gah, times three

Okay, it's like being in a game show with no monetary reward.

By it, I mean, pharmacists. And my doctor. And possibly caffeine.



Knowing in theory what Schedule II meant on a drug list is very different from reality. I got the entire new script for Ritalin every month on three ply paper. Which is freakishly annoying, but okay. I get that this is an evil controlled substance. Whatever.

Here is my issue at this point.

I got my refill on Friday. I went to a differnet pharmacy, picked up my script, went home, took one, settled down to do my thing.

Ah, no. That's where everything got *tricky*. It was a different generic version. A very, very, very *bad* one. For me, anyway.

Monday, I took the script to the local pharmacy, convinced they'd given me the wrong pills. No. Hmm. Called my doctor and left him a message about the strange reactions and waited. Didn't stop *taking* because he'd been pretty darn clear about what I was supposed to do with this, so I continued to be semi-stoned and nauseated with a pounding headache for, oh, the last three days. I finally skipped a dose in a fit of courage and called around to see what my options are.

I cannot take the remainder back and get another version. As it has been filled. I offered them the rest of the bottle, said how many I'd taken, still no go. Wandered over to vendor drug in our building, since they deal with pharmacies, and they told me pretty much the same thing. The only option is to get a new script, which you know, wouldn't be too bad except my doctor is at a conference. He left instructions to cut my dose in half and see if that helped, after going off it for a day. I tried to explain that I'm not entirely sure the dose is the problem, since it's actual function isn't functioning at all. OTOH, for all I know, he's right and lowering the dose will help, except this dose was the one I was happy over for the last two weeks.

You know, I see the logic, I do. I cannot imagine *how* anyone gets high off of this stuff, but I'm willing to go out there and say fine, okay. But Jesus God, why in the name of *God* is it so hard to fix an actual problem? I'm giving them back the ones I can't use. I will give them back.

Gah. I am remembering why I spent so many years refusing medication. This is terrible for my complexion. I think I spotted a blemish.

Comments

[trobadora]

*hugs*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*hugs back* Thanks.

[wolfshark]

Dealing with schedule II meds is a huge pain in the keister.

Does your doctor have a partner or someone covering for him that can write a new script for you?

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Normally, there would usually be, but I'm just off pneumonia and just started this, so he's being fairly strict about my medications. It's--complex for a while.

Gah, though.

[akacat]

Ok, 'complex' is exactly the reason he shouldn't leave you on a lousy generic when it's not working and causing problems. Call his office and raise heck.

I swear, once in a while I get a bad batch of my generic of Paxil. Fortunately, it doesn't do any worse than give me a very mild case of Paxil-head on the most stressful days. But I'd be a bit freaked out if I was still new to it and just getting the dosage adjusted.

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

I cannot take the remainder back and get another version. As it has been filled. I offered them the rest of the bottle, said how many I'd taken, still no go.

The pharmacy probably only carries one generic version, anyway, so it wouldn't help to try to get another from them. And they can't take back the ones you already have, in any case. (They can't eat the cost, and would you want to take meds that some random person had already taken home with them?) Your best bet is to (unfortunately) suffer until you can get a new Rx, then go back to the pharmacy you used before. :( Sucks, but people do sometimes react badly to inert ingredients in medications, generic or not.

As an aside, ask the pharmacy that filled the Rx what generic manufacturer made it. Then, in the future, you check to see what type of generic a new pharmacy uses before wasting a C-II triplicate script there. Gah.

Donna

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't mind repaying for another version at full price, to be honest. I do get they don't want people buying a few differnet scripts in a month, but this is just a lot of work to get something fixed.

I have the not-great generic written down so I can have that as a restriction on the next script he writes, just in case.

[tylergrrls.livejournal.com]

I think it's ridiculous that there have to be such restrictions on Schedule II medications. Locked cabinets, audit logs, triplicate scripts... But, Jesus, if they didn't do that stuff, it'd be BAD.

Not that any of that helps when you just want to get your damn meds fixed. :(

Donna

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

My husband's been on a schedule II drug for about three years now, and Jesus God, but I feel your pain. Why is everything so difficult? And the suspicion with which you're regarded, as if everyone on a schedule II is automatically on it only to turn around and re-sell it on the street. It's offensive.

Anyway, you have my sympathy. It has gotten better for my husband, but only because he threw a big hissy fit and threatened legal action at both the pharmacy and the clerical staff (his doctor is actually wonderful and kind, but he doesn't fill prescriptions, alas).

Good luck.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

It really is. I can see if I'd been saying I lost them for months, but it's not like it's completely unknown that there are sometimes bad reactions to one kind of generic and not another. You'd think they'd have some way around that one.

I was tempted to throw a fit. very.

[that_mireille]

Argh. That is amazingly frustrating. (And in a *way* it makes sense, but then there's a patient who *just wants her meds*.)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

That's the most frustrating part. It *does* make sense, and I can see why it's so--complex. But I can't quite see how substituting and giving back the ones that don't work, so it's obvious I'm not selling them, is that hard. There's got to be some kind of complex legal reason, but I still can't quite get to the root of that.

[that_mireille]

Even if, as someone pointed out, they can't just take them back and eat the cost--it would suck, but it would make more sense if they took them back (to make sure you weren't selling them) and made you pay full price for the new prescription (so they weren't losing any money, and could dispose of the pills you returned).

[seperis.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I was trying to do all this morning. I'll go to the name brand for the month if I have to and pay for it, and I never got a really clear answer on why that wasn't acceptable. Or *why* it wasn't.

It was very frustrating.

[aliaswestgate.livejournal.com]

It's less the legal reasons and more the sanitary reasons. We can't give back pills someone has already touched. (since you've opened and taken a few, there's no way a pharmacy can take them back.) There's also the Schedule II legal issues as well. Your doctor should be able to remedy it when he returns with a new script, and also what someone above mentioned? Finding out the specific manufacturer so you can avoid that particular generic.

If you intend to go back to that particular pharmacy? Ask them to order in a different manufacturer's generic specifically for you. We do it in the pharmacy i work in for a few regulars. Ordering special for someone usually isn't a problem if hte pharmacy team isn't afraid to do the legwork. You'll also have to speak with your insurance about a possible override just this once. The whole thing is a headache for all invovled, sadly. (i've helped deal with stuff like this constantly in the last 3 years. The insurances need to butt the hell out of business sometimes.)

They'd be able to fill it in brand for you if they carry it--but it'd likely cost twice as much for a copay because a generic is available or your insurance would want a Prior Authorization on top of everything else. Which means more time without the drug and more phone wrangling for everyone.

Hope it helps. I'm a pharm tech so i kinda hafta know these things. ^^;;

[lovelokest.livejournal.com]

Ugh. *hugs* I don't know about the laws in your state, but in Wisconsin my doctor was able to give me several future prescriptions for Ritalin at once with each one dated a month later than the last.

*crosses fingers that it all works out*

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I may ask him before my next appointmetn. This script, should I ever get it straightened out, runs out while I'm out of teh country and I have to check what my pharmacy's policy is on early refills.

*sighs* I seriously want to throw some kind of fit, but honestly? Probably wouldn't help.

*hugs* thanks.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

Also, if your doctor offers to issue one prescription for a 90 day supply because federal regs prohibity writing more than one schedule 2 scrip at a time? Make sure your insurance company will cover that much. Mine will only pay for a 30 days at a time, and the feds will only let my doctor hand out one prescription at a time, so I'm picking up a slip of paper for two months in a row and getting a checkup the third.

That's over in Georgia

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

My doctor used to give me three at a time, but the Feds cracked down. Don't know if it's the speed for ADD or painkillers for the Oxycontin crowd, but it ended in the same result for us here.

[is alarmed]

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

There is a generic version of Concerta? That is sick-making?

[prepares to spend a lot of money to be on the name version]

And, yes, I am also sorry you're having this trouble. Once you find a combination of meds that works for you, you may find yourself getting equally possessive of and alarmist about it. ;)

Re: [is alarmed]

[seperis.livejournal.com]

No, just the Ritalin clones as far as I can tell. I'm going to see if I can get a restriction placed against that written on teh script, just in case. I didn't even know there *were* that many variations of teh short acting Ritalin around.

[thornsilver]

Getting prescription drugs is always fun.

Not.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

This entire schedule two thing is a whole new world.

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

That really sucks. I guess they have reasons or whatever, but I don't see why they won't let you exchange the unused pills for the medicine they were supposed to give you. Do they think you cloned them in your secret lab?

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yes. I think they *do*. It's--freaky to be under suspicion automatically.

[vampiegirl.livejournal.com]

Ugh I know how you feel.

I tried to get my dad's drigs sorted. we wanted them blisterd (where they put all the dosages together with the day and the time on them) his memory is going. They wouldn't take the drugs we had they insisted that we went and got a new prescription.

I hope you get is sorted out.

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

GAH.

[kernezelda]

Ack! *offers faux-tea and sympathy*

[amireal.livejournal.com]

Eew. Pharmacies have directives to sub for generic whenever possible unless told otherwise. This would be a thousand times easier if your doc was in town. Sadly this is what happens at the beginning of anything. *hugses*

Meanwhile, I am awaiting my darvocet. Wee! If I combine that with a muscle relaxant I could slip into DANGEROUS UNCONSCIOUSNESS. Hmm. I should, you know, ask my doctor about that.

[cad27.livejournal.com]

Not a blemish! I weep for you.

[fyrdrakken]

Always helpful to have several layers of bureaucratic policy (insurance, pharmacy, DEA) between you and what you need to get. God, but I hate insurance companies and the DEA.