Ranting

Noellesmom

My husband uses fentanyl patches as part of his pain management.  It is very difficult to find these patches.  Corporate drug stores explain either that their management has decided not to carry these patches or that they carry a minimal number.

We've found some success at small owner-operated pharmacies but the script can only be filled on the date on the script and it is Sunday and the little pharmacy is not open and the big guys can't help.  

We have this perfect storm occasionally.  So a day of pain for Jim and of worry for me.  Can't believe doing without this narcotic cold turkey is a good thing.

debbiejeanne

its a real shame what

its a real shame what problems the addicts have caused people!  its very sad and really ticks me off.

sorry, that's my rant....lol  good luck and i pray you find a place to fill the script.

dj

Barbaraek

Does your hospital have a pharmacy?

we live right around the corner from a big chain pharmacy but they had trouble filling many of our scrips because they needed to be in liquid form. Our hospital has its own "commercial" pharmacy in it and we had better luck getting our Rxs filled there because they served cancer patients more frequently. I hope you find a solution. Pain bogs everything down- you don't think as well, and it's so hard to be positive and proactive when you are fighting pain. 

Barbara

wmc

Hard to believe you're having trouble getting it.

Sorry that just doesn't sound right. My son has been on it for seven years and just goes to CVS. I think he has had it filled at Walgreens as well. He has to go to his doctor to get the Rx but has never been told it had to be filled on that day only. I just checked with my son and he has had them filled at; Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart, Cosco, Walgreens, and even a local Mom and Pops Drugstore. It has warnings about stopping and you need to be weened off them. It can be dangerous to go cold turkey. He has streached it one extrd day to make them last longer when he had trouble but never stopped. We're in California which has many BS rules, but I have never heard of having to fill only on that day.

Bill

Noellesmom

wmc said:

Hard to believe you're having trouble getting it.

Sorry that just doesn't sound right. My son has been on it for seven years and just goes to CVS. I think he has had it filled at Walgreens as well. He has to go to his doctor to get the Rx but has never been told it had to be filled on that day only. I just checked with my son and he has had them filled at; Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart, Cosco, Walgreens, and even a local Mom and Pops Drugstore. It has warnings about stopping and you need to be weened off them. It can be dangerous to go cold turkey. He has streached it one extrd day to make them last longer when he had trouble but never stopped. We're in California which has many BS rules, but I have never heard of having to fill only on that day.

Bill

Can't be filled BEFORE the date on the script

Which is a problem because our locally owned pharmacy is closed on Sunday when it sometimes falls due.  

No idea about California but here in Alabama no refills are allowed on narcotics.  They will not fill a script if a previous script indicates you should have some remaining so trying to simply pick it up on  Saturday doesn't happen.

As for CVS and Walgreen's: CVS told me it is their corporate policy to not carry any patches stronger than 25mcg and there have been many times they had none of that strength in stock.  Walgreen's stated they stock a very limited number.  Neither carry the 50 mcg Jim uses.

FYI: CVS Caremark is my prescription insurance.

Glad your son finds it easily.  Wish it was that way here.

wmc

Noellesmom said:

Can't be filled BEFORE the date on the script

Which is a problem because our locally owned pharmacy is closed on Sunday when it sometimes falls due.  

No idea about California but here in Alabama no refills are allowed on narcotics.  They will not fill a script if a previous script indicates you should have some remaining so trying to simply pick it up on  Saturday doesn't happen.

As for CVS and Walgreen's: CVS told me it is their corporate policy to not carry any patches stronger than 25mcg and there have been many times they had none of that strength in stock.  Walgreen's stated they stock a very limited number.  Neither carry the 50 mcg Jim uses.

FYI: CVS Caremark is my prescription insurance.

Glad your son finds it easily.  Wish it was that way here.

OK

I think that is Federal on the meds. and no refills. It started this year. No they can't fill before the date and you can't even drop it off in advance. If the date is sunday and it has been for me, but I had to wait until the next day.

My Son is on 75mpg  and we go to CVS, and at first it was something like 150mcg but he had problems with it. In three hours he could not feel his arm so they cut it down. He has been on 75mpc for seven years. Best of luck......

Bill

Noellesmom

wmc said:

OK

I think that is Federal on the meds. and no refills. It started this year. No they can't fill before the date and you can't even drop it off in advance. If the date is sunday and it has been for me, but I had to wait until the next day.

My Son is on 75mpg  and we go to CVS, and at first it was something like 150mcg but he had problems with it. In three hours he could not feel his arm so they cut it down. He has been on 75mpc for seven years. Best of luck......

Bill

That's a long time

To have to use the patches and I'm sorry your son has enough pain to warrant.  This dose leaves Jim extremely lethargic.  And although he is very careful a patch once came off in the shower.  Thinking it was a bandaid I picked it up and in less than a minute my fingers were numb.  Cannot even imagine what 150 mcg must be like.

Our local area is quickly becoming a major cancer treatment center for this area so I'm hoping the pharmacies catch up on what they stock.  We've always used this CVS and they call Jim by name when he walks up to the counter so I do believe they do what they can.

It is Monday morning and after a restless night, we are ready to go in search of the elusive patch.

wmc

Noellesmom said:

That's a long time

To have to use the patches and I'm sorry your son has enough pain to warrant.  This dose leaves Jim extremely lethargic.  And although he is very careful a patch once came off in the shower.  Thinking it was a bandaid I picked it up and in less than a minute my fingers were numb.  Cannot even imagine what 150 mcg must be like.

Our local area is quickly becoming a major cancer treatment center for this area so I'm hoping the pharmacies catch up on what they stock.  We've always used this CVS and they call Jim by name when he walks up to the counter so I do believe they do what they can.

It is Monday morning and after a restless night, we are ready to go in search of the elusive patch.

What might help...

Yes they are something you don't want to touch. When my son put's it on he put's a large 2" x 4" waterproof bandaid over so it won't come off when he showers. That seems to help it stay on. 

He was in a very bad auto accident in '07 and we almost lost him, twice. He was in a small company truck going 55 mph and coming at him was a very large truck towing a 7 ton forklift and it was not tied down right and bouncef off 90 feet in fromt of him. It cut the door off and half of the backend of his truck, and out the door he went. He broke the seatbelt and that tore his insides up pretty bad. Liver, spleen, kidney all had to be repaired. He broke the top of his hip bone and had 5 small breaks in his back. The Highway Patrol said in all his years he has never seen anyone live through anything like this, he's very lucky. If it would not have been for this lady who just stopped and held him for the paramedicts he would have died. He say his whole life go before him and the white ligh, but she held his hand and sied you stay with us, you will be ok, we're not going to lose you.  We found the lady and thanked her, and she came to the hospital to see him.

 

Prayers do get answered:

Bill

Noellesmom

wmc said:

What might help...

Yes they are something you don't want to touch. When my son put's it on he put's a large 2" x 4" waterproof bandaid over so it won't come off when he showers. That seems to help it stay on. 

He was in a very bad auto accident in '07 and we almost lost him, twice. He was in a small company truck going 55 mph and coming at him was a very large truck towing a 7 ton forklift and it was not tied down right and bouncef off 90 feet in fromt of him. It cut the door off and half of the backend of his truck, and out the door he went. He broke the seatbelt and that tore his insides up pretty bad. Liver, spleen, kidney all had to be repaired. He broke the top of his hip bone and had 5 small breaks in his back. The Highway Patrol said in all his years he has never seen anyone live through anything like this, he's very lucky. If it would not have been for this lady who just stopped and held him for the paramedicts he would have died. He say his whole life go before him and the white ligh, but she held his hand and sied you stay with us, you will be ok, we're not going to lose you.  We found the lady and thanked her, and she came to the hospital to see him.

 

Prayers do get answered:

Bill

Thank you, Lord

I am glad you still have your precious son, Bill.

donfoo

wmc said:

What might help...

Yes they are something you don't want to touch. When my son put's it on he put's a large 2" x 4" waterproof bandaid over so it won't come off when he showers. That seems to help it stay on. 

He was in a very bad auto accident in '07 and we almost lost him, twice. He was in a small company truck going 55 mph and coming at him was a very large truck towing a 7 ton forklift and it was not tied down right and bouncef off 90 feet in fromt of him. It cut the door off and half of the backend of his truck, and out the door he went. He broke the seatbelt and that tore his insides up pretty bad. Liver, spleen, kidney all had to be repaired. He broke the top of his hip bone and had 5 small breaks in his back. The Highway Patrol said in all his years he has never seen anyone live through anything like this, he's very lucky. If it would not have been for this lady who just stopped and held him for the paramedicts he would have died. He say his whole life go before him and the white ligh, but she held his hand and sied you stay with us, you will be ok, we're not going to lose you.  We found the lady and thanked her, and she came to the hospital to see him.

 

Prayers do get answered:

Bill

was that him?

Bill,

Was that the son I met with you? If so, it is the miracles of miracles knowing how far removed he is from that day. Wow, thank God!

wmc

donfoo said:

was that him?

Bill,

Was that the son I met with you? If so, it is the miracles of miracles knowing how far removed he is from that day. Wow, thank God!

Yes Don it was.

Don yes that is my son from the car wreck you met with me. Yes he has come a long way. I spent 19 days in the hospitel with him from 5 pm to 10 am every day. I didn't know the body could stay awake that long. I went 40 hours with very short naps totaling 2 hours maybe in 40 hours. It was strange in a way. That day he went to the ER he thought he was not going to make it, as his life pased infront of him he said like a slide show. He always called me Dad, but it became Daddy until he left the hospital. He never wanted to be left alone and he wasn't. He said one time he just wanted to hold my hand if it was ok. I slept in a chair next to the bed and held his hand for 19 days, and he had to tell everyone,"I love you know" He was so afraid he didn't let someone know he loved them. A near death sure can wake you up. I know just how lucky we got that day and thank the Lord for letting us keep him.

Bil