Going to the Doctor

[etherbunny]

For the first time since the start of my treatment, BPDT1, I am losing my heath insurance for a month or 2 and am going to run out of my meds before I can get new coverage from my new job.

My current benefits expire 31 March 2010 and I can't get in w/ my psychiatrist during this time. What I'm asking, if I'm even allowed to ask, is where/who should I go see to try to get an extension of my current prescriptions. I'm not on anything higher than a Schedule IV, but I'll be requesting a new Schedule III script.

Please note that none of this is for recreational use, under any circumstance. I'm just not sure where to go, my PCP (Primary Care Provider) cannot see me before my insurance runs out and my incompetent Psychiatrist only wrote his usual 30 day supply, and wrote the wrong dosages, and he is impossible to get a hold of and even then takes even longer to actually do his job. So I'm thinking of taking my medical records and current prescriptions to an 'urgent care' clinic and see if they can accommodate me until I can restore my primary insurance.

I'm not asking for Dr. shopping advice or drug seeking advice, just asking those of you out there on this forum who have been in my shoes before, how you handled the situation, I have exactly 8 days from this post before my insurance runs out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If this topic is not appropriate for this forum or if this matter should be discussed under more secure or private means please let me know, I am still a newb when it comes to posting such things (I'm used to other sites (haven't read the rules on mentioning other web forums yet so I'll leave the name out) that have very lenient policies on topic discussion/questions.)

Thanks again to anyone who can help out!

Peace and love,

Etherbunny

 

[poppywonderland]

Hmm I would say that you could try urgent care but you would be better off just plain calling your doctors everyday. Even if you don't have health ins. You can still get scripts without an appointment. So unless you were trying to get like a three month supply in threw the pharmacy before your coverage is up if it includes scripts. You should just try really hard to get a hold of them or have a nurse give them a message to call you. It just show up without an appt and leave a note for your doctor explaining everything. Depending on where you live you maybe able to extend coverage threw your government. Good luck.

 

[shoolameet]

^ Depending on the state you may not be able to get a script for a controlled substance without seeing the doctor first; I know that's how it works where I live (New York.)

I think you should try calling and talking to your doctor about what's going on and maybe beg him to squeeze you in before your insurance runs out so you can get one last script; or maybe he can recommend a doctor that would be able to see you before your insurance expires. If that doesn't work, you might want to try going to the emergency room before your insurance runs out and explaining your situation to them and maybe see if they can get you a script or something.
Good luck dude. (By the way, what is the med that you are worried about running out of? If it's an opiate, you could always run to the local methadone clinic or something.)

 

[etherbunny]

I have absolutly no experience with a methadone clinic, where their located, what their named, what services they provide, and to whom they provide them to.

I am trying to get my anxiety medications refilled and also my hydrocodone 10/500 x 60 (that's the issue). I'll run out of my ADD meds, damn Government regulations, can't fill 3 months at 1 time and NO Doctor would write a script for 360x 10mg IR Methylphenidate and expect to keep his DEA license. I also have need for Seroquel 100mg x 60 so my total needs would be:

Vicoden 10/500 x 60 - Compressed Vertibre and cracked rib
Klonopin 1mg x 120 - Anxiety Maint/IBS maint
Xanax .5mg x 60 - Panic attack/Mania
Seroquel 100mg x 60 Mania
Oxcarbazepine 300mg x120 Mania

Imagine what the pharmacist would think if I did manage to get in to the Doc before my Ins runs out.

I'm trying to figure out the bare minimum I would need to get by until I get my new insurance activated, ironically I got another job offer today; one that sounds like they want to hire me ASAP, I just need to catch up on about 5 years of CISCO Infrastructure technology and protocols in 96 hours *where's the Matrix plug in the back of my head when I need it!* before my face to face interview. I wish I had a months supply of my medications, I'm going to need them more than ever now.

Oh and the above meds don't even include my Immuno disorder. It's in the welcome forum under the newbie hello's thread. Man, timing is everything isn't it!

Thanks for the replies! What can you tell me about the methadone clinic? I only have opiate experience up to Morphine Sulfate 30mg, I'm maintaining on 10/500 CWE method, I HATE APAP.

If a clinic can help me awesome, but I thought those were for people who genuenly needed it

 

[shoolameet]

Well a methadone clinic might be willing to help with the Vicodin withdrawal as well as your physical pain. You pretty much just show up to the clinic, they will ask you a bunch of questions, drug test you and if all goes well they'll dose you. You will have to go everyday for a while because they have to dose you in the office. Eventually you can earn take homes and won't have to go every single day. It usually costs about $6-$11/day.
If you don't have luck with the methadone clinic, you should look for a Suboxone doctor in your area. It won't necessarily help with your physical pain, but it will definitely stop the withdrawal.

As far as the benzos, I would suggest going to the ER, your general physician or another psychiatrist. If you abruptly discontinue use you will most like have a seizure along with many other very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. If you can see your doc, I am not saying get refills for every single script, but just enough to prevent withdrawal until your new health insurance kicks in.

Do you have a close relationship with your psychiatrist or general physician? Would either be willing to work out a deal and let you pay (a somewhat cheaper amount) out of pocket for your sessions until you get your new health insurance?

I have to say, if your doctor knew about your insurance running out and didn't taper you he is extremely irresponsible and neglectful. And it is also a little neglectful on your part to be waiting until the last minute to figure all of this out.

I don't mean to scare you, but you really need to get this benzo situation figured out. How many do you have left at the moment exactly? If you have a large amount or know anyone who sells them, maybe you could taper yourself with the help of someone here.

 

[etherbunny]

I've been self tapering the benzo's since I found out I was losing my insurance, I only had 10 days notice, and I honestly don't have faith in my psychiatrist, he's almost literally a 'doctor dealer'. He's just lazy and really sucks at attention to detail. I literally tell him what to prescribe and he writes it, but almost never gets the dosage right, except for the stims: odd.

I explained to him clearly my current situation and he agreed to an extended script, however, I did overlook the actual printed script. I'm tapering down to a single benzo right now, Valium, I have gone through Xanax WD, Klonopin WD, and have worked through it. I'm not to concerned w/ going into full blown WD as I've been tapering the benzos for the past few weeks. I'm just running out of Valium way to fast, but today I stumbled onto something I think might just carry me through all this; Kratom. I've used it in the past, but I didn't own a scale and my eyeballing was WAAAAAY off. I scaled out 8.75g of old Premium grade dried leaf kratom and made a crude tea out of it and I've been solid for the better part of the day, w/o taking a Valium.

Right now I have exactly 60mg of V left, no hydroc, but I do have a friend who's willing to 'spot' me for a while, I've built him 3 computers and wired his house with LAN drops in each room so he's owed me for a long time.

I also have plenty of mood stabilizers, some abilify. I'm working with my PCP's main PA, who has a DEA scribing license and I can get in w/ him first thing in the morning. So I am trying to figure out exactly what to ask for, my chart at his office has me marked for no narcotics because I was referred to a Pain Management Dr. but I disagree'd with her prescribing methods. Treating a compressed disk with Flexeril and of all things a chiropractor, seriously?! So, I'll have to explain my situation to a PA; He's pretty cool, but loves to prescribe darvocet and acts like he's hooking me up w/ the 'good stuff'. Damn DOs they seem hate narcos and favor crap over gold. I just don't understand why a doctor who's been to medical school and has quite a few board certs, including pain management, wouldn't go with something that works. I don't abuse my pain meds and only 'relax' with benzos every now and then; I haven't built a high tolerance to narcs yet so I'm low risk right now ... Oh, I forgot I have promethazine left over from my old days of T3 trials. Maybe this will work out, I'm a poker player and I see plenty of outs heading to the river ...

I should be able to get a refill on my Valium, but only at the current dose and count; 5mg x 60. If that second job goes through on a fast track, I could have insurance back in 2 weeks and this will just be an archive (reference) on how procrastination is like masturbation, your only f*cking yourself, lol.

Oh and icing on the cake, I've been having to abstain from pot until I confirm that neither job drug test. I know discussion of drug testing isn't allowed, so I'll just leave it at that. So the skunk I have is worthless to me, I'm in a medicinal state, but employers are still allowed to make their own policies and I won't know them until I'm in the inside.

Good advice though and thanks for the honesty. I could have been more proactive with all this, read the damn script before you leave; an amateur oversight I always make.

Ok, lets inventory, I can have fresh quality Kratom in like 48 hours, use it sparingly; I'm only dealing with a swap from 2mg Klonopin dose to a measly 10mg Valium dose and I guess I could use a bit of mania for the whole interview/hiring process, I'll certainly impress them w/ my outgoing personality and boundless energy. I can quarter the Seroquel when I need to calm down and sleep every 3 days until I start work; what's that going to hurt, I'm unemployed and have no need to be rested for work or anything. I've already been up for ... checking clock, 33+ hours w/ no uppers in me. So, from the PA I'll see if they'll do atleast 5/500, maybe klonopin 1mg and Ambien (they give that stuff out like candy). Tomorrow is their drug rep day, so samples aplenty. I doubt a PA will prescribe more than a 15 day supply of a scheduled med, so I'll have to ration if I'm not signing an offer letter w/i 2 weeks or I could just eat the shit and pay for COBRA, it'll eat my savings but will get me full coverage until I am employed again.

Or am I just over analyzing this .... I think I'm gonna make a dumb decision tonight and head out to the titty bar, I'm VIP at all of them and I could use some stripper love right now lol.

Yeah, I think I'm just gonna read over some threads and head out for the night. You don't have to spend a single penny when your VIP to have an awesome night and I need to be worn out and looking like hell when I see the PA tomorrow anyway so my pitch (which will be the truth) won't fall on deft ears.

So, I'll get an extra lap dance for everyone at bluelight, and see where things are at in another 12 hours. So, again, thanks for the advice and honesty; it's appreciated.

Peace and love

Etherbunny

**Sidenote I love that bl icon, I think I'll be using it for most of my posts, unless I just have to use another one.

 

[etherbunny]

Well, so far I'm doing OK coming off the benzos. The hydroc is a harder, mostly because of the relapse in pain. I have recieved a renewal script for my seroquel and got in with my PCP tuesday.

Thanks everyone, KISS worked for me (keep it simple stupid), I was over thinking and starting to panic over something that was still w/i my control. My PCP is a competent Dr, though a DO and not a MD, I think he'll appreciate my situation. I've never lied to him to 'score' so he doesn't have any reason to distrust me.

I'll report back by the end of the week w/ an update, just to let ya everyone know the results.

Peace and love

Etherbunny

 

[etherbunny]

Final update

Well, if anyone was checking this thread for an update. I was able to get a full supply of my medications. Also, my insurance will be picked back up in time to fill my refills. So, everything worked out.

Peace and love

Etherbunny