Full Time Travel: Prescription Refills Oxycodone

[GuaymasJim]

I live full time in Mexico about 250 miles from the border. I get 100% of my medical care from VAMC Tucson, AZ. I have two addresses at VAMC, one for mailing and one showing where I sleep at night. One of those addresses is supposed to be a "confidential address." About 4-5 times a year, someone reverses them and all my Mexican neighbors start getting my VAMC mail. Over the years, I have received medications in the Mexican mail by accident, but they have always been nothing but the broken bottles and some powder. Most of the time, the folks at VAMC accommodate me with clusters of appointments, but others think I live on the dark side of the moon and one even recently suggested that I separate from my family here and return to the US--NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

I have prescriptions that have to be specifically requested each month, oxycodone is one of them. The VA is not allowed to mail medications outside the US. I have them mailed to my UPS Store box and either I or another person picks them up each month. If I have an appointment that fits into the window for refills, I arrange to pick them up at the VAMC pharmacy windows. I have tried to deal with the FMS, but it rapidly becomes a mess. Oxycodone is not available by prescription in Mexico so FMS is not an option for me. I have heard of other veterans having better luck with FMS. It just hasn't been workable for me.

Hope this helps.

[hurryupnwait]

I called the VA Foreign Medical Program and they told me that the VA Health Services do not send medications out of the country, as GuamasJim stated, She said I would have to get those meds in the foreign country that I m visiting either over the counter or by prescription from a Doctor and then purchase them in a pharmacy. They did say that I could submit the receipts for medicines and a doctor visit for a reimbursement as long as the medicines were for a service connected condition, but I need to fill out a form and send in a copy of the VA decision letter prior to taking the trip. This is going to be tricky. Anyone have info on what countries in South Asia have the least restrictive policies on getting medicines filled such as hydrocodone.

I m going to talk to my PCP to see if she can write a prescription for a longer time period.

[Chuck75]

Oh, I see, then by all means ask for the refills. If you get them great and if the VA won't ship them get a foreign doctor to keep records of your refills and scripts so you can submit this evidence to the VA. You want to find a way to create a papertrail any way you can. I think Costa Rica may be OK since they have a modern medical system. Have you asked the VA if they will ship narcotics out of the USA?

Most countries have laws restricting the import of drugs. You can hand carry, or have in luggage, up to some amount.

Narcotics and a few other drugs may be on an "obtain locally" list of some sort.

Germany recently restricted mailing of drugs by the US military hospitals and pharmacies.

(The Status of Forces agreement is history.)

[john999]

I thought the idea was to document that you were still getting treated with narcotic meds so the VA would not assume you no longer needed them. I get oxy here in the states by certified mail every month. Some months I get it on the first of the month and some months I get it on the 10th of the month. If you are going to live in Costa Rica you can just send your medical records to the VA every six months.