# Refill Laws



## orbit55 (Apr 23, 2008)

I used to live in Colorado and back there, I had no problem refilling my Rx 1-2 weeks in advance. It's not that I am taking more than I need to but it's kind of a safety blanket knowing you have your next refill on hand. Plus, if you are planning on going on vacation, which I am, it makes it easier just to get the refill out of the way.

Well, the new state I moved to seems to be a lot more strict when it comes to refills. I went in 2 weeks in advance to refill and the pharmacist looked at me like I was a freakin' junkie. She questioned me on how I was taking the medication and made it clear I was trying to refill early. She said in this state refills don't usually occur until 2-3 days prior to running out. I was so ticked off. Not only because I was subtly being accused of over using but because giving a patient 2-3 days to refill is pretty pathetic. People have lives and other things going on, so having to plan my week on having to get my refill is just crazy. Plus, like I said, I am going on vacation and by following the 2-3 day rule here, my refill date would fall on my vacation(not a big deal, I know I could refill while on vacation but still an inconvenience).

And I guess it ticked me off even more because she didn't know what the medicine was being prescribed for and she didn't even know much about the medication. Half the questions I asked her, she had to look up in the computer...

Has anyone else experienced this type of inconvenience when refilling an Rx?


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## orbit55 (Apr 23, 2008)

And I realize some of these restrictions are probably imposed to protect the patient, doctor and pharmacy... But when you have panic disorder and you have to wait until your last 2-3 doses in order to refill, it can be a little unnerving...


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Welcome to our War On Drugs. You may direct your complaints to your elected officials who created this DEA monster.

Yes, it's 100% insane to say you have to wait till you're down to 2-3 days of pills before you can get more. It reminds one of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, except this one wears a lab coat and says "No Xanax for You!"

Let's say you drive past your pharmacy 4 days before you run out of pills. They actually expect you to take an unnecessary trip to waste time and gas the next day instead of simply refilling when you're there anyhow. It's lunacy and we all know it.

And while they monitor your Xanax like a hawk, others are buying booze by the case without question at the liquor store. I think that's called irony.


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## Reachinghigher (Jul 12, 2008)

I live in a state that does the same exact thing. They treat everybody like they're an addict or as if they are abusing medication in some way if they attempt to refill more than three days in advance. I think the few who have abused the system have ruined it for the majority of us who don't. However, why should the majority of us suffer for the irresponsible behavior of a few? The ones who abuse the system should be penalized for their actions and suffer, without the system making everyone else pay for it by treating people like they can't be responsible. The system definitely needs an overhaul if you ask me. Either that or we should all move to Colorado.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

My Dilaudid I can only refill every 30 days, not a day less.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Noca said:


> My Dilaudid I can only refill every 30 days, not a day less.


What if day #30 falls on a national holiday when most pharmacies would be closed?

What if there is an extreme act of nature like 20" of snow on day 30?

What if the pharmacy happens to be out of stock of that particular med on day 30?

Whoever wrote these rules is brain dead.


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## Reachinghigher (Jul 12, 2008)

UltraShy said:


> Noca said:
> 
> 
> > My Dilaudid I can only refill every 30 days, not a day less.
> ...


 :ditto


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## Wellington (Dec 29, 2007)

I agree. What if you live in the wilderness, and you only drive to town on occasion. You must wait 30 days exactly; and waste time and gas when the time comes. ****ing rediculous.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

UltraShy said:


> Noca said:
> 
> 
> > My Dilaudid I can only refill every 30 days, not a day less.
> ...


thats why i stockpile


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

UltraShy said:


> And while they monitor your Xanax like a hawk, others are buying booze by the case without question at the liquor store. I think that's called irony.


It makes me sick, honestly.
"Benzos are addictive, you know"
So is alcohol, doc. Which one would you like me to go with?


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## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

Assuming this is not an insurance issue, the decision is ultimately up to your doctor. Where I live, there is no state or federal law that explicitly states when you can refill. The reason you were denied the refill is because the pharmacist is assuming your doctor wrote the prescription for a specific quantity meant to last for a specific length of time. They don't know your unique situation, so they shouldn't assume you're a junkie, or a saint, for that matter. The pharmacist would essentially be undermining your doctor if he/she gave you the medication. For that reason, the pharmacy should offer to contact your doctor for authorization, in which case there would be no problem. This relieves the pharmacist of any liability should an adverse event occur as a result of the early refill.

If doctors could prescribe alcohol, I'm sure they'd monitor that too.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

jaayhou said:


> Assuming this is not an insurance issue, the decision is ultimately up to your doctor. Where I live, there is no state or federal law that explicitly states when you can refill. The reason you were denied the refill is because the pharmacist is assuming your doctor wrote the prescription for a specific quantity meant to last for a specific length of time. They don't know your unique situation, so they shouldn't assume you're a junkie, or a saint, for that matter. The pharmacist would essentially be undermining your doctor if he/she gave you the medication. For that reason, the pharmacy should offer to contact your doctor for authorization, in which case there would be no problem. This relieves the pharmacist of any liability should an adverse event occur as a result of the early refill.
> 
> If doctors could prescribe alcohol, I'm sure they'd monitor that too.


But banning a refill on, say, day #28 rather than exactly on day #30 is so over the top. If someone is a junkie they can consume their whole bottle of pills the day they get them. Making a distinction between if it can be refilled on day 28 or must be only be done on day 30 only would keep such a hypothetical junkie away from their fix for 2 days, but they're still a junkie. And everyone else who uses their meds as prescribed has to deal with the pain in the rear that, as I noted, won't stop any junkie from downing the whole bottle as soon as they get it.

I can refill my Xanax as soon as 75% is used up (assuming use at the directed dose).

The real point is that demanding it be exactly day #30 is so over the top as to be pure lunacy. While I totally disagree with such laws, I recognize that one could legitimately argue for the benefit of such regulations, but isn't saying you can't have any more till you're down to your very last day taking this concept the an insane extreme?

What if you're sick on day #30 with uncontrollable diarrhea? Are you supposed to go to the pharmacy while you're crapping your pants because you couldn't get it two days prior when you felt fine? Let's just hope that happens to one of the legislators who voted in favor of such a crazy regulation.


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## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

Yeah, a blanket rule like that is irrational. Docs will occasionally write "must last 30 days" in some cases, but that boils down to specific cases. 

I suppose a way of getting around the 30 day issue is for a doc to write for, say, three times daily as needed, knowing you'll rarely, if ever, need it that often. By the time 30 days is up, hopefully you'll still have a supply to last you a while longer. 

If health care workers weren't so vulnerable to liability issues, this would likely be less of a problem. People in this country need to be held responsible for their own mistakes instead of being allowed to blame the people legitimately trying to help them.


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## Wellington (Dec 29, 2007)

Adderall is a pain to refill. Every 34 days max (unless they passed some new law alllowing refills on CII's).


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## Reachinghigher (Jul 12, 2008)

jaayhou said:


> Yeah, a blanket rule like that is irrational. Docs will occasionally write "must last 30 days" in some cases, but that boils down to specific cases.
> 
> I suppose a way of getting around the 30 day issue is for a doc to write for, say, three times daily as needed, knowing you'll rarely, if ever, need it that often. By the time 30 days is up, hopefully you'll still have a supply to last you a while longer.
> 
> If health care workers weren't so vulnerable to liability issues, this would likely be less of a problem. People in this country need to be held responsible for their own mistakes instead of being allowed to blame the people legitimately trying to help them.


 :ditto


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Wellington said:


> Adderall is a pain to refill. Every 34 days max (unless they passed some new law allowing refills on CII's).


The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 requires that C-II prescriptions be in writing (except in emergencies) and that no refills are allowed; a new prescription is needed for each fill.

Federal law says absolutely nothing about how much of a controlled substance can be dispensed in any one order. Under federal law it would be just fine to hand out a 90-day supply. States are the ones who can make up tighter limits. Before my mother had a knee replacement she used methadone, a C-II drug, and her insurance plan used a pharmacy based in Texas and they had no problem sending her a 90-day supply. In Wisconsin controlled substances are limited to a 34-day max.


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