Drugs on the road.. No not in WA or CO!! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cheryls-other-half · RV-Dreams Family Member

Drugs on the road.. No not in WA or CO!!

Talensnana · RV-Dreams Family Member

There has been a lot of discussion about this in my online Fibro/CFS group. it is only going to get worse. I guess it is normal for them to say they don't have any if they don't want to fill it. Florida is one of the worse states because they have gotten in big troble with the DEA. Sone people are saying they have better luck if they avoid the big pharmacIes.

If I know we are going to be traveling for an extended period I make sure I have some pain meds availvable but not using them some of the times I need them prior to leaving. I am hoping by the time we FT next year, things will settle down some.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm curious on this as well. I take Pain meds for my back..

I take other stuff. Non pain stuff...but wife has that shipped in from india or something.. No prescription needed.And you can order in quantity.

Here in vegas, I have to go to the dr, every 3 mo. not sure what we are gonna do on the road.

We didn't have insurance.. I just got medicaid / medicare.. one of them.. wife doesn't qualify.

-- Edited by The Junkman on Thursday 10th of July 2014 08:53:25 AM

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

Doctors put up with drug shoppers all the time. Pharmacies have to be very careful. My recommendation is to get the prescription filled as soon as you get it in the geographical where you get it. Getting class IIs filled will not get easier.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Guess I've been very naive. healthcare so far is not a problem as we have nationwide coverage as long as dr is in network (and most are), but I never expected filling a rx would be so difficult!

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

The emergency room will usually give you a list of pharmacies close by that will fill the Rx - these are pharmacies that will know the ER physicians and what they prescribed. Also, delaying getting the pain meds isn't a good idea because once the pain starts building, you'll have trouble getting the level back down to reasonable level.

As to maintenance - if this is going to be ongoing, see about working with a pain management clinic and trying some of the newer non-narcotic pain relievers to see if they can manage the pain better. Otherwise, you will have to limit your travel.

Barb

Talensnana · RV-Dreams Family Member

i also have to go to the doctor every 3-4 months. Fortunately our kids live in Kansas (As do we right now). Right now our plan is to come through Kansas 3-4 times a year when we start full timing and will see our doctors when we are home visiting grand babies. I am sure when we decide on a region to stay in, then we will make a change. Fortunately I have some great doctors and that can be hard to find.

Clay L · RV-Dreams Family Member

What we did was go with a local pharmacy in the small town we usually spent a couple of months in during the spring and fall visiting relatives.
The local doctor gave the pharmacy a number of of post dated prescriptions and the pharmacy mailed the pain meds to us each month. When we went back in the spring the doc would re-evaluate my wife and give the pharmacy new prescriptions for the next six months.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

I found no problems at the local Winn Dixie. I suspect using small mom & pop pharmacies or anywhere other than the large nationwide chains are more likely to help.

Classy Lady · RV-Dreams Family Member

Getting prescriptions filled when travelling is more of a challenge than I thought it would be. This is what we have learned so far:

RiteAid is only on the east/west coasts, not central US
Walgreens covers the entire US
To transfer a prescription, go to the new pharmacy and the pharmacist will make the phone call to the original supplier to get the prescription.
In Canada, prescriptions will only be filled if written by a Canadian physician.
Oxygen suppliers can be hard to locate. The written list of suppliers is not always up to date and they are often located in industrial parks. This was quite a challenge for us last summer. I learned to telephone ahead and verify the address.

I even carry a written prescription for our eyeglasses, if something happens and we need new glasses.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

I guess I'm still unclear..

I just went to my local dr.. who refilled my Loratab for the next 5 mo.. by the end, I expect to be fully on the road..

What do I do?

Bring my file, and see a doctor locally .. where ever I am, to get a prescription.. Plus she just put me on some hypertension meds..

If I roll into a town somewhere, will i be able to get the meds?

thanks

-- Edited by The Junkman on Friday 18th of July 2014 08:46:28 AM

Talensnana · RV-Dreams Family Member

JunkMan I wish there was an easy answer. Until this mess settles down it is going to be hard to get pain meds when full timing. I am suprised you were able to get 5 months worth of loratab. I believe my doctor only does 30 days at a time for pain meds. You will find some states will be easier than others. Make sure your local doc knows you will be traveling as he will probably be contacted. I always prepare for the worse. For me that means we expect to be traveling home 3-4 x per year. I don't think short of a new injury on the road I will be able to get my pain meds. I am hoping just the rving life will help some wih the pain.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Talensnana wrote:
JunkMan I wish there was an easy answer. Until this mess settles down it is going to be hard to get pain meds when full timing. I am suprised you were able to get 5 months worth of loratab. I believe my doctor only does 30 days at a time for pain meds. You will find some states will be easier than others. Make sure your local doc knows you will be traveling as he will probably be contacted. I always prepare for the worse. For me that means we expect to be traveling home 3-4 x per year. I don't think short of a new injury on the road I will be able to get my pain meds. I am hoping just the rving life will help some wih the pain.

Yea.. Not 5 mo at at time.. 5 mo in refills.. Walmart says I can refill them anywhere.. But once the refills are out.. I have to go home? Crap..

I'm in NV now.. moving to FL next mo. I will be in FL for a few mo.. so I will get a new doctor there.

The first couple years we could travel back to FL.. as we will be on the east coast.. Kinda expensive trip.. Cheaper to just buy them off the street..lol.. It's joke.. but true..

gjmiller138 · RV-Dreams Family Member

been one of my biggest fears. 2 fused disc, 4 herniated disc. I see my pain doc every two months. This may be the straw that brakes my RVs back. The on I just purchased. Non-narcotics won't work with acid reflux. 460 per month for medical insurance and it can't get any better than this.

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Unfortunately, with the new laws regarding schedule II narcotics, this will not get any easier. The new law states that you have to see your docor every 30 days and get a new prescription.

I am fortunate. I am a 100% disabled vet and get my meds mailed to me from the VA. Since I take nothing stronger than Zanax, my dr. has agreed to give me a year's worth of refills that I can get mailed to me wherever we are. I just go on their site online and ask for a refill.

Once a year, I will go to the nearest VA hospital and see a doctor there and get a new year's refill, and pray that my chronic illness doesn't get any worse to where I will need schedule II pills. Once that happens, I'm afraid we'll have to come off the road.