Question:
Can I get prescription for pain meds filled if I recently was prescribed meds with same hydrocodone for cough?
A couple of weeks ago I tested positive for the flu. I recieved several prescriptions from the doctor. One of the prescribed medications was for tussionex which contained hydrocodone. I took all the meds as prescribed until i recovered from the flu several days later! About 2 weeks later I was at work several days several hours away from home. I began to fill sick again. I visited a local walk-in-clinic where I tested positive for strep throat! The doctor gave me several prescriptions including another for tussionex. When I went into a pharmacy they tried to deny my purchase of the tussinex because they said enough time had not elapsed from my previous purchase. I was surprised that they were aware of the previous purchase, the two pharmacies were not jointly owned. One was Albertsons, the other Wal Greens. The lady allowed me to explain that I still had tussionex remaining from previous illness but that it was a 7 hr drive home to get it. The pharmacist was able to somehow overide the hold and I was able to purchase all of my prescriptions. Its been about a week since that prescription for tussionex was issued. Now,... yesterday I'm back at home and I'm playing with my kids on the trampoline and I fall awkwardly and pull a muscle in my hamstring/groin area. Go to the doctor because it hurts and kept me up all night. He diagnoses it as strained muscle and issues me an antiinflamitory steriod, muscle relaxer, and pain med (hydrocodone)! I can only imagine what will happen when I try to go to the pharmacy and fill a new prescription for hydrocodone! So what do i do? Take the leftover tussionex for the pain since it contains hydrocodone. Or do I take the left over tussionex to the pharmacist to exchnge for the new meds. Can I go to a different pharmacy that wont care about the multiple prescriptions. What about the governing agency that enforces this type of thing. I dont want one knocking on my door accusing me of being an addict or violating some law to get too much of one type of med, namely hydrocodone! I'de kinda like to find a pharmacy that was a lil more concerned about my condition and my needs rather than so concerned with trying to second guess what a doctor has prescribed. How do I get my prescription filled? How do I avoid Pharmacy from being able to deny filling my prescription? How do I avoid raising the unneccessary alarms? Thanks!
Answers:
Pharmacies share information to prevent people from pharmacy hopping/doctor hopping for narcotics. They are linked for that purpose. Doctors/hospitals also blacklist people to prevent them from receiving narcotic prescriptions if they are known or suspected abusers. I don't think you should have an issue with the new prescription because it is a different medication. By all means take the tussionex back if it makes you feel better and if you are done with it. That is the preferred means of disposal for medications rather than rinsing them down the drain. But the LAST thing you want to do is go to a different pharmacy to fill your new prescription because then you look like you are doing exactly what they are trying to prevent with the information sharing. If you are at home, use ONE pharmacy for all your prescriptions and your family's prescriptions so that all your information is in one place. Using a different pharmacy when you are out of town is understandable, but do not use different pharmacies close to home unless it is necessary (like you are being released from the hospital and it is easier to use the hospital pharmacy to get a prescription before you leave)
you can not take left over drugs back, just go fill the one he gave you..they are not the same in strength..if they complain, have them call the Dr. or have the Dr call them
Yes, you can get it filled. Its got the same type of narcotic in it, but it is a different prescription.
and the poster above me is incorrect, you can take leftover prescriptions to the pharmacy if you are trying to dispose of the drug, or if your doc was say changing the the milligrams of a prescription, then they sometimes request the leftover drug to make sure that it is not being abused.