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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
My wife and I planned to travel over the Holidays but some new person at the pharmacy wouldn't refill my scrip for Ativan even a few days early. She wanted to paint me as a drug dealer of the worst kind. My thought was, "here we go again", because I'd seen articles about prescription drugs as the "new dope" and the like. Result: No travel over the holidays.
Pharmacists are sometimes power-mad now, but the boys in government are always willing to put new tools in their hands. The dance goes like this: Street criminals abuse legal prescription drugs; news-sources sensationalize the situation; our lawmakers pass even more draconian laws or some kind of "crackdown" happens.
Maybe I'll try that Niacinimide and Taurine, because getting prescription drugs is getting too hard to do.
Anybody else been having problems with Bezo scripts?
Posted by mav27 on January 4, 2009, at 1:15:14
In reply to Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
Couldnt you have waited those few more days until they would refill it then go on the holliday.. or get it filled whilst on the holliday? Or go to a different chemist ?
Posted by Merge on January 4, 2009, at 8:25:33
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by mav27 on January 4, 2009, at 1:15:14
Without knowing where you live, I have had this same trouble in the US - and it hasn't been the pharmacist who made the decision not to refill a prescription early, it was my insurance company.
Most insurance companies only authorize that prescriptions be dispensed every X number of days and no earlier. I called my insurance company well before I was to go on vacation and explained that I needed to get a refill earlier than authorized (as I would be out of the country for 3 weeks) and they did not have a problem accommodating me.
Hope this helps if you're ever in this situation again.
Posted by seldomseen on January 4, 2009, at 9:18:26
In reply to Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
This happened to me once, and it wasn't an insurance issue.
My doctor had instructed that I take two klonopin instead of one a day, but had not written me a new prescription.
So, when I ran out, the pharmacy wouldn't fill the prescription. I had to have my doctor call.
However, they did advance me two days worth of pills pending the new prescription.
I suspect there are laws prohibiting the early refill of certain controlled substances, but I think a lot of it has to do with the individual pharmacist themselves.
Next time, just call your doctor. They can call in a new prescription.
Seldom.
Posted by Garnet71 on January 4, 2009, at 10:33:15
In reply to Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
Hi Neal,
I agree with the others about the insurance companies not letting you get the script early.
But I wanted to mention my benzo experiences-I've been traumatized by a doctor refusing to prescribe me a benzo. I had severe anxiety 24/7. It was horrible. It escalated then I was awake for 3 days straight. I called primary doc-asked for 7 days worth of .5 Xanax until my PDoc appointment one week later. She refused. I had to drink 2 whole bottles of wine to try to supress my nervous system at this point because I started losing my mind from no sleep. Finally went to the hospital and they treated me like a drug addict and made me stay there for 10 hours w/o seeing a doctor. Finally in the morning, the hospital's PDOC called in and prescribed me an anthihimstine (so I am accused of being a drug addict) which gives me heart palpitations and I do not take OTC medicine for colds, allergies, anythign. I told the prescribing nurse and she ignored me. I was awake another day and a half. Finally got a few pills of Xanax to sustain me till my PDOc appt, but only after dissasociating from my self. I looked in the mirror and it wasn't me. It was frightening, I was traumatized feelign like I wasn't 'me' and being denied relief from this. I think I have problems now with panic, becuase it is in my mind that docs will let me lose my mind rather than give me one pill of ativan or xanax.
I am outraged at how people who suffer anxiety are treated like drug addicts or children. Anytime I've gone to a PDOC and mentioned taking Ativan in the past, all they think about is "drug seeking behavior" (I've seen it written in the charts). Suffering from severe anxiety is no differnet than screaming out in pain--it is just as torturous. For God's sake, if vitamin E injections stopped my anxiety, I would be seeking that!!!
I tried to get a benzo for a long dental procedure once--was refused. Not even ONE LITTLE PILL. The ones who are crazy are the docs, in my opinion. I've never abused benzos, and stopped takign them on my own when I was prescribed them by one PDOC int he past. The most I ever took was 1.5 milligrams, or .5 3 x day.
I took a 13 hour flight recently--I didn't even ask a doc. I got benzos elsewhere, thankfully. Imagine losing your mind in an airplane because a stupid doctor would not prescribe you a couple of pills. What is the problem with giving a patient a benzo ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR?? It's rediculous. Just becuase others abuse the drugs, people who really need them are denied. I totally blame the doctors, and yes, I very well know the government regulates controlled substances. The doctors use no common sense in making these decisions, and have treated me cruely, barbarically, and like a child over this issue. I am a grandmother.
I'm venting now. But see, others are in the same boat! I am so lucky my anxiety is under control right now because not only do I have to live with the torture and stigma against mentall illness, but I have to live through it being treated like a drug addict, being denied necessary treatment, and treated likea child by doctors.
Posted by Phillipa on January 4, 2009, at 11:07:15
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Garnet71 on January 4, 2009, at 10:33:15
I have to travel eight hours away to get my benzos from pdoc there as all they give are antipsychotics here had one here who gave benzos but kept saying how depressing they were so started feeling depressed power of suggestion. Then he said take 120mg of geodon. I said what that is much too high he said well then see someone else proof to me that they don't want to prescribe benzos never escalated dose the opposite and after over 37 years? Phillipa
Posted by Gabette on January 4, 2009, at 21:27:02
In reply to Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
Yeah, it's really bad. I was accused of forging
a prescription, i've had them refused three days early for the same reason you mentioned,
Or been told to wait while they checked with my Doctor who may or may not be working the day I
bring in my script.
It's soul wearing beyond reason. I dread getting mine filled because I never know what's going to happen.
I did stop taking them for that reason, but
within two months I was in the E.R agitated and
anxious to the point of losing touch with reality and they gave me lorazepam, it made me sane
in 20 minutes. So here we go again.What makes me so angry is the arbitrary judgement.
I take something that makes me "normal" it happens to be something my neurotransmitters become attached to so I'm a person to look down on, and treat with contempt. Yes, that's how bad it's gotten.If however I took something that worked as well as a benzo, but my neurotransmitters did not become attached to it, I would not be so deserving of scorn.
Yeah, sure that makes a lot of sense..
Posted by 10derHeart on January 5, 2009, at 1:53:28
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Gabette on January 4, 2009, at 21:27:02
I'm so sorry to hear so many have had this treatment. It does seem so unfair. To stereotype and generalize like that, either from a few experiences these docs or pharmacists may have had, or worse, from "what they've heard," irrational assumptions, about addiction, dependence...blah, blah...whatever they think they are protecting you from. Sure isn't very respectful or validating of you as a person or patient, participating in your own health care :-( That would make me MORE anxious, to anticipate all that possibly happening every time I simply wanted a refill of something legimately prescribed. Sigh.
I mean really, what about those suspicious, possibly criminal, shady diabetics, always insisting on refilling that insulin?!! Oh yeah, they *say* they have these *allegedly* malfunctioning pancreases (pancreai??- lol) and need the stuff, but I don't know.... They appear fine when I see them - so who's to say they're not selling this insulin in the streets??!! Suuuure, they need to regulate their blood sugar {wink.} Right.
Yuh. What I'm reading here is about that silly, really.
((((Babblers who face benzophobia and injustice)))
Posted by Gabette on January 5, 2009, at 2:12:05
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by 10derHeart on January 5, 2009, at 1:53:28
Thank you Tenderheart.
I don't understand the rudeness toward drug addicts either. What if someone is *addicted*? They didn't become addicted in order to annoy pharmacists, the pain is their own, they're suffering worse than anyone, and I don't think rudeness ever helped someone into treatment. Being an addict isn't really matter of choice but being an as*hole pharmacist is.
Posted by Gabette on January 5, 2009, at 2:22:43
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Garnet71 on January 4, 2009, at 10:33:15
> Hi Neal,
>
> I agree with the others about the insurance companies not letting you get the script early.
>
I've had your experience several times, and it is
traumatizing, benzo withdrawal can cause PTSD.
If it happens again, see if you can get a script for Lunesta, (Zopiclone) my body doesn't to be able to distinguish it from a benzo, and for some reason, doctors are far more willing to prescribe it.
It didn't help me with permanent withdrawal though, if I stop taking it the symptoms return. It did serve to miraculously make me feel normal when I was forced to go without lorazepam and in the midst of that ghoulish terror that makes normality unfathomable.
Posted by fayeroe on January 9, 2009, at 17:37:51
In reply to Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Neal on January 4, 2009, at 0:47:56
The extreme end of the abuse is hearing an emergency room call a spinal cancer patient a "junkie" because she came in with a broken morphine pump. I think a good dose of common sense, for these people, would go a very long way.
Posted by yxibow on January 11, 2009, at 3:39:32
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled, posted by Phillipa on January 4, 2009, at 11:07:15
> I have to travel eight hours away to get my benzos from pdoc there as all they give are antipsychotics here had one here who gave benzos but kept saying how depressing they were so started feeling depressed power of suggestion. Then he said take 120mg of geodon. I said what that is much too high he said well then see someone else proof to me that they don't want to prescribe benzos never escalated dose the opposite and after over 37 years? Phillipa
I feel for you, Jan, I'm not quite sure what to say -- I guess I live in a more metropolitan place, I can't imagine driving 8 hours to see a doctor, and getting that kind of lip service.
It also sounds like an antagonistic relationship with a psychiatrist, which in the course of treatment is something that comes up, I can't say I am always in agreement in my treatment, but if that is always the case, why go back ?
I know that psychiatrists across the country are becoming more conservative about controlled substances because their license is being breathed down on by the DEA but the doses of benzodiazepines you've taken from what you've mentioned are well within the norm and frankly rather low actually.-- best wishes
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2009, at 19:06:34
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on January 11, 2009, at 3:39:32
Jay I know it's the doc I drive eight hours to see that prescribes the benzos. The other one was here and saw him all of about four times. Wasn't a good fit as he was eating disorders specialist in the practice and believe it or not once you've seen someone in the practice not allowed to switch pdoc have you ever heard of anything so ridulous? Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on January 12, 2009, at 22:35:16
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on January 11, 2009, at 19:06:34
> Jay I know it's the doc I drive eight hours to see that prescribes the benzos. The other one was here and saw him all of about four times. Wasn't a good fit as he was eating disorders specialist in the practice and believe it or not once you've seen someone in the practice not allowed to switch pdoc have you ever heard of anything so ridulous? Love Phillipa
Yes I have heard of all sorts of nasty insurance stories, insurance is a disaster in this country, may we get a better hold on things come this administration.However usually its that you are more often stuck with a primary care provider than secondary referrals. Are you sure you can't ask your regular doctor for another one to be processed through your insurance ?
I would hate to say a simplistic answer that maybe you need to switch secondary Medicare providers but I know that it is a dicey risk of pre-existing conditions. Is there not any possible preauthorization from your physician/gynecologist ?-- Jay
Posted by Phillipa on January 13, 2009, at 19:01:34
In reply to Re: Trouble getting Benzo filled » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on January 12, 2009, at 22:35:16
Jay medicare allows me to see anyone I want that takes medicare. Internist and endo will not mess with psych meds. Ob/gyn won't either. Just the way it is here. Not an insurance problem was told the docs in the practice get jelous of a patient not wanting them and also most not taking new patients and then most who are at least six week wait and they use antipsychotics instead as already asked. Love Jan
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