pharmacy blues

[hurtingallthetimet]

wasnt sure where to post...but i use walmart cause cheaper...and other pharmacy had given me wrong medication once for a month that looked very much like the one i suppose to be taking, so i only get morphine filled there now cuase walmart never had it in stock..

sorry just thought can i post name of phamacys? or is that promoting business? let me know...

but walmart is driving me more crazy than i am...i will call in refills like doctor tells me...alot of tiems doctor office to busy to write all out so tells me call...i call...then walmart after sometimes days sometimes over a week will tell me to call doctor they faxed/call request never heard back...i call doctor or email..but embarassing because im on vicodin and morphine i dont want doctor to think im addict or something...

then after two maybe more times...of hubby/kids going to pick up my medications from psych doctor or non pain meds...pharamacy will say that the vicodin was denied and i never asked for it at all....ive posted for advice about that and contacted doctor office to let them know since it happned several times again didnt want them to think i was asking for viciodin whne i wasnt even...

so its been almost a week and yet again vicodin hasnt been refilled..pharmacy told me yet again to call doctor but im too embarrassed...i hate that being on morphine i have to do drug test..never done that beofre...though im not on anything other than what i am being given still theres something embarassing to me about it...and i dont want to call saying i need my pain medication again...

raealy cant affrod to pay more at another pharmacy...anyone else been through this? just needed to vent

 

[Nielk]

Hi hurtingallthetime,

I'm a little confused. Are you taking morphine and vicodin at the same time? I'm not very familiar with pain killers but I'm wondering why there is a need for both? Lately, I've been weary about taking two different meds to treat one problem.
Are both prescribed by the same doctor? Is it that one alone doesn't help? Then why take it at all. Is it that only the combination of both works for you? I know that this was not your question really but, I'm concerned about this fact for you. One can easily become tolerant/dependent on these drugs.

As far as the pharmacies, I too have noticed that pharmacies in general now do not stock too many drugs. I usually have to wait a day or two for them to get it in. In addition, certain drugs cannot be dispensed by just an oral prescription.
The pharmacy needs a hard copy of the prescription in hand. I would believe that this would be the case for both morphine and vicodin.

Be well,
Nielk

 

[Ema]

Many pharmacies will price match their lower priced competitors if you ask them to do so. I would see about finding a smaller pharmacy where you can develop a relationship with the staff so that they are more inclined to help you rather than treat you like an addict for wanting to adequately manage your pain.

 

[kgg12003]

I left Walmart pharmacy for this very reason. Their refill system is terrible. And they don't seem to care. The frustration was not worth the money I was supposedly saving. The best system I have dealt with so far is Walgreens. But they are expensive. Although I think they will do price matching. But that means legwork for me. My local grocery store has a pharmacy and they are OK. So I have stayed with them so far.
Best,
Karen

 

[*GG*]

I left Walmart pharmacy for this very reason. Their refill system is terrible. And they don't seem to care. The frustration was not worth the money I was supposedly saving. The best system I have dealt with so far is Walgreens. But they are expensive. Although I think they will do price matching. But that means legwork for me. My local grocery store has a pharmacy and they are OK. So I have stayed with them so far.
Best,
Karen

How about CVS, i use them, they seem alright. I do have issues with scripts sometimes, like putting them on automatic. I had an issue with one of my scripts, seemed like I kept asking, but they failed to do it, or there is a glitch in their system?

GG

 

[August59]

Hi hurtingallthetime,

I'm a little confused. Are you taking morphine and vicodin at the same time? I'm not very familiar with pain killers but I'm wondering why there is a need for both? Lately, I've been weary about taking two different meds to treat one problem.
Are both prescribed by the same doctor? Is it that one alone doesn't help? Then why take it at all. Is it that only the combination of both works for you? I know that this was not your question really but, I'm concerned about this fact for you. One can easily become tolerant/dependent on these drugs.

As far as the pharmacies, I too have noticed that pharmacies in general now do not stock too many drugs. I usually have to wait a day or two for them to get it in. In addition, certain drugs cannot be dispensed by just an oral prescription.
The pharmacy needs a hard copy of the prescription in hand. I would believe that this would be the case for both morphine and vicodin.

Be well,
Nielk

Hey Nielk - If she is going to Pain Specialist or Pain Clinic, as I have to do, after you get in there and gone through their gammet of test and treaments (ESI, Nerve Blocks, Nerve radiofrequency if her case warrants these) They will almost always put the patient on a Controlled Release versin of something. The morphine she is taking is probably MS Contin every 12 hours and the Vicodin is for breakthrough pain typically prescribed as needed. It can sometimes depend on what state you live in and what the local DEA monitor wants to see. My doctor has me on Exalgo and Oxycodone IR right now, but he general changes it every year. The good part is that my equivalent dosage is about 1/2 of what it was 3 or 4 years ago.

I've been on combo's for at least 6 years, but I had 15 to 20 injections in my neck and low back before then. They have to make a very thorough paper trail before they go to the chronic pain med approach, but once that is done they will usually help you with whatever you need as lond as you have always been honest with them and never displayed any drug seeking behavior.

 

[hurtingallthetimet]

Hi hurtingallthetime,

I'm a little confused. Are you taking morphine and vicodin at the same time? I'm not very familiar with pain killers but I'm wondering why there is a need for both? Lately, I've been weary about taking two different meds to treat one problem.
Are both prescribed by the same doctor? Is it that one alone doesn't help? Then why take it at all. Is it that only the combination of both works for you? I know that this was not your question really but, I'm concerned about this fact for you. One can easily become tolerant/dependent on these drugs.

As far as the pharmacies, I too have noticed that pharmacies in general now do not stock too many drugs. I usually have to wait a day or two for them to get it in. In addition, certain drugs cannot be dispensed by just an oral prescription.
The pharmacy needs a hard copy of the prescription in hand. I would believe that this would be the case for both morphine and vicodin.

Be well,
Nielk

hello nielk..yes same doctor prescribes pain medications..and they do help take edge off sometimes better than not...i dont feel addicted at all...not like the feeling had with the seroqeul im haveing withdrawls from...but i couldnt make it through a day to day without the medicatons, the pain is just too severe...wouldnt even be alble to come on here or anything...

i dont take them togehter...at different times...low dose of morphine also...it helps me to takes walks with family...things like that..i cant take if i have to drive of course...ive tried alot of medications...senisitve to alot...some of those been pain medicaitons...those work best for me...

i hadnt thought aobut the phamracy not keeping stuff in stock...but when you said it it makes sense seen where people had been robbing them beofre for the mediaions...

 

[hurtingallthetimet]

thanks for the replies...ema and gg i had no idea that they could price match and lower medicaitons..thanks for info..

kk not happy you went through similar problems with walmart but htanks for sharing..helps to know im not the only one

 

[hurtingallthetimet]

grrrrrr.....i need refill of medication..doctor office told me have pharmacy fax in request that was over a week ago..i called pharmacy today to check again and they said doctor office had denied...i contacted doctor but not heard back..i only get prescriptions filled once a month when im suppose to....

what the heck is going on???

 

[Ocean]

Hi hurtingallthetime,

I'm a little confused. Are you taking morphine and vicodin at the same time? I'm not very familiar with pain killers but I'm wondering why there is a need for both? Lately, I've been weary about taking two different meds to treat one problem.
Are both prescribed by the same doctor? Is it that one alone doesn't help? Then why take it at all. Is it that only the combination of both works for you? I know that this was not your question really but, I'm concerned about this fact for you. One can easily become tolerant/dependent on these drugs.

As far as the pharmacies, I too have noticed that pharmacies in general now do not stock too many drugs. I usually have to wait a day or two for them to get it in. In addition, certain drugs cannot be dispensed by just an oral prescription.
The pharmacy needs a hard copy of the prescription in hand. I would believe that this would be the case for both morphine and vicodin.

Be well,
Nielk

I can't speak for Hurting but just speaking in general terms from what I know of pain management often a long acting drug is given for consistent use at regular intervals, and a short acting drug is given for breakthrough pain. Or a weaker drug may be given when pain is milder and a stronger to take when pain is worse. Just because two may be needed doesn't mean there's no reason to them or to take them both.

 

[Ocean]

grrrrrr.....i need refill of medication..doctor office told me have pharmacy fax in request that was over a week ago..i called pharmacy today to check again and they said doctor office had denied...i contacted doctor but not heard back..i only get prescriptions filled once a month when im suppose to....

what the heck is going on???

I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the exact problem so if my reply is irrelevant, sorry, just ignore it. Can you just tell your doctor to put the max number of refills on the medicine when he first prescribes it? Then you just call in once a month to the pharmacy for a refill and there's no need for the pharmacy to call the doctor at all. Then when refills run out you can go in a get a new prescription. That has worked for me at least. Usually with my meds the doctor writes like 6 months worth of refills in advance.

 

[hurtingallthetimet]

I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the exact problem so if my reply is irrelevant, sorry, just ignore it. Can you just tell your doctor to put the max number of refills on the medicine when he first prescribes it? Then you just call in once a month to the pharmacy for a refill and there's no need for the pharmacy to call the doctor at all. Then when refills run out you can go in a get a new prescription. That has worked for me at least. Usually with my meds the doctor writes like 6 months worth of refills in advance.

hello ocean...i really like the doctor but the office is always very very busy...i have asked they be written ahead of time ive even emailed them asking weeks or days ahead of visit..and explained why i want written ahead of time so can take in prescriptin and to add the amount of refills until next visit..but the office is often very busy..and sometimes they tell me to call all them in and push me out the door...im really tired of it...but i dont know what to do...

the doctor office called me back..because i wanted all it noted in my chart everything im going through..cuase pharmacy says its the doctors office not doing their job..and the doctors office says its the pharmacy...

its great when they do write ahead with refills...because ive never ever not kept a followup appointment on time...
im going to talk to doctor again next time i see them though...

 

[GracieJ]

So sorry, that is such a run-around.

In all honesty... this is probably one of the BIGGEST reasons I researched natural medicine over the years, and slowly went to it entirely. I am a (take your pick), blue-white personality, winter, wood/metal, type 4 (don't you DARE tell me what to do!), stubborn-all-over kind of person, and jumping through hoops time after time for meds I wasn't sure were working or that turned out to be horribly toxic finally drove me away from playing the game at all. I understand not all would make that choice, and more power to you if your meds work... but I just could not stand the pharmacy roulette game I had to play to be on anything prescription.

You have my full sympathy on this one.