Doctor lied or is ignorant

[christin1225]

Lately, I've been hearing something that contradicts what I was told by my doctor regarding refills on Suboxone. I finally got a chance to research it today. My doctor informed me that he had to schedule me for a three-week appointment because he's going out of the country and won't be returning for a month. Although a long-shot, I'm a bit nervous that something might go wrong and he may not get back into the country in thirty days and, therefore, I would love to have a "just in case" refill on my script. He's said that it's not possible. But, here's what I found in relation to his claim that he had to see me early (couldn't skip an appointment) and that Suboxone can't be refilled:

Suboxone Treatment and Detox - Withdrawal, Abuse and Addiction
Since Buprenorphine is a Schedule III drug, the physician is only allowed to prescribe 5 refills in 6 months.

suboxone "supposidly" can only be filled 5 times.. - discussion in the Drugs.com community
Actually they were correct, you are only supposed to be allowed 5 refills on class III or IV narcotics in any 6 month period.

Drug Rehabilitation News - FDA Approves Two Forms of Buprenorphine for Opiate Treatment
H. Wesley Clark, director of the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), contends that placing buprenorphine under Schedule III will have no impact on physicians' decision to prescribe the drug. "The difference between Schedules III, IV and V are nominal," he said, noting that the restrictions on Schedule III drugs including a 30-day limit on prescriptions, with no more than five refills.

"Who wants to write prescriptions for scheduled drugs for more than five months in the first place?" Clark asked. "DEA's logic is that Schedule III might remind doctors that this is an addictive drug and they need to exercise caution. That's probably a good thing."

It's really no big deal that I had to come in a week early (though skipping an appointment would have been nice because it would have saved me $48). It's just that I don't know how a doctor expects his patient to trust him if he lies. And, if he hasn't lied and just doesn't know the laws regarding prescribing Suboxone, why is he prescribing it in the first place? :wtf2

I'm just a bit bummed that my doctor would lie to me.

[dgillz]

He didn't say no one can do this, he said HE cannot do this. It could be that he is being closely watched for breaking other rules before and is on a short lease.

[christin1225]

Originally Posted by dgillz

He didn't say no one can do this,

Yes. That's EXACTLY what he said. I just got off the phone with him because I asked the pharmacist, who assured me that it COULD be done. NOW, the doctor says that he WAS told in the class that he couldn't write refills and that perhaps there is a "new law" that allows for it, but it's not his practice to do so. I replied that if that's his practice, it's definitely his prerogative.

But, honestly, it's a crock of sh!t! WHY? My appointment was scheduled a week early because he's going away. Today, I was told that I would have to come back in 10 days. WHY????? My appointment was moved up a week because of his trip. Well.... if they didn't move my appointment up, it would have only been three days before I would have to come back again. So.... I'm getting to pay an extra $48.00 to see him and then another $10.00 prescription co-pay for a freakin' THREE DAYS!!!!

I might be coming across p!ssed. Well, that's because I AM very p!ssed! I guess month-long vacations can be a bit expensive. But, I would think that a psychiatrist makes enough for his vacation without my measly extra $48.00 (plus script cost that I will pay but he won't get). What also ticks me off is that, because I'm seeing him in ten days, today's appointment was nothing more than to write my script for ten days. I guess that I can consider that being closely watched. Still, even that's a crock of sh!t. I've been an ideal patient. This sucks. It just plain sucks to be treated like this.

[Ago]

then get another Doctor

or

be like my Signature

or deal with what life has handed you

up to you

I'm not certain how all this foot stamping and carrying on is going to help anything, but that's just me, I'm frequently wrong about most things

[anvilhead]

Although a long-shot, I'm a bit nervous that something might go wrong and he may not get back into the country in thirty days and, therefore, I would love to have a "just in case" refill on my script.

so all this is because he didn't give you a back up just in case prescription - i dunno, it just SOUNDS like an addict protecting their supply and mad at everyone when they can't get what they want. you're worrying about running out already........and he's not even left FOR vacation yet.....

[christin1225]

Originally Posted by Ago

I'm not certain how all this foot stamping and carrying on is going to help anything, but that's just me, I'm frequently wrong about most things

I'm so full of frustrations right now because there isn't a damn thing that I can do about this. I guess that I'm having a hard time accepting that my doctor lies to me. Maybe you've never complained to anyone when you're upset. I'm not quite that accepting yet. But, you can feel correct in your statement. I really don't feel a whole he11 of a lot better.

As far as getting another doctor... CANNOT BE DONE! There are no other Suboxone doctors in my area who are accepting patients. Believe me, a Sub doctor around here can treat his patients pretty much however he wants. There are precious few options.

Just out of curiosity, Ago, how well did your dealer have to treat you so that you would go back to him? Or did you return to him no matter what??? The situation with an addict and his Sub doctor isn't a whole lot different, is it? And when someone you've trusted deceives you, aren't you a bit p!ssed off? I'm sorry, but I don't have many friends. This forum is one of the few places that I can go to vent.

[christin1225]

Originally Posted by anvilhead

SOUNDS like an addict protecting their supply

That's because I AM an addict and I AM dependent on a medication. And I'm still just starting to get some of this recovery stuff down.

and mad at everyone when they can't get what they want.

Does no one on this forum ever get upset when their health care professional out-and-out lies to them????

you're worrying about running out already........and he's not even left FOR vacation yet.....

He's one of the FEW doctors that I've heard about that keeps patients to the very day dose for supply (I mean, you have an afternoon appointment, you don't have your afternoon dose until AFTER that day's appointment). So, I get to juggle work and dropping and picking up my script before my evening NA meeting.

The typical practice of allowing a few extra pills is precisely so that addicts can start to learn NOT to fret over their supply.

Just to make it perfectly clear, I have never abused my medicine while under his care. I have never come up short for any reason whatsoever.

Let's put this into perspective. Had he not scheduled me early this month, I would have been THREE DAYS shy. Honestly, in order not to take advantage of me financially, he should have written a script with a refill. He could have kept the extra 3 freakin' pills when he wrote the next script and doled them out to me, writing a script for 30 days when there's 31 days in a month. He's doled them out before because I was honest and brought in all those that I had when I started treatment.

I guess that an addict just has no right to get p!ssed, not even on a recovery forum. My apologies.

[anvilhead]

it is VOLUNTARY right? this is YOUR choice for your recovery? and you DO have what you need for now right? he did not LIE to you, this is how HE tends to HIS practice......subs are a controlled subtance and easily abused, from what you have explained, he is doing HIS best to make sure the patient has what they need but does not just dole out dope like candy.......which sounds refreshingly responsible these days........

He's doled them out before because I was honest and brought in all those that I had when I started treatment.

that kind of explains a lot does it not? you already HAD a stash BEFORE you started?

[Dee74]

I'm sorry you're so upset Christin.

I don't see it so much as your doctor lying, as doing things his way - and trust me, that's the same the world over....it wouldn't matter if you had 35 sub doctors in your town LOL.

I know what it's like to be dependent on meds and be scared that something might happen to interrupt that, but it is just that - fear. Its not reality until it happens.

The extra money is a nuisance, but - unless I've missed something - I don't see anything here that suggests to me you're going to be left short, and surely thats the main thing?

This is the right place to come and vent.
It's what SR is here for.

This should be a place of support, y'all.
Chill.

D

[christin1225]

Thank you Dee and those who PM'd words of kindness to me.

At first, my doctor had said that they tried before to write a refill for a patient when the doc was going on vacation but the CVS wouldn't fill it. Then when I got proof that Suboxone could be written with refills, the Doc stated that he was told in class that it was not allowed and, therefore, he would never consider writing a script with refills.

I agree that my doctor has the right to run his practice as he sees fit and I also understand that Suboxone can be greatly misused on the street. However, I'm also intelligent enough to realize that the good doctor forgot about his original failed CVS script story when he assured me that he would never consider writing a refill because he had been told in Suboxone class that is was forbidden.

I can't explain why my doctor not being upfront with me disturbed me so much. Obviously, it triggered something that caused me a great amount of distress today. I actually had stress-induced vertigo. Thank God that I found understanding and compassion tonight at my home group NA meeting. When I am filled with frustration, hurt, and a dozen other feelings that I can neither numb nor cope with (and, therefore, my body responded with stress-induced vertigo in lieu of hyperventilating), attacking me for my defects was hardly constructive. I think that some people have forgotten how hard it can be.

Again, a huge thank you to Dee and to those who took the time to PM with words of encouragement (not to mention my sponsor who listened to me and loved me through it). It's because of your support that I go to bed feeling as though I don't have to do this recovery stuff alone.


Christin

(I think that this might be a good place to end this thread.)

[Dee74]

I tend to agree.
D