Medication Problem


rfurse

New Member
We want to RV full time but my wife's medication may prevent that unless someone has a way to resolve the problem. Her back pain medication (eg, duragesic pain patch, vicodin) is a controlled substance. Her doctor says the law states that he needs to write a prescription once a month in his office while she is present before she can get the prescription for a controlled substance filled. That would require us to return from our RV travels every month which makes full time rving impractical. Is there any way to get a controlled substance filled monthly, delivered to a mail forwarding service and then forwarded to us on the road without visiting a doctor more than once a year?
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Medication Problem

If her doctor knows, then I don't see any anwser. But that isn't true for all controled substances as my wife takes a medication that is a controled substance, but she gets a 90 day supply each time, from a mail order pharmacy, that is delivered to our mail service(in the same state as our doctor) and the service then forwards it to us. However, my wife's controlled substance is not a narcotic, so it could be that those are different. We are also residents of Texas and it may be that the laws are different in different states.
 

turnipbwc

New Member
Medication Problem

Tell your wife's doctor you are on the road RVing fulltime and see if he can't write a longer prescription. If he will not do it talk to your pharmist. If that don't work look for a doctor who will help you. If they can do it for Kirks wife then I see no reason they wouldn't do it for your wife.
Good Luck whatever you do.
Turnip42
 

dmonta

New Member
Medication Problem

Don't stop living because a doctor doesn't want to help, talk with your insurance company and see if they are the ones that require the once a month checkup if not "and I except them to say ever 3 months" then try talking to the doctor who wants your money every month, if he has no give then talk with other doctors, you may also be able to see doctors on the road and after you visit ask for your visit records so you can see another doctor in three months someplace else.

Keep in mind your medical records already show this as along term illness, all the insurance company is looking for is a physical showing that the continuation of this medication will not cause your wife any harm.

Best of luck.
 

rfurse

New Member
Medication Problem

Her doctor gave her the impression that it was the law that required the monthly visit. I realize that most presriptions can be for 90 days with 3 refills but the impression we got was that the law is different for controlled substances as she needs. Does anyone know if there are federal or state laws that require a monthly visit to the doctor for a controlled substance? I would rather discover this information from other sources than the doctor so I can better understand the doctor's restrictions from unbiased sources.
 

janicenlarry

New Member
Medication Problem

Your Dr. is milking you and the system. dmonta is right in that you need to contact your insurance provider and find another Dr. who is willing to work with you.
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Medication Problem

Some medications are federally controled and prohibit the writing of a prescription of more than 30 days. If you have a doctor that you trust, talk with him about the problem but do not take medical advice from we amature medical people. If there is an answer, the doctor/patient is the key. Perhaps an alternative medication? Or possibly more than one prescription? Not everything has a simple answer! For information about most medications, you can do a search in Google for the name. I would also call your insurnace rep. and ask them about it. And a second medical opinion is never a bad way to go.

The key here is that one's health is more important than anything else.
 

SR Ariens

New Member
Medication Problem

I'm a retired pharmacist... while I am not up on the each state's law... I am not aware of any such law. Contact the State's Pharmacy association... they should be able to answer your question about that particular state's law. There are five levels of controlled substances. Duragesic patches are a CII... which by federal law dictates NO REFILLS and must be signed by the physician - no phone ins. CIII - CV can be refilled five times or six months .. whichever comes first. Vicodin is a CIII. My wife is also a chronic pain patient and our GP mails the RX to the pharmacy that we use back home and they mail the medication to us. We are in the process of changing the pain clinic that she was going to because the MD stated what the "rules were" that were untrue and even though I could point out the errors of his beliefs... he would not budge. :8ball:
 

RobbieAndTeresa

New Member
Medication Problem

rfurse,

I agree with the other posts, contact your insurance company. We have Cigna and they have TelDrug which allows you to order and pay by phone or on line and the doctor can write the prescription for up to 90 days. Wife and I both get all our meds this way...if it's any consolation.
 

John Harrelson

New Member
Medication Problem

I know nothing about the laws pertaining to the different drugs

....... BUT .......

if SR ARIENS is a retired pharmacist.. then he should know.. and he has stated that the patch has no refills and must be signed by the doctor and no phone call-ins are allowed..

So that settles that.... but !!!!
how about asking if there is another patch that will do the same thing but can be issued for a ninety day period of time??

just trying to help,
John
 

RTompkins3

New Member
Medication Problem

The other option is to get your wife's medical records from the Doctor. Then you should be able to go to a doctor in the area that you travel to and get a prescription written. If your insurance is useable in any of the nationwide chains, you can take the prescription to them and get them filled. I believe all WalMarts have a pharmacy, and they accept most common insurance plans. There is no reason that it has to be the same doctor writing the prescription every time. The physician you see locally may want to call your doctor to verify the records. The other option is seeing if there is a CIII or lower drug that will do the job. Part of the issue is that most CII drugs are addictive, easily abused and normally used for short term therapy.
 
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