Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 Hi all, I wonder if anybody has heard anything about the following: I've been on Lortab 10mg for 2 or 3 years since a back injury at work caused me to quit my job, and have always been fortunate to have a great family doctor who I talk to a lot about my back and pain meds, etc, and he has always been very understanding and I have never ever had any trouble until today. I called this morning to have them call in a refill and was told that they went ahead and called it in for me, but that due to " some new DEA law " , that my family physician would no longer be able to deal with my pain meds, and that they would have to refer me to a pain clinic now.....????? He will still be my doc for everything else, but according to his nurse, he can no longer handle my prescriptions for my pain meds. (seems a bit odd to me) My first thought was " no big deal " ....but the more I thought about it, it began to dawn on me that my insurance likely will not pay for any pain clinic visits, as it was originally a workmans' comp case, and now closed. They have already stuck me for a recent MRI and 700 dollars worth of physical therapy visits, saying that it is written in my health insurance contract that anything related to an original work comp injury which has been closed, will NOT be covered. So, par for the course, I assume. If true, I guess thanks are in order for the government doing it's best to make sure that folks who require pain meds just to maintain some semblance of life, get screwed around some more..... Any info would really be appreciated, as the next time I require a refill, I don't know what I will do.....I sure can't afford to be paying yet another physician!!!! Bad back+no job+pain+middleaged+=SCREWED!!! Thanks mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 Hi Mark, I don't like the sounds of that at all. I have something pending with my hands and my Lawyer says close it. YOu have made me think twice. He-the lawyer said as long as I had Medicare, which I don't yet it would be covered. And what's with the med thing? What state are you in? wonder if it will affect Conn. The whole thing sounds scary to me. Is it a state thing? Please let me know it you hear anything else about this. I would like to know. Thank you, donna Mine is bad back and really bad hands from repetitive motion work my whole life And old age to boot. 61.Oh my God, how horrible to get old and have nobody to back you. donna INphotogr4@... wrote: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 Hello Mark I cannot imagine what DEA regulation they are talking about. My Physician's Assistant fills my Rx for Lortabs every month. He is at the local family practice clinic. I think something else must be going on here that they are not telling you about. Has your doctor been in any kind of trouble lately? Has he been sued for some reason or other? Kaylene >Any info would really be appreciated, as the next time I require a refill, >I >don't know what I will do.....I sure can't afford to be paying yet another >physician!!!! > >Bad back+no job+pain+middleaged+=SCREWED!!! > >Thanks >mark > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 I'm not sure if there are new regulations. Sometimes drs will make excuses like this when they don't feel comfortable with prescribing medications anymore. This happened to my aunt a few years ago- she had been on Lorcet for a serious back injury and all of sudden she called her orthopedic surgeon for a refill and he said " the pharmacy wouldn't refill the medication " and made up some excuse. He told her to take advil. Truly, it was he was not comfortable in prescribing it. I called the pharmacist myself. I'm sure your family doc is much better than that but just wanted to throw that out. I would suggest calling your local pharmacist or looking up DEA regulations in your state on the internet. Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2004 Report Share Posted August 17, 2004 I can tell you that the regulations have changed my pain management doctor has to do at least 4 urine tests for drugs, not only the ones you take but other illegal drugs that you might do. And to make sure that the drugs you are taking are at the right level so they know if you are taking more medication than you are supposed to or adding something else other than what they are prescribing you. And if it comes back that you are abusing the medications they give you or that you have other illegal drugs in your system they have to report it to the DEA and the DEA can come down on them. If too many patients are getting there refills sooner and sooner than they should then the DEA can tell them to drop that patient. I think that it is about time I know of a person who takes her meds the way she wants to and overtakes them and then when she runs out a week before she can get her refills she wants me to share some of mine with her. No Way I need my meds and I am not going to take the chance on losing them. So as long as you take your meds the way they are prescribed you are okay. It is when people overuse them and run out early and some doctors go ahead and write them for sooner than 30 or 31 days thats when the DEA comes down on the doctors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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