Medication Question...

Hello all, I have a question I hope someone can help me with. I have a herniated disc that I've been taking pain meds for for some time. I was on 80mg Oxy 2 times a day and 3 10mg percocet a Day fof BT pain. Long story short, I am now down to just the 3 10mg Percocet a day and that seems to be doing great. My last fill was June 17th for 90 pills. I will be required to leave town by air and will not be back until the 19th at the earliest. Will I have any trouble getting the doc and pharmacy to fill this early? I've looked online and all they talk about is refills which cannot be filled until the 28th day. Should I get the script written and try to have it filled out of state? I live in Georgia and will be going to Missouri. The last thing I need on a business trip is trying to hail a cab and hunt down a pharmacy. Any suggestions??

[Toomanyadvil]

Hi Athensboy

  It is true you can only fill scripts 2-3 days before they are due. It is against the law for a pharmacy to fill them before then.

You have a few options

You can go back to your DR, explain the situation and have him/her write another script that changes the dose/frequency so that it is considered a new script and not a refill.


You need to ask your pharmacy and DR if you can refill percocoet out of state. If you can make sure there is a pharmacy in the state your going that will refill your script by looking on the internet and calling ahead of time to make sure there wont be a problem. If you can find the same pharmacy chain thats even better but defenitly call before you leave to keep from having problems and call your DR to let them know your going to do this.(if your going out of the country there is no way to get an american script refilled)
But with such tough regulation these days I would be surprised if you didnt come across soem resistance.


Hope this helps and you get it all figured out

TMA

[Toomanyadvil]

I ment it is illegal for the pharmacy to Refill a narcotic script before 2-3,  not fill*although they wont do that either)

Sorry for the typo

[sandee1818]

If you deal with a pharmacy on a regular basis they will help you out. I don't know if Mos. will fill out of state narcotics but I will check for you. I deal with one local pharmacy and I have had to get my precriptions a month early before as I was out of town for 2 months. The Dr. did call my pharmasist for me though and there was no problem. That is here in Fla. I know there are ocassions when a Dr will write the prescriptions early and if he does then the pharmacy will have no problem though they may call the Dr for verification. The Dr's will not do this on a regular basis and will tell you that. It is possible to get them early though if the Dr will give you the script.
I will get back to you about state to state scipts.

[AthensBoy]

This all seems crazy to me. I can understand Pharmacies not refilling early because people would go through a month in 2 weeks. But, it looks like it would be different if it's not a refill but another script on a new prescription paper. What happens when people go through rough patches, calls the doc, and he tells them it's Ok to take one more per day? They then go back to the doctor when they run out in 3 weeks instead of 4. Are they just out of luck until the 4 weeks? Sorry if this seems trivial, but I guess I thought there was a difference between getting another script and early refills (you can't even get a refill on most opiates in GA, it has to be on a new script each time I think).

[sandee1818]

It really depends on the schedule of the drug as to if mos. will fill a Ga script for narcotics. I would just get it filled here to avoid trouble. I am unable to search at this time but I will later Ok. If you came down from the Oxycontin to the perccet then I believe the Dr will okay an early script.

[sandee1818]

A new script is required for early refills unless you have refills and the Dr ok's the pharmacy to refill it early. The Dr has the final say and they will help you out but not on a regular basis. I would say once or maybe twice a year if you are taking your meds right and the Dr trust you. I have had to have mine refilled early many times because I was living in two different states but my doc knew my situation and knew I was not abusing them.

[AthensBoy]

I am almost positive that the doctor will write me a new script to fill early. I'm just concerned that the pharmacy will not fill it on the 12th instead of the 17th.

[sandee1818]

Yes they will. They may call the DR to confirm but it won't be a problem.

[AthensBoy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. This whole system is just very confusing. It really ***** for those of us that use these meds responsibly. I hope I can reduce all this even further as I get better. I hate having to worry about whether I am getting this filled too early and trying to plan things around dates. The last thing I want to do is get in trouble somehow. That's the thing that has me scared to even try and get the thing filled. I know that Georgia isn't nearly as bad as some other states about this stuff. Anyway, thanks for the answers and suggestions. If anyone else has faced this situation, I'd love to hear how things worked.

[AthensBoy]

Well, me and the Missus just went on a WalMart run for groceries. I told her the deal and asked her what to do. She said that it couldn't be filled until 28 days which is the 15th. I leave on the 12th. She seemed kinda out of it, so I have no idea whether to believe her or not. It's not like I use different pharmacies or different doctors. This is one doctor writing a new prescription, not a refill from a previous prescription (which you can't do with percocet here in GA). This whole situation has just got me so angry. I feel so bad for everyone here that has to go through this **** when traveling. This is the main reason I weaned off the Oxycontin early, because I was getting into such a hassle when getting scripts filled.

[Toomanyadvil]

the missus is right. The pharmacy has regulations and laws that they have to go by and alot of times it doesnt matter if the DR wants a refil early, the DR has to go by the rules too so they have to write a new script that has a different dose or frequency for the same medication.
Also keep in mind that if the insurance wont okay it the pharmacy wont touch it.
Pharmacies, Insurance and DR's all have regulations and those regulations dont always add up or equal out.
Phrmacies are gaining alot more say in things because of the new programs they have out like the PMP, which I wrote about in my journal. They had the right before but now a program does the work for them.
Pharmacies have the right to deny a script if they feel the person is DR shopping, pharmacy hopping or the script is a fake. They can deny it also of its early or your insurance wont cover it for some reason(and if you cant pay out of pocket it doesnt matter)

Things are being regulated alot tighter in the past few years than they ever were before.

Sorry your going through this. Is there any way you can wait or did you check into filling it out of state?

TMA

[AthensBoy]

I think doing it out of state will be too big of a hassle. I guess I'll have to if that's my only choice. I have an appointment Friday. I know the doc will write me a script, I just have to get it filled. I guess I'll do whatever they say. Wish I had a definitive answer on this. It makes for a lot of worry. Thanks everyone for your answers. Again, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

[Toomanyadvil]

I'll be crossing my fingers that everything gets worked out and goes smoothly for you and your able to keep your travel plans just the way they are!

TMA

[sandee1818]

I can only tell you that from my experience you will have no problem , call your Dr and tell him the situation and he can tell the pharmacy to refill it early or he can write you a new script. I have never had a problem with this and while I am sure there are laws on this I have never encountered a problem. The Dr has the last say and he can refill a script early and he can give you a new script it is totally up ti the Dr as I said. I have had refills done as early as  a month with no problems because the Dr okay ed them.

[needguidance49]

How about a script that is not a refill but has and early date on it. The script actually says first time fill but is about 10 day early...? Does anyone know of anyone that will fill it.  

[Mollyrae]

If your Insurance company won't object and will pay for it, then yes. Otherwise you'll have to pay cash. Mollyrae

[sandee1818]

Are you referring to a post dated script? Is so then most will not fill until the date that is posted. If your referring to getting a new script for one you had previously then yes you should not have a problem depending on the pharmacy, but as Mollyrae said I don't think the insurance will pay. They will go two or three days early but not ten. Good luck!

[mcclos10]

I have never had a problem getting my doctor or pharmacy to get my meds ready for me before I was going out of town.  If you are honest and all your prescriptions are legit there shouldn't be a problem.  What eactly do you mean though I don't really understand why would a first time fill be 10 days early?  Usually when you get a prescription you go get it filled. Were you not supposed to start taking it until a certain date or something?

[Toomanyadvil]

I think when you get scripts for pain meds on a regular basis, so for example oxycontin.
There can be no refills for it on a script so you have to get a new one each month. But even the new script is treated like a refill in a way because you take it regularly.
So if you filled my last script on the 16th of last month then you cant fill the new one until 2-3 days before the 16th of this month. Thats assuming the same pharmacy is being used each fill and your going through your insurance.

I'm not sure if thats what you were asking?
Sorry if I just added another layer of info you werent looking for!

TMA

[billy499]

Have you no ethics for your patients how about telling them, If they have made a mistake, and apply a fair warning first.  Like don't do it again or I won't or won't be able to help you.. Before you dump a fellow human being.   Do you Doctor's have no Ethics or are you made of stone!!!!!!!! Do have the right to kill ??????  You are breaking laws...Your not God's  or do you think you are better than other suffering people????? Who signs your checks ?????????