had a beef with my pharmacist over generic oxycotin! - Pain Management Message Board

madhatter · 08-23-2005, 07:25 AM

Hi group! Do you think this was right,i had to get my refills for my oxycotin,i take 60 mg tid,and my doc. always wrote d.a.w in the box,so when i went to my pharm. they had the 40's,but said he had to order more of the 20's,so i asked politley,what should i do,i can't wait 3 days for the 20's to come in,he said,i could go to another pharmacy,i said i can't,due to the opiod contract stating i would use one pharmacy.Then he said he has the generic 20's,and started questioning why my doc. writes,d.a.w in the box.I said because i asked her,he says why,i say because i heard negative things about the generic,plus,the generic is just starting to come around in our area.He said he would call my doc. wich he did,and i got the generic 20's. So the pharm. says for now on,don't have your doc. write d.a.w on my scripts anymore.Who is he to tell me that i have to get generic over brand name! I can't really tell the difference,because the 40's are brand name.But the 20's are generic. My doc. doesn't have a problem with perscribing brand name,And my pharm[being a trained pro.] mentioned how endo is the maker of the generic,and they make percocet,i said to myself,big deal! He's not the one taking them! So do you's think i should go to a new pharm,because when[or if] i go there next month,of course i'm going to have the brand name script,he's going to give me a hard time like" I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU not to have your doc. write d.a.w in the box etc. The bottom line is,i don't like the idea of this guy trying to force generic on me,when my doc. has no problem writing my script for brand name! Just need a little feedback from you's. Thanks.

Shoreline · 08-23-2005, 03:39 PM

Hey MH, You probably need to check with your prescription providor. They may hav a clause that says if it's not written DAW they must use a generic. If that's the case, He's just following the insurance guidleines. If there is no such provision, and your willing to pay the addtional copay ask for name brand only. From the pharmacy standpoint, my wife was in the biz for years and saw plenty of P&L, the profit margin is about 300% higher on generics than brand. ThEvery pharmacy she worked for had a bonus program if their generic to brand ratio was above a certain percentage,rougly 60%. So pharmies have a monthly cash incntive to push generics and tell folks they are the same.

An even bgger point is, this s a class 11 script, you can't make oral changes over the phone without following it up with a faxed and a mailed hard copy in the US. So calling the doc about changing a C-11 isn't even an option. It would be like calling and asking to switch Tylox for percocet. I doubt anyone would have a problem, excpt the Board of pharmacy, the DEA and any other law enforcement agency that oversees rescription drugs.

I guess he sees this as doing you a favor today by allowing ou to fill both scripts. Don't you have a provision if the one drug store doesn't have the medication. We aren't alowed to except partial fill s and then ask for the remaining to be replaced by the doc, tit just takes up too much time when you can go to another pharmacy and fill it there. They just ask they you notify them if you use a different pharmacy.

Fnd out the rules of your script plan, if if must be filled with a geenric if nothing is checked, find out what it will cost, often there is a greater copay if a generic is available and you choose to get name brand, VS when there is name brand only available.

Some willstill allow you to choose and if you can then tell the pharnmy keep thee name in stock or I take my Bz elswhere. It has a smallerrofit margin but a 100drop from looing one customer is something corportate offices would love to hear about. I imagne you have other meds too. Your request ins't unreasonable, havng no flexabilitty to ask the pharmacist to call a sister store and ask if they have the 20's and getting them filled there is unreasonable either, boith would be on the same computer system, all chains are linked and the need to use too stores is easily verified. If it makes a difference too you, find out what your rights are from the insurance co and talk to someone that will gaurentee a thousand bucks + worth of meds will be there when you need them, and ask your doc to continue to write DAW, but understand what the pharmy did really wasn't a legal option. You can't chang a thing onawritten class 2 script.

BTW TEVA bought a smaller Pharma company and now IVMAX is making the 80's and they make the 10's althoughg the aren't even listed with the FDA yet. I was tryin to verify the 10's being made for a friend an couldn't find anythng about IVMax and the 10's untill I called the pharamcy. The company IVMAX didn't have it listed as a product at their site and neither did the FDA. They did list the 80 's though.

Likely the pharmacist thought he was trying to help you , your contrtact and abilty to go elsewhere isn't anything he can control. Just get everything straight before you see your doc and if you want NB, have him write DAW, Use a pharmacy that can comply and ask what are you supposed to do if they are out of stock? It's not uncommon, but with giant chains all being connected by computer, it shouldn' be a problem.

The only thing the pharmacist could legally do in the US is have you wait untill name brand was available, unless the doc was willing to fax and then mail a new hardcopy.

Having no alternatve is aproblem with the contract, not so much the pharmacist. If you wanted to wait and call the doc and ask can you use another store vs waiting, you have that choice. I'm sure tone of voice, demeanor, all that makes a difference too, he may have been a huge jerk, but the problem is with the contract and a natural problem with availability that has effcted everyone at some point.

Take care, Dave

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RobinD21283 · 08-23-2005, 08:30 PM

It is often a state law that generics must be dispensed unless DAW is written. If you go to a chain drug store they should be able to transfer the inventory between stores to get enough to fill it.

I would also suggest you call the pharmacy 3 days in advance of when you get the RX and ask if they have it in stock, tell them you'll be in with the rx in 3 days and to please order some.

Simply tell the pharmacist that you prefer the brand. He/She has no stake in what you take brand vs generic. They should just be concerned about filling your script correctly.

feelbad · 08-24-2005, 07:54 AM

i really like using a big chain vs a mom n pop as i am now on the class II meds with all the flippin rules and regs.i have experienced the 'we don't have enough to fill your oxycontin rx" thing like four times since I started the OC,and being that there is two other actual walgreens pharms within a five to ten min drive, all she has to do is call them and tell them I'm comin and they fill it without probs.There is also one up north where we have a cabin is like only fifteen miles away just incase some sort of problem comes up while we are up there.I used to use a real wonderful mom n pop that knew our entire two generations of family but they just were not real convenient anymore once I started having to take all of the class IIs with all the problems that come with them.i would switch to a different chain type store MH,it will give you a little bit more flexability.i had a big problem with the endo OC and since my NP now writes DAW on my rxs i have had no problem getting the brand name and only have to pay my reg ten doller co pay not the 20 buck one for brand name.If i just requested it myself without the DAW on the Rx i would indeed have to pay the double co pay.Hope it all works out for ya.Marcia

SRMom · 08-24-2005, 03:02 PM

In my opinion, the pharmacist has no business giving you a hard time about anything that is between you and your doctor, so I wouldn't pay any mind to any "attitude" you get. If you have a problem, I'd ask to speak to the supervisor, or file a complaint with the employer. Sick people should not have to put up with this! Be strong.