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A Question About "stocking Up" On Our Meds / Rx's


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#1 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 08:35 AM

I think this is a question for our expert in the medical field and the current infectious disease situation in the US, Carleeta ...

I got an email from my cousin, the nurse in Oregon ... telling me that "just in case" there's some sort of health care system breakdown, regional or city or neighborhood quarantines, breakdown in pharma supply chain, etc, that I should get ... and have on hand ... 2-3 months supply of each of my essential meds ... prescription and OTC ... and that I should do this now, not wait ...

she knows about my horrid experience going off crapalta cold turkey ... she told me that if something were, God forbid, to happen ... that there would be millions of people here in the US going into cold turkey withdrawal from all sorts of meds ... anti-d's, benzos, heart meds, for every possible physical condition ...

Is this nuts, Carleeta? Or is it "practical planning and preparedness," as my cousin calls it?

If it is "PPP" ... how the hell can I ... we ... here afford to do that? Anything over a one month's supply will cost us the full "street value" of the drug, right?

The cousin said that a few of the docs she knows/works with are just writing Rx's for their patients' meds that are double the actual needed dose per month, or 1 1/2 times, etc... so that the patients can get extra amounts included as part of their monthly refills ...

What's up with this, Carleeta?

#2 Amysgarden

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 10:03 AM

This is an issue I've always worried about. One reason why I wanted to get off Cymbalta....just not exactly the way I ended up having to do it.

#3 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 11:41 AM

Cym, I "stalked" you over to this thread ... totally OT, but how are you feeling / doing today?

#4 ShadyLady

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 11:43 AM

I was told this in 1999 by 2 of my prescribing doctors...remember the predicted disaster at the stroke of midnight 2000?!

Also, I subscribe to several newsletters that stress the importance to absolutely have at least 2 months of medication always stocked...not even goin into conspiracy theories. You're the researcher, check it out;) I don't want to be in the first cattle car to a FEMA camp, just gotta outta one p.o.w. camp, cuz I'm in withdrawal for some medication!!!

Express Scripts, my insurance for drugs, sends three months of meds for the price of one month of the rx's. I am lucky, in the med department anyway!

#5 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 11:54 AM

On my way to check out Express Scripts!

How ya' feeling, Cym?

#6 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 11:57 AM

Cym, is Express Scripts just for the military / vets?

#7 ShadyLady

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 12:15 PM

It is the prescription carrier for my Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO. Actually, it is now owned by Medco. My mom had medco when she was on medicare...check out Medco.

#8 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 12:23 PM

Will do, thank, Cym ...
 
I also found this resource ... links to lots of online pharmacies ... found one listed there that's in Canada, that sells 3 months worth of my Wellbutrin 300 xl for about $150 ... that is dirt cheap ... and they note specifically that it's the brand ... they also sell the generic, which has a different color code ...

https://www.pharmacychecker.com/

I think I may demand that both my clinic docs ... shrink and GP, not only send the usual refills (electronically) to my usual Target Pharmacy, but give me "old school" written scripts for 3 mos worth of each and every one of my meds ... Wellbutrin, as well as the bp/tachycardia meds that I don't use anymore (never know, might need 'em), clonidine, diazepam, etc ... then I'll just get 3 months worth of everything to have on hand ...

Can't hurt, might help ...

#9 ShadyLady

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 12:38 PM

Great idea...the expiration dates on the bottles say one year. Wrong, more like several years based on my flittin around the internet.

#10 brzghoff

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 01:27 PM

Will do, thank, Cym ...
 
I also found this resource ... links to lots of online pharmacies ... found one listed there that's in Canada, that sells 3 months worth of my Wellbutrin 300 xl for about $150 ... that is dirt cheap ... and they note specifically that it's the brand ... they also sell the generic, which has a different color code ...

https://www.pharmacychecker.com/

I think I may demand that both my clinic docs ... shrink and GP, not only send the usual refills (electronically) to my usual Target Pharmacy, but give me "old school" written scripts for 3 mos worth of each and every one of my meds ... Wellbutrin, as well as the bp/tachycardia meds that I don't use anymore (never know, might need 'em), clonidine, diazepam, etc ... then I'll just get 3 months worth of everything to have on hand ...

Can't hurt, might help ...

 

 

not sure, but i thought that most medicaid type health care insurance programs have a mail order pharmacy option also. can't use it for some controlled substances, but for most 'scip meds, certainly anti-d's and such, even ambien. you save a lot of $$$ doing it that way and so do they. the mail order pharmacies negotiate way better contracts with the pharma mfg's, which is why a 90 day supply is so much cheaper. check with customer service for your particular health care coverage provider as to if there is a mail order option. i've had insurance where if a 'scrip was continuous, such as for anti-d's, high bp, contraceptives, etc - it was mandatory. if we went through our brick and mortar pharmacy they wouldn't cover it. only for stuff like anti-biotics and other short terms refills like if you were trying to find the "right med" 


#11 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 02:42 PM

Brzghoff ... under this DC Medicaid crappy program, I pay $0 for 30 days worth, no mail order availability for 3 months at a time ... if I want more than 1 months worth, I pay full amount ... Wellbutrin is currently running around $500 here in DC ... mail order from Canada is the only option I've figured out so far ... but I've decided to do it ... to get/set aside 3 months worth of everything ...

#12 Carleeta

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 01:13 PM

I think this is a question for our expert in the medical field and the current infectious disease situation in the US, Carleeta ...I got an email from my cousin, the nurse in Oregon ... telling me that "just in case" there's some sort of health care system breakdown, regional or city or neighborhood quarantines, breakdown in pharma supply chain, etc, that I should get ... and have on hand ... 2-3 months supply of each of my essential meds ... prescription and OTC ... and that I should do this now, not wait ...she knows about my horrid experience going off crapalta cold turkey ... she told me that if something were, God forbid, to happen ... that there would be millions of people here in the US going into cold turkey withdrawal from all sorts of meds ... anti-d's, benzos, heart meds, for every possible physical condition ...Is this nuts, Carleeta? Or is it "practical planning and preparedness," as my cousin calls it?If it is "PPP" ... how the hell can I ... we ... here afford to do that? Anything over a one month's supply will cost us the full "street value" of the drug, right?The cousin said that a few of the docs she knows/works with are just writing Rx's for their patients' meds that are double the actual needed dose per month, or 1 1/2 times, etc... so that the patients can get extra amounts included as part of their monthly refills ...What's up with this, Carleeta?

Oh, I just saw this....Well this is just a bit blown way out there. There is much panic due to the US and it's first ebola case here on American ground. First, it's a good idea to have supplies on hand anyway for a month or so. This is good in cases of hurricanes, tornados, winter storms and the like. Therefore having food, water, batteries sounds logical. As far as pharmacy breakdown supply, I don't believe this to happen. Couldn't figure out what would cause this to happen. If we are refusing to a vaccine for ebola taking up our pharmacy supplies, I can't see where it's any different than finding a cure for aids, which didn't flood any of our pharmacy supplies, in fact it made more jobs...About doctors writing prescriptions a head of time may work on prescriptions (for controlled substanes) for a 90 day supply, although some of them will not be refilled until there 30 day supply is up. Therefore individuals are in the same boat then as they are now. A physician cannot date a prescription in advance because it's illegal. He needs to write a prescription on that particular day with refills. Like I mentioned earlier some controlled substances cannot be refiled until the 30 days are up. Which would not help us to stock up for three months as the law won't allow....Therefore, I do think this is really blowing things way out of proportion and yes "nuts". This is something I would have to dismiss at this time. If you think about it; the pharmaceutical companies make lots of money and it would take something so unforseen to get them to stop...

#13 brzghoff

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 02:43 PM

the only exception to the 30 day rule is in the case of mail order pharamacies. a doc can write a 90 day 'scrip and they will fill it. i do it every three months. i used to get a 90 day supply of cymbalta and still do for high BP meds and lamictal and if i decide to stick with clonidine, i will do it that way as well. when i use a brick and mortar pharmacy they will take my 90 day scrip, fill 30 and hold the rest until the 30 is up then give me another 30. i don't know why mail order can but brick and mortar can't - at least mine can't.


#14 Carleeta

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 03:17 PM

the only exception to the 30 day rule is in the case of mail order pharamacies. a doc can write a 90 day 'scrip and they will fill it. i do it every three months. i used to get a 90 day supply of cymbalta and still do for high BP meds and lamictal and if i decide to stick with clonidine, i will do it that way as well. when i use a brick and mortar pharmacy (publix in florida) they will take my 90 day scrip, fill 30 and hold the rest until the 30 is up then give me another 30. i don't know why mail order can but brick and mortar can't - at least mine can't.

Absolutely true with receiving 90 days through mail order. There is one exception even with mail order on a few controlled prescriptions; pain meds, and some sleeping meds can only be sent out every 30 days just like the pharmacies and even if there are refills....those would cause the major concern...

#15 FiveNotions

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 06:03 PM

And, I just called my Medicaid provider ... the main company office. My clinic doctor lied to me. :angry:  I was told that I can do the 3 month refill by mail, it just requires an initial authorization from the doc. (More work for the clinic docs, so they try to get out of doing it.) Then, I'm good to go. Now, the trick is actually getting in to see the shrink and the GP. Waiting times for appointments here in DC are 2 months about.....


#16 Carleeta

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 06:33 PM

And, I just called my Medicaid provider ... the main company office. My clinic doctor lied to me. :angry:  I was told that I can do the 3 month refill by mail, it just requires an initial authorization from the doc. (More work for the clinic docs, so they try to get out of doing it.) Then, I'm good to go. Now, the trick is actually getting in to see the shrink and the GP. Waiting times for appointments here in DC are 2 months about.....

oh, let's see I have express scripts. If you are eligible for express scripts, all you need is t he written prescription from your doctor. Express scripts is a mail order form, you fill it out and you fill out information concerning your doctor who wrote the prescription (name, address, and phone number). Dr does not need to sign the form, all you do is send in the prescription with the form. Although you may be talking about needing something written from your doctor to get into a mail order pharmacy?

#17 FiveNotions

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 07:15 PM

But are you on Medicaid, Carleeta? That's the program for folks below the poverty line (which I am now, thanks to crapalta keeping me from working for all these months) ... or are you on Medicare?

 

I was told by the DC Medicaid administrator's office that they have a contract with a particular company, and that the company requires the Medicaid docs to submit a special, separate, authorization form to them for each drug. Then  and only then will they honor a 3 month script from that doc. Beats me, it's "just the law" as I was told. :angry:


#18 FiveNotions

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 07:25 PM

Oh, forget to explain ... the poor people's clinic (and the larger clinic group to which it belongs) I now have to go to is becoming even more over-burdened with another new wave of immigrants to DC (many of the southern border illegals have been moved here). Waiting times for doc appointments are now about 2 months, and a several of the nurses and a couple of doctors at my particular clinic have recently quit in frustration, so the wait times will soon be even longer.

 

That's a major reason why I want to have a few extra months worth of my meds on hand. I can't get in for an appointment, and the docs at the clinic do not call in refills based on phone call from clients. They don't respond to phone calls from clients, nor are they being responsive to my pharmacy.

 

It's a very bad healthcare system / situation.


#19 Carleeta

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Posted 09 October 2014 - 07:26 PM

But are you on Medicaid, Carleeta? That's the program for folks below the poverty line (which I am now, thanks to crapalta keeping me from working for all these months) ... or are you on Medicare?
 
I was told by the DC Medicaid administrator's office that they have a contract with a particular company, and that the company requires the Medicaid docs to submit a special, separate, authorization form to them for each drug. Then  and only then will they honor a 3 month script from that doc. Beats me, it's "just the law" as I was told. :angry:

Yes, that is why I asked you the question. Yes I have medicare and another insurance, therefore I was able to just start using Express Scripts. I see now that the doctor needs to submit authorized forms. It's well worth it though to get a 3 month supply in the mail, it's cheaper and it comes right do your door. Thank you for clarifying. I did misread Medicaid, for Medicare. ..I apologize. ...



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