Percoset Refill

[john999]

I went to the Tampa VAMC today to get my percoset prescription refilled. My doctor called in sick. I asked the people in my "team" what I could do. They just shrugged. I wanted to hit them with my cane. I tried to call the VA to get a appointment when I got home after trying to talk to the pharmacist and ER and getting nowhere. I was not even able to get an appointment scheduled to get my script. I told them I would be going into withdrawl. They just shrugged and I really wanted to hit them with my cane. If you depend on the VAMC for anything that is really crucial you are in deep shit. They just cannot do anything right. The people in the ER where just the most unhelpful people I have ever come into contact with at the VA. They don't give a shit and that was obvious. My "team" turned away a sick vet in a wheelchair because he did not have an appointment. He was homeless and they just blew him off. What a disgusting place. I go to the VAMC because I am entitled to care, but what a cesspool it is, and how little they care about their patients. I would not let them operate on my pet rock. I would complain but what good would it do and who would I complain to when I can't even get an appointment because the appointment line is too busy. The patient advocate is an idiot. I came pretty close to getting myself arrested. To be treated like trash I don't need.

[spike]

John

What I am very surprised at is that your pharmacist manager wasn't willing to give you 5 day supply until the refill would be resupplied. Next time that happens, I would request to see the Director or the AOD (Administrator on Duty). Be Calm and be nice.... so you don't get a BERT Alert called on you......(I've heard them called over the PA System before) if you didn't know what that is BERT stands for B.ehavioral E.mergency R.esponse T.eam .....aka BERT Alert....Usually a Psych Doc, a social worker, police officers, an administrator, ER Team Member, etc.

[TANKERJOE0]

HI, I AM A CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERER AS WELL.

I AM A DESERT STORM VET AND HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM TERRIBLE NON STOP CHRONIC PAIN IN MY LOWER EXTREMIIES ELBOW TO FINGERTIPS AND KNEES TO MY TOES.FOR THE LAST 17 YRS.

MY PRIMARY CARE DR HAS ME ON GABAPENTIN AND MY NEUROLOGIST HAS ME ON CARBODOPA/LEVADOPA @ NIGHT??

NEITHER OF THESE HAVE ELIVATED ANY PAIN???

MY PRIMARY ALSO HAS HAD ME ON TYLENOL 3 W/CODEIN.

I TOLD HIM THAT WASNT WORKING AT ALL.

THEN HE TRIED ME ON HYDROCODONE 5MG.

I TOLD HIM THAT WASNT WORKING AT ALL.

THATS WHEN HE PUT ME ON THE GABAPENTIN 3 TIMES A DAY.

NONE OF THESE MEDS HAVE WORKED FOR ME.

I GET LEARY OF KEEP ASKING FOR DIFFERENT MEDS BECAUSE.

I HAVE HAD A MENTAL HEALTH DR AT THE VA PUT IN MY MED NOTES BEFORE.

POSSIBLE DRUG SEEKING??

WHICH TOTALLY MADE ME GO BIRZERK.

YES I AM DRUG SEEKING. I AM SEEKING SOMETHING THAT FINALLY WORKS FOR MY MH AND MY CHRONIC PAIN.

YOUR DAMN RIGHT IM DRUG SEEKING.

WHY IS IT THEY MAKE US FEEL THIS WAY????

I AM TREATED IN MH FOR PTSD AND DISTHYMIA(MOOD DISORDER)???

MY PAIN IS SOOOO BAD THAT WITH OUT A DOUBT IT AFFECTS MY MENTAL HEALTH.

I READ IN SOMEONES POSTS ABOUT A PAIN CLINIC??

SHOULD I INQUIRE ABOUT THIS AT MY VAMC???

I NEED TO FIND SOMETHING TO TAKE THIS PAIN AWAY.

I FEEL AS IF ITS DRIVING ME MORE CRAZY THEN I AM ALREADY??? LOL

THANKS FOR ANYONES HELP!!

SEMPER FI !!!

TANKERJOE0

[Pete53]

My hydrocodone is three days late and my VA will not allow any type of refill. Have to get them mailed no matter how bad the service is.

[john999]

Pete

I am thinking that if you, or I have been taking any narcotic for a period of time and then run out and have to wait three days for a refill that is going to be a long three days. That is unacceptable. That means you go into withdrawl even if you have taken the pills exactly like the VA said to take them. The VA pain clinic is OK as long as you don't go there for pain relief. The only way to do it is to have someone on the outside just in case. This violates the VA rules but what are you to do when they violate us. I use the VA for pain meds because I am SC for chronic pain.

Tankerjoe

If you have private insurance I would use it to get a good pain doctor. The VA is just unpredictable and unreliable. They don't give a damn if you suffer for days while they worry about rule #10098888.

[carlie]

I purposely have made a habit of skipping

pain and anxiety pills here and there as I can,

inorder to have a reserve saved up for rough times

such as lost in mail type problems.

jmho,

carlie

[gp747]

i get hydrocodone for my pain and what is the rule you are talking about ? i have not heard of it . i know my doc. asks if i go to another doc. which i do not. and i saw where they checked blood for any other meds.i do not go to another doc ,but have had the same problem of running out. the meds have been late and i cannot sleep without them because of the pain.