Silk Road forums
Discussion => Off topic => Topic started by: Rush Limbo on November 03, 2012, 03:16 pm
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Here's the deal. It's been over 2 months since my last Lortab script was filled. 3 weeks ago I got a bad tooth ache and my dentist called in some antibiotics and Vicodin ES. Yesterday, I called my pharmacy to request authorization for a refill of Lortab (less than 30 days from my Vicodin ES script for 20 pills). I realized few hours later what I've done (I'm in FL, and they have laws against withholding info from doctors about other prescriptions), so I hopped in the car and went to my neurologist's office to inform them that I have gotten Vicodin ES 3 weeks ago, and to make a note in my patient chart that I AM INFORMING THEM ABOUT IT! They were very thankful for it and said no problem, we noted it, and how honest of me to do it, and what a good patient I am... Now, at this time they haven't even gotten the refill request from the pharmacy anyways.
So my question is: am I being paranoid worrying about this? Basically I got 20 Vics 3 weeks ago, and called in a refill for Lortab (usually 60 pills). I informed the office where I requested the refill for Lortab from that I gotten Vics from other doc. Am I in the clear even if pharmacy flags me?
What I suspect will happen is my neuro will deny refill and ask me to come in, he does that after few refills anyways. But what if he just issues a new script. Will the pharmacy ask them about the 30 day thing and if I informed them? Are all FL pharmacies even participating in the drug database thing? And even if I do get flagged, and LEO starts an investigation, they'll talk to my neuro's office and find out I informed them, so I'm in the clear, right?!?
Also, I read somewhere that 2nd script from 2nd doctor under 30 days is not doctor shopping in FL (I think I actually had that scenario happen to me before where family doc gave me vics and the neuro lortabs withing like 2 weeks, that was when i first started seeing the neuro).
SO, have I broken the law? Or am I paranoid? Please help, it's driving me nutz all the worrying...
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Dude your being way to paranoid, these pharma guys make money from you buying these things. If your really worried just get a note from your doctor/dentist explaining things?
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Dude your being way to paranoid, these pharma guys make money from you buying these things. If your really worried just get a note from your doctor/dentist explaining things?
one pharmacy was Wallgreens, other one was CVS. do you know if they log this info with the state?
well i think i'm in the clear, i told my first doc I got some from another doc before he ever had a chance to write a new script, so technically i'm ok. just wish i could hear from others with similar experience or maybe someone with legal experience in the matters...
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They log all this info so you can't pic up the same script more than once, as long as their different scripts your fine.
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your clear, walgreens and cvs communicate and they would not fill the script if it was to early. PS doctor shopping for lortab goes unnoticed, as its a C3 narcotic it does not have to be directly reported to the DEA. the pharmacy must just keep a copy of the script around for 1 year as required by law. C1 and C2's require direct reporting to the DEA, Walgreen, CVS, Walmart, all report them immediately, but any pharmacy that fills them must report them monthly. Yes I said C1 as many pharmacies carry C1, but only a license physician can pick up a C1 (Example otolaryngologist often pick up cocaine from the pharmacy for outpatient nasal surgeries).
Typically the only time someone get busted for doctor shopping on a C3 are those who are getting caught for other crimes, such as doctor shopping a C2, script alterations, forged scripts.
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your clear, walgreens and cvs communicate and they would not fill the script if it was to early. PS doctor shopping for lortab goes unnoticed, as its a C3 narcotic it does not have to be directly reported to the DEA. the pharmacy must just keep a copy of the script around for 1 year as required by law. C1 and C2's require direct reporting to the DEA, Walgreen, CVS, Walmart, all report them immediately, but any pharmacy that fills them must report them monthly. Yes I said C1 as many pharmacies carry C1, but only a license physician can pick up a C1 (Example otolaryngologist often pick up cocaine from the pharmacy for outpatient nasal surgeries).
Typically the only time someone get busted for doctor shopping on a C3 are those who are getting caught for other crimes, such as doctor shopping a C2, script alterations, forged scripts.
so the pharmacies would have prevented me from filling the second script? how come? i did not request a refill on the same script at another place. i got 20 Vics from a dentist and 3 weeks later requested a refill on Lortabs from my main guy. My worry was about letting the main doc not know about the vics from dentist. BUT I NOTIFIED his office Friday... he wasn't there and didn't fill the script in, so technically he's been informed by me, and if he chooses to refill next week i should be in the clear i guess.
basically, i know that legally i should be covered. i notified one doc about scripts from less that 30 days ago from another doc. i was just worried about being flagged by pharmacy, or some LEO being notified and looking into it and having to answer questions, etc. a whole bunch of drama.
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One other thing, Florida has it's own set of laws about doctor shopping. I worry was about the FL requirement to report, or not withhold, information from a doctor about other scripts of the same or similar nature you have from another doctor.
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I understand your concern, I live in Florida myself. In the opioid supply capital of the world. You have nothing to worry about the only stupid thing you did is tell your doctor. The pharmacy wouldnt of filled them with a problem, they would of called the doctor prior to filling it.
During medical school the dentist has to learn about narcotics and narcotic abuse. They are given a set of guidelines by the DEA in which circumstances they are allowed to prescribe narcotics. The guidelines from dentist have a recommended value, the recommended prescribing value of Lortab with 500mg Acetaminophen for a dentist is 20 pills every 4-6 hours as needed for pain. which means its a 3-5 day supply. That means by guidelines you could of filled your regular script of Lortab after 3 days. If the script was actually for Vicodin which is 300 mg of Acetaminophen it would be up to one ever 2-6 hours. Meaning a 2 day supply. in that case most pharmacies would let you fill the script the same day due to the fact C3 guidelines are early fill are up to 3 days in advance. But lets say he didn't follow the DEA prescribing guidelines, and he wrote you 1 a day it would be good for 20 days, but fill-able after 17 days.
Dentist can prescribe more then a 5 day supply, and can actually prescribe up to a 6 month supply of a C3, but most pharmacies will call and verify that. For C2 a dentist will be questioned why and i mean they will be questioned if they prescribe more then a 5 day supply. I convinced my family dentist to give me dilaudid a couple months back, but he stated the DEA is all over that crap, and every time he writes more then a 5 day supply of a c2 they make him fill out a paper warning him, He actually wrote my mom a script for roxycodone,
So as i said before your fine.
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I understand your concern, I live in Florida myself. In the opioid supply capital of the world. You have nothing to worry about the only stupid thing you did is tell your doctor. The pharmacy wouldnt of filled them with a problem, they would of called the doctor prior to filling it.
During medical school the dentist has to learn about narcotics and narcotic abuse. They are given a set of guidelines by the DEA in which circumstances they are allowed to prescribe narcotics. The guidelines from dentist have a recommended value, the recommended prescribing value of Lortab with 500mg Acetaminophen for a dentist is 20 pills every 4-6 hours as needed for pain. which means its a 3-5 day supply. That means by guidelines you could of filled your regular script of Lortab after 3 days. If the script was actually for Vicodin which is 300 mg of Acetaminophen it would be up to one ever 2-6 hours. Meaning a 2 day supply. in that case most pharmacies would let you fill the script the same day due to the fact C3 guidelines are early fill are up to 3 days in advance. But lets say he didn't follow the DEA prescribing guidelines, and he wrote you 1 a day it would be good for 20 days, but fill-able after 17 days.
Dentist can prescribe more then a 5 day supply, and can actually prescribe up to a 6 month supply of a C3, but most pharmacies will call and verify that. For C2 a dentist will be questioned why and i mean they will be questioned if they prescribe more then a 5 day supply. I convinced my family dentist to give me dilaudid a couple months back, but he stated the DEA is all over that crap, and every time he writes more then a 5 day supply of a c2 they make him fill out a paper warning him, He actually wrote my mom a script for roxycodone,
So as i said before your fine.
DoctorRX,
The script for Lortab HAS NOT BEEN FILLED YET (from your first paragraph I got a felling like you thought it was filled?)
The time line is: 3 weeks ago I got 20 Vics from dentist. 3 days ago I called in a request to refill Lortab (WHICH REQUIRES DOCTORS APPROVAL, I NEVER GET ANY REFILLS ON IT). After I called it in, I visited doc's office to LET THEM KNOW I GOT VICS 3 WEEKS AGO. Again, as of today the Lortabs are not filled. The doc was no there to authorize it. He will either do it Monday, or he will decline and ask me to come in for a visit (which happened in the past after I requested few refills in a row).
So can I still get flagged for Doctor Shopping? I did let my main doctor know about the Vics from the dentist, which is what I'm supposed to do per FL law. I just don't want to get flagged or some other BS like that and have to answer to LEO.
Also, from what you're describing, the 30 day only applies to refills and prescriptions that are meant to last that long? I'm confused...