This is not the first time that I have been told my a chronic pain pt that they were threaten with being arrested for trespassing because they were trying to get their meds filled and never raised their voice, got hostile or threatening to the staff.. In all my years practicing pharmacy the only time that I had the police escort someone out of the store is when they tried to pass a forged Rx on me. I am confused.. I read on some of these Pharmacist blogs and Face Book pages that Rx dept employees are routinely being verbally abused and sometimes physically abused and they are apparently expected by management to just stand there and take it.. Some even report that the “disgruntled customer” will even get a gift card to compensate them for being disgruntled.. I may be missing something here… you arrest the passive pt and reward the hostile pt. I must have missed that chapter in some book on how to build a successful business.
Dear Steve,
My name is xxxxx and I came across a website called http://nationalpainreport.com/ and found you at the bottom of the page with your email address and thought maybe you can point me in the right direction or even give me some useful information.
To try and make a long story short Im 28yrs of age and got into a bad car accident in June, 2012. Following that accident I went through the normal BS and eventually ended up having 3 surgeries with fusion on my l4-l5 & my l5-S1, my last surgery was about 6 months ago. I would say that the last surgery did give me back the use of my left leg but besides that the pain in my back is real and still there.
So I live in Florida and they are very strict on dispensing pain medication. I have tried everything under the sun and what has work best for me has been Fentanyl Patches since my last surgery. I obviously did not start on something like Fentanyl and my Dr seems to think my body has a very unique way of getting rid of the medications in my system quickly so many of the other meds we tried never even held back or relieved the pain. Also he tells me these are a lot easier to fill instead of suppose Oxycontin which has a really bad name for itself.I am not someone sitting around waiting for government checks to come in. I work 11 hr days for 4 days a week seated doing computer work, I pay a mortgage and would say these patches have given me some part of my normal life back but it still a work in progress to become stronger in my back and mentally dealing with waking up in pain.
I normally fill my prescriptions at Walmart and I would get the same BS from them until I wrote a letter to Walmart Corp and the Area Pharmacist called me and we spoke regarding the issue and he called the store and gave this very nice manager an OK or something.
So I haven’t had any issues filling it until last week. She has been on leave around 2 months now and from what the other pharmacist are telling me is that the medication has been ordered but the order is not coming in. I made sure to send another letter to Corp and Corp again responded by telling the person in charge to keep me posted on when they get the medication so I don’t think they are holding it this time.
So I ended up going threw cold turkey withdrawal missing 4 days of work until one pharmacist said he had 1 pack of 5 he could fill but it would void the initial quantity of 15. He also informed me that my doctor may not fill the prescription for another 30 days and for me to call the Dr first.Spoke with the Dr. and he was ok with providing me another script as long as I brought in the 5 the pharmacy gave me to prove to him it was only filled for 5. So after throwing up, non stop number 2, chills, heat and blurry vision I got the pack of 5 yesterday and still feel a bit sick today.
After meeting with my doctor today and getting another script for the remaining Patches because the previous voided the remaining I went to Walgreens that I’ve been denied Time after Time again even right out of surgery. I decided to record on my iPhone them telling me NO and maybe I would have something I could show to someone that they discriminate against my disability, Age or race. Well that lead to the pharmacist that told me know before to immediately jump away from camera view and call the manager. In my mind I was thinking I can’t go through those withdrawal symptoms again I need to try to stand up for myself or something I don’t know what I was thinking. I waited there telling the pharmacist that I would leave if she just told me that she did not have them or was denying giving them to me. I was very quite and patient did not raise my voice or cause any type of trouble just stood there. In the end the police showed up and escorted me out of the Walgreens and I emotionally lost it. They where very nice and issued me the minimum Trespassing form which stats I’m not welcome back there. I have no idea what I’m going to do in six days when the only 6 day supply I have left runs out.
If you have any advice, recommendations, or information how all this works I would really appreciated it.
My name is xxxxx and I came across a website called http://nationalpainreport.com/ and found you at the bottom of the page with your email address and thought maybe you can point me in the right direction or even give me some useful information.
To try and make a long story short Im 28yrs of age and got into a bad car accident in June, 2012. Following that accident I went through the normal BS and eventually ended up having 3 surgeries with fusion on my l4-l5 & my l5-S1, my last surgery was about 6 months ago. I would say that the last surgery did give me back the use of my left leg but besides that the pain in my back is real and still there.
So I live in Florida and they are very strict on dispensing pain medication. I have tried everything under the sun and what has work best for me has been Fentanyl Patches since my last surgery. I obviously did not start on something like Fentanyl and my Dr seems to think my body has a very unique way of getting rid of the medications in my system quickly so many of the other meds we tried never even held back or relieved the pain. Also he tells me these are a lot easier to fill instead of suppose Oxycontin which has a really bad name for itself.I am not someone sitting around waiting for government checks to come in. I work 11 hr days for 4 days a week seated doing computer work, I pay a mortgage and would say these patches have given me some part of my normal life back but it still a work in progress to become stronger in my back and mentally dealing with waking up in pain.
I normally fill my prescriptions at Walmart and I would get the same BS from them until I wrote a letter to Walmart Corp and the Area Pharmacist called me and we spoke regarding the issue and he called the store and gave this very nice manager an OK or something.
So I haven’t had any issues filling it until last week. She has been on leave around 2 months now and from what the other pharmacist are telling me is that the medication has been ordered but the order is not coming in. I made sure to send another letter to Corp and Corp again responded by telling the person in charge to keep me posted on when they get the medication so I don’t think they are holding it this time.
So I ended up going threw cold turkey withdrawal missing 4 days of work until one pharmacist said he had 1 pack of 5 he could fill but it would void the initial quantity of 15. He also informed me that my doctor may not fill the prescription for another 30 days and for me to call the Dr first.Spoke with the Dr. and he was ok with providing me another script as long as I brought in the 5 the pharmacy gave me to prove to him it was only filled for 5. So after throwing up, non stop number 2, chills, heat and blurry vision I got the pack of 5 yesterday and still feel a bit sick today.
After meeting with my doctor today and getting another script for the remaining Patches because the previous voided the remaining I went to Walgreens that I’ve been denied Time after Time again even right out of surgery. I decided to record on my iPhone them telling me NO and maybe I would have something I could show to someone that they discriminate against my disability, Age or race. Well that lead to the pharmacist that told me know before to immediately jump away from camera view and call the manager. In my mind I was thinking I can’t go through those withdrawal symptoms again I need to try to stand up for myself or something I don’t know what I was thinking. I waited there telling the pharmacist that I would leave if she just told me that she did not have them or was denying giving them to me. I was very quite and patient did not raise my voice or cause any type of trouble just stood there. In the end the police showed up and escorted me out of the Walgreens and I emotionally lost it. They where very nice and issued me the minimum Trespassing form which stats I’m not welcome back there. I have no idea what I’m going to do in six days when the only 6 day supply I have left runs out.
If you have any advice, recommendations, or information how all this works I would really appreciated it.
Filed under: General Problems
As a pharmacist, I have never turned anyone away with a prescription for Fentanyl patches. I cannot imagine anyone abusing them. My mother had back problems that later turned out to be bone cancer. Fentanyl patches worked great on her. She was not ‘doped up’ and could live a somewhat normal life. Other drugs, like hydrocodone made her drowsy and she could barely function. I really don’t understand these pharmacists reluctance to fill Fentanyl prescriptions.
4/5/2014, Heroin overdoses are on the rise in Massachusetts, fueled by its relatively cheap price and high potency. Police suspect some heroin has been laced with the prescription painkiller fentanyl, making it especially dangerous…
Threat Assessment 2015, New York/New Jersey HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), Office of National Drug Control Policy: Fentanyl. In early 2014, a rash of fatal and non-fatal heroin overdoses were reported in New Jersey and surrounding states, reaching north to Massachusetts and south to Maryland. In some cases, reports indicated that the overdoses were caused by heroin cut with fentanyl, while other reports cited pure fentanyl (with no heroin present) as the substance in question…
11/18/2014 (Rhode Island), Of the 188 deaths since Jan. 1, 163, or 90 percent, involved at least one opioid or medication… At least 64, or 36 percent, involve the painkiller Fentanyl.
12/26/2014 (North Carolina), Fentanyl has been used by hospitals since 1968 to induce anesthesia in patients before surgery or to treat chronic pain… But now state toxicologists are seeing a spike in the street-level use of the drug that is not pharmaceutical grade but instead produced in labs and substituted for other drugs such as heroin…
Gloria: I’m thinking maybe your RPh is doing what’s called Medication Therapy Management (MTM), it’s a new niche, but required for Medicare Part D but for certain chronic disease states…it’s alot for me to discuss here, but in a nutshell IMHO, it basically allows some pharmacists to get paid by Medicare to do what most of us have been doing all along but MTM pharmacists are supposed to have access to labs and such, and discuss medication changes with the physician, etc. Information is available online. It’s supposed to be no charge to Part D patients. It’s also part of ObamaCare as part of the ACOs but I dont think its 100% in effect yet. The physician does not have to accept the changes IMO
WTH???!!!!! At one time Pharmacists used to be THE MOST TRUSTED PROFESSION….IMHO…the lying, deception, price gouging is going to end our professional trust ranking right next to business executives and politicians…at the bottom. If the patches are the only thing the writer is on, then the reaction of both pharmacies is inexcusable especially WalMart since the writer had been in contact with corporate. If this WalMart was unable to get it in then they should have been working thru their DM in contacting a nearby WalMart ‘give an OK for them to fill it for her” since apparently Pam “throw them all in jail” Bondi appears to demand that all pharmacies in FL have to have a written permission slips for anyone to get a prescription filled at a pharmacy that is 10 steps from your domicile.
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This sickenings me…..my husband and I live with chronic pain as well due motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents we were involved in at no fault on our part. We had to go to a private pharmacy after Walgreens started denying our pain prescriptions as well. Now the pharmacy that we are going to made us pay $75 apiece to go thru a consultantion informing us that he was going to be contacting our Dr to try and prescribe something else for us instead of the cocktail meds that have been described!! He stated there are other meds would be much better for our chronic pain. Wtf…since when can a pharmacy/pharmacist do this?? He is not our Dr…..plus I am only taking one pain med while my husband is only on one pain med and flexeril. Is this legal for a pharmacist to inquire abt all of our medical history plus charge for consultation fees? We were told as long as all meds were filled at his pharmacy that we would have no problems with getting our pain meds filled but go every month and still treated as drug addicts!! What the hell is going on in this country?? We should be able to get our meds filled from a legit Dr with no problems. Pharmacist are over stepping their boundaries in my opinion when it comes to my medical history and trying to tell my doctor what meds we should be on!!
Gloria,
I agree with everything you wrote and I always say the same things! A pharmacist told me as well that I was on a “cocktail” of pain meds and it wasn’t good for me. Then asked me what my condition was that required the meds? I didn’t realize they could diagnose me in 2 sec and know what I need or don’t need! My medical history is none of their business..that’s why I have a Dr. And my “cocktail” was xanax for insomnia and oxycodone for post spine surgery…seriously?? It infuriates me and instead of getting meds so that I can focus on getting a job, my life is consumed every day with pain and trying to get the meds I need in order to be somewhat “normal”. This whole pain med issue is exhausting and time consuming! Instead of working, being with family and enjoying our lives, we are consumed with frustration, anger, pain and trying to obtain medication.
Turned away from another pharmacy today. I can’t fI’ll my percocet rx, so I’ll be rationing the ones I have left. I won’t go around & around anymore. I’ve been so sick bc of complications from gastric bypass surgery from 3 yrs ago. The system has beat me, they’ve succeeded in making me suffer, & now I must face w/d. I’m hoping with the med I put away, I can taper down, & not suffer like an animal. I asked the pharmacy I went to today if she could order med for me. .. no we can’t order THIS medication. I’m done, done fighting, the pharmacists who played with my life, & the DEA, you won. God bless all the people who are sick. I pray you don’t have the problems I have, & are able to get your meds.
I am enraged.
It sickens me they did that to you. I’m also a chronic pain patient, & went to pain management last Wed. I take a long acting med & a short acting med. Kmart has been filling my rx’s for almost 2 yrs. The pharmacy Mgr retired @ the end of the yr that has filled for me. The pharmacist I’ve known also that works there lied to me & told me only a pharmacy Mgr can dispense my meds. Funny how right after my appt last wk, a fill in pharmacist filled my long acting prescription. I knew the pharmacist who retired was going to retire 3 months ago. That is when I asked the other pharmacist if he would help me going forward. He eluded my question @ that time. I went through w/d last Feb, & it was hell on earth. I have med put away bc every month I’m a wreck I’ll have to go through that nightmare again. I went to a smaller pharmacy my pain mgt recommended. He said call on Tues. I called, & he tells me my insurance denied him to fill meds. Funny how as of today it was 32 days since short acting med was filled. He too lied to me. I called my insurance company last wk, they did some kind of quality check with CVS. I went there too, told me sorry can’t fill these.. I’m a wife, Mom, & very soon to be Grandmother. I live in chronic pain, I’ve gone to same pain mgt for close to 5 yrs, submit to monthly sent out to a lab drug tests. I’m beside myself. I’m so tired, I’m tired of fighting for a basic human right of pain control. I’m tired of being at the mercy of a pharmacist. I didn’t choose to live in pain, yet I’m treated like a piece of garbage. I’m also fighting another illness. At this point, I’m so overwhelmed, I was crying earlier bc I’m afraid I’ll be too sick to be there for my daughter & my granddaughter in a few wks. My husband said I’m sick of you being upset over your inability to get your meds, maybe you’d be better off dead. I’m starting to think I would. Living on the edge has taken its toll. I have no answers, & I can’t do this anymore.
To the pharmacists who think we’re all junkies, we’re not, we’re human beings who need help. You’ve reduced a strong woman into a small & scared woman. I pray you or anyone you care about never needs pain meds to live some quality of life. You’re took an oath to help human suffering, but instead you play God with our lives. A Dr prescribed the medication, you should by law have to fill the prescription.
Maybe your husband is frustrated because he can’t help you? Men like to solve problems, just like doctors, and when they can’t, sometimes it seems like they don’t care.
Maybe you and your husband could read this article:
23 Tips For Men on Supporting a Partner with Chronic Pain
http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/marriage-20-tips-for-men-on-supporting-a-partner-with-chronic-pain/#sthash.ySSM3ebD.dpuf
And of course you wouldn’t be better off dead, but while your medication supply is constrained, you need to adjust (restrict) your physical (and mental) activities. You can’t do the same things without medication that you can do while you have it.
Thank you so much painkills2. I so appreciate you posting that link. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t believe in long term use of opiates. He thinks I’m weak, & don’t need the meds. This is the reason I keep my need for pain meds to myself. He & many others have the same narrow minded view on this matter. Not having his support has caused a huge rift in our marriage. I know I’ll never change his way of thinking, I gave up on it long ago. He’s a lot older, & I’m the wife who takes care of the home, & does everything around the house. If I have my medication, I can & do all I can. I never want pain to get between me & living my life. Now, it’s all uncertain. Sick of this twisted merry go round. Even if I can fill my rx, there’s no guarantee that will be the case monthly. Thanks again, God bless.
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Can the State Medical Board help?
And if the patient has trouble getting fentanyl, he/she might try methadone — it has a bad name like Oxy, but maybe it would be easier to get.
Oh my God.