Guest viewing is limited

Question on Pain Meds

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jenniferne

junior member
Joined
Feb 18, 2009
Messages
58
Age
65
Location
United States
My surgery was April 17th just 1 day shy from 2 weeks. My question is on pain meds. When they sent me home on the 19th I picked up a precription on Hydrocodone 5mg. I have taken them like clock work. I take 2 every 4 to 5 hrs to stay ahead of the pain. Yesterday I had to call my general doctor for a refill. The first bottle contained 80 tablets and this bottle contains only 40 with no refill. I see my regular physican tomorrow for the unwrapping of my knee. I have no staples so this is why I had to have the bandage on my leg so long. I am going to talk to him about the pain meds but I am curious about your experiences....
 
Just because they've only prescribed you small amounts don't automatically assume they are telling you that's all you can have! If you have pain (and I know you do!) just keep on at both of them till you get what you need. I so hate it when I read of folk across the pond being deprived like that. It's just plain cruel! But you make enough fuss, you should get what you need.
 
I wouldn't worry. My doctor does the same thing. Only gives one refill and then I have to ask for more. I asked about this and they told me it was because it was a narcotic. Don't know if they are afraid of addiction or if there is some law to avoid people reselling them. A word of advice make sure you understand who to call for the refill and do this in plenty of time so you don't get caught without meds or you are worrying about running out.
 
You are VERY correct, Maumee. It is the PITS to get down to a few pills and have some problem getting the refill before they run out. My typical problem was that I always seemed to run low on weekends when the doctor's office wasn't open to refill it.

My doctor told me they don't do refills so that you call and discuss your pain levels with them as you go along in recovery. This made sense to me and I learned to count out my pills and put the day to call on my calendar so I wouldn't get caught short.

And you are right about the other reason they won't give an open-end multiple refill prescription. Resale of these narcotic drugs is a huge problem in America. Most people are on some type of drug insurance plan and the insurance companies don't want people using their prescription to make money by turning around and selling them on the street for $5-$10 a pill. That's a pretty sad state of affairs, isn't it!! Sometimes I wonder what we Americans are thinking!!
 
And you should make sure you try to get some extra, not to sell, but to have on hand for the long run. Sometime three months out or so a big thunderstorm will roll through, someone will run into your knee with a bicycle or you'll slip on something and you'll need one to get through the night.
 
You're right, EDK. I keep about a dozen hydrocodone pills just for those times when I overdo something and know that Aleve just won't cut it. This type of prescription is best handled by your primary physician instead of your surgeon's office, though.
 
It is the law. According to the law, for schedule II drugs (Ms-Contin (morphine), dilaudid (dihydromorphine), OxyContin, Percocet, Demoral and other strong narcotics) no refills are allowed, prescriptions can not be called into the pharmacy and only the person whose name is on the prescription can pick it up. For schedule III (lower dose, less strong narcotics) prescriptions can only have 5 refills written as 5 separate prescriptions with a new date on each one.

My PCP also said to be careful on who you use to get your prescriptions because if there are multiple doctors prescribing you can be flagged as a doctor shopper, i.e. an addict looking for doctors to write prescriptions. She told me this so that I did not call the OS for additional medications. Having 1 prescription from a different doctor at the hospital write the first prescription is usually ok.

Simon
 
Please dont feel that way about your Dr and rx my Dr couldnt not even call in a refill for oxycontin. Husband had to go and pick up a new script at the Drs office. Like Simon said think they get nervous...hang in there......
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top Bottom