Forging scripts

[rkelly123]

I went to see my family doctor today to ask for help with opiate addiction - I have been forging scripts to get my supply.  He asked me where I was getting them all from and after making him promise he couldn't tell anyone, I told him what I had been doing and now he is going to tell the police - can he do this!!!?? I'm very scared!!!

[rkelly123]

Thanks Akitagurl. Yep, it was very stressful - stealing the script, then writing it out, then taking to a pharmacy - each time was very scary but like you say, i was feeding an active addiction and didn't really have a choice (in my mind anyway).  It was only a matter of time until i would have been busted (as my doctor pointed out) but each time i did it, i didn't think of the consequences -looking back now, i can hardly believe what I have been doing for the past year - I must have stolen and forged at least 10 scripts.  My addiction has been over 10 years but since my last sub treatment, because of opiate addiction being on my medical records, i couldn't get the scripts legitimately from my doctor any more so couldn't see any other way.  There's no turning back now though - this close call has put the fear in me big time and there's no way i'd steal and forge another script now.  There's also no way my doc would prescribe me any opiates again now either so I really have to make the sub treatment work this time - hopefully the aftercare will be better this time round but i guess i'll have a fair few months on maintenance sub ahead of me before i get to that.
Thanks again for your support - it really is much apppreciated

[akitagurl12]

Oh I am so glad they are not going to tell the cops. That would bother me too though, he should have told you not to tell him if it was something illegal before you said it if he has to report this stuff.  Anyways, I am taking a deep breath for you:)  See, you made the decision to get help and things are already starting to turn around for you:)  I'm sure having to forge those scripts was pretty stressful too, never knowing if you were going to get busted every time you had to go pick up more from the pharmacy.  That would have totally stressed me out but when you are trying to feed an active addiction, we don't really think much about consequences  Good for you!

[rkelly123]

Thanks for the advice and the encouragement with wanting to get clean.  I also think my doc was way out of order for promising he wouldn't be able to tell anyone if I told him then going back on his word.  It was obvious that I was about to tell him something illegal or  I wouldn't have been so reluctant to say something in the first place.  
Anyway, I had to go and see him again today - he has spoken to the other docs at the practice and they have agreed that he won't tell the police but that they will have to refer me for sub treatment which i HAVE to do (it's fine by me - I have done a sub programme before but only managed 3 days clean when it ended - this time i know i have to do it!)  He did say that he would have to tell some organisation that deals with doctors legal issues but that they wouldn't give them my name or anything.  I guess he just has to cover his back with them.  It wasn't his name that i was using on the scripts though.  I certainly won't be telling the sub docs where i was getting my supply from that's for sure.
Thanks again for all your messages -it has been a very tense 24 hours waiting to see if the police were going to come knocking.  

[perch101]

As akitagurl said - you've taken a gret step towards recovery, congratulations.

It could be that he is required by mandatory reporting to report this, and his licence to practice could be comprimised if he does not. What country are you in?

If you were pretending to be a doctor writing scripts you may have to go to court for fraud charges BUT - if you don't have a criminal history and can prove you had an addiction problem and are seeking help for it (as opposed to selling them to make money) there is every chance you will not get a conviction.

I don't think it was very ethical for the doctor to promise you he wouldn't say anything and then doing so - IMO he should have said he will try to keep it to himself but if it falls into an area that he is mandated to report then he will have to.

Congrats on getting clean :-)

[Joycemac]

I think he must in case the under doctor is under investigation. I wish I knew more on this.

[p1192]

The doctor can and in most cases will report it. This is a felony as it is considered forgery it is also againist the law to withhold information from a doctor. I had a co worker that did this the doctor said they would report it but , did not it was a scare tactick however they did report her to the pharmacy..

[akitagurl12]

Oh wow.  I don't know.  Do you know for sure he is going to call the police?  For what it's worth, that was a great step you took towards recovery, seeking help.. But I don't know about that doctor.  Were you forging his name?  I am not trying to make you worry more then I am sure you already are, but maybe you should ask a lawyer. Good luck.