Wellness

[qbetzforreal]

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@Laura14 wrote:

So I have my cast taken off two days ago.  He checks my wrist, gives me permission to wear a brace for two weeks and a therapy referral.  

Today, I get a message from a pharmacy place that a prescription has been called in for me by this office for pain and inflammation and they want to confirm my address to send it to me.  Say what?  

Not once did I ever say I had pain.  Not once did the ortho say I looked inflamed.  Not once did I ask for drugs nor was any offered.  Not even a topic or hint in our conversation.

Maybe someone wants to medicate me because I was a bit annoyed when I waited for over an hour and finally asked if they forgot about me.  I am Sicilian.  It could have been seen as a little aggressive without meaning to.

Now I have to call these dealers back and say no thank you.  I have enough medical bills and two prescriptions practically unopened from the day it happened because, um, I'm still not in pain and have no need for drugs.  

The money I could make on the street with the way I'm being handed legal meds...  

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Just don't fill the prescription, if you're not in any distress.  What's the big deal?

[Moonchilde]

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@noodleann wrote:

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@Laura14 wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

They can't send narcotics in electronically - they require a WRITTEN Rx.And in most states you have to show ID & sign for them when you pick them up so they could not be mailed either.

You should reconsider refusing this Rx because if PT causes inflammation it is going to set you back as well as being painful.That is what the doctor is trying to avoid.

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@151949  The DEA actually does allow electronic prescriptions on controlled substances now.  But your state law may be different and the stricter law always wins.

I have prescriptions from urgent care a few weeks ago that I haven't touched.  I'm sure if I do need them, I'll take them or the doctor can always resubmit the prescription.  

I think I must have a high pain threshold.  I didn't really think much of the pain when I broke my wrist.  I was more sick to my stomach than hurting in my arm.  

I got hydrocodone when I had my wisdom teeth surgery years ago.  Never touched it.  I took OTC ibuprofen for a few days and I was fine.    

I didn't realize about the therapy being so painful.  I should have asked all of you first before I made the call.  Now you guys have me scared.    

.   

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We're in the midst of an opioid epidemic and the DEA is actually making distribution of these drugs EASIER?

I'd smack my head but at this point I'm risking a concussion.

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It may vary from state to state, but in CA, although your doctor can call a controlled substance/narcotic Rx in now (this is relatively recent - 18 mos ago they couldn't), you have to arrive to pick it up holding your doctor's written Rx, in your name, in your hand. The doctor may be able to call it in to get started being filled, but without a paper Rx it's not given out. And I believe the person picking it up is supposed to show ID that they are the person on the Rx.

When I had several dental extractions, my Rx was called in and ready for me, but I had to crawl into the store and hand them my Rx to pick up. My driver couldn't pick up, only me. So - marginally easier for post-op patients. Not handing them out to strangers like M&Ms.

[RedTop]

Speaking only from what I know locally, electronic prescription transfer is helping cut down on our local drug problems.   Too many written prescriptions were being altered and presented for fill at local pharmacies.   With the script being transferred from the physicians office to the pharmacy, forging/fraud is eliminated.   ID must be presented, which is scanned into the pharmacy records, and the prescription must be signed for before it is put into the hands of the patient and/or person picking up the prescription.   

My pharmacist has filled my prescriptions for 40 years; he and his staff know my name, and my daughters names, as well as my family connections.   I am in the system several times due to picking up narcotic meds for myself, my mother, and my daughters after medical procedures.   

[noodleann]

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@RedTop wrote:

Speaking only from what I know locally, electronic prescription transfer is helping cut down on our local drug problems.   Too many written prescriptions were being altered and presented for fill at local pharmacies.   With the script being transferred from the physicians office to the pharmacy, forging/fraud is eliminated.   ID must be presented, which is scanned into the pharmacy records, and the prescription must be signed for before it is put into the hands of the patient and/or person picking up the prescription.   

My pharmacist has filled my prescriptions for 40 years; he and his staff know my name, and my daughters names, as well as my family connections.   I am in the system several times due to picking up narcotic meds for myself, my mother, and my daughters after medical procedures.   

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Thank you for the light bulb moment, of course. This makes complete sense.

Until a major drugstore chain gets hacked, of course. Then things will get interesting.

We really need to find a way to thwart the chronic pain so many people experience as a result of injuries and certain illnesses, without the use of easily abused chemicals. It's a huge, incredibly costly problem.

[Laura14]

Wow, okay guys, for the record, if it really matters:

1.  Not a scam.  

It was called in/submitted/faxed by the ortho office without my knowledge which is what blindsided me.  Doctors have to remember that, although they know what's coming down the road, I don't.  This may be their 5,000th broken wrist.  It's my first.  

I had no idea until you guys told me that drug therapy is necessary with PT.  I don't even know what PT entails or that doctor's call in prescriptions to go with it.  A heads up from them would have been nice.  

2.  The Pharmacy Place was actually called The Pharmacy Place.  

Obviously a mail order facility.  Never heard of them but I know mail order is becoming more common and cheaper for everyone all around.  Another reason a heads up for patients would be nice.

3.  My nationality, tone of post, etc were meant to be humorous.  I know a broken bone pales in comparison to what others here have going on, but this hasn't been much fun.  If my attempt at humor to lift my spirits is not your cup of tea, I really am very funny.  Trust me.       

It's a GREAT thing you guys are so helpful to me.  I love the information even with the spunk.  

[Mmsfoxxie]

@Laura14, @lolakimono is right.  You have to go to the pharmacy to pick up narcotics in person.  Each time my husband had surgery, when he was released I had to go pick up his pain meds.  When I asked why they couldn't call it over, I was told that reason.

[conlt]

It sounds like the drug is for inflammation not necessarily for pain. If you had a fracture or a sprain recently, you most likely still have inflammation. It is up to you whether you take the drug or not. I personally would. It took almost a year for my foot to heal after a 2 liter bottle of soda flew out of the back of the SUV and hit my foot top side onto the foot. 

[hckynut]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

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@Laura14 wrote:

Still not accepting it.  I have my first bottle of prescription NSAIDs from day of and a  tramadol bottle unopened.  I'm all stocked up.    

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Good for you.  I understand doctors can earn a commission by prescribing certain drugs.  Your doctor's office may be a little aggressive in that respect.

@ValuSkr

You say: "I understand doctors can earn a commission by prescribing certain drugs". I have 2 doctors in family and know many as good friends. None of the doctors, I know well, would risk losing their license to practice, to earn "a commission by prescribing certain drugs".

hckynut(john)

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[ValuSkr]

@hckynut  Here's the article from last year (NPR) that I referred to.  Reading it carefully, payments from drug and device manufacturers to doctors are not commissions per se, but there does appear to be a relationship between what doctors prescribe and the amount of their payments. The whole system of "payments" from manufacturers seems to be cleverly disguised, for obvious reasons.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/17/470679452/drug-company-payments-mirror-doctors-b...

[Moonchilde]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

@hckynut  Here's the article from last year (NPR) that I referred to.  Reading it carefully, payments from drug and device manufacturers to doctors are not commissions per se, but there does appear to be a relationship between what doctors prescribe and the amount of their payments. The whole system of "payments" from manufacturers seems to be cleverly disguised, for obvious reasons.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/17/470679452/drug-company-payments-mirror-doctors-b...

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I agree with @hckynut that reputable physicians in excellent standing in their community don't allow drug companies to have any major influence on their prescribing.

I also agree with @ValuSkr that it does go on.  There are websites (which have been posted on these forums in the past and are google-able) which list nearly all MDs and how much $$ they have accepted from drug companies. People go to these sites to look their doctors up.

I have experienced it firsthand after a surgery I had. I needed to see a neurologist. I was forced to go to the one my HMO insurance referred me to; no choice. His office hours were 3-4 hrs a day, 2 days a week (I kid you not). It didn't matter what time your appt was, you sat in the waiting room (up to 90+ minutes) while drug salesmen with cases were ushered into his office.

Neurontin and Lyrica were both brand-new on the market. I was prescribed one, and then when I had a side effect he prescribed the other. With insurance, 15 years ago they cost me over $100 each. 

The last visit, when I'd been waiting almost 2 hrs past my appt time, I went ballistic and walked out, never to return. A co-worker (who was also just short of having her MD) was also "forced" by the HMO to go to him and she had the same feeings I had. She wouldn't go back to him either.

Most doctors are good guys. But not all.