Methadone Prescription

[Erich]

I am 56 years old and have been on Methadone [off and on] since being discharged from the Army over 35 years ago. I have been on the medicine this time continuosly for over 13 years. I have to drive to and from Cincinnatti which is about 210 miles [both ways] from home and usually takes me about five hours roundtrip. This is not only a physical strain, but it is also becoming a financial burden with gas at $4.00 per gallon. Even though I am rated 20% service connected... the VA refuses to reimberse my mileage expense.

I live in Louisville, Ky area and drive this distance because our local VA facility has no "formal methadone program".

I was knocked unconscious twice while on active duty in the Army. Once when a jeep I was driving overturned 3 times. The second time happened in Vietnam when I was wounded from shrapnel as a grenade exploded less than 10 feet away from me. I am not a Doctor but I strongly believe the primary reason I need this medication now is for pain management as opposed to substance abuse which is what the Cincy program is all about.

I didn't mind the drive so much when I was younger and the cost of gas was not so high. Now it sometimes takes a day or two to recover from the stiffness and I fear it will only get worse as I get older.

My question... Is there any federal law or VA regulation preventing the VA from transferring this prescription to the Louisville facility and allowing me to get monthly refills from my primary care doctor?

If anyone knows the answer to this I will be grateful.

Thanks

Erich

[Pete53]

They should be able to accommodate you much better but that is my opinion.Call the 800 number on your Meds and ask to speak to someone who is in charge of the pharmacy.

Good Luck

[yoggie2]

They should mail them to you, They offered me Methadone but I needed something stronger + Methadone has killed a lot of people than regular pain meds so I' didn't want nothing to do with then so they put me on Morphine it help but i had bad reaction to it but they mailed them right to the house. Unless they have changed something over the last year...

[john999]

I was supposed to get Fentynol(spelling?) instead of morphine but so far I have not even wanted to call my primary doctor. I had to send a copy of my C-File to my lawyer today. It was depressing looking at that stuff. I was reading what they had to say about me when I was just 21 years old. I fooled them because I went on to have a life against VA medical advice.

[john999]

Eric

Did you become addicted to heroin in Vietnam? I was surrounded by addicts in my unit. I snorted my fair share and had a nice jones by the time I left.

[jbasser]

Eric, Try Lexington. It is only 75 miles from Louisville.

Call the patient rep at Louisville and ask why the scripts cannot be filled at louisville.

If I am not mistaken, If the VA does not offer treatment at one facility and you must drive to another one they should pay mileage. I will look for the reg. It may take you some time to be reimbursed. (It took them 3 years to re pay my Copays).

Edited May 29, 2008 by jbasser