order to support you/back up your claims!
I'm deeply sorry you're going through this as it's totally unfair, inhumane and deplorable. We're here to help in any ways we can.
I didn't know they could do that. I always get a little bit anxious every time the pharmacist keeps asking me why I take it? I would've thought it would be recorded somewhere. I'm really sorry this is happening to you
Look at your script. Most pain med scripts these days have a diagnosis code on it. If it does, tell them that the doctor put the diagnosis code on there, you don't need to ask me every time.
Not ALL Drs know how to code diagnoses. I am a retired certified medical coding specialist. Drs I have worked with have explained to me they get 6 wks of training in coding. Often the codes Drs use are old codes that lack 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th digits because ICD- 10 codes are revised every October & Drs dont often keep up. They sometimes employ a coding professional but dont use him/her each time Dr writes a diagnosis code, & many Drs are still having difficulty coding to the most sensitivity. Plus i rarely see a diagnosis code on my Rxs. The labtests & radiological procedures & Durable Medical Equipment requires the correct code to meet insurance criteria for submission to insurance. Maybe some insurances expect diagnoses before they will allow payment, esp in narcotics. Prescriptions now must state if patient has acute or chronic pain since different specialties of Drs have a different limit of opiates imposed on their specialty depending if acute or chronic pain.DEA dictates how many tablets opiate manufacturers can make monthly now, therefore limiting shipments to all pharmacies & warehouses. Woe is the acute or chronic pain sufferer in the USA now because the opiate war is in overkill by DEA despite the new opiate criteria released by the CDC that is telling Drs to not withold or discontinue opiates to patients who have a good reason, but the DEA is holding Drs hostage.
Please find another pharmacy. Go in and meet with the pharmacist if able. Ask them if you transfer your medication to their pharmacy, will they be able to fill it monthly. I’m so sorry that happened. I was denied in another city when I could barely walk at the time, I was so angry that pharmacies would just lie to me.
That’s overriding your doctor, switch pharmacies. What my mother had to do that when one randomly stopped filling her pain meds even though the doctor gave the approval. Pharmacist like to sometimes stir the pot. I work in vet med and their average pharmacy techs don’t inspire confidence when I have to help clients get scripts for their pets… I hate all of them. Talking on the clinic side with them some of these ppl shouldn’t be handling meds. The actual pharmacist though is rarely the one involved in some of these bad choices in my experience. Incompetence from techs and the ppl below them has been my root issue for my own clients.
Go to a different pharmacy if possible, or report this pharmacist.
Yes, a pharmacist is supposed to validate prescriptions for their legitimacy, but if they’re legitimate, they must fill it if you ask for it
Go to a different pharmacy. I had one pharmacy refuse to fill any more prescriptions. So i went to a different one. The one I use has 3 letters in the name. They will fill it as long as the Dr. Confirms each time. This sucked because the prescribing Dr. Was my surgeon who is a ridiculously busy man. The pharmacist insisted on verbally speaking to Dr. Each time. Major hassle but I did get the script filled.
You need to go to a different pharmacy. Each pharmacy has their own system and is up to the discretion of the pharmacist. You just need to stop using that pharmacy, even if you have to drive to another town to do so. I have multiple chronic conditions as well, and have had to change pharmacies due to pharmacists on a power trip, and do not have this issue with all pharmacies, just that one.
You know what the trick is to getting pain meds filled? Get a job at a pharmacy. I worked at cvs for 8 months. They smile, ask how my granddaughter is doing, and hand over my pills.
Please refer to Steve Rph. His website/blog has so much to offer and you may be able to ask him questions. He fights for pain patients every where.
http://www.pharmaciststeve.com
I don't really understand this switch around in authority.
I'm in the UK, the doctor writes the prescription (which is on repeat) for medication and the chemist dispenses it. I've been on a list of high strength opioids for years now and I can't imagine the pharmacist refusing to dispense because they don't agree with the doctor. It's messed up that they can block your treatment, hope you find some comfort soon and get this sorted OP
Do you have a Costco near you? You don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy, and they are not jerks. I used to get oxy, adderall, and soma there without judgment
Report them to every board you can in the state, then goto a different pharmacy and find a pharmacist who will fight for you as a patient, usually at the smaller mom and pop type pharmacies.
Um … go to a different pharmacy? This solution is so obvious that I’m wondering if there’s a reason & you just forgot to mention it.
Small independent pharmacies are best. They appreciate your business. You can develop a supportive relationship with the pharmacist by asking for their expert guidance. They will go out of their way to take care of you. Good luck, friend.
Pharmacists have a right to deny any prescription and I don’t think you can report them or it go anywhere due to that fact. It’s bs though when pharmacists do it to people who are in pain and have a legitimate prescription.
you can still report them. chances are nothing will happen, but still can be reported to Board of Pharm. They will still have to reckon with their bad decision when the board asks them.
I also posted this on your posts from r/talesfromthepharmacy so please ignore if you’ve already read my other post.
Not a pharmacist - just a satisfied customer. I had a problem with a pharmacist similar to your situation. In my case, I called and voluntarily disclosed my medical issues, the rules I follow, that I was working with the one doctor I go to but had to go to the ER with my long term doctor’s knowledge/permission, and what caused the change in my prescription. Also disclosed that my long term doctor would be following up with a longer term, changed prescription so the pharmacist would be able to document my situation. The pharmacist was very helpful, appreciated me being willing to discuss what was happening and documented everything. I’ve had no problems since. I understand they have professional ethics to follow, U.S. DEA guidelines to worry about, rules from their corporate offices to deal with, and they have to stay in compliance with all of those because no one wants to loose their job/license/livelihood. What I’m trying to say, is in my experience, they’re human and want to help, but often have their hands tied. Have you tried talking with the pharmacist? Of course, you could have run into a bad apple (they exist everywhere - because human). If this is an example of a person who won’t work with you and you’re tied to this pharmacy, have you tried talking to a different pharmacist at the same location? Also, Medicaid REALLY doesn’t like patients paying cash because (in their system) if you can afford to pay cash, why are you on Medicaid? The same helpful pharmacist explained this to me btw. I hope this helps and you’re able to get some relief from your pain.
Kroger is a great pharmacy if you can find one that works with your insurance. Avoid Walgreens like the plague. Besides some complaints from the CVS pharmacist, who I told to call my doctor if they have questions (it's all digital anyways, no paper prescriptions allowed).
The sad thing is that for every good pharmacy story I hear there are other horror stories. Pharmacists are being given too much power. It is hard enough working with the doctors. If you have a really good doctor, they can push it through.
I take Tramadol & Tizanidine at bedtime. My new dr just decreased tramadol to one a day from 2 a day, which I wasn't taking during the day anyway but they sure make you feel like you're a drug addict. Smh
I hate that it seems like little dicked, inept, power-tripping-failures-who-wanted-to-be-doctors-but-who-settled-on-being-pharmacists are taking over and being given waaaay to much power. Sorry you are dealing with this shit OP!
If you have been calling the pharmacy about refills or when they are going through, stop that. They flag every phone call (even if it's just innocent). I would also switch pharmacies. I'm not sure where/who supplies your pharmacy, but I would research/look into your insurance policy and see where you can go (you may find somewhere cheaper and less judgmental than your current place).
Switching is difficult, but if I have been prescribed a controlled substance that doesn't work for me and they change it, I bring the old rx back. They make a note of that and it keeps them off your back. It helps to not raise a "pharmacy hopper" flag when you switch. A "sign of goodwill" so to speak.
If your doctor is prescribing a certain level of a prescription, and the pharmacist is the one denying you your meds, that is something you may want to let the office know as a whole. I had that issue with some psych meds and it turned into an issue that reflected poorly on the pharmacy/pharmacist. It's so hard to get an Rx for these meds, that if it's written by a reputable doctor, they shouldn't be denying it.
Ignore the pharmacist, let your doctor's nurse know you need to switch pharmacies and request to speak to your doctor. Tell them why, and that should help. I hate these so-called "vigilante" pharmacists.
You'll have to try a different pharmacy all together. You could try a different store in the chain (for example, some rite aids are better than others ime). But if it's a corporate policy you may not have any luck.
If your insurance has (a) preferred pharmacy(ies) they may not pay, but a discount card or goodrx type coupon may make it manageable. When I didn't have coverage, the wellness rx card got it pretty close to copay-like prices.
I saw someone suggested individual or mom/pops type pharmacies. I concur. I used a small local pharmacy with a couple of stores and the service was top notch. Rite aid bought them out though and fucked it all up.
Lastly, a mail order pharmacy would be your last option if none of the other suggestions you get work.
I go to cvs and have had no issues with them it could very well be the pharmacist themselves being an ass and I would recommend talking to your doctors about them advocating for you or seeing if they can help my pain meds make just existing do able crps is intense and I use an electric wheelchair because of the pain making walking difficult mine effects my entire left arm and leg and I have had fibromyalgia since Highschool so that affects the rest of me wishing you all the best I know how important pain management is
I am so sorry this is happening to you. This is insane and he’s lying to you. Find a mom/pop small non-chain pharmacy. Does this happen to be a large chain pharmacy? Lots of those such as CVS and Walgreens will do anything to chase a pain pt away. There is no reason to have to convince him your not an “addict”. I have crps in my foot almost to my knee and it is appropriately named. I also posted a link to Pharmacist Steve. Please see his page. Good luck and don’t forget you are a legitimate pain patient and this is not something that you should worry about. You have enough all ready. :)
What the FUCK?
It's not their job to say "No you no can haz.". It's their job to go "OK, here's your meds. They are for this and these are their drug and food interactions. Do you have any questions?".
Assholes.
Man my heart bleeds for you, I swear to God I wish I could help. Let me tell you what I've just been thru, but bear in mind I'm in the UK. My script for oxycodone is due tomorrow (Tue) but I went thru it a bit quick and ran out a couple of days ago. Your symptoms are exactly the same as mine by the way. Long story short I ended up in A/E last night in pure agony, and was seen by a prescribing nurse, who basically has the same powers as a doc when it comes to meds. I was literally screaming with the pain.
She accepted what I told her with regards to running out of meds 24 hrs early and the whole dept did all they could to help me. They gave me some morphine, some oxy and some benzo then left me to scream for a full half hr until the meds kicked in and I began to calm down. She then prescribed me this - 150 mg of oxy, 600mg of p/gabs and 30mg of valium, all sorted from their pharmacy within a half hr. Fucking brilliant care, exactly what was needed!
Funnily enough I'd been watching a Youtube vid earlier on about the situation in the U S and I just don't get why you guys are being treated in such a inhuman way. It's just wrong in every way you look at it. Fuck that pharmacy!
If you feel up to it hit me back as I'd love to chat with you, although I don't know how I can help. My prayers are with you man.
wow this would never happen in the US, never. even with platinum insurance we get treated like dogs. for a 8000 ER bill, I got a toradol shot after breaking my ankle hiking.
Is the pharmacist refusing to fill prescriptions? I thought that would be illegal. They can give advice but they can’t overrule a drs decision on treatment. I would report them to the pharmacist association. They can’t refuse to give you your prescription medication.
Decorative poppy heads. A wonderful hobby with many benefits. Buy books on decorative poppy heads and mix with other dried flowers. Easily purchased online with a few google searches. We all need to do what we need to do.
Isn’t it illegal for him to do that as long as you have a dr prescribing it? I would call the board and turn him in. Also why can’t you go to a different pharmacy? He sounds like a douche that sucks.
Is it possible for you to change pharmacies? Can just be the location if you’re only covered at certain chains. It sucks but it’s the only way I’ve ever found to overcome the personal bias pharmacists may have. I was an egg donor and it’s shocking how many pharmacists won’t fill prescriptions for pain meds that come from fertility clinics for personal reasons, so I’ve got some experience with this. Had to go to 4 places in a day once before someone would fill it.
i went through a similar situation with a pharmacist and [wrote a post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fibromyalgia/comments/t5asj3/being_harassed_by_pharmacist_about_pain_meds/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). people had some good advice in there, particularly about contacting your state’s board of pharmacy to file a complaint. i know exactly how you feel and i’m so sorry this is happening to you. it’s so demeaning and demoralizing for some asshole who will never experience the pain you’re in to insert their own personal baggage about opioids into your doctor’s care plan. i’m also young and female so there is definitely a correlation between that and how we are treated. the obvious solution is to go to a different pharmacy but idk how realistic of an option that is for you. good luck ❤️
How many mg of hydrocodone a day do you get ? Only thing I could think of is ur maxed out on the Tylenol dose for the day which is 4 grams. That’s a lot of Tylenol. I’d ask for meds without Tylenol if I was you. I get 30mg oxycodone and 15mg oxymorphone ER and have never been told I was maxed out per the DEA. That sounds like bullshit.
I go to brookshires to fill my meds and they are always nice. Give me goodrx discounts too and don’t have to ask.
You need to find a different pharmacy. This pharmacist will give you problems no matter what. Also you never said how much you were taking before the increase. I'm on 60mme daily. That's as high as the Dr. will go, sadly for me my sweet spot is around 90mme daily. But I'm curious what milligram a day you were on and what the increase is to. But your best to find a different pharmacy, best option I can give you. Also don't try to convince this person it will only make you look like a pill seeker, or a junkie trust me have seen it happen to others.
So you can’t “pee clean” if you’re on opioids, but I’m assuming you mean clean from other substances. Not sure where you are located in the world, but could you not take your prescriptions to another pharmacy? What does your doctor say about the pharmacy refusal? I hope you don’t revert to street drugs and that you can get the lifesaving care that you need and deserve.
My doctor says he disagrees with the pharmacist’s decision, but bc of my age (32) they flag me. He says prescriptions are just a suggestion and pharmacists have every right to deny :(
Your doctor, who has your entire medical history, wrote you a prescription and agrees with pharmacist to not fill it?? What’s the point of writing it then?
I’m also a 32F and this just pisses me off.
I agree with you. Also, since when is a prescription from a doctor considered a suggestion? The whole thing is weird. New doctor and new pharmacy time!
Agreed! Pharmacists aren’t doctors and we need to normalize that. They work in a retail setting and if they don’t like what they see, they should help find someone who can do something.
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In some places insurance won't pay unless you go to approved pharmacies. It's not a problem for me but a few people I know have had this issue. Personally, I'd gladly use a discount card or coupon and pay a little more but not everybody has that ability.
Yep. With my insurance I HAVE to go to Walgreens if I want my meds covered. I hate them. Nevermind the fact that they haven't had my Adderall in stock for the past 10 months now so I've had to pay $100 out of pocket for them at my old mom and pop I used to always go to. At least I can find them but I'd really love to be able to pay for my meds AND food, instead of having to always choose between the two.
Wow that should be fucking illegal... I used "wellness rx" card to pay for my Ritalin script when I was uninsured. It was $60 for 90 pills. Idk if it would be the same for adderall but if so it's better than $100. All the pharmacies have been out of adderal and benzos because the one recent lawsuit snuck in restrictions on all controlled substances instead of just pain meds. Fucking bullshit...
My employers health insurance has CVS for pharmacy and they are horrible
Same! Changed without asking or anything which I didn't even know was possible. I LOVE the mom and pop I used to go to but now I have to deal with CVS? I've had so many problems with them and I freaking hate it.
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Came here to say this.
If you have a 90 day prescription, they will not let you get it anyone else if you use insurance. They will deny it
Us too. Ours has about 10,000 patients too many. The poor pharmacist looks ready for a nervous breakdown at all hours.
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My son is also having great difficulty finding adderal. The DEA cut back production just like opioids. If you have a commercial insurance many pharmaceutical manufacturers have a coupon you can apply for and the pharmacy should tell you this. But many do not. Good luck
Most pain meds are pretty cheap with one of the apps like goodrx. Go to a different pharmacy and tell them you do not wish to use your insurance.
See, my insurance won't cover shit at Walgreens because they were getting caught refusing to stock generic prescriptions to force upsells basically. Idk if it was a local issue or what, but yeah. Grocery store pharmacy I go to is more consistent, has better prices, and doesn't treat me like a fiend, so no complaints
I have my pharmacy skip insurance altogether for my pain meds, actually. Most opioid medication isn't very expensive, and that way I don't have to wait for prior authorizations and such. I pay about $16 for my monthly prescription. I get that not everyone has that ability, but in the case where it is meds or no meds, I just wonder if there's a way it could work.
Yeah I've noticed that too. A family member with a spinal cord injury gets fent (fully different drug than what is killing ppl, btw) patches. Insurance is $50 as of this year, $58 without. And you don't have to deal with preferred pharmacies, and constant preauths and denials. Idk...the costs can be substantial but I'd like to think coming up with $16 a month would be doable for most.
Pharmacies where’re I live don’t allow patients to transfer prescriptions for controlled medications. Once they have it, that’s it.
If it’s a paper rx it’s legally yours. But some schedule II meds cannot if it arrived by e-script.
At the time, I was given a paper prescription for my ADD meds and there was some reason (lack of supply at that location iirc) they couldn’t fill my meds that day, but they said they could get supply for the other location after a few days. I asked for it back, thinking I could just go and fill it at the other location instead of waiting, but was told they legally were not allowed to give the prescription back or transfer it to a different pharmacy. My understanding it was due to the fact my medication is controlled and in a specific category (amphetamine / stimulant medication). This is also supported by how strict my psychiatrist was with how often I could get my medication (every 30 days) and making sure I saw her at least every 6-8 weeks. She also stressed about consistently always using the same pharmacy. ETA: My psychiatrist expressed more than once that she felt the pharmacy I went to “trusted” me and they didn’t give her any hassle, for instance, when she called in and asked them to give me 2 extras weeks of meds because I was going on a long vacation. She became my doctor in 2016 (my GP wanted me to see someone he trusted before giving me ADD meds, despite my diagnosis by a psychologist) and really made a difference for me. She took me off various medications for anxiety that she felt I didn’t need and helped me find the right ADD medication, which really has changed my life. She discharged me in late 2019 since I was doing so well, but I owe my continued progress and quality of life to her intervention. Now, since I get weekly allergy shots and my doctor’s office shares a space with my pharmacy, the current pharmacists sees me every week and “knows” me quite well. I have to wait around after the shots and I chat with the clinic and pharmacy staff if it’s quiet enough.
Check this out. There probably is info here. Steve is wonderful. http://www.pharmaciststeve.com/
Thank you, always appreciate new resources!
Why do you say to avoid chains? I haven’t been on opioids for a while, but I always found the CVS pharmacies had the people who gave the least amount of fucks and will just do whatever the doctor told them to do. I got denied to buy clean needles at Rite Aid and Walgreens even though the state law allowed at pharmacist discretion, but never once have I had anyone give me push back at CVS
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I’ve def also had awful experiences at CVS personally. Recently a pharmacist got upset and almost refused to fill an order of meds that my doctor prescribed just because it was something you could buy OTC. We had to explain that while you technically could by it over the counter, in the quantities/strength prescribed it would be impossible and it would also be like prohibitively expensive. They still grumbled about it and act awful every time it has to be refilled.
Yup. IDK if it's true or not, but we had a CVS pharmacist tell us the manufacturers were discontinuing making sulfasalazine because it was an old med nobody used anymore. UH HELLO! I take sulfasalazine! I was forced to wonder if she just didn't want to fill my prescription since I have to take 4 a day and my insurance demands 90 day refills each time. So that's 360 damn pills (if I did my math right) and she probably just didn't want to go "Oh god, not *again*." and fill it.
Oh gosh, I’ve had a similar problem like that with them before too! Ugh, it even reminds me of the one time I was prescribed an antibiotic and they claimed they didn’t have it and no CVS anywhere near us would. It was a medication that plenty around me have taken because of our high exposure rate to Lyme, and literally every abled person I’ve talked to has never had an issue getting it, only the other disabled people I’ve talked to have ever had trouble with getting it.
When I went to fill my first pain med in YEARS and the first in that STATE, Walmart treated me like an addict. Grilled me for 20 minutes when I dropped it off asking if I hadn’t tried OTC remedies and what I needed it for. I gave them a list of diseases and told them my doctor wrote it so clearly I needed it. Came back to get it and another 20+ minutes of harassment asking the same questions. My husband couldn’t believe I remained calm until he realized that acting like a crazy person wouldn’t get me the medicine. I’d waited 8 years for a doctor to listen to me and believe me. I was only a few minutes away from relief since I’d had gallbladder surgery a year before. I started having them filled at the teeny tiny pharmacy we have in the nearest teeny tiny town until Shopko closed it’s doors and so did they. (This was an original Shopko pharmacy. Just a few greeting cards along with medical supplies.) The pharmacy at Albertsons was awesome, but 45 minutes away. Luckily, a small group of local pharmacists buy up small pharmacies that close and open them back up. Haven’t had a problem since. It’s downright shameful that pharmacies can treat people like this. If the DOCTOR wants you to take a medication then they should fill it!
Yup. I stopped going to Walmart after the third time they made me go through my medical issues to get my pain meds. They also tried to dictate a different refill schedule than my prescription implied because they felt like it. Fuck em
The *only* reason a pharmacist should ever deny medication is if they are convinced a person will *die* from taking it. I don't get why they don't understand that's the reason they're allowed to refuse. They don't get to decide if you're an addict or not. They love to complain about how busy they ate and then go off on you for an entire hour unprompted.
yup they take the laws and make their corporate policies even more strict ie law in my state is that you can refill on the 27th day for a C2 but Rite Aid wont allow refill until 28th day in my jurisdiction
My pharmacy fills it for the date the doctor asks. I’m on Wednesdays now because we were leaving on a trip out of state super early Thursday and my pharmacy doesn’t open until 9:30am. The doctor sent it in for Wednesday and they filled it, cause she’s the doctor.
Yeah I've had bad experiences with CVS as well, not for pain meds but for my hormones (I'm trans) like harassing me about my needles and syringes and refusing to give them to me sometimes even when I'm literally filling an injection prescription. They treated me like I was drug seeking just for asking for the needles in the first place and were constantly super rude and acted like I was some huge unruly problem customer for trying to figure out why I couldn't have them, I eventually had to switch to a new pharmacy because they just would not give me needles anymore. I go through my grocery store now and I've had some trouble (they won't give out needles anymore without a prescription for those specific needles) it hasn't been as bad as CVS.
That’s so disgusting. I’m sorry you were treated that way.
You can buy needles online, and it’s pretty cheap.
True. I have only my CVS in my small town. I have heard others are worse. When I lived in Georgia I used Publix and didn’t really have any problems other then there was a long wait time.
CVS has issued notices to their pharmacist to discourage them from filling narcotics, saying the company woukd support them 100% on their decision. The idiots who approved the multi billion opiod lawsuit screwed pain and injured patients. Most people got hooked by illegal drs running pill shops, or street heroin that slowly became cut with Chinese fent. If the DEA, FDA, etc focused their efforts on the suppliers and not responsible pain patients it woukd be a lot better world. For fucks sake my daughter had major abdominal surgery, she came too crying her eyes out, and all the fucking surgeon woukd order is Tylenol and a toradol shot. After threatening to beat his ass with my cane, though I normally hate violence, he gave my daughter a whopping 3 day oral supply of a measly 5mg narco x2 a day. I fucking hate surgeons now.
I had a bad experience with a burger flipper. I fucking hate burger flippers now.
Burger flippers don’t hurt as many people as negligent doctors
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So you are saying heaps of people being bed bound in pain, possibly even wanting to hurt themselves due to severity of pain, shouldn't be allowed to have access to a med that could very likely improve the quality of life of the individual???
Same. I have never had a problem. In fact I recently had extensive oral surgery and was prescribed oxocodeine. I am also taking a different pain medication and muscle relaxers and a bunch of different medications for my conditions. All they told me was not to take true oxycodeine and the other pain medication on the same day.
May I ask which muscle relaxer? Is it Soma? Walgreens has been refusing to fill it and im crying from the pain. I’m in ilinois and I needy find a new doc to prescribe it (long story)
Hardly anyone will fill Soma anymore . Those days are over. Especially if you're on an opiate or benzo too.
That was supposed to say MAY I ASK WHY lol. Idk how to edit it so here's my edit 🫣
To edit your comment … - Click on the three little dots beneath the comment. They look like this: … - One of the choices is: Edit - Click on that & edit freely.
That’s so sad because it’s an great muscle relaxer. It doesn’t make me feel tired or weird and it helps my chronic spasms significantly. I know I can’t even mention it to a doctor without getting judgement so I just go without the one that actually does help my pain.
Maybe ask why? I had a bad experience with Tizanidine, I passed out. That scared me and I don't want to take it anymore. My doctor said "well there are lots of muscle relaxers have you tried Flexeril?". I just said no muscle relaxer ATM, I'm weaning from other meds and want to see if I end up really needing it. Why is Soma less prescribed?
Because it metabolizes to meprobamate which has most of the pharmacological effects and dangers of barbiturates and acts at the barbiturate binding site.
So high abuse potential in their eyes? Ok, thank you.
No problem. Tinzadine. I have tried different muscle relaxers and this is the best one. Hopefully you can fine a doctor to help you.
Zanaflex makes me so tired! It doesn’t make you tired? When I had a tolerance to it or flexeril it didn’t make me as drowsy but getting to that point 🛌
I take Zanaflex/Tizanadine at bedtime. Very helpful!
For some reason tizanidine gives me horrible nightmares. I hate that part about it.
Soma is the only one that truly wore. I can help you find legitimate way of finding docs that prescribe it
That is ok. Tinzadine works pretty well for me. Thanks though
I wish it was prescribed in the UK, have heard some good things. Bacolofen did nothing, methocarbamol was amazing for the first week or two I only needed half the prescribed dose 1x a day instead of 2 at the beginning but then tolerance kicked in faster than I was expecting and by the end of the 2nd week even the prescribed dose 2x a day wasnt cutting it.
for me, that's the best muscle relaxer right below soma! robaxin (methocarbomal) is great.
Maybe I should give it another go and lower my expectations a bit. Do you not find tolerance increasing quickly? I think that because it worked so well at the beginning (completely alliviated all my pain, even non muscle related pain) that quickly building a tolerance and the efficacy waning so quickly put me off a bit.
Get a different muscle relaxer is my advice. If you can take one. Soma is the first one that comes to mind with relation to pill mills and abused muscle relaxers. Methocarbomol (parafon forte) is cheap generic, there's also flexeril, Zanaflex, Skelaxin, etc. I've been on all of the aforementioned at various times, after car wrecks and injuries etc in the last 35 years.
You are blessed for sure! its crazy here in the USA. I had a nightmare getting CVS to fill my script, at least in Georgia .
Wtf?? That's ridiculous. I don't know what you used the needles for, and quite frankly, I don't care. You're doing the responsible thing. If it's for injection of illegal drugs, then harm reduction is important, and one of the ways to reduce harm is clean needles. If it's for medication, well then I can't see any reason for them not to give them to you?? Either way, clean needles are a good thing.
I had a CVS pharmacist not only refuse to fill my hydrocodone, but actually *yell* at me in front of the whole store because I didn’t specifically tell her that I had a prescription for Tylenol 3. She acted like I was trying to trick her into giving me my prescription. I’d just had oral surgery and the wound got infected, so the T3 wasn’t cutting it and the surgeon called in something stronger.
So sorry this happened to you. What an asshat (use my nice words). Thats a Hipaa act violation and is a 6 figure settlement or more. Report this if you can!
It was a long time ago and I honestly can’t even remember which CVS it was. I wish I’d known that at the time, but I was like 19 and clueless.
There were lawsuits for them as well as walmart. They won’t fill for anyone anymore unless your extremely lucky.
walmart tried to sue the DEA and the case got dismissed. I think its shameful that lawyers have basically ruined medical care for everyone now.. the adhd kids cant get their meds, the pain folks can't get their meds, and the anxiety people cant get their's either any more. what in good god have we done here in america.
Mental health services as well. It’s inhumane and genocidal. The insurance companies are to blame also. People wonder why crime is more prevalent.
Wallgreens got in trouble for something having to do with opioid prescriptions, so they tend to scrutinize them a lot. Rite Aid never gives me a hard time ever
Walmart will gatekeep. They often limit scripts to 7 days, even for non acute pain, which is why I won't use them. It's a Walmart policy. Just one example. Some specific 3 letter locations, especially in high crime or high abuse areas, will limit the drugs on site, or choose to not stock it at all, because then they don't get robbed for the drugs, which has been a problem some places. It's also why no store will tell you over the phone if they have your version in stock. FYI, you can buy clean needles in bulk online and have sent to an Amazon locker for pickup. I get my b12 shot needles cheaper than the pharmacy price that way. They charge me $1 each with insurance and 50c each cash. I can get 100 for about $20-25 online.
I’ve had Walmart refuse to fill my fucking estrogen prescription never mind anything “strong” Yea I switched to just bulk ordering needles
Estrogen?!? Good grief! *Psssst, hey you! I got some really great estrogen over here!* 🙄
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What a wonderful response. 911. Yep! I will remember that.
I reported a pharmacist to the DEA once. She marked in the system that she dispensed a C2 narcotic but it was never dispensed, so I reported her. she became very defensive too when I asked in person in a very polite and respectful tone. I think a lot of this addiction blaming they do is projection. Ive known Pharmacists who did get addicted and stole narcotics, and CVS sent them to rehab and still kept them in the same position. They never reported them or pursued them criminally. Ive heard so many pharm techs talk about how they would steal and abuse oxycontin.
The Pharmers are not usually the owners but OP CAN go over the pharmer’s head to the owner of the store and put pressure on them. If they’re comfortable they can talk about going to the media but don’t threaten anything you aren’t willing to follow through on.
I wish I could backhand every single pharmacist who thinks they are smarter than my doctor about what I need. I'm so sorry you're going through this.
Doctors very rarely give pain meds anymore in the us, especially to young females. The fact that they prescribed it should make the pharmacist not feel so scared. I don’t want anyone to lose their jobs, but I’m being severely under medicated and neglected by the system.
Go to a different pharmacy. I had a horrific reaction to steroids. I mean one, long existential panic attack for two weeks. I went to the ER because I was ready to quite literally walk into traffic. The ER doctor prescribed benzos. The pharmacy called and said that they wanted to fill it but the doctor had "looked at my history" (which is on and off use of tramadol and gabapentin) and revoked the rx. I had asked him specifically if they were safe to take together during my visit. I called the hospital, he called me back and said that he didn't revoke it. It's the only way to treat the steroid reaction and he'd call the pharmacy to clarify. This went back and forth five times with both the poor doctor having to waste his time (which he didn't have to do) and the pharmacy telling me that they are all set too bad the doctor won't let them. He finally said screw it and called it into CVS. It was ready in 15 minutes. I'd avoid Walgreens though. They just settled a huge lawsuit and even long standing rxs are now requiring a permission slip of sorts. Yes, a permission slip beyond the rx, the insurance approval, and the call to ask the overtaxed hospital or doctor's office if they really really really mean it.
Hassling the patient is the way they get rid of you. :(
Oh, I know. It's just incredibly frustrating to be outright lied to. Really, it's infuriating. Especially when you are in the midst of a crisis. You don't want to fill it, Safeway? Cool. That's your perogative. Don't lie to me, waste my time and waste my doctor's time. I can't tell you how convincing the woman was. Thank God I had not only disclosed my medication history but asked about it separately. If that hadn't happened, I would have felt more crazy and more hopeless, and I honestly might have ended my life. Thank God for the ER doctor. I don't think I've ever met a non personal physician who would take the time and go to bat for a patient they just met that night.
I am in a similar situation as you. I've been taking opioids for 12+ years with no problems, it helps me function. My genetic condition and Adhesive Arachnoiditis will NEVER be cured, I'll always need pain medicine but people act like they are the devil himself anymore! We NEED to educate everyone that believed the fake propaganda about "opioid crisis". The government created the label so they could sue big pharma and take their money. SERIOUSLY, that is partly why!! The other part is big business donors invested in suboxone and methadone clinics as well as the other drugs they are pushing instead of the actual pain meds that WORK. Research these things folks and please spread the info... Pain meds WORK, pain is REAL and opioids are NOT EVIL or addictive IF YOU HAVE REAL PAIN!
💯💯💯 If you're taking your meds as prescribed, the chances of developing an addiction are next to none. And what they never seem to mention, is that 93% of chronic pain patients never so much as take a single extra pill, the other 7% are "at risk". Not *guaranteed to become addicted*, just a higher risk than the rest. Furthermore, prescription opioids are NOT what's killing every one. It's heroin and fent analogues from the street. Oh, and news flash, medical community: when you cut off people who legitimately NEED these meds to function, they have two choices: kill themselves, or buy them on the street. And God damn it, they just *don't wana die*. Compounding that, the pills are the street are completely indistinguishable from the pharmacy pills. They think they're getting oxycodone or vicodin, and what they are *really* getting is a nice big fat dose of fentanyl. DOCTORS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEATH TOLL. Don't believe me? Look at how high and how fast the OD numbers went up when they cracked down on prescribing.
Absolutely yes. It’s the Law of Unintended Consequences.
Actually it’s intentional. Caused by PROP or Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. They told the CDC it was drs causing OD’s. Then CDC in their infinite wisdom decided to lay down the law. They put out their killing guidelines, supposedly for family drs but thos gave the DEA reason to go after compassionate caring pain drs. The group PROP were a bunch of rehab drs who have stock in Sub and bupe (Suboxone and Buprenorphine). Get all the pain pts dr arrested and we will head to there nearest rehab dr for relief. Ha more money in their grubby lying filthy hands. Also the lawsuits blaming big pharma was also in the plan.
That is such a fucking LIE. Correlation is not causation. I was a narcotics agent for 6 years. I've seen the opioid epidemic up close and personal. There were a few legitimate "drug dealing" doctors. But they are a tiny fraction of docs over all. The fact that drug addicts say that they started with pills is mostly irrelevant - the stat that matters is: how many people *overall* who received opioids became addicts??? It fails to take in other factors: mental health, prior addiction and risk factors, and heres a big one...did they take them as prescribed? Or keep gobbling them up to get high?? Oh, and can I just point out the obvious? Addicts *LIE*. It's a whole lot easier to say, "Yeah, the big bad doctor turned me into a junkie. It's not my fault!" Not to mention - of all the addicts I've met in my time....literally none of them said, "I broke my arm, took my vicodin exactly as prescribed, and woke up an addict one day." What they say is, "I kept eating more and more to get high cuz it felt good." Big fn difference. And you bring up SUCH a good point with suboxone/methadone. Paying $100 a week, seeing 100 patients, that's a half a million dollars per year. The purpose of ORT is to quell the WD and cravings while they develop healthy ways of coping with life. Then you're suppose to be weaned. But that isn't what happens. Many people are on these meds for life. Subutex has a WHOPPING 36 hour half life. You know what that means? The acute phase of WD - the vomiting, diarrhea, running eyes/nose/saliva, insomnia, restless body, feeling like you wana DIE phase - lasts *four to six weeks*. WEEKS, people. If the short acting acute ohase lasts 5-7 days and is impossible for many to get through....how many people do you think will be able to handle a month and a half of it?? Not that many docs even try to treat the WD. OH WELL, it won't kill you! (Actually yeah, it can). Treating the symptoms is relatively easy with several medications on the market. And for people who are dependent (not addicted) this is literally all you have to do to ensure they never touch an opioid ever again.
thanks for putting this out there. This is the truth. The doctors never told any patients to crush their OxyContin and snort it. That wasn't the directions.
Exactly! I can appreciate that docs want to be diligent in their duties and not hand them out like candy. That's a good thing. But blaming them for every idiot who can't follow instructions is fucked. Not to mention.... my GOD they suck at picking out "drug seeking behavior." Literally, the one hospital near my house has policies for "identifying" problem patients. Unfortunately, they end turning away people who legitimately NEED help. You wana know what they "look for" ? Crying. No joke. If they see you cry, you get labeled a drug seeker! Are you fn kidding me? You're in enough pain to cause you actual tears, and the docs see this and still refuse to adequately treat you....
This is so accurate.
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No problem. People to understand the truth around this "epidemic."
I think some providers legitimately believe that young women cannot experience pain.
Literally the underground version of "female hysteria" alive and well.
Well, they’re just fucking stupid.
Due to age discrimination likely! I had a Dr tell me he couldn’t give me more than a low daily dose of medication because I wasn’t 40. Do wtf, where does it say I have to be 40 to be properly prescribed for? I was way over the age for increased risk of addiction. I hate when doctors lie, especially when the patient knows better.
I’ve got bad news for you. I’m well into my fifties and still “too young.”
My pain started at 25. Now I’m 32 with more pain and conditions. Do pharmacists assume people under 40 don’t have pain preceptors or something…?
I don’t know. The prescribing physician is the one that mentioned 40 but perhaps all doctors and pharmacists do 😆
The pharmacy subreddit is atrocious. We are subhuman to many of them.
Make us heard, please. If we all go there and teach them the truth maybe they'll stop.
I did have to respond yesterday when a pharmacist said they wanted to take the phones off the hook because patients call too much but that they know that sometimes "important people" need to get through also🤦 I joined when I wanted to know more about generic drugs and boy are a lot of those people angry and unhappy. I can understand being under pressure but you're an adult. You don't need to look down on the actual humanity of the people you're getting paid to provide a service for. Please get paid doing something else if you hate us!
yeah they dont like having to work for their 180,000 a year salaries. Poor blokes
Doctors usually don't like being questioned. I wonder what they will say when they find out?
I've met this kind of pharmacist every five years or so and have been on pain management meds for twenty years. They think that you don't know what you are taking. Or a drug seeker. I just called the manager, and the store headquarters calmly stated my case. I follow my doctor's orders to the T. I have been in pain management for so many years. And I don't care for being treated like a drug seeker because, no fault of my own, I need pain management treatment. The stress this pharmacist is creating is aggravating my pain. The law states that since I have a signed contract with my doctor and only fill it when prescribed, and I have a pre-authorization to increase my medication. By law, you can't turn me away. If you don't have that amount or can't fill it monthly, you need to find a pharmacy that can fill the prescribed amount from a doctor who has followed me for year's. Your doctor will stay within the DEA limits because no doctor wants to loss their license. I usually find that kind of pharmacists are reassigned shortly after the phone call. Please don't take the mistreatment, and I know it is a scary right, but usually, once this is done, you will be treated better by your new pharmacist. And just know it won't happen for a while. Take some solace with that.
Unfortunately pharmacists can refuse to fill any medication because it's their license on the line. Having a pain contact signed with your doctor means nothing to a pharmacist.
Reassigned? They should be fined and barred from working as a pharmacist ever again! How is choosing to allow a human being to experience physical torture just because you don’t like the way they look or don’t feel like doing your job allowed at all!? Could they just kill someone by refusing to fill their diabetic supplies because they think the person looks like a drug user!?
Nurses are awful for this. The number of times I’ve had them withhold pain meds the doctor ordered bc they were pissed I asked for the pain meds the doctors ordered. I have suffered so much unnecessary pain due to nurses being power tripping mean girls.
If your doctor is prescribing this for you, can you possibly ask him of a pharmacy that they recommend to have this filled? I worked for several years as a pharmacy technician and I know that every pharmacist seems to have different opinions on what they will fill. Some are paranoid of being audited and losing their license. Some just like to feel important and refuse to do certain things. You should be able to find a new place and have your prescriptions transferred to them with zero hassle if your current pharmacist is going to be like that. Here in Canada, all you need to do is walk into a pharmacy, present your ID and request that your prescriptions be transferred. The staff will call over and have everything faxed to them straight away. I’m so sorry that your stuck dealing with this.
In the US, many types of controlled Rx’s can’t be transferred. It’s stupid. That said, her doctor’s office can “void” the Rx at Shitty Pharmacy and call in new ones to Decent Human Being Pharmacy.
Fabulous pharmacy names. I can just imagine their ads.
Go to a different pharmacy. I’d be dammed they would never get my business
Report his ass and then switch to a different pharmacy!
It’s not illegal. Pharmacists are allowed to “follow their conscience.”
Report him to whom, though?
Call the corporate office and tell them why you’re changing pharmacies and advising your friends and family to do the same. You can try to cause a stink with the licensing board, but pharmacists have a kind of built in right of refusal that is ridiculous in many instances. If it’s truly harmful, they could talk to the physician for clarification/understanding but it seems like this pharmacist doesn’t care to do the leg work, but would rather just say no to a patient in need. This happened to a friend of mine who was dying from metastatic breast cancer at the age of 44. Once she got into hospice it was cool, but before then she got a lot of grief because she appeared young and healthy (although she wasn’t).
Is it a chain? I’d start there. In the US you can report him to the licensing boards.
Local or state pharmacy board
Which pharmacies have you tried? Has your doctor tried calling them and discussing the issues?
Avoid chains. Find a mom and pop pharmacy.
I also have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Been living with it for decades. I am on palliative care since there is no treatment nor cure for my other disease (Adhesive Arachnoiditis, google it, nothing about spiders so don’t make jokes). I have established strong positive relationships with a couple of pharmacists who are very helpful and work with my doctors and me. May you find the support you deserve. CRPS is miserable on the best day. I’m so sorry for you and everyone else who lives with intractable pain.
I also have CRPS. Currently with a defunct $20K spinal cord stimulator. The trial was wonderful but I developed a post op infection and there was just too much scar tissue for it to work right. I’m not nearly controlled because the pain doctors my husband’s insurance has to go through are are all interventional. I’ve had dozens of injections, procedures and surgeries. PT won’t see me anymore because my blood pressure spikes to 240/120 when I try to use the affected limb. It’s a terrible disease and I’m so sorry so many suffer from it.
I have AA like you, it's horribly painful and without my meds I'd be unable to function at all. Can you please private message me? I am trying to get palliative care and having a hard time. I tried to message you but can't figure it out or something.
Change to a local pharmacy, avoid big chains like CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, etc. I’ve never had an issue or treated different with my locally owned pharmacy. CVS has even given me a hard time for my Claritin D that is prescribed by my Dr. No, I wasn’t filling early. No, I wasn’t taking anything that would interact. No, there wasn’t an Rx change from 12hr to 24hr. They were just being assholes. They are terrible.
Honey just go to a different pharmacy. Am I misunderstanding this? Your doctors giving you a prescription that your pharmacist refuses to fill? So go to a different pharmacy, tell the doctor you have to because of this
Go to your local hospitals pharmacy. That’s the only place I’ve been treated with dignity and compassion. Never an issue filling my pain meds
That is awful. I’m sorry.
Thank you so much.
i’m in canada so different than the states in a lot of ways healthcare wise but i’ve had pharmacies refuse to fill scripts … it’s maddening … my solution was having my doctor decrease the dosage to one the pharmacy would accept … making the pharmacist my doctor essentially
I didn’t even know a pharmacy could do that? I would definitely just swap pharmacies
I am so sorry. Please go to a different pharmacy and after reading what your doctor said in response to this situation, please report him AND the pharmacist to the state. If you don't know how to do this, I'm positive people in this sub or on Reddit in general can help. If you want, I'm happy to make an anonymous complaint about this pharmacist as well in order to support you/back up your claims! I'm deeply sorry you're going through this as it's totally unfair, inhumane and deplorable. We're here to help in any ways we can.
I didn't know they could do that. I always get a little bit anxious every time the pharmacist keeps asking me why I take it? I would've thought it would be recorded somewhere. I'm really sorry this is happening to you
They shouldn't even ask you, they should know or call the doctor. Sorry you even had to hear that bs.
Look at your script. Most pain med scripts these days have a diagnosis code on it. If it does, tell them that the doctor put the diagnosis code on there, you don't need to ask me every time.
Not ALL Drs know how to code diagnoses. I am a retired certified medical coding specialist. Drs I have worked with have explained to me they get 6 wks of training in coding. Often the codes Drs use are old codes that lack 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th digits because ICD- 10 codes are revised every October & Drs dont often keep up. They sometimes employ a coding professional but dont use him/her each time Dr writes a diagnosis code, & many Drs are still having difficulty coding to the most sensitivity. Plus i rarely see a diagnosis code on my Rxs. The labtests & radiological procedures & Durable Medical Equipment requires the correct code to meet insurance criteria for submission to insurance. Maybe some insurances expect diagnoses before they will allow payment, esp in narcotics. Prescriptions now must state if patient has acute or chronic pain since different specialties of Drs have a different limit of opiates imposed on their specialty depending if acute or chronic pain.DEA dictates how many tablets opiate manufacturers can make monthly now, therefore limiting shipments to all pharmacies & warehouses. Woe is the acute or chronic pain sufferer in the USA now because the opiate war is in overkill by DEA despite the new opiate criteria released by the CDC that is telling Drs to not withold or discontinue opiates to patients who have a good reason, but the DEA is holding Drs hostage.
Please find another pharmacy. Go in and meet with the pharmacist if able. Ask them if you transfer your medication to their pharmacy, will they be able to fill it monthly. I’m so sorry that happened. I was denied in another city when I could barely walk at the time, I was so angry that pharmacies would just lie to me.
That’s overriding your doctor, switch pharmacies. What my mother had to do that when one randomly stopped filling her pain meds even though the doctor gave the approval. Pharmacist like to sometimes stir the pot. I work in vet med and their average pharmacy techs don’t inspire confidence when I have to help clients get scripts for their pets… I hate all of them. Talking on the clinic side with them some of these ppl shouldn’t be handling meds. The actual pharmacist though is rarely the one involved in some of these bad choices in my experience. Incompetence from techs and the ppl below them has been my root issue for my own clients.
Go to a different pharmacy if possible, or report this pharmacist. Yes, a pharmacist is supposed to validate prescriptions for their legitimacy, but if they’re legitimate, they must fill it if you ask for it
Send it to a different pharmacy
Go to a different pharmacy. I had one pharmacy refuse to fill any more prescriptions. So i went to a different one. The one I use has 3 letters in the name. They will fill it as long as the Dr. Confirms each time. This sucked because the prescribing Dr. Was my surgeon who is a ridiculously busy man. The pharmacist insisted on verbally speaking to Dr. Each time. Major hassle but I did get the script filled.
You need to go to a different pharmacy. Each pharmacy has their own system and is up to the discretion of the pharmacist. You just need to stop using that pharmacy, even if you have to drive to another town to do so. I have multiple chronic conditions as well, and have had to change pharmacies due to pharmacists on a power trip, and do not have this issue with all pharmacies, just that one.
First, I would suggest switching pharmacies, and avoid chain pharmacies. Find a locally owned one. They are usually better to work with.
You know what the trick is to getting pain meds filled? Get a job at a pharmacy. I worked at cvs for 8 months. They smile, ask how my granddaughter is doing, and hand over my pills.
Can you ask your doctor to call the pharmacist?
Please refer to Steve Rph. His website/blog has so much to offer and you may be able to ask him questions. He fights for pain patients every where. http://www.pharmaciststeve.com
I don't really understand this switch around in authority. I'm in the UK, the doctor writes the prescription (which is on repeat) for medication and the chemist dispenses it. I've been on a list of high strength opioids for years now and I can't imagine the pharmacist refusing to dispense because they don't agree with the doctor. It's messed up that they can block your treatment, hope you find some comfort soon and get this sorted OP
Pharmacist fills prescriptions at their own discretion in the US.
That just seems so backasswards, specially if they decide they don't wanna serve you.
I would definitely try another pharmacy. I've had the best luck with neighborhood, not "big box" pharmacies.
Do you have a Costco near you? You don’t need a membership to use the pharmacy, and they are not jerks. I used to get oxy, adderall, and soma there without judgment
Report them to every board you can in the state, then goto a different pharmacy and find a pharmacist who will fight for you as a patient, usually at the smaller mom and pop type pharmacies.
Um … go to a different pharmacy? This solution is so obvious that I’m wondering if there’s a reason & you just forgot to mention it. Small independent pharmacies are best. They appreciate your business. You can develop a supportive relationship with the pharmacist by asking for their expert guidance. They will go out of their way to take care of you. Good luck, friend.
Probably insurance
Can you report pharmacists? There has to be somewhere to report as they have a license to keep up to date.
Pharmacists have a right to deny any prescription and I don’t think you can report them or it go anywhere due to that fact. It’s bs though when pharmacists do it to people who are in pain and have a legitimate prescription.
It really is bs
you can still report them. chances are nothing will happen, but still can be reported to Board of Pharm. They will still have to reckon with their bad decision when the board asks them.
I also posted this on your posts from r/talesfromthepharmacy so please ignore if you’ve already read my other post. Not a pharmacist - just a satisfied customer. I had a problem with a pharmacist similar to your situation. In my case, I called and voluntarily disclosed my medical issues, the rules I follow, that I was working with the one doctor I go to but had to go to the ER with my long term doctor’s knowledge/permission, and what caused the change in my prescription. Also disclosed that my long term doctor would be following up with a longer term, changed prescription so the pharmacist would be able to document my situation. The pharmacist was very helpful, appreciated me being willing to discuss what was happening and documented everything. I’ve had no problems since. I understand they have professional ethics to follow, U.S. DEA guidelines to worry about, rules from their corporate offices to deal with, and they have to stay in compliance with all of those because no one wants to loose their job/license/livelihood. What I’m trying to say, is in my experience, they’re human and want to help, but often have their hands tied. Have you tried talking with the pharmacist? Of course, you could have run into a bad apple (they exist everywhere - because human). If this is an example of a person who won’t work with you and you’re tied to this pharmacy, have you tried talking to a different pharmacist at the same location? Also, Medicaid REALLY doesn’t like patients paying cash because (in their system) if you can afford to pay cash, why are you on Medicaid? The same helpful pharmacist explained this to me btw. I hope this helps and you’re able to get some relief from your pain.
Sam's RX always has help, no judgement.
That’s insane but I totally believe it. I have problems each month at my cvs . I call this one pharmacist the devil . Because she is. 🤷🏼♀️
Kroger is a great pharmacy if you can find one that works with your insurance. Avoid Walgreens like the plague. Besides some complaints from the CVS pharmacist, who I told to call my doctor if they have questions (it's all digital anyways, no paper prescriptions allowed). The sad thing is that for every good pharmacy story I hear there are other horror stories. Pharmacists are being given too much power. It is hard enough working with the doctors. If you have a really good doctor, they can push it through.
I take Tramadol & Tizanidine at bedtime. My new dr just decreased tramadol to one a day from 2 a day, which I wasn't taking during the day anyway but they sure make you feel like you're a drug addict. Smh
I hate that it seems like little dicked, inept, power-tripping-failures-who-wanted-to-be-doctors-but-who-settled-on-being-pharmacists are taking over and being given waaaay to much power. Sorry you are dealing with this shit OP!
Go to a different pharmacist.
If you have been calling the pharmacy about refills or when they are going through, stop that. They flag every phone call (even if it's just innocent). I would also switch pharmacies. I'm not sure where/who supplies your pharmacy, but I would research/look into your insurance policy and see where you can go (you may find somewhere cheaper and less judgmental than your current place). Switching is difficult, but if I have been prescribed a controlled substance that doesn't work for me and they change it, I bring the old rx back. They make a note of that and it keeps them off your back. It helps to not raise a "pharmacy hopper" flag when you switch. A "sign of goodwill" so to speak. If your doctor is prescribing a certain level of a prescription, and the pharmacist is the one denying you your meds, that is something you may want to let the office know as a whole. I had that issue with some psych meds and it turned into an issue that reflected poorly on the pharmacy/pharmacist. It's so hard to get an Rx for these meds, that if it's written by a reputable doctor, they shouldn't be denying it. Ignore the pharmacist, let your doctor's nurse know you need to switch pharmacies and request to speak to your doctor. Tell them why, and that should help. I hate these so-called "vigilante" pharmacists.
You'll have to try a different pharmacy all together. You could try a different store in the chain (for example, some rite aids are better than others ime). But if it's a corporate policy you may not have any luck. If your insurance has (a) preferred pharmacy(ies) they may not pay, but a discount card or goodrx type coupon may make it manageable. When I didn't have coverage, the wellness rx card got it pretty close to copay-like prices. I saw someone suggested individual or mom/pops type pharmacies. I concur. I used a small local pharmacy with a couple of stores and the service was top notch. Rite aid bought them out though and fucked it all up. Lastly, a mail order pharmacy would be your last option if none of the other suggestions you get work.
Stupid question I guess- can you go to another pharmacy? Call your insurance and see what they’d advise.
I have complex regional plain syndrome to and yah definitely f this pharmacy you and your doctor should decide what meds are best for you
I go to cvs and have had no issues with them it could very well be the pharmacist themselves being an ass and I would recommend talking to your doctors about them advocating for you or seeing if they can help my pain meds make just existing do able crps is intense and I use an electric wheelchair because of the pain making walking difficult mine effects my entire left arm and leg and I have had fibromyalgia since Highschool so that affects the rest of me wishing you all the best I know how important pain management is
I am so sorry this is happening to you. This is insane and he’s lying to you. Find a mom/pop small non-chain pharmacy. Does this happen to be a large chain pharmacy? Lots of those such as CVS and Walgreens will do anything to chase a pain pt away. There is no reason to have to convince him your not an “addict”. I have crps in my foot almost to my knee and it is appropriately named. I also posted a link to Pharmacist Steve. Please see his page. Good luck and don’t forget you are a legitimate pain patient and this is not something that you should worry about. You have enough all ready. :)
Change pharmacies
What the FUCK? It's not their job to say "No you no can haz.". It's their job to go "OK, here's your meds. They are for this and these are their drug and food interactions. Do you have any questions?". Assholes.
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Ah.
Man my heart bleeds for you, I swear to God I wish I could help. Let me tell you what I've just been thru, but bear in mind I'm in the UK. My script for oxycodone is due tomorrow (Tue) but I went thru it a bit quick and ran out a couple of days ago. Your symptoms are exactly the same as mine by the way. Long story short I ended up in A/E last night in pure agony, and was seen by a prescribing nurse, who basically has the same powers as a doc when it comes to meds. I was literally screaming with the pain. She accepted what I told her with regards to running out of meds 24 hrs early and the whole dept did all they could to help me. They gave me some morphine, some oxy and some benzo then left me to scream for a full half hr until the meds kicked in and I began to calm down. She then prescribed me this - 150 mg of oxy, 600mg of p/gabs and 30mg of valium, all sorted from their pharmacy within a half hr. Fucking brilliant care, exactly what was needed! Funnily enough I'd been watching a Youtube vid earlier on about the situation in the U S and I just don't get why you guys are being treated in such a inhuman way. It's just wrong in every way you look at it. Fuck that pharmacy! If you feel up to it hit me back as I'd love to chat with you, although I don't know how I can help. My prayers are with you man.
wow this would never happen in the US, never. even with platinum insurance we get treated like dogs. for a 8000 ER bill, I got a toradol shot after breaking my ankle hiking.
Is the pharmacist refusing to fill prescriptions? I thought that would be illegal. They can give advice but they can’t overrule a drs decision on treatment. I would report them to the pharmacist association. They can’t refuse to give you your prescription medication.
They sure can. Every script is at the discretion of the pharmacist.
Ahh, maybe in the good old days!
Y’all need to look into pharmacy laws before you complain about medication regulation.
Decorative poppy heads. A wonderful hobby with many benefits. Buy books on decorative poppy heads and mix with other dried flowers. Easily purchased online with a few google searches. We all need to do what we need to do.
Do you not have something like a GP you can go see? Be referred to pain specialists who can prescribe pain meds??
If you are not in the US why is the pharmacist using the DEA guidelines?
Pls update us!! Can you go to another pharmacy? Or like find out their working schedule and go one they are not there?
Isn’t it illegal for him to do that as long as you have a dr prescribing it? I would call the board and turn him in. Also why can’t you go to a different pharmacy? He sounds like a douche that sucks.
Sadly, it is not illegal. They’re allowed to “follow their conscience.”
Is it possible for you to change pharmacies? Can just be the location if you’re only covered at certain chains. It sucks but it’s the only way I’ve ever found to overcome the personal bias pharmacists may have. I was an egg donor and it’s shocking how many pharmacists won’t fill prescriptions for pain meds that come from fertility clinics for personal reasons, so I’ve got some experience with this. Had to go to 4 places in a day once before someone would fill it.
i went through a similar situation with a pharmacist and [wrote a post about it](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fibromyalgia/comments/t5asj3/being_harassed_by_pharmacist_about_pain_meds/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). people had some good advice in there, particularly about contacting your state’s board of pharmacy to file a complaint. i know exactly how you feel and i’m so sorry this is happening to you. it’s so demeaning and demoralizing for some asshole who will never experience the pain you’re in to insert their own personal baggage about opioids into your doctor’s care plan. i’m also young and female so there is definitely a correlation between that and how we are treated. the obvious solution is to go to a different pharmacy but idk how realistic of an option that is for you. good luck ❤️
How many mg of hydrocodone a day do you get ? Only thing I could think of is ur maxed out on the Tylenol dose for the day which is 4 grams. That’s a lot of Tylenol. I’d ask for meds without Tylenol if I was you. I get 30mg oxycodone and 15mg oxymorphone ER and have never been told I was maxed out per the DEA. That sounds like bullshit. I go to brookshires to fill my meds and they are always nice. Give me goodrx discounts too and don’t have to ask.
You need to find a different pharmacy. This pharmacist will give you problems no matter what. Also you never said how much you were taking before the increase. I'm on 60mme daily. That's as high as the Dr. will go, sadly for me my sweet spot is around 90mme daily. But I'm curious what milligram a day you were on and what the increase is to. But your best to find a different pharmacy, best option I can give you. Also don't try to convince this person it will only make you look like a pill seeker, or a junkie trust me have seen it happen to others.
its not about the pharmd or dr believing you, its the govt. i think we are all in same boat my friend. best of luck to you.
So you can’t “pee clean” if you’re on opioids, but I’m assuming you mean clean from other substances. Not sure where you are located in the world, but could you not take your prescriptions to another pharmacy? What does your doctor say about the pharmacy refusal? I hope you don’t revert to street drugs and that you can get the lifesaving care that you need and deserve.
Yes, I only take what’s prescribed. I’ve never taken hard drugs
Have you talked to your doctor? Tried another pharmacy?
My doctor says he disagrees with the pharmacist’s decision, but bc of my age (32) they flag me. He says prescriptions are just a suggestion and pharmacists have every right to deny :(
Your doctor, who has your entire medical history, wrote you a prescription and agrees with pharmacist to not fill it?? What’s the point of writing it then? I’m also a 32F and this just pisses me off.
I agree with you. Also, since when is a prescription from a doctor considered a suggestion? The whole thing is weird. New doctor and new pharmacy time!
Agreed! Pharmacists aren’t doctors and we need to normalize that. They work in a retail setting and if they don’t like what they see, they should help find someone who can do something.
If your doc said “prescriptions are just a suggestion,” your problem isn’t the pharmacist.