[*Laurie*]

I am so frustrated because, as usual, I call my doctor's office for refills and there's all kinds of questioning (this is especially true with Klonopin). I mean, it's the same me, same old prescriptions, I don't have any history of substance abuse, am med compliant, but every time - former healthcare providers as well as current ones - it's the same rigmarole. Questions, questions that feel like suspicions to me, feel like the doctor is almost accusing me of trying to 'pull something'. This dam*ed depression, anxiety, and so on is bad enough without having to fight for my prescriptions every time!

I'm curious...do others have this problem? How do you go about getting refills...do you call your pharmacy, your doctor's office, both?

How often are you seeing your psychiatrist that prescription refills are running out between visits?

[*Laurie*]

Hi rcat, I was seeing a p-doc, she'd give me refills on all my meds except Klonopin, which she would refill once/month. I actually saw her only once, but we had 'telephone appointments' (so dumb, I wanted to see her in person) every 6 weeks.

Then my health plan changed, my GP is prescribing, and she's been giving me Klonopin every two weeks! No refills. Today I requested that she prescribe at least one full month. Then all the questioning came...Are you still seeing your psychiatrist for meds (huh?)? We'll have to process your request.....Hmm..., and so on.

Then I told the nurse I needed a Lexapro refill, 10mg. 'Oh, but the doctor has you down as taking 5mg.' UGH. My bottle says 10mg.

It would be understandable if this occurred once, but every time I want to refill psych meds, it's the same story. Like jumping through hoops to prove I'm not selling psych meds on the street

So. I began to wonder if anyone else has problems with refilling meds?

Then my health plan changed, my GP is prescribing, and she's been giving me Klonopin every two weeks! No refills.

Wow, that's insanely restrictive.

I take Klonopin. My prescriber gives me a prescription with two refills and I'm supposed to go in to see him every three months.

In general, if I need a refill of psych meds and don't have a prescription for it, I call the doctor's office directly. Another option is to use the doctor's online patient portal if they have one.

I probably would ask your primary care doctor if she ever plans to give you a prescription for more than two weeks' worth of medication.

I live in a state where providers can log into a database to see how often a patient is refilling controlled medications and also to check that they're not getting multiple prescriptions at different pharmacy. I would guess that California has that type of database, too. It seems like it would be easier for your doctor's office to monitor your usage that way instead of the every two week prescription.

Usually if a doctor is giving you a prescription like that, their practice has guidelines that requires them to do that. Another reason I can think of is that don't want to prescribe benzos and are hoping you'll either stop taking them or find another doctor.

I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this. I talked to my provider about my Klonopin usage. He has encouraged me to cut my dosage, and I have done that some and plan to try more when I feel fully adjusted to the new dosage.

My impression is that if I hadn't already been taking the Klonopin for several years that he would never prescribe it for me now. I'm glad that he isn't giving me a hard time about it, though.

All I know to suggest is to discuss the problem with your doctor and to ask her if she ever plans to give you a prescription for a longer period of time. If she doesn't, I would probably look for another doctor. Going through being hassled about your refill every two weeks sounds really stressful.

As far as the Lexapro error, it sounds like they aren't keeping their records on what you're taking up to date.

P.S. Have you tried calling your pharmacy about 9 days after you get your Klonopin refill and asking them to request a refill for you? It's possible that might be easier.

I hope that you find a solution. I know that one of the reasons I'd like to be off Klonopin is worrying about running out of it and going into withdrawal.

[avlady]

i agree with jo thorne

[*Laurie*]

Thanks so much, jo_thorne and avlady. I am sooo tried of being treated like a criminal for taking a medication that was prescribed to me, and for always taking it exactly as it was prescribed. Obviously the Powers That be are freaking out about the controlled substance thing....talk about stigmatizing mental illness! Yikes.

I'm thinking I need to make an appointment with my GP and discuss this with her face-to-face. I don't appreciate being penalized because the government has decided that certain psych meds are on the 'no-no' list.

My favorite words!

We have such a database here too. But I want to point out additionally that it is not the patient who secures refills between doctors visits here. It is the pharmacy that contacts the health provider directly.

Anyway, you have suggested that there ocassionally is a problem with refilling correct dosages and medication. Having your pharmacy be the contact should prevent this as the pharmacy has records and history.

I'm unfamilar with the medication you mention. Do they only do biweekly or monthly refills as a way of preventing self harm?

My medication is blister packed by my pharmacy. That makes it harder for me to make mistakes whether intentional or otherwise.

If you are unable to have them do this, what about taking in your empty pill bottles to your healthcare provider so they can see exactly what dosages you are due?

Just my thoughts

[(JD)]

It isn't you, it isn't the doctor, it isn't the pharmacy... it's the system that is now in place imo. Things changed and the higher ups are requiring more control. We, the peons, have to just go with it---or do without.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by rcat

We have such a database here too. But I want to point out additionally that it is not the patient who secures refills between doctors visits here. It is the pharmacy that contacts the health provider directly.

Anyway, you have suggested that there ocassionally is a problem with refilling correct dosages and medication. Having your pharmacy be the contact should prevent this as the pharmacy has records and history.

I'm unfamilar with the medication you mention. Do they only do biweekly or monthly refills as a way of preventing self harm?

My medication is blister packed by my pharmacy. That makes it harder for me to make mistakes whether intentional or otherwise.

If you are unable to have them do this, what about taking in your empty pill bottles to your healthcare provider so they can see exactly what dosages you are due?

Just my thoughts

Klonopin is a benzo. Benzos are on the psych sh *t-list these days because they are so abusable, and because they have street value. I have a 30-year psych history, no self-harm in there.

The other med I mentioned is Lexapro, an SSRI.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by (JD)

It isn't you, it isn't the doctor, it isn't the pharmacy... it's the system that is now in place imo. Things changed and the higher ups are requiring more control. We, the peons, have to just go with it---or do without.

Yep. I believe that's the situation - and it really burns me.

[Nammu]

I'm feeling lucky after reading this. I get my meds three months at a time except for the ambien. That I have to pick up once a month. If I need refills before an appointment the pharmacy calls for me. I'm on a very high dose of ambien and my GP would never give it to me if something happened and I couldn't see the pdoc. So knock on wood that it keeps going along smoothly.

Before when I was on pain meds it was a hassle sometimes though because the pharmacy didn't keep those meds in stock. But I still felt like a criminal and judged by the system. Politicians have no more business interfering in the medical business than they do in the bedroom business.

[*Laurie*]

I'm glad you get 3 months' worth, sidestepper. I wish my GP would do that for me, because it would be far more convenient for everyone.

[vonmoxie]

What JD says is accurate. They (federal level gov) started with advising doctors that they needed to keep it as much as possible "legacy only" (pre-existing ongoing prescriptions), but now they're supposed to be tapering everybody off long term use as much as possible, ever since the research showing later cognitive decline started to come out. This has been going on quite a few years already. The doctors have leeway, but all their numbers are visible to the government, and their totals have to be in line with each year's revised restrictions.

I'm sure knowing that doesn't make it much easier... but at least you can know it's not in the least bit personal. Even though it can't help but feel that way.

Do you think the studies about a link between benzo use and increased risk of Alzheimer's are really something to be concerned about? The most recent study that I saw said that it found an 84% increased risk of Alzheimer's in people who had used benzos. That's less than 2 times the risk, which isn't very high to begin with.

To me, the risk of falls in elderly people taking benzos and other sedating medications is more worrying than increased risk of Alzheimer's.

Oh - in studies I've seen, it wasn't just benzos that caused increased risk of Alzheimer's. It was also Vistaril/hydroxyzine and the other antihistamine ingredients used in all those over-the-counter sleep meds. I haven't seen anyone rationing the Vistaril.

[*Laurie*]

Well, I know that Klonopin has caused me to have cognitive issues, which is why I'm tapering off of it. It just frustrates me to no end, because how well I remember when Klonopin and other benzos were first on the market - oh, p-docs couldn't push them hard enough! Seriously, they would load me with samples and give me months' of prescriptions. I willingly took the Klonopin because I trusted my p-doc. But now I feel I'm being penalized for being a compliant patient.

I also believe there's money involved, somehow. Decades ago benzos were pricey 'designer' drugs. Now they're much less expensive than many other meds. Makes me wonder if certain people are more concerned about losing $$$$ than about studies, research, or anything else.

[vonmoxie]

When benzos came around, it helped them be able to phase out some of the more dangerous barbiturates, which people were ODing on all the time back in the day. They still prescribe some barbs on a legacy basis, but nothing like the way they used to dole these things out.

There's definitely a viciously cyclical nature to all these things in terms of how they're put on the market so quickly, long term effects are later discovered, and then they're desperate for replacements. And expect us to believe that there's no reason to question that new drugs are safe to take. Even though stated side effects sometimes include even "death". Or things that actually sound worse. Buyer beware...

Myself, I love a little benzo-diaz-a-pine. I believe they're safe enough for the right purpose and with a little moderation. Based merely upon my vast but somewhat questionable array of personal experience.