PHARMACIST STEVE

Good Evening Pharmacist Steve,

I am a middle-aged  educator from the east coast.  I first would like to say that I appreciate the advocacy and work you do.  For quite some time, I have followed your posts and have learned a lot about how crazy (to say the least) the world of medicine, specifically pain/controlled medication has become.  Sadly, as you pointed out on numerous occasions, it shouldn’t be this way.

I can guarantee that you have heard almost every scenario know to man, so this one may not be any different but I will give it a shot:

During an appointment with my psychiatrist, we discussed my ADHD, anxiety, Sleep Apnea, and Narcolepsy.  The Psychiatrist knows I am prescribed a controlled med by my Pulmonologist for the Sleep Apnea/Narcolepsy and my Pulmonologist knows I am prescribed controlled med for my ADHD.  Out of nowhere, my Psychiatrist berated the hell out of me for being on two low dosage controlled medications that both medical professionals know about.  The Psychiatrist went on to say that I have been red-flagged by the DEA.  Where the encounter gets interesting is that the Psychiatrist, is that right after this verbal onslaught, he sent my prescription to the pharmacy and said “Happy New Year, see you in 4-weeks”. 

1. Why would he go-off on me, stating the DEA has flagged me and then submit the prescription for the controlled med to the pharmacy? 

                                                      

1. I did ask him if I could have documentation and the reasoning I was flagged by the DEA, and he said, “Because its two controlled meds that’s your documentation”.  I insisted that he provide me with a law and the documentation showing that I am flagged and the reasoning, which his response was, “I will get back to you with that”.  Pretty much, he thought I was unknowledgeable of the law and other such things that he has no answer because this was over a week ago now and I haven’t been given any documentation as to what I requested.

I am no expert of the law, but I have seen what I will call a “real Psychiatrist” before (unfortunately he retired a few years ago) and know that the “legal limits” these doctors say when it comes to ADHD/ADD meds are not written into law.  Hell, I was prescribed a much better regerminate by the real Psychiatrist that worked but sadly no one is willing to follow what worked for me.

Anyway, if you have time to dissect this and/or have any insight, I would greatly appreciate it. 

This pt seems to be yet another pt snagged in the NARXCARE  OVERDOSE RISK SCORE that I made a post about earlier today.

The Pain Was Unbearable. So Why Did Doctors Turn Her Away?

 I would guess that a pt being prescribed a controlled med(s) from two different prescribers could be a AUTOMATIC RED FLAG…  According to those arbitrary rules that the DEA have developed from their observations of what substance abusers and diverters do…  and it would seem that – from the DEA’s logic/perspective – if abusers do this… then anyone doing the same/similar things – must be a substance abuser or diverter.

Narxcare states that they use (AI) artificial intelligence to come to these Overdose Risk Scores.. it is too bad that they don’t use some REAL INTELLIGENCE to derive these SCORES not not one just based on some numbers and PRESUMPTIONS

Filed under: General Problems