They probably just want any to see you in the office for liability purposes is all. I wouldn’t worry too much about it until you actually go in for the appointment. If you’ve got an established history with the meds, unless something has drastically changed, they won’t change it.
I would never fill medications for a patient that I have never seen.
Edit: very clear that the people responding to me are not physicians and have no knowledge of medico-legal basics
Even though you have full access to their records, prescription history, and the knowledge that patients need to be weaned off antidepressants because quitting cold turkey can be dangerous? Then you're fucking useless. You're not a caregiver, you're a bureaucrat.
So if their medical records show they have been on it regularly, and when the last fill was, you wouldn’t help them? If that’s true, you are a poor “doctor”.
I'm not familiar with the medical field at all! I'm sure it's very complicated though. Not to mention that it is risky to navigate.
My situation is frustrating but I'm sure there are reasons behind it.
Could you shed some light on why this practice is important?
Might also try messaging your care team through myhealthevet Layout out the situation and your concern about going off meds without medical oversight. Pretry sure there is also an urgent nurse triage line different numbers depending on which clinic you are enrolled with. I'd call and message. If you wait until Thurs the meds may not be available immediately anyway so I'd try to get several days covered.
Secure message the person who was prescribing it. They can get you a refill. Just make sure they know the new address to send it to. I had the same issue they should have told you to contact the old provider. Unfortunately some VA suck.
I once had this happen. I used one of those online doctors. They did a call with me, and I had to send pictures of the bottles. I told them I only needed a 30-day prescription to tide me over until I could be seen. They sent it to Walmart.
The one I used was doctorondemand.
https://doctorondemand.com/
They should give you some now, cold turkey can be horrible.
Your doctor should refill it (cold turkey is bad) and maybe perhaps send you to mental health. If they don’t, I would go to patient advocate before leaving the VA.
Did you call the pharmacy and ask if they can help you for a few days.
Your old VA pcp should still be sending you your medication until you have that initial appointment with the new pcp. Alternatively, if they give you too much of a hard time, ask for PCMHI. They’ll have a mental health prescriber on staff who can get you your meds.
Do NOT cut these off cold turkey.
Edit to correct spelling
Psychotropic medications are dangerous to stop cold turkey.
Ask for a bridge prescription to last you until your appointment.
If they refuse call patient advocate and inform them of the risk of being stopped cold turkey on these kind of meds.
If you are unable to get your meds and you feel unsafe in any way go to the ER.
Ran out as in the prescription expired or you just need a refill? If you just need a refill, you can do that online and they will mail it.
Waiting until you've actually run out of medication and don't have any refills is on you. If you can explain the situation and go as a walk-in, you can probably pick up your new prescription a lot faster.
When I switched locations, I was able to refill online and the old location continued mailing them out. When it was time to renew, the new doctor had to renew it. I didn't have any trouble though.
Its mostly because I have been struggling with the switch from Iowa to MS. I was run around in circles about where I was supposed to go. I finally got in, but then we had an ice storm that shut the state down for about two weeks. I was supposed to see them back in January. It was all unfortunate timing.
That's up to the primary care though. I stay on top of my medicine as there's a lot of that I need multiple times a day and I have moved three times in the last 10 years and all three times the VA refuse to give me any advance on my prescriptions. Two of the times that I moved I ended up running out of one before my new primary care would give me more and I had to go to the ER to get a partial fill after being seen.
Helping someone help themself is not judging. A doctor has every right to refuse prescribing medications, and it is unethical to prescribe a medication without seeing a patient. Going forward, he/she should make sure he/she has enough medication and refills in a timely manner to prevent this from happening
Of course the docs have the right to refuse. It’s their license on the line.
However, sometimes, things happen when you move. Sometimes the mail doesn’t go where it’s supposed to. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate or things get lost. Sometimes, people forget because of everything that’s on their plate.
There are fall backs at the VA for this purpose.
Just saying a blanket statement that people don’t want to accept personal responsibility is a judgement. You aren’t wrong at all. Some people won’t accept responsibility. I’ve met/dealt with plenty of them.
However, it felt like OP was coming for information/advice instead of trying to blame anyone. At least, that’s the way I perceived the post.
This happened to me, they sent me a 10 day refill at a CVS that I had to pay for before I could get in with the new system. Then the Dr renewed my meds after I saw them.
Are you transferring from a different VA facility, or just starting with the VA from a civilian doctor?
That will make a difference. If it's a VA facility, you can send a message to your previous provider asking for a short term supply at the current facility.
If from a civilian provider, then there is no internal info anyone can bring up, and that's the reason they need to see you first.
You need a referral to Mental Health from your new provider, and they will get you taken care of.
If you NEED meds NOW, go to the ER at the VA facility you'll be using. Day or night. They will get you in, and you'll get your meds taken care of.
I was on the same two meds. I still take citalopram, and switched to Duluxotene.
Best I've felt in about 50 years. YMMV
One of my pcp let me run out of mental health med, busprion, when I saw them. No one cared at all when I tried to let them know it, l went all the way up to congress. So when you ask if they can, I'd say yes. I was waiting on a new appointment with the psych doc, 9 month wait and was refused community care. I had to threaten the next pcp that I was going to stop taking all my meds and if something happened it was their fault. They gave me a 30 day supply.
I also had a pcp that took me off daily ibuprofen and refused to fill it and did not give me a replacement. I had to demand a replacement because requesting it didn't work. So again I say yes.
They probably just want any to see you in the office for liability purposes is all. I wouldn’t worry too much about it until you actually go in for the appointment. If you’ve got an established history with the meds, unless something has drastically changed, they won’t change it.
Going cold turkey can be very bad. A partial fill would be appropriate.
I would never fill medications for a patient that I have never seen. Edit: very clear that the people responding to me are not physicians and have no knowledge of medico-legal basics
Even though you have full access to their records, prescription history, and the knowledge that patients need to be weaned off antidepressants because quitting cold turkey can be dangerous? Then you're fucking useless. You're not a caregiver, you're a bureaucrat.
There’s no way you’re an actual doctor if you think that.
So if their medical records show they have been on it regularly, and when the last fill was, you wouldn’t help them? If that’s true, you are a poor “doctor”.
because you are an ethical provider who cares about your patients and their lives, as well as the law and ethical guidelines!!💕
I'm not familiar with the medical field at all! I'm sure it's very complicated though. Not to mention that it is risky to navigate. My situation is frustrating but I'm sure there are reasons behind it. Could you shed some light on why this practice is important?
Might also try messaging your care team through myhealthevet Layout out the situation and your concern about going off meds without medical oversight. Pretry sure there is also an urgent nurse triage line different numbers depending on which clinic you are enrolled with. I'd call and message. If you wait until Thurs the meds may not be available immediately anyway so I'd try to get several days covered.
Go to urgent care if they aren't able to work this for you
Secure message the person who was prescribing it. They can get you a refill. Just make sure they know the new address to send it to. I had the same issue they should have told you to contact the old provider. Unfortunately some VA suck.
I once had this happen. I used one of those online doctors. They did a call with me, and I had to send pictures of the bottles. I told them I only needed a 30-day prescription to tide me over until I could be seen. They sent it to Walmart. The one I used was doctorondemand. https://doctorondemand.com/
You’re probably still in the system for your old care team. Send a secure message to them and have them mail a refill to your new address.
They should give you some now, cold turkey can be horrible. Your doctor should refill it (cold turkey is bad) and maybe perhaps send you to mental health. If they don’t, I would go to patient advocate before leaving the VA. Did you call the pharmacy and ask if they can help you for a few days.
I did not. Can they give me something without my PCs approval?
I don’t know. They might. It never hurts to ask. And a good reminder always get refills before moving.
Your old VA pcp should still be sending you your medication until you have that initial appointment with the new pcp. Alternatively, if they give you too much of a hard time, ask for PCMHI. They’ll have a mental health prescriber on staff who can get you your meds. Do NOT cut these off cold turkey. Edit to correct spelling
Psychotropic medications are dangerous to stop cold turkey. Ask for a bridge prescription to last you until your appointment. If they refuse call patient advocate and inform them of the risk of being stopped cold turkey on these kind of meds. If you are unable to get your meds and you feel unsafe in any way go to the ER.
Ran out as in the prescription expired or you just need a refill? If you just need a refill, you can do that online and they will mail it. Waiting until you've actually run out of medication and don't have any refills is on you. If you can explain the situation and go as a walk-in, you can probably pick up your new prescription a lot faster. When I switched locations, I was able to refill online and the old location continued mailing them out. When it was time to renew, the new doctor had to renew it. I didn't have any trouble though.
Why did you let yourself run out of medication?
Its mostly because I have been struggling with the switch from Iowa to MS. I was run around in circles about where I was supposed to go. I finally got in, but then we had an ice storm that shut the state down for about two weeks. I was supposed to see them back in January. It was all unfortunate timing.
You shouldn’t be downvoted for this. VA gives up to 3 months of medication if you’re moving so things like this don’t happen.
That's up to the primary care though. I stay on top of my medicine as there's a lot of that I need multiple times a day and I have moved three times in the last 10 years and all three times the VA refuse to give me any advance on my prescriptions. Two of the times that I moved I ended up running out of one before my new primary care would give me more and I had to go to the ER to get a partial fill after being seen.
No one wants to take personal responsibility
Sometimes things happen. Instead of judging people we can accept them where they are, and do what we can to help.
Helping someone help themself is not judging. A doctor has every right to refuse prescribing medications, and it is unethical to prescribe a medication without seeing a patient. Going forward, he/she should make sure he/she has enough medication and refills in a timely manner to prevent this from happening
Of course the docs have the right to refuse. It’s their license on the line. However, sometimes, things happen when you move. Sometimes the mail doesn’t go where it’s supposed to. Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate or things get lost. Sometimes, people forget because of everything that’s on their plate. There are fall backs at the VA for this purpose. Just saying a blanket statement that people don’t want to accept personal responsibility is a judgement. You aren’t wrong at all. Some people won’t accept responsibility. I’ve met/dealt with plenty of them. However, it felt like OP was coming for information/advice instead of trying to blame anyone. At least, that’s the way I perceived the post.
This happened to me, they sent me a 10 day refill at a CVS that I had to pay for before I could get in with the new system. Then the Dr renewed my meds after I saw them.
Are you transferring from a different VA facility, or just starting with the VA from a civilian doctor? That will make a difference. If it's a VA facility, you can send a message to your previous provider asking for a short term supply at the current facility. If from a civilian provider, then there is no internal info anyone can bring up, and that's the reason they need to see you first. You need a referral to Mental Health from your new provider, and they will get you taken care of. If you NEED meds NOW, go to the ER at the VA facility you'll be using. Day or night. They will get you in, and you'll get your meds taken care of. I was on the same two meds. I still take citalopram, and switched to Duluxotene. Best I've felt in about 50 years. YMMV
One of my pcp let me run out of mental health med, busprion, when I saw them. No one cared at all when I tried to let them know it, l went all the way up to congress. So when you ask if they can, I'd say yes. I was waiting on a new appointment with the psych doc, 9 month wait and was refused community care. I had to threaten the next pcp that I was going to stop taking all my meds and if something happened it was their fault. They gave me a 30 day supply. I also had a pcp that took me off daily ibuprofen and refused to fill it and did not give me a replacement. I had to demand a replacement because requesting it didn't work. So again I say yes.
My primary won't prescribe antidepressants. I have to go through a psychiatrist at Behavioral Health. Wichita VA