I am wondering if anyone else has experienced what I have when it comes to getting your prescription for ADHD medication.
First, I have been taking medication for ADHD for too many years to count. For 25 years I had the same psychiatrist and he had me come in for 15 minutes every two and a half months for medication management. This worked beautifully. He would have me come in two weeks before the prescription ran out because I can only have my prescriptions filled at a mail order pharmacy and I must allow ten days for the prescription to arrive. I never realized how good I had it with this physician until he retired.
It was not easy finding a psychiatrist taking new patients, taking new patients for medication management for a controlled medication (Vyvanse), and an adult taking medication for ADHD. Finally, I found one and dealing with him is so frustrating and difficult. He charges $75.00 for fifteen minutes - that is okay because I need the medication. However, I must argue with him every time I see him. He wants to date the prescription for the day I take my last dose. This means I have to go through two weeks without medication while waiting for the medication to arrive in the mail. The second problem is with the pharmacy. They screw up somewhere with my prescription every single time. There has been only one time in the past ten years that they got it right. It has been forwarded to the wrong state to be filled, sent to the wrong address, put on hold for no apparent reason, the date has been incorrectly, on and on and on. While trying to straighten the problem out I constantly hear "this is a controlled drug you know" from every person I talk to. Sorry it is controlled but I still need it. That is always their explanation when they screw up. They tell me that controlled drugs are handled differently and they must take precautions before dispensing them. Okay, take precautions, but fill it and send it too.
When it is time for me to get my Rx filled every three months my anxiety level goes through the roof because I know I have so much to go through before I actually receive my prescription. Why does it have to be this way. I would love to be "normal" and not have to take this medication. I feel as though I am treated like I am asking for street drugs by the way I am treated.
Has anyone else experienced this or am I just cursed?
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SleeplessinMaryland
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I think it's a fairly common experience. I had to sign a drug contract and I have to get drug tested which isn't fully covered by my insurance so I have to pay over $80 out of pocket each time. I've had issues with the pharmacy being reluctant to fill medication and more than a few looks from the staff there. I always feel like I'm being judged either by my provider or the pharmacy staff, and it's a frustrating thing. I get my medications at the pharmacy though so I don't have to deal with the mail stuff that you do.
I will say that I have learned that a number of ADHD people will keep a supply of "backup meds." For me I've started doing this accidentally. There are weekend days when I will miss a dose or two and so I use that as a reserve in case there's a gap between prescriptions. So far it's worked, but it's not like I miss that many days so I don't have a huge excess to fall back on.
I live on the eastern shore, Berlin Md. I see a psychiatrist in De she works two days a week. Keeping up with my Rx is also a big spike in anxiety.
Today I drove 2 hours round trip to pick up the Rx from my provider. So I am working on a provider closer by on a three month waiting list and try something different.
Delaware?? Wow...that is far to travel but I know if I had to I would do it too. Do you go that far because you cannot find a provider that accepts your insurance? I live in the Crofton area.
Provider’s are are limited in this area. So I keep up with different med’s and so far limited benefits. I planning on changing providers for another Professional’s evaluation and treatment
YES!!! Two of my ex doctors always made me feel this way. And yes, the last one would say those EXACT words. "you realize this is controlled substance" and sat looking at me. Is she wanting me to feel like I'm asking for Heroin in a back alley? The judgement is UNREAL. I feel so lucky to have finally found an MD who is happy to please. His main concern is getting me happy and healthy, and less concerned about treating me like I'm trying to pull one over on him. Although, by bad luck recently, I needed a refill on a day I didn't realize he had off. So I got a message from his nurse about controlled substances blah blah blah. I think I've had so many bad experiences with medical staff having low emotional IQs, that just hearing those words again made me feel like I'm some type of addict. It's like guilty until proven innocent with any controlled substance, whether it be needing a single (yes ONE) muscle relaxer because my back went out, a benzo because of my anxiety, or my vyvanse. It's all so infuriating. I've been using our Costco pharmacy for awhile, and I will say, they've never made me feel like that, while other pharmacies have. In fact, when I called in to refill my son's pain meds at Walgreens after his surgery, the pharmacy tech started questioning me like I'm up to something! What the hell is that??
It so unfair. One time I was staying with my father after he had been released from the hospital. I went to a pharmacy near his house to have his prescriptions filled and the pharmacist was willing to fill all of them except the one written for hydrocodone. He had just been discharged from the hospital after have major surgery! She said if he came in himself to fill it she would fill it but because she did not recognize me or know me she would not fill it. I just took it to another pharmacy. I should not have had to do that.
When I was on Adderall I could have it filled at a retail pharmacy (Vyvanse has a $700.00 copay at retail pharmacies vs $90.00 through mail order). I always received black looks and snide comments. One pharmacy tech asked me what the going street value was for Adderall. Wish I could transfer ADHD to her by coughing on her.
Have you previously tried out generic adderall? The cost is much lower than Vyvanse. My 30 day supply of 60 20mb tabs are anywhere from $40- $120 (depending on GoodRx coupon or not)
Yes, I have tried Adderall, Ritalin, Dexedrine, and now Vyvanse. Vyvanse has been the very best. Lasts all day, smooth when wearing off, no anxiety or other side effects. I may have to switch back to it - avoiding thinking about it right now. lol
Ugh. My clinic recently switched my provider and the new one also wants to fill only on the last day of the current med month. I’m sure you have probably already looked into it, but my insurance also “requires” long term meds to be filled by mail every 90 days, however they also allow me to “opt out” of 90 day mail and pick it up at my preferred local pharmacy. I only have to opt out once, and my pharmacy fills it locally every 30 days.
I can get it filled at the retail pharmacy or mail order. There is a huge difference in the copay between the two. Retail = $700.00 copay and Mail Order = $90.00 copay.
I just posted re: issues that I’m having with my provider. $100 copay and she insists on meeting at least once per month. When I wanted to request a small increase in dose (per recommendation of my psychologist) she said we’d have to set up an additional appointment or wait until our next scheduled. And yes, the words, “well it’s a controlled substance...” did come out of her mouth!
Once at month at $100 is really gouging you. Plus the cost of the medication - wow. Do people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. have to do that to remain on medication? Heck no.
Sucks. When I lived in New York State I had no issues with filling my Concerta. I moved to Southwest Florida and I have been treated like a criminal here. Not to mention that the regular pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens) are out of stock and I've had to wait several days. I'm now taking Wellbutrin so much easier to access, but does not help me as much as Concerta. Plus I am in my 60's, so I used to get comments from the psychiatrist that I should be retired already. What does that have to do with anything??
What does being in your sixties have to do with wanting your brain to function normally? Idiots. It seems like this problem is getting worse as time goes on.
Nope, you're not cursed. I think we're seen as being a risk factor for double-dosing, overdosing or selling our meds, it's ridiculous. I'm in the UK and fortunately we have the NHS - it's a slow-moving machine, but once you get seen, you're looked after.
Two months ago, I finally managed to get back into a local Adult Mental Health service and assigned to a psychiatrist who is now responsible for my care. Prescriptions are issued monthly and only dated for a day before my current meds run out. I've got a review scheduled next month, which is two months after starting and eventually, they may allow my GP to continue the prescription. Typically an ADDER, I waited till the last minute to go to the pharmacy to fill my post- dated prescription, but because they had to order it in and it would be delivered the day after the expiry date on the prescription, they couldn't actually give it to me. But a call to the clinic resulted in a script the same day.
It takes planning, so what I'll be doing is setting up reminders on my phone so I can get the process started early. I don't want the anxiety of missing a dose or dealing with beaurocrats! But it'll be inevitable I guess.
It is a good idea to begin hoarding a few here and there. The medical community has a problem with anything "controlled". I do understand, with the current epidemic and all, but it cannot apply across the board for everyone. I feel if I am seeing the same physician for 30 years, and have never given him a reason to mistrust me, when I need medication I should get it. My sister's neighbor has a horrible case of shingles. She is in agony. Her physician told her he could not prescribe anything for the pain and she should take extra strength Tylenol. That would be about as effective as chewing gum. So inhumane.
I see a psychiatric nurse practitioner for my Vyvanse prescription and she's been great. She writes me two prescriptions that are dated for that day, but also writes "Do not fill before..." on each one. I use Rite Aid and have not had any issues with the prescription this way. Often they need to order the medication so I drop off my Rx a week in advance - they'll order it if they're out but they won't fill it until the day I'm allowed to pick it up. Rite Aid was the fourth pharmacy I tried before I found one that said they could fill it monthly - apparently the pharmacies are limited to how much of these stimulants they can order each month.
Same here, I've been told by this new dr that the medications I was prescribed in the past were to many Controlled substances (adderall in the morning and afternoon, ambien and seroquel at night) this new dr just wouldn't prescrie me anything to help with my Vyvanse Crash......I feel like I'm being treated as if I am an Addict and it hurts to not be listen to. I cant see my old dr because he moved and this new one doesn't care about my needs. I called a new place and they are waiting for my medical records before I can get in.......I'm still worried. I'm soooo close to saying good buy to vyvanse and deal with my learning disability and adhd on my own however school is sooo much better with medication help. It's like hello I'm asking for The Medications that helped me in the Past I'm not doing anything wrong
I have done that - stopped taking the medication so I would not have to deal with the three ring circus every three months. It was so difficult to get through life day-to-day so I ended up caving and going back on the medication.
The medications you have been taking sound like the same many, many others are taking every day. Until you give him/her a reason to feel uncomfortable prescribing to you they should give you what works. What you are asking for is not outrageous. There are those who do abuse or sell their medication and ask for early refills or tell the physician they lost their medication etc. That is a different story. You need yours to function day to day and it is ridiculous for them to play little power games with you.
im in texas. both me and my husband have adhd. he just got on his own insurance plan after being on his parent' and had to change doctor's because his old one doesn't accept that insurance. they hardcore cracked down on all schedule II or higher drugs starting on march 1st. monthly drug tests (can't even drink alcohol or have caffeine), only giving out a 2 week prescription, they even capped the dosages. On top of that, the medication itself is stupid expensive, even for the generic brands and we've only found one pharmacy in the general area that ever has it in stock.
all this headache for someone who's been taking the medication regularly and appropriately since he was 6.
they're trying to fight "the opioid crisis" but in reality made it almost impossible for a lot of people to get their script filled.
I thought I had to go through a lot to get my medication until I read what you and your husband have to deal with. It is as though we are being punished for using a controlled drug and also having ADHD - because so many people do not even believe it exists.
YES! Very common! A few years ago it was worse, at least for me and from experiences in different parts of the country.
My advice? Find a pharmacy that doesn't do too much of that, then get to know them and they you- the more familiar you are , the less they think much about what you're getting, they get used to you. and so sorry you've been abused, pal.
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