Controlled prescription run out
June 24, 2015 5:18 AM Subscribe
I live in Ontario and I'm prescribed Concerta by my family doctor. I've been taking it for years. I'm an adult. The last time he re-wrote my script he gave me 4 refills of 30 days, which are all up. Now he's on vacation until next month. I had no notice and I'm wondering if there's any other way to have my prescription refilled. I expect walk-ins and pharmacies will be skeptical/unwilling since the drug is controlled/monitored.
Talk to the pharmacist that fills your prescription -- they usually have routes to get your prescription filled regardless of the state of your doctor.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:13 AM on June 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:13 AM on June 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
He will absolutely have someone covering for him! Make an appointment with the locum covering his office.
There is absolutely no way a pharmacist will give you Concerta without a prescription.
posted by barnone at 6:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
There is absolutely no way a pharmacist will give you Concerta without a prescription.
posted by barnone at 6:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
If you get your prescription filled at the same place every time the pharmacist will be a lot more flexible. The pharmacist may spot you a couple of doses until your doctor's substitute sorts it out.
posted by crazycanuck at 6:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by crazycanuck at 6:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I don't mean the pharmacist will just fill your prescription without a doctor's note -- I mean they'll track down whoever it is that can, like whoever is taking care of things while your doctor is on vacation or another doctor with access to your charts that can verify your usual doctor's intent on refills. Let the pharmacist track it down for you and take that stress off of you. Pharmacists have done it for me before.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Call your doctor's office and ask the office manager what you need to do do to get a refill while your PCP is on vacation. They will have a plan in place for this and there will be coverage for your PCP.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:25 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 6:25 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Especially if you're using a chain pharmacy, they're used to this...just ask them if they can contact the doctor's office and get that straightened out for you.
posted by xingcat at 6:44 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by xingcat at 6:44 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some of my doctors have explicitly stated that if I need refills, I go through the pharmacy. This seems to be how it's handled more and more. I would try that route first -- no doubt they have a plan for dealing with your physician being out.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:50 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:50 AM on June 24, 2015
Concerta is a controlled medication. In many areas you cannot call the script into the pharmacy, and it needs to be written on a special prescription pad. That's why I recommended calling the doctor's office and having them connect you with the doctor who is covering that office.
posted by barnone at 9:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by barnone at 9:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Your doctor has someone covering for him who can write the scrip.
posted by radioamy at 10:19 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by radioamy at 10:19 AM on June 24, 2015
Take your last Concerta bottle to a walk in clinic and explain the situation, give them your doctor's office number in case they want to confer. Or just have your pharmacist call your doctor's office.
posted by SassHat at 11:04 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by SassHat at 11:04 AM on June 24, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kmennie at 5:27 AM on June 24, 2015 [11 favorites]