Please don't take that comment personally. It's a general comment being delivered to patients if a prescription is changed. Some clinics here are even making
all patients who get any form of narcotic prescription sign a "drug contract" that outlines exactly how the drugs will be used and makes the patient guarantee they will not sell their scripts or individual pills. If they won't sign the contract, they don't get the prescription.
I recently had a long talk on the subject of painkiller prescriptions with my PCP because I asked for a narcotic without tylenol in it. He said he could, but he first wanted to explain all the complications to me. He didn't make me sign a drug contract -- he's against the idea. But the hospital he's affiliated with is putting pressure on all their doctors to start the practice and to talk to patients in strong terms about the problem of sharing or selling their pills.
I doubt it was personal, ThicknTired. I'm pretty sure my doctor likes me and doesn't consider me a drug seeker, but he gave me the lecture and told me about how both the state and feds are cracking down. He's distressed by the pressure he's under to start doing these drug contracts.
The first time I'd heard about them was maybe 18 months ago. The patients I know who were presented with them felt angry and insulted and got into arguments with their providers. One of them didn't get his prescription until I intervened and he has cancer!
When my doc gave me the lecture, I listened because he was serious. I nodded and said okay, I understood and I wouldn't give him any cause for concern. There hasn't been a single question about getting refills since then.
This is from my state government ...
Quote:
The abuse of prescription drugs has become an increasing epidemic ... In the last ten years, there has been a 450 percent increase in the number of deaths from prescription drug overdoses. Currently, there are more deaths per year from prescription drug overdoses than there are from automobile accidents.
In August, the National Governor’s Association gave a grant to the Governor’s office to develop a statewide plan to address this epidemic.
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That's why we're getting these comments and lectures. People are dying right and left and states and the feds are putting pressure on doctors to stop it. That's why I let the lecture wash over me and then be gone. I've never sold a script or a pill and there's zero chance I'll start. My doctor knows that. But he laid it on me and expressed his own frustration with the problem. What I really cared about most was getting my prescriptions refilled when needed. So far, there's been no problem.
I hope you get help for your serious back problems soon, ThicknTired. I'm sorry the receptionist said it rudely and didn't put it into a context that made sense and didn't sound so personally directed at you, as an individual. It would be a shock to hear that without any context provided. My doctor was kind enough to present it as his major headache which, unfortunately, had the unintended consequence of also touching my life because I needed certain prescriptions for rheumatic conditions. In that context, it felt okay.
I wish you the best. Take good care of yourself.