I had to go to the Walk-in Clinic. I needed a prescription refilled. Three of the doctors who serve our local clinic are familiar with my health and treatment plans. Today's doctor-on-duty was new; we'd never met.
I explained that I needed a prescription refill. He asked some screening questions and then read the prescription label. "This indicates that you have 2 repeats left on the order," he said.
"The 2 repeats represents 2 doses," I responded. I explained that I had been to the pharmacy yesterday to get the refill. While the original prescription was for a quantity of 32 boxes, the pharmacy dispenses these by the dose. That meant that the pharmacist translated the 32 boxes as 32 doses. "But the pharmacy doesn't actually dispense less than 5 doses, so I need a new order altogether," I finished.
"This is a narcotic," the doc said. "I'm not comfortable to write such a large order for a narcotic."
"I understand that you're at a disadvantage because we've never met, but my history is all here," I said, pointing to the massive paper chart.
He was clearly overwhelmed by my chart. The stack of papers in the folder is more than 6-inches high. It is, in fact, one of 2 folders that make up my chart.
Ten pages into the paper chart, he lost patience (an echo, labs, more labs, a mammo, ultrasound, a dictation, ultrasound, more labs, a fax...) Eventually, he agreed to a short term refill of the 'scrip and I agreed to see my family doctor for a more complete order.
I stopped at the reception desk to make the appointment.
"The next available appointment is," the clerk paused, "October 22."
Three weeks away, and I've managed to get just one week of my pain relief medication. I caught up with the doctor in the hallway and explained that I will need 3 weeks of meds to make it through to the appointment date.
"I'm just not comfortable writing a long-term order for that class of drugs," he repeated. He suggested I return to the clinic before I reached the end of the prescription to get another short term repeat.
How's that going to look - returning each week for a short term refill on a narcotic-class prescription.
Tags: [Doctor's Office] [Prescription Drug Abuse][Rush Limbaugh] [House]
