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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Question regarding filling opiate prescriptions.

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Evra86

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Dec 20, 2015
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I've been googling this question for about an hour and can't find a legitimate response for my area. I live in California. I'm not sure I posted this in the correct subforum. If that's the case, I apologize.

Last month I filled my Methadone prescription on the 25th. I'm not supposed to be able to refill it for 30 days. The pharmacy told me yesterday they're allowed to refill it two days early, so the 23rd (but I actually counted the days and it should actually be the 22nd since I got them the morning of the 25th). I'm curious - if I took my written prescription into a different pharmacy, would they fill it today? OR is there a way for them to check the prescription I refilled with the other pharmacy last month?

I'm only asking because my family and I are leaving the state for Christmas. If the pharmacy will not let me pick up my prescription a little bit early (and I totally understand why they won't let me), I'm going to have to stay home and not go on vacation with them. I don't relish this idea.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
 
You will not be able to fill it this early. Maybe the 22nd, but your insurance might balk at covering it. 23rd is safer.

Where are you traveling to? You should be able to fill it in another place if you're still in the United States. Does your family know you're on it? You should be able to call CVS in the area and confirm but it shouldn't be an issue, that's one of the nice things about America.
 
My "insurance" is the VA. I pay cash for my prescriptions and the VA re-imburses me (or they're supposed to. I have filled five prescriptions now and they haven't given me back a dime). I had read that you could take written prescriptions into different pharmacies if you were paying cash. Others say you cannot because all narcotics are on a statewide database.

I can't fill it in another state because the prescription would be void since it's a written prescription I'm taking in with me. And if they decide to call my doctor they'll get nothing but an answering machine and I'll be screwed. And I REALLY don't want to go through withdrawals while on vacation.

I just wanted to make sure that if I went to a completely different pharmacy they wouldn't turn me away. But I have heard they may have some way to look up narcotics refills in a central database of some sort.
 
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Can you contact your doctor or anyone in his/hers clinic or are they already on vacation?

I am pretty sure you would get it earlier with his/her approval if you say you are going to a vacation.

Also your doc could cancel your current RX and write a new one which you could get from pharmacy as soon as he/she does that.
 
MrRoot said:
Can you contact your doctor or anyone in his/hers clinic or are they already on vacation?

I am pretty sure you would get it earlier with his/her approval if you say you are going to a vacation.

Also your doc could cancel your current RX and write a new one which you could get from pharmacy as soon as he/she does that.
Click to expand...

This.
Also you should plan your vacations, and arrange prescriptions schedule with your doctor. I hope that's doable where you live.
 
Can I contact my doctor? No. She is only available three days a week. And recently she hasn't been available whatsoever because her mother recently passed away so she has been in India taking care of family problems.

I informed my doc I was going on vacation. The problem is, we went on vacation for Thanksgiving as well, so she didn't buy it. And I completely understand why she didn't buy it.

I have a physical paper prescription in my hand right now I could go turn in at any pharmacy I would like. That's why I was asking. The prescription says I could pick it up as of the 19th of this month (yesterday). The reason they wouldn't let me pick it up is because I went to the same pharmacy I used last month, and their records show I received my last refill on the 25th. They told me they will not allow me to refill it until the 23rd of this month (should be the 22nd).

I wanted to know if I took my paper prescription to a different pharmacy, say Walmart or Target or Safeway or CVS, and paid cash, would they be able to see the same things Walgreens sees and not let me pick it up? Or would they just let me pay for it and pick it up today?
 
It's possible, it's more possible that it would work, but get back to your original pharmacist and/or doctor, and even scarier for them DEA. You wouldn't know until next month. Maybe if you could find a ancient pharmacy that only kept paper logs...but good luck. You're kinda screwed here.
 
Do you have only one doc? No replacement?
I don't know how is the situation there, but where I live, there is a fixed number of vacation days per year (IIRC ~45) we have a right to use.
It is up to us how and when we are going to use them. The situation is also different if one works. In case of business trips it is even more simple.
 
^if it looks like you're going to get stuck and facing possible WD, if it were me I would stock up on enough opiates/opioids to get me through. This is terrible advice to someone who may be on methadone to kick an H habit for example, but if you're going to be tested as part of whatever agreement you are in then I wouldn't risk it, but damned if I would go through a 'done WD on my vacation. Take care OP, I hope u find a suitable solution.

Are you on methadone for pain management?
 
One doc. It's a tiny pain clinic and the only one in my town. Which is ridiculous.

I'm actually afraid to try to take it in to a different pharmacy because I'm worried it'll get me into trouble or something. It just pisses me off that they aren't willing to compromise even for two days. I'm not asking for it two weeks early or anything, just a few days, but the answer was "no". I understand why they need to be protected this way. But I'm kinda getting screwed over here. I'm willing to try at CVS or Walmart, I just don't want to get in trouble for it.
 
I don't have a lot of other options. Safeway, Target, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens (where I normally go), and I think that's it.
 
If you are paying cash, you should have no problem filling a written prescription as long as you are filling it on or after the date that is written on it. It's usually insurance that limits, plus like you said a particular pharmacy won't refill before a certain date.

I'd prefer to go to a "local" pharmacy and avoid the big chains. If you choose another chain make sure it's not one owned by your normal chain--often one owns another.

The worst they will do is hand you back your script and say sorry it's not able to be filled yet. I live in a state the does not yet have centralized database for prescriptions. If your state has one then its possible you may have to wait til the 22-23.

I think you wouldn't have much trouble as its a written script.

If you do fill it very early I would NOT turn that one in for reimbursement. ...just sothey don't think you're misusing meds.

Have a nice vacation !
 
I understand it's acceptable. I really appreciate the last two replies, you guys have given me a lot to think about. I'm still really concerned about taking it to another location. I honestly have no idea who owns Walgreens (where I refilled my script last month and every other month). I'm worried they'll hold onto my script and not give it back. I just read an article about pharmacists doing that recently. And since I don't know which chain store is "safe", I have absolutely no idea what I can do here and not get in trouble. I just really don't want to miss my holiday vacation because I haven't been able to go on one since I joined the Army in 2006. I live in California by the way, and I'm sure they have a central database.

I'm really hoping this doesn't bite me in the ass. I'll try tomorrow at some point and post how it goes. If anyone has a recommendation of which pharmacy I should try, I'm all ears (or eyes, as it were). I'm thinking about trying Walmart first. If they're not available I might try Rite Aid.
 
When I was on oxycodone (in California), I filled my script at multiple different CVS, Savon, Walgreens, and a local mom-and-pop. Never had an issue taking it to another store.

I don't know why you've heard about people's prescriptions being taken but I doubt they were being totally above board. Don't believe everything you hear.
 
If you are on a contract and take you script to another pharmacy they can pull your script. All of the pharmacies are linked up(big ones anyway) as well as your doctor. I'd go to my normal pharmacy and try to fill the 22nd and if not have it filled out of state or stay home and wait a dday. did you sign a contract with your doctor when you were put on methadone?
 
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The topic of ability to fill prescriptions is a legality issue. As you've seen, we can only guess according to our own experiences and we can't give you a definitive answer. Sorry I have to close this.
 
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