Tuesday, June 03, 2008 Lee asks

Q: How often does a patient have to see a doctor in order to get a prescription for a chronic condition

I am on Social Security Disability and pension for work due to chronic pain from a permanent disabiity. How often must I see my doctor in order to get renewals for my prescription narcotic medications? Every month, every 2 months, or every 3 months?

My insurance does not cover my pain physician, and since my condition is chronic it seems unnecessary to have to go every month and pay a lot of money to simply get new scripts. Another person I know seeing a different doctor only has to go once every three months, and is given scripts with future dates. Is this acceptable practice?

Answers (4)

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loofielew

6/ 3/08 10:11pm

It depends on your diagnosis! It has nothing to do with how many time you see your doctor. It is all depending on your condition. If you are disabled and not in pain, then your doctor will NOTprescribe you ANY narcotics at all. If you suffer chronic pain, you should already be reciving pain management. I recieve 180 percocet 10mg per month. I go to see my doctor once every two months. I get 180 when i see him, and since they are schedule 2 he post dates me another prescription for the following month since schedule 2 CANNOT be refilled. Hope this helps!

Lee

6/ 3/08 10:31pm

Thanks for your reply. I am already seeing a doctor who is prescribimg me with several meds that I take as necessary, depending on if I have pain and how bad it is. I get both Oxycodine and Percoset. My question is how often I should need to see him in order to get a new prescription. He used to make me come every month. Then, I told him about my friend that uses Percoset, and his doctor lets him come once every 3 months. He gives him a script after the visit, then mails him the renewal each month for the next 2 months. My doctor said that he could only do it every 2 months, not 3. He gave me one script, then sent me another one the following month. This only happened one time. When I saw him a few weeks ago, he said he could no longer see me every other month-I would have to come in every month again (and pay $85 each visit). He does not do any exam or tests-just writes out the 2 scripts, hands them to me, then I pay his secretary.

Last week, when my friend saw his doctor, he was told that due to a change in Federal laws he can no longer mail prescriptions for narcotics. So he gave him all 3 prescriptions at once, but dated them 30 days apart. My issue is if my doctor is just trying to increase his profit by making me come in more than I have to.

loofielew

6/ 3/08 11:27pm

Lee..............

If your doctor is giving you post dated scripts, you actually should be grateful! I have to go every two months and it costs me 185.00 every two months. He DOES post date me a script for the following month so I DONT have to pay him every time. Actually its a good thing, there are ALOT of patients who have to go EVERY month and take a drug screen when they are taking Percocet, so if your doctor is making you come in every month then I personally see that as a trust issue. If he is allowing you to come in Bi monthly, Noooo he is NOT trying to boost his profits, its when you have to go every monthits either for profit, or for the distrust the doctor may feel towards his patient. And the doctor tests to make SURE you have the percocet in your system as to assure you ARE NOT selling your medications, as percocet 10mg go for 10.00 per pill street price. And at the same time they can screen for illicet drugs, sshow up with no percocet in your system, you WILL get cut off, and show illicet drugs again, cut off! Hope this helps!

Judyenc

7/ 8/10 6:01am

Hi, I am also on SS Disability for chronic pain. I had alot of problems w

constipation and decided to step down off the meds to see if I could handle life without the meds. I found out quickly that it was a big mistake and now doctors interpret my discontinuing the pain meds because of addiction (dependence yes) but addiction no. They are treating me as a drug seeker and every one of them so far has said no.

Finding the right doctor who is willing to listen not only your symptoms and their negative impact on your life as well as working with you to manage your pain. You can ask to sign a "contract" and also agree to random urine tests to verify that you are not abusing drugs.

Keep your chin up and keep trying! Good luck and God Bless.

Jenc

Q: How often does a patient have to see a doctor in order to get a prescription for a chronic condition

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