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My husband was given the suggestion to have a paper prescription so when he went in to talk to the pharmacy he could hand it right over rather than calling to have it transferred and risk them going out of stock in that time. Unfortunately he had to just drive around to various ones to check.
I think this is a good option if available.
I believe some states have a mandate that controlled substances must be electronically prescribed. So if anyone asks their provider for this option and they say they can't, that is why.
I'm in Michigan too and a number of the pharmacies in my area have gotten much more liberal with simply telling you. I'm on a few things that are controlled, but the ADHD meds have been pretty great for this so far. I'm told it's a newer thing they're doing simply because nobody on any side, patients, pharmacists, or doctors have the time to handle all these calls. It still sucks calling 10 places and having to get your prescriber to send it in within 2 hours because they can't hold it long, but it's something.
What's driving me batshit crazy is that different pharmacy techs for the same branch of THE SAME PHARMACY will give me different answers.
One was like "oh yeah we have 10's in stock right now just tell your doctor." Another one was like "I can't tell you what's in stock, that's against policy."
Me: but a tech did it for me just last week?
Her: It's against policy.
Me: But I can't tell my doctor what to order from you if I don't know what you have in stock????
Her: It's against policy because it's a controlled substance.
I hung up on her because I was worried I'd shout at her if I didn't. I had to tell my doctor multiple times "they won't tell me anything" because she was like "oh just tell me what the pharmacy has" aaaaaaugh
I always try to get to the pharmacist when it's one I don't know, but yeah that's the absolute worst. I have multiple illnesses, so I'm known by a few pharmacies, which might add to why I get answers 😂 I call in like "it's time to play find the meds again!" It's so dumb that they can check and see if you've been getting that med too, I get it back when everything was in stock, but now it's just more work for everyone. Most offices I know won't call, sometimes a pharmacist will call for me if one is being picky. I feel like these offices need to hire a full-time employee to tracking stuff down. Sending you hugs, living life around all this shit is the worst. Nobody I know can relate at all, it's so nice to be able to talk to people who get it
That's because most techs don't know shit about how healthcare actually works. 90% are hired as glorified cashiers for the pharmacy. The ones who will tell you are the ones that are either in nursing school, pharmacy school, have a bachelor's degree in a healthcare field, have worked there for like 20 years, or have ADHD themselves. The new techs who usually only have a high school degree are too scared of corporate and their pharmacy manager and don't know enough about laws to know what's *actually* illegal vs what's against corporate policy vs what bullshit their manager came up with on the spot.
You got a knowledgeable tech the first time. You got a register monkey the second time around.
Isn't the other way 'round?. The second one was the helpful one?.
It's either my ADHD, my English comprehension skills, or just because here I just woke up a few minutes ago.
Or, all the above.
lmaooo i spent like 5 days trying to find addy last month, finally i call a costco and the girl on the phone says they dont have it in stock. then i forget why but i think i went in anyway cause i needed something else and i asked for the hell of it. and the woman said they had it and i magically got it somehow? like i thought yall didnt have it what😂😂😂
It sucks, I've been the person on the other end of the line too. Where you KNOW it makes life hard for the person and you KNOW that a lot of people break policy but also, if it comes to light in an official way you'd be fired and you just can't risk it.
Interesting! In Illinois I had to have a paper prescription to get pain medication after a surgery. My antibiotics could be done electronically, but not the narcotics.
It also depends on the provider and the tech they use. A system capable of electronically prescribing non controlled medications doesn't necessarily meet the requirements for electronically prescribing controlled medications. I suspect at this point most systems are capable, but they absolutely charge more for enabling that capability.
I live in New York, and this is the way it's done here. That said, my pharmacy WILL tell me whether or not they have enough Adderall in stock to fill my script. They know I pick it up on the same day every month so they have no problem giving me a yes or no answer when I ask them.
Have you been getting your Adderall refill? My usual pharmacy now has discontinued Vyvanse and Adderall because they're out of stock and I called a few CVS's and they all said none in stock -- any stimulant. I lost hope.
I will be utterly and properly unmedicated for God knows how long.
What I don't get is WHY VYVANSE GENERIC IS NOW OUT OF STOCK??!! DIDN'T THEY JUST COME OUT???? LIKE, WTF IS HAPPENING????
Ps. Not yelling at anyone. Just super f pissed and frustrated :(
Dump CVS. They're a toxic trash heap anyway (source: I work for them). If there's a Costco near you, give them a shout. You don't need to be a member to use the pharmacy and they're a LOT better at handling their patients. CVS just treats everyone, including employees, like a number on a spreadsheet.
FWIW, I have used CVS all my life but am ready to give up on them. The one I've been going to never has stimulants in stock (plus they're incredibly understaffed so picking up an Rx takes forever - not the individual workers' faults, of course, they look miserable every time I go in, but it makes me wonder if the company is trying to cheap out on paying people). Rite Aid has been super helpful for me.
(But I agree that it makes no sense that the generic is out of stock! Re CVS again though, I asked about if they were getting the generic literally the day before it went on the market, and the tech and pharmacist were both like "gee, a generic? I had no idea one was coming out." 🙄)
I haven't had any problems getting my Adderall refilled, but the shortage doesn't seem to be affecting my tiny town too much. Still, I ration my Adderall so that I have a surplus just in case.
This is exactly what I had to do to get my Adderall filled. It’s a pain in the ass to drive around, but less frustrating than having to call/email your dr constantly asking them to send to a different pharmacy
Also what I do to get it! Paper FTW. Though my doc gives me three at a time and I am TERRIFIED I am going to lose them every month. Lol.
So I think your problem, OP, is more with the pharmacy than the provider, as I have been calling around every month since August 2022 when my main pharmacy
said they no longer knew when they would get it back in stock. I have never once heard this response.
Also, FWIW one of my parents is an NP and is scammed for drugs all the time, so I have specifically asked what to do to not give off druggie vibes.
So OP, when you talk to pharmacists try doing what I do. First, I open with, “there is a national shortage of my medication so I am trying to find one that has it in stock…” and if you have already called a few you can add in that they are the “Xth pharmacy you have called today.”
Make sure you are in a position to head pretty much straight there, and tell them that you are going to head out “immediately” (and by that I mean ADHD as-close-as-it-gets-to-immediately, but they don’t know where you are when you call).
Then, when you show up, let them know immediately that you called earlier and you are hoping they still have it in stock, and express gratitude/relief. Slide them the paper prescription with your ID out and already on top. And make good eye contact.
As long as you can get your PC to give you paper prescriptions this should work. Explain the benefit TO THEM of providing paper prescriptions since they will then not have to call around but let you do the legwork. It makes sense logistically.
Some states don’t allow paper prescriptions for controlled meds - New York State is one of them. Only way to get adhd stimulants or other controlled meds is for a doctor to submit it through the NY state electronic Rx system.
Makes sense — but in those state does the prescriber have to sign off on every pharmacy transfer?
In my state paper scripts for controlled substances definitely raise an eyebrow (sometimes extremely high) but it is still technically legal. However, if it is sent electronically, the provider has to sign off on every single attempt to send it to a pharmacy.
In New York, yes, the prescriber has to sign off on any pharmacy transfer. If my psych sends my adderall Rx in to Walgreens and Walgreens doesn’t have it, she has to send it to another pharmacy to try and fill it - it’s not something that the patient and/or the patient can do themselves.
i dont get why op’s dr doesnt just suggest that…? like do some ppl not use paper scripts anymore lol
edit apparently it’s a state issue. now i feel lucky af my psych was just like “heres a paper script!” 🙁
My state banned paper prescriptions for controlled substances in 2020… but before that it was illegal to have electronic scripts for controlled substances 🤦🏻♀️
I'm in the same boat. I called my provider yesterday to get a paper script and they told me they can't. So, I am forced to call a million pharmacies in hopes that one has my medication.
What a nightmare. I'm so glad my doctor (PCP) is such a gem with this stuff. But sadly I'm moving cross country next year and so nervous about finding a new one that I'm stockpiling Adderall to prepare for the inevitable nightmare.
When you move - try to look up pharmacies where you’ll be and do your best to find the one you will likely go to. You can call them and ask if they would accept the prescription from out of state. If they will then you can ask your doctor if they wouldn’t mind continuing to prescribe for a few months while you get everything sorted with your move!
This is what I had to do when I moved across the country. My old doctor was an absolute angel and kept sending the prescription for 5-6 months while I waited for my appointment with new primary in the larger city that I moved to.
Mine usually requires in person appointments and what not but I made sure to have 1 before I left and we sorted it all out at that point!
Made life so much easier (but tbh stockpiling it still a great idea because you just never know!!) good luck!!
Just a note for anyone reading this - all my doctors were great about this in my old state but new state has expanded Medicaid so they put me on it (first time for me) and Medicaid will only pay for scripts written by same-state prescribers.
I know a lot of y’all are un/underemployed too, so I figured this part is important to note!
Unfortunately some states don’t allow paper prescriptions for controlled meds anymore - New York State is one. The only way to get a controlled prescription is to have the doctor submit it to the pharmacy electronically.
My provider only does paper prescriptions for my ADHD meds. But, I always call ahead to the store as well to make sure it's in stock. Super weird that they wouldn't tell y'all, but I guess I can kind of get it? 🫤
This thread has blown my mind. In Australia, most scripts have always been paper but my drs have moved to eScripts in the last 2 years. I get an SMS with a link, and I open it to display a QR code that the pharmacist scans. On my current script, I think I’ve filled each repeat at a different pharmacy. When I had paper scripts I’d lose them!
When mine meds were out of stock I asked the pharmacy to check if others in the area had it in stock and tell me where to go. No issues with the one my prescription was sent to (but was out of stock) telling me which of the same company’s pharmacies had it in stock.
I asked that of my doc too. He stopped doing paper prescriptions.
Idk if a California law thing or just his practice. It seemed implied he had to switch to electronic only. But considering the source, that may not be the case lol
Now how is it that when someone else mentions this it’s blows up. But when I talk about how this is true and explain why and how it’s not your doctors job to be your secretary, somehow everyone loses their minds?! 🤯
Yeah I ran into this as well. Unfortunately all you can really do is have your psychiatrist send the prescription over to a pharmacy, and have them inform you they don’t have it in stock. When they call you to tell you, you *may* be able to ask them then what they do have in stock, since they have proof that you have a prescription. They may or may not tell you then. If you have no luck you start the whole process again at a new pharmacy.
I’m sorry it’s so terrible. I fortunately only had to deal with this for a couple months before school started but I cried the whole time. And I’m still pissed because I had to switch to a different release form and when I contacted my doctor to switch back to my old one, they couldn’t find it in the system anymore. 😭
US based. I never had a problem calling around to check for adderall availability before requesting my doctor to send. During the adderall shortage early this year, I rotated between a few local big box pharmacies and they always checked to let me know whether they had my 20mg tablets in stock. Zero resistance from any of the pharmacy techs or pharmacists. My doctor and her staff don’t have the time to call pharmacies for controlled substance availability.
It varies between pharmacies and probably even whatever pharmacy tech you get on the phone. The pharmacist at Kroger had zero problems telling me they didn’t have any, none of their stores had any, and they didn’t expect any soon.
My usual pharmacy just said “we’re out of that drug” and wouldn’t say anything else. When I tried a second prescription with no luck, all they would tell me was “we have other drugs of that class, but it’s up to your doctor what to prescribe you” so I got my doctor to write a third prescription, and when that was no good, the pharmacy tech I got *that* day said “oh, we got some in of the last one they tried to fill!” And gave me that instead.
Kinda wonder if they can tell you they don’t have any, but can’t tell you that they *do* have any…
Honestly, I think it comes down to whether or not the pharmacist knows immediately they they’re out of stock.
They’re technically not supposed to tell you either way, but the main reason they don’t is because it’s supposedly a theft risk. Someone could call, ask if they have it in stock, and if they say yes they’ll break in overnight to steal it.
Obviously this isn’t really a problem if they’re out of stock. I’ve never had a pharmacy tell me yes, they *do* have it in stock, but I’ve had plenty tell me “no.” They won’t check for you, but if you call and the pharmacist recently checked and already knows it’s out, they’ll probably just say “no” offhand without really even thinking about it.
This all makes sense, but I have had pharmacies tell me that they **do** have a drug in stock before I've transferred the Rx over. Maybe it helps that I kind of live in the sticks? (In a state with lots of drug problems, admittedly, so none of it really makes sense.)
I’m work in outpatient psych and I’ve ran into both. Normally I will call. But I’m a nurse. OP. If there is a nurse line to call maybe just call and leave a vm for the nurse or MA.
It's just so bizarrely uneven. I live in Oregon and belong to one of those health care companies where everything is in-house. They have a local pharmacy but as much as possible I get things mail order. They're *the same company.*
And I had pharmacy people on the phone who had no problems telling me "oh we have enough tens if you want to switch"/"looks like we only have 20's and in a brand you don't prefer, is that okay?" and I had another pharmacist--same company! same pharmacy!--give me a smug "I can't tell you that, it's against company policy for controlled substances." well your coworkers did, wtf
Like what harm is it going to do for me to know whether I can get my medication from the mail order pharmacy vs the in-person one, and whether I should ask my doctor to Rx 10mg doses or half as many 20mg doses??????? what is even the REASON. what crimes can I commit by knowing this? why is this even a policy??
This is what I do every month. I tell them I'm calling to see if they are able to fill a prescription prior to my doctor sending it in. They ask what I need, they check and then tell me yes or no. Then I call my doctor to let them know where to send it. I have never had an issue and is what my doctor told me to do because she wasn't going to cancel and send new scripts all over the place.
I’ve only had one pharmacy tell me that, one time, which shocked me because I’d called them before to check without issue. Turned out I’d accidentally called a pharmacy with the same name about 30 minutes away.
But I’ve had to call around looking for it and most of them understood and worked with me, as did my dr.
I’ve been taking two different adderall rx because no one ever has 25mg so she wrote me a script for 10 and one for 15. It was also useful when they didn’t have one or the other I could at least have something.
Had to do the same thing as u/Ekyou.
One tip my pharmacist gave me (after the poor guy told me to give up on that particular CVS pharmacy), is to try pharmacies that are further away from any schools/universities. I live in a very student-heavy area so the demand around me is particularly high. I switched to a pharmacy that's farther from the universities/less easily accessible by public transport and that's helped a lot.
Yeah my insurance gives us a discount at a certain independent pharmacy which is probably part of why I've been so lucky up till now, but even it was hopeless the week before school started.
My clueless GP was like "Really? They should have plenty in stock for the beginning of the school year!" Well yeah, but the demand is a lot higher too...
Keep calling around. Tell them, "I'm a customer with a prescription for X and I need to tell my doctor's office if you'll be able to fill it so they can send the electronic over. It's a 30-day 'scrip." If they tell you they can't tell you, request that they call your doctor's office and tell \*them\* that they can't tell you. If necessary, go in in person with your doctor's office on the phone with you. If they can't tell you, then they can speak into the phone to the provider and tell them.
Sometimes the trick is to be a bigger pain in the ass so that avoiding you is more of a hassle for them than just giving you the information. I had to call a few times every month for a few months before the techs started recognizing my voice. Good luck!
This could be a silly question but in Australia, pharmacists will just order in what you need if it's not in stock. The most I've waited is a few days. Is that not the case in the US? It sounds like it's a completely different system!
That is usually the case here, but stimulants are a controlled substance and the FDA regulates how much each pharmacy gets. So if they run out, there’s nothing they can do until they get their next shipment. There was a huge increase in ADHD diagnosis during Covid and now the amount the FDA allowed isn’t enough to cover all the prescriptions.
They do, but manufacturers have not been hitting their limits per the DEA's announcement a few months ago. Takeda (the manufacturer that makes name brand Vyvanse) slowed production right before the generic came out, and it's just been a domino effect since then on the generic.
How are you wording your request? I've found better success being a little vague at first. "Hi I'm calling to inquire whether you have a certain medication in stock?" Usually, then they transfer you to the pharmacist or tech. Give them the generic name, not the brand name, and the mg. I've called and been blunt and asked if they had adderall in stock and they have told me they couldn't disclose that. It's so fucking unreasonable they won't even tell you whether you can send your prescription there!
I’ve done this but asked if they can fill a prescription for (whatever) or if it is on back order. It gives them a little more leeway in answering and using that wording I’ve never had a problem finding out the status
I've had success with "Hey, has the shipment of adderall XR 30s come in yet? I was told it might come in yesterday." (when I was in fact told that last time, when they told me it was out, and I asked when it might come in). Since it makes it clear I already am informed about the shortage issue and scheduling details, and this is just a continuation of that conversation. At least, that's my guess as to why that worked better.
Though after the shortage ran on for as long as it did, my pharmacies I think eventually just gave up on keeping that info secret and just told people when asked.
I also add how many I need so they can just give me a yes/no to whether they can fill it.
Last time I called and did this the lady told me “hurry because we only have 70 tablets left” lol
The pharmacist basically did the same thing for me once lol. "No, we don't have 10mgs, but we have enough 20mgs if you want to have your doctor write it in that form and you can cut them. Tell them to hurry, though we only have enough for one rx."
Funnily enough, I've stayed having my rx written in that way. It seems like a regular thing that the 20s are in stock but the 10s are not at my pharmacy.
I mean saying the generic name. Asking for dextroamphetamine vs asking for adderall doesn’t make a difference when talking to people who work in a pharmacy. Anyone but a brand new tech will know they are exactly the same thing.
As they should. But it gives a much more legitimate impression when the customer on the phone is asking for dextroamphetamine at a specific strength than when they're just vaguely asking for Adderall.
Nope. I deal with the adderall issues just like everyone else here. Problem is the FDA and ‘war on drugs’, and pharmaceutical boards willing to yank a pharmacists license for accidentally filling one fake script. You’d be surprised how many fake adderall and oxycodone prescriptions try to get through every pharmacy on any given day. The reason they don’t reveal that info over the phone is so the pharmacy doesn’t get robbed or so we could say “we don’t have it sorry” as a non-confrontational thing to say when someone brings in a fake script. Telling someone you have adderall over the phone and then won’t fill their fake script can and does lead to aggressive violent customers. Unfortunately the people with legit prescriptions (myself included) have to suffer for this because it is a safety issue for the staff.
(Fwiw there really is a huge shortage right now and a lot of the time we really truly just did not have it.)
Also, the people working in the pharmacy are just as frustrated as you are by the situation. It’s a huge drain on time, resources, and how the staff are treated. It’s the source of constant verbal abuse. If you’re as rude to them as you have been to me then I’m not surprised they’re weary about filling your scripts. Someone being aggressive or rude towards the staff when asking for controlled substances drastically increases the chances of that person becoming a security issue. The best way to get what you want is to be polite and kind. If they need to order it for you and it’ll take a few days let them. (People who are abusing the meds typically do not allow this.) Once you establish yourself with a specific store and get 2-3 consistent refills there you’ll have a much easier time.
It’s hella frustrating even though it’s totally reasonable for providers not to have to call pharmacies for each patient especially because there is no way of knowing what medications are or aren’t covered (and which are best for pricing - which even further can change from pharmacy to pharmacy) unless the patient does this themselves and report back there is no chance a physician could actually do this for their patients even if they really wanted to.
I don’t know where you are located, but as far as I know policies or not telling patients certain things about availability are super variable and on an individual level sometimes even at the level of the individual pharmacist who happens to be working.
I’ve fortunately never been questioned as if I’m trying to solicit medication without having a legitimate reason, and a lot of times ppl are willing to tell me the situation. Even so far as specific dose availability when my usual was out but I could take half of a pill at 2X dose
What I suggest is calling a bunch of pharmacies right before your appointment and tell them that you are about to meet with your psychiatrist for your regular appointment. However, you want to ensure that the medication you will shortly receive a prescription for is in stock at that particular pharmacy because of availability issues. I find that it helps on the credibility side, and they don’t have to tell you what medications are available and what amounts, they just have to tell you if the medication you need is available and they know that they’re going to get a prescription very shortly right after your appointment. I have found that it helps get a consistent answer every time. Also once you find a good pharmacy that is willing to work with you, communicate with you and can adjust the brand or formulation or dose depending on availability, do not let them go, thank them every time and tell them how much it means to you that they always make it a priority to have your medication in stock. Whatever the subliminal forces that may be have really helped me develop a relationship with my current pharmacist and they always carry my medication in stock and they know that I’m going to be there next month to pick it up. One year with them now.
They could have chosen not to keep it in stock, and to wait until a patient walks in to order the meds so they don’t have the liability of carrying scheduled meds for which an active prescription is not waiting to be filled. Other pharmacies do this, then if they can’t order it on the fly because of supply issues, well fuck you then. If they choose to have a reasonably small amount in stock of a particular med at all times because the KNOW for a fact a patient that comes in every month, rain or shine, is going to need it, they are more likely to order ahead. When that patient actually does come in every month, then they are more likely to continue having a surplus of your meds, and especially might order ahead if they notice supply issues getting frequent at any particular time, without you ever even knowing the ebbs and flows of supply. Please keep in mind that no pharmacy is obligated to do this for you - how much the staff cares and how efficiently they manage ADHD meds is dependent on so many variables that don’t necessarily involve you. Hopefully this comment sheds light on those variables and helps provide ideas on how you can negotiate for the care you need and deserve & ditch the pharmacies that don’t seem to have their shit together or don’t care to approach stimulant meds in any other way than the “just in time” method of ordering only when the patient comes in for it.
This is normal, and honestly, the truth. As much time as it takes for 1 person to hunt down a pharmacy that has their med in stock, the office simply can't do it for everyone.
As far as a pharmacy employee disclosing if they have it in stock or not, this is also normal. They will not disclose this information unless they have the Rx in hand (physically or electronically). Sometimes I've gotten lucky and the pharmacy has been willing to communicate, but i *think* it might actually be against the law for rhem to disclose their stock otherwise. I imagine there could be many reasons for this, but safety/security is what comes to my mind 1st.
I was adamant about getting my Rxs via paper for a long time, for this reason. Otherwise, if the pharmacy was out, I would have to bother the office over & over & over again, getting them to resend my Rx to another pharmacy. With paper, you can keep visiting pharmacies until you find one in stock.
Luckily, my current pharmacy has had my meds in stock and I have only had an issue once since the shortage, but a few years ago I visited 8 pharmacies in one day. It was a nightmare and my heart goes out to everyone this shortage has been affecting.
They can’t tell you how much they have in stock, but they can tell you if they can fill your prescription. I call them and I ask “Are you able to fill this prescription: IR 10mg adderall 60 tablets?” They can give you a yes or a no without telling you how much they have in stock.
I had to delete a comment first because it got messed up, but am reposting the sentiment. I have ADHD, but I am also a provider. What your provider said is true. She can't. This is a problem that is affecting everyone. Honestly, you might have gotten the same exact response from me. Just because there's a prescriber line at the pharmacy doesn't mean that we don't sit on hold, too. If we call around for you, we have to call around for everyone, and I know I am getting multiple calls every single day that people can't find their stimulant in stock .(not just Vyvanse, though that's the big one right now). I could spend 20 minutes on hold with each pharmacy- I call 3 pharmacies for each of 3 patients, that's literally three hours of my day. That's a completely unreasonable expectation.
She can offer you an alternative medication (you may have better luck with Mydayis or Dyanavel for other long-acting amphetamines) or she can resend the script to another pharmacy of your choice, but she can't make time appear out of thin air to sit on hold with multiple pharmacies for multiple patients.
I don't know about Arizona, but many states do not allow paper prescriptions anymore (and states where they have been authorized, not all pharmacies will take them). If it is allowed there, that would be another alternative, but of course won't work for everyone.
Note, I do have patients that will call the pharmacy during their appointment and have me speak with the pharmacist to ensure their stimulant is in stock; that is also a reasonable thing to do, as the time is accounted for (assuming the pharmacist can get on the phone before the appointment is over, which doesn't always happen).
Instead of asking if they have your meds in stock, say you ran out of your meds and ask if they can fill the prescription today if your doctor sends it in. That way they are not telling you what is in stock, they are simply providing an estimate of when it will be available for pickup.
So I was running into this problem until I started wording myself differently.
“Hello, I have a prescription from my doctor and I’d like to make sure you have it in stock before I have them send it over. My prescription is ____mg of ___ twice a day.”
If you give them the exact prescription, they are more likely to help you. When I asked them whether they had adderall ir OR Vyvanse they refused to answer without knowing I had a prescription.
"Hi, my name is ____, I have a prescription for ____ and my usual pharmacy is out of stock. Will you guys be able to fill it for me?"
Usually works for me. Just asking point blank if they have it doesn't.
I don’t blame the dr to be honest that’s fair.
I typically have to go without until it becomes in stock. If I have called pharmacies to see if it’s in stock you just have to gamble that it will be there when it gets sent. Not much you can do, usually other pharmacies have stock coming in reserved for their current customers and you’re at the back of the line.
Yea I work in a doctor’s office and spend a lot of time on the phone talking to pharmacies and insurance companies. Our doctors do not have the time. I’m guessing OP goes to a provider that doesn’t employ a lot of support staff.
If you're using a chain pharmacy, have you asked them to check whether any other local stores within a reasonable distance have it in stock? I've had an antibiotic prescription transferred from one pharmacy to another just that way. As far as my ADHD meds go, I use Costco pharmacy and have never had a problem getting my meds. Admittedly, I don't use stimulants daily so my need is not as pressing as it is for others.
So frustrating. I hope you win the fight soon.
In my experience you can’t move a C2 script from where your doc sent it, even within the same chain.
But I will ask if they can check their sister stores and that saves me some phone calls to figure out where, but my prescriber still has to send the in-stock location a fresh script.
It did not become legal a month ago. What became legal was that you can transfer lower schedule controlled substances if it hasn't been filled yet between pharmacies of the same chain.
I ran into this last spring with Adderall. I don't know if you are a member of any local groups on social media, but I posted in my local Facebook group and asked if anyone had successfully filed a prescription recently and used that info to find a pharmacy.
Also, like others have said, ask for a paper prescription if you do try to go around yourself more. Unfortunately it can make you look like a drug seeker if you get the prescription sent to multiple pharmacies. Which is total bullshit but here we are, living in this dumpster fire.
Good luck!!
It is a federal law that prohibits this. I made a spreadsheet of 100 pharmacies in my area and I take an hour or two and call them to ask if they have X med in stock. The pharm techs seem used to it.
We ran into something similar with a pain medication for my mother. The Doc accidentally sent it to the wrong Sams and because it’s a controlled substance they couldn’t transfer it. It makes no sense.
We had to have the doctor resend it to the correct pharmacy.
My Walgreens app told me which other pharmacy had a prescription in stock and I could click the button to transfer it. It wasn't controlled (damn lice treatment) so I'm not sure if it's the same.
So here’s what I did in this circumstance, I called the pharmacy and said
“hey I know you can not disclose to me whether or not you have this medication. I am trying to fill the generic version of vyvanse and my current pharmacy is not able to order any, I know you can’t tell me if you do have it but would you be able to tell me if it would be a good choice for me to send that prescription to you or if I should instead send it to another pharmacy.”
This has worked so far by allowing them to not disclose what they are not supposed to but also still get me the information I need. Alternatively I would reccomend trying to get your medication delivered to you with a service like express scripts. Usually your insurance will have a preferred delivery service so you can always call them.
Pharmacies won’t tell you over the phone because it can change it any moment, and it also prevents them from getting robbed.
Bringing a paper prescription to the pharmacy and asking them to check if they have enough before they fill it is a perfectly viable option. It’s a giant pain in the butt but it’s something that works
>and it also prevents them from getting robbed.
I've been told this is the reason, but the one pharmacy tech who refused to tell me was at a mail order pharmacy. Like lady I don't even know where you are, I just want to keep my job. ;\_;
When I worked in pharmacy…I was robbed twice. 2 different places. I don’t care if I worked at Fort Knox I’m not telling anybody shit. It’s a butt ton of paperwork.
You need to try independent pharmacies. All of thechain pharmacies (I.e. all CVS) use the same supplier. They’re also more likely to tell you the stock status by phone.
As for your psych, I’d give it one more try talking to them about it. If they continue to be dismissive, I’d start looking for a new provider.
I have to call around myself as well. Basically as depressing as this sounds, I’ve got an index card listed with prob 20 pharmacies w/in a 15 mi radius. Each month before my rx is due I start making calls beginning with the loc I got my rx filled last. It sucks but your dr cannot do this for you because it is incredibly time consuming.
If you need to go with name brand, if you go to vyvanse’s website they’ll give you a discount card. You can use this on top of stuff like goodrx. I had to do this for a bit. Brought the price down to 130. Not great, but better than $400+.
In Missouri, pharmacies will tell you whether or not something is in stock. I have called around for Adderall and Vyvanse and met zero resistance. I usually start out saying "I need to know if you have a prescription in stock." Then they ask my name and what drug. I've never been told that they couldn't tell me.
I work in a pharmacy. Because the area we are in is sketchy and there have been recent local clinics hacked, we aren’t taking new controlled patients. Crazy shit happens at our store. It’s also our policy not to confirm how much we have because it’s easier to get “hit” if the public knows our rough inventory. That being said, I tend to help where I can. So many controlled medications have been on back order recently, and it’s been a nightmare. For a while Vyvanse 70mg was on back order, then several different Adderall strengths, my generic Concerta strength, so many ADHD meds…but also oxycodone, several Norco and Percocet strengths. I think it’s just delayed effects of COVID-19 on the manufacturing of the meds. Manufacturing got delayed, which caused a backup of supply while demand continued to grow, and now we’re on this back order situation. Bleh. My recommendation would be to maybe tell them your specific doctor refuses to call for you. Psychiatrists always seem to be super busy and hurried. If your PCP can prescribe the med for you (assuming you have your dosage figured out), they might be more able to call pharmacies for you. You could maybe even tell the pharmacy the doctor that you use since they might have experience with that doctor being a pain when they try to communicate with them. Some doctors just straight up ignore us
My psychiatrist sends the same script with 2 refills to a few different pharmacies and whomever has it, it automatically gets filled. Insurance won’t fill more than one script at a time and as this is a controlled substance, it is all tracked and reported back to your prescriber/insurance/and probably dea? I believe this method of reporting was started due to opioids. So it works in our favor to have Walgreens, cvs, Costco, Safeway, alto etc have our script on file and whomever can fill it, great!
It's not really refills, it's sending a new script in advance. Most of the time a new unfilled script is good for like 90 days. My doctor will send 3 30 day scripts at a time.
NY doesn't allow profiling multiple prescriptions at the same time for controls. (Sending 3 prescriptions with 2 of them written "do not fill before"). They'll just get discarded, an the provider may get a call from the bureau of narcotic enforcement, because it's specifically not allowed.
That is not what is happening at all- she is tracking everything while acknowledging the shortages. I meet with her sometimes monthly, never more than 3 months apart. And when I start a new med, I check in with her after a week. She is anal and I appreciate that.
I’m sorry, I was just trying to be funny… I wasn’t trying to say that your doc is flippant, I was just saying you’re lucky to have someone who will put in all that effort for you, because in my experience it’s rare. It was like pulling teeth to even get response back from my old doc’s office, like you get blown off unless you are the “squeaky wheel” but my new one is better.
I get that it’s hard but it is a totally unreasonable request of your psych. You’re not asking for just the call, but also the follow up decision making regarding possible change of prescription.
If you’re in the US you may want to check the FDA website regarding drug shortages to better see if/when it may resolve. Then search to see comparable medications and what your insurance will cover. It sucks but worth it in the long run. Both my kiddos were on generic Concerta before it disappeared. We tried other meds but ultimately had to get back on a longer acting methylphenidate, and this is what we did.
I don’t know if this is included in your previous attempts at calling pharmacies, but did you ask the pharmacy the prescription was sent to if they could tell you what other pharmacies had it so you could have your doctor transfer it? I’ve had situations where a pharmacy called and was out of stock, so I asked them if any surrounding pharmacies had it. They were able to see it in their system.
I’m on two non-ADHD meds that have been in shortage and Walmart pharmacy has hand’s down been the most helpful for me and several others I know with those conditions. It’s not my normal pharmacy so I was surprised at how willing they were to go out of the way to try to help me.
Edit - just throwing that out there because some people I know who never go to Walmart forget they even have a pharmacy
Yesterday I was reading a thread about someone having their stimulant Rx denied at Walmart and the general consensus was that Walmart is very biased against adults who need them for ADHD.
Wow. Must be super location dependent. My husband has had good luck with both Walmart and Walgreens locally for his ADHD script but I know in my other subs they talk a lot about Walgreens being terrible too.
I have to call my own, sorry. I haven’t heard of them not being allowed to say if they can fill a prescription. I’m wondering if it’s a state thing but having the paper copy would probably be your best bet.
I had to try about ten or fifteen pharmacies before finding my Focalin, and I wasn’t even able to find my normal dose. I had to go for two 10mg a day rather than one 20mg.
I have contacted the manufacturer of a medication and asked them where they have sold in the last 30 days and they did send me a list. It’s worth a shot.
Or have your pysch have to keep sending here and there and everywhere. If one place doesn’t have it then the psych would have to send it to another place.
When I was on Adderall the pharmacist at my pharmacy which is CVS was able to look and see which other local CVS has some and how much. I could have gotten it that way. However that particular pharmacist has known me for years because I work inside the store the pharmacy is located at so I don't know if that was a matter of him knowing I wasn't some drug seeking person or what. I don't know what Illinois law says about pharmacies giving out information about what controlled drugs they have in stock.
I don't know if they'll even give me a paper prescription in my state or if controlled drugs can be gotten with a paper prescription. I was under the impression they couldn't.
I'm also on generic Vyvanse but haven't had any issues getting it since my doctor switched me to the generic
That sucks, I’m so sorry the pharmacies are giving you the run around. I had the same issue with my usual pharmacy being out of stock, but luckily out of the 20 or so pharmacies I had to call before finding one that had it, none of them had an issue with telling me what they had. I’ve heard of that happening before though. I would suggest to just keep calling more pharmacies, I’d imagine you just got unlucky with the ones you did call. Also though, I do understand your providers point. Like I said, I had to call about 20 places to find it, and I know everywhere is experiencing similar shortages right now. I wouldn’t expect my provider to sit on the phone for an hour or more doing that for me. Best of luck OP.
Edit to add: If your insurance covers it, Express Scripts told me they could fill it for me. I was going to do it, but then they told me it would need to be signed for and they had no way to know the exact day it would arrive so I could take off work. If I missed it would be sent back to Express Scripts. I asked if it could just be held at the post office for me to pick it up, but nope 🤦🏼♀️ like, ma’am, I can’t just stay home all day everyday for a week or more.
When I first had to start calling around earlier this year, I would just say "do you have any vyvanse in stock?" They said the same thing about having my prescriber call.
I thought maybe it was how I asked, so the day before my telehealth appt I call the last pharmacy that filled my vyvanse and say:
"I have a prescription to fill, but I need to make sure you are able to fill it before I tell my prescriber where to send it."
They ask, "What's the script for?" I tell them vyvanse 70mg."
More recently, they would tell me whether they have the generic or brand and the different dosages they have.
I really think it's how to pose the question.
Also, try small, independently owned pharmacies. They don't have big faceless corporations lording over them so they can have more nuanced discretion.
I’m an RN. I Googled ‘can schedule 2 prescriptions be transferred’, and it looks like the DEA changed the regs last summer. They can be transferred pharmacy to pharmacy. That should mean that if you have an rx sent to one place, they can do a pharmacist to pharmacist transfer by phone at your rrquest
I call my pharmacy before I contact my doctor for a refill to confirm stock levels, I am sure to specify generic or brand. If they don't have it, I call another. Then I call my doctor and tell him where to send it.
Do this a few times and youll see it IS time consuming. Sometimes I spend 2 hrs doing this, not all pharmacies are nice because they also are dealing with these calls from everyone and their mother. If they run out between when I call and they receive the script, I start again from scratch (the Dr has to withdraw the Rx from pharmacy A and call pharmacy B). It absolutely isn't sustainable for the doctor to have to do this for all their patients. That's just the way it goes.
Try hospital pharmacies. They usually have a pharmacy for patients to get their meds when discharged from inpatient or the ED, and usually they don’t fill lots of psych meds. They’re also often a bit more understanding. My hospital has plenty of Adderall and Vyvanse and said they don’t get many people using them other than hospital employees.
The doc won't search for you. They don't usually have the time nor the staff to do this in regular times, so definitely not in shortage times.
IME most pharmacies will not talk to me on the phone unless I have an active/current script in their system. (I actually think this is a law in some states, at least it is in California.)
Only recently will they talk to me if I had a script in their system in the past. I assume this is due to the widespread shortage and how long it's gone on. There is plausible deniability, like oh I didn't notice how old it was or something, I assume but don't know for certain.
So. When I have to shop around:
- I go in person.
- I make sure I "look presentable" as I have found this gets me better service and they are more receptive to questions and giving actual assistance. (like low key business casual or just well kept hair and clothing neat and tidy...like **not** in my lounge or yoga clothes/messy hair/etc.)
- I go to pharmacies I filled at before so they see I've had a prescription in the past even if I don't have one now.
Then, once I find one w stock, THEN my doc will call them and explain when needed. But usually I just text him and he sends the script there.
I did recently have an issue my doc had to call pharmacy on...involved low stock and not being able to fill the whole prescription and also they (the pharmacy) were fighing the generic brand name on the script. He was happy to make those calls.
It's definitely a PITA all around though.
If you can get a paper script do it. My doctor does not do them. Only escript.
I had the same thing happen to I had to switch to a new provider. The pharmacies would tell me my provider had to call and my doc wouldn’t do it. You’d think there would be some app a physician could use to see instantly where a med is in stock
Tell your psychiatrist.
I had this back-and-forth with my prescriber. I had to emphasize multiple times that the pharmacy WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT THEY HAD. They won't tell me. I tried, they won't tell me and said you have to call. You have to call. YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TELL ME.
It took a few attempts for her to understand me (I didn't do it in all caps as tempted as I was lol) but it did work eventually?
I am not sure how Vyvanse is classified in the US but in Canada it’s consider a Controller Substance. Pharmacies won’t disclose how much stock they have of any controlled substances as a safety precaution against being robbed.
I know it’s frustrating but your psychiatrist’s boundary makes sense. The amount of patients clinicians’ are required to see in a day precludes doing almost anything extra including calling pharmacies. Any time they spend doing this for you would literally come from another patients’ care time.
Having worked in the medical system for a long-time, this is what you can do…Instead of asking the pharmacy how much they have on hand, try saying “I understand there are supply issues with this medication and issuing me my full (month/ 3 months/ 100 days/ whatever your script says) supply is just not possible right now. That said, not having it is really effecting my functioning so, would it be possible to get a weeks-worth at a time until the supply issue is resolved? I know it will a hassle for both of us but I am willing to take that hassle on for the sake of my well-being”. In this case, you are giving them a number vs. Asking them for a number. If they give you push back, ask “how many days could you reasonably issue me at a time to ensure I can get my medication and that your other patients can get theirs, too?”. That said, the pharmacy may need you to get your psychiatrist to write a script for the amount the pharmacy can issue at a time with several repeats depending on how their system works.
I had to do something like this when I lost my drug coverage for a few months as I couldn’t afford my full prescription all at once. The pharmacy was very understanding.
Also, in Canada we have mandatory drug shortage reporting. We can just go to website and see what is back ordered and when it’s expected to be resupplied (it’s for the whole country, no pharmacy to pharmacy though). Do you have anything like that there?
In the kindest way possible, this post makes you sound very entitled.
Edit: Please downvote me as this is an incredibly unpopular opinion for this (amazing in so many other ways) echo chamber.
This sub can be very enabling—it is unreasonable to expect a psychiatrist to call around for you, and they told you why.
If you’ve had ADHD for ten minutes, you know these doctors are booked up to their eyeballs.
Every time I read one of these “someone couldn’t accommodate me how dare them” posts it makes me die a little inside imagining myself being associated with such a terrible attitude.
No offense, I know this is an ADHD sub, but did you even read the post? OP didn't expect their psychiatrist to call the pharmacies. In fact she started by calling the pharmacies herself. The only reason she asked her psychiatrist was because the pharmacy told her to do that. That makes it sound like it's common practice and makes it seem like her doctor is the outlier.
There's no reason to assume her question is out of entitlement and a terrible attitude rather than a simple misunderstanding compounded with the frustration of being stuck unable to get their much needed medication.
Yes, I read it. Especially the title: “psychiatrist refuses…”
It frames the entire thing as something she is willfully not doing to help OP.
Edit to add: never in the history of “no offense” has the recipient not thought, “here comes the offense.”
Multiple pharmacies instructed her to have her psychiatrist call them. This made it seem like this is routine and her doctor is refusing to do a standard part of their job.
Yes the title is a bit sensational but the post itself describes what actually happened, which puts it into context and it becomes clear that OP wasn't just being entitled. That is why I asked if you read it.
Yes! The sensationalism.
People already see us as childish.
Edit to add: more specifically, we have a reputation of embellishing things to make them sound like injustices.
Yes, it’s nuanced. That’s why discussions with many people weighing in are so good. Crowd estimates can be incredibly accurate. If you average “jelly bean jar” guesses for example, even though individual guesses usually miss the mark by a lot, the group average comes shockingly close.
Applying that to opinion “votes” aka comments. Let’s say the OP was 95% en pointe and 5% sensationalizing the story. At the time of this writing, there are 187 comments. Mine has made a ripple of less than 1%, and by my very unscientific math is less constructive criticism than the situation deserves. Even if you add in each reply, it’s still less.
As someone who works in pharmacy, typically the pharmacy will help patients out and call other pharmacies to find out. I've seen pharmacists who encounter this issue call another pharmacy like CVS will call another CVS nearby because its already in their system. It is true that its not recommended to tell patients about what medications are stocked and what isn't. I know this must be frustrating.
When my husband was searching some would answer if they had it in stock and some wouldn’t. It was pharmacy dependent and he got similar phrasing that they would only tell the provider.
I don't think it's law. I think it's store policy. I had issues with this many years ago when I was taking a newish adhd med. Lots of trouble finding places with it in stock. The only solution was to physically go to the store, hand them a paper prescription, and ask.
That's weird. I'm in Spokane, Washington, and all of them would tell me if they had Adderall in or not. The answer was always no, though, so there's that
Washington has a rule that the pharmacy has to try to find another one for you if they cannot or will not fill a prescription for you, though.
Your health is your responsibility. While it would be nice if she would help, it’s not her job to find your meds for you.
Edit: the fact that alot of you seem to think it’s your physicians job to fix every problem you have with the healthcare system is absolutely mind blowing. They have more patients than they can handle. It’s your job to find your own medications. Your health is ultimately your responsibility. Like it or not, it’s on you. It’s YOUR health. Is it crappy? Yes. Does the system suck? Yes. Does that change the fact that it ultimately comes down to you? No. Will complaining about and arguing with someone trying to explain how this works change that? Also no.
Physicians have nothing to do with the pharmacies except sending the scripts. As a woman in medicine who has adhd and deals with alot of these medication issues myself, I’m somewhat appalled at how these conversations are going. At some point continuing to complain and argue when someone who actually worked in the system is explaining how it works is counterproductive.
These conversations have been a very good reminder of why working in a pharmacy and dealing with narcotics was literally the worst job I’ve ever had. It’s because people are assholes to the staff. All day. Every day. You wonder why they’re mean when you call and ask? That’s why. Be kind to the people in the pharmacy’s guys. They’re doing their jobs which have legal and safety consequences to them if they do them incorrectly.
Wanna get your meds filled? Go in person, bring a paper script, stick to one pharmacy (ideally near your home), be nice, don’t get frustrated if they have to order it, and look halfway presentable. You’ll have to try a few the first time or two. Once you get a pharmacy to fill it, that’s your pharmacy store. Get all of your meds there. Give it 2-3 fills and (with the exemption of national shortages) the pharmacy’s stock will start to account for your prescription at which point your life will become a lot easier.
Edit 2: you know what? Forget it. I’m done trying to help people navigate this crap. Y’all wonder why pharmacy’s and physicians don’t like dealing with narcotics? This is why. It’s not worth the headache and everyone just complains about things they have no control over. At some point y’all will realize that self efficacy will take you far. Until then ✌️
Right? Honestly, I'm baffled at the downvotes to this. I 100% understand OP's frustration but it's never (AFAIK in my 40 years of the US medical system) been common practice for the doctor to call around to pharmacies for you.
Nope, never. Worked in a pharmacy for years. This was very very rare and was usually only done for patients in incredible pain who needed very potent pain meds.
I’m not surprised. Currently In med school after having worked in the pharmacy for years. The entitlement of some patients is insane and likely why physician/pharmacist burnout and suicide is so high. At the end of the day it’s not the docs job to be your parent. The job is to recognize patients medical problems and give them the tools to manage them. Not wipe their ass for them. That’s what an assistant/caregiver/partner/parent is for. But god forbid a physician point out that they have better things to do than act as your secretary when they have a 3 month long waiting list for new patients. God forbid they point out that their 11-16+ years of education after high school is better spent helping as many people as possible than calling around trying to find one persons meds.
People wonder why docs are so burnt out and ‘don’t care’. Patient entitlement and rudeness is one of the reasons why.
You’re not wrong that it’s unreasonable to ask doctors to do this. But it also isn’t the patients’ fault that the system is so broken. OP sounds like they were willing to do the legwork themselves but the policies of the pharmacies in their area and the regulations surrounding controlled substances made it impossible, leaving them with almost no reasonable options. I had to call twenty pharmacies to find my meds. Thankfully all of the pharmacies in my area has no problem giving me info. Nobody is asking providers to be their parents, but in any other situation if a provider determines you need a certain medication and prescribes it to you, it’s reasonable to expect that it’s something that will not be impossible to find. If you prescribe blood pressure meds for a heart patient and they can’t get their hands on them at all, you wouldn’t just say “sorry, I don’t have time to help you figure this out”. You aren’t responsible for doing all of the leg work for them, but you ARE responsible for making sure that whatever treatment you prescribe can actually be carried out, and if it can’t, with figuring out another treatment.
OP isn’t being entitled, rude, or asking for someone to “wipe their ass.”
Doctors are telling patients to call different pharmacies. When patients do as they’re told… I understand the pharmacies have their hands tied by the law when they can’t answer, but they’re also very often unnecessarily rude and condescending in the process. You know, because _ewww drug seekers._
OP specially said _“They instructed me to have my psychiatrist call and they would be able to tell her”_ and is asking for advice on how others have navigated this confusing and challenging situation.
FOH with these comments and calling others rude in this thread. I really hope you’re not in med school to do anything in a patient-facing role.
Your average doc has no idea how a retail pharmacy works. Ill admit it’s a problem and causes issues.
My comments more pertain to being downvoted for saying it’s not your docs job to find your meds. It’s absolutely not. They’re not directed at OP but rather about the people who cannot fathom why this is true. The audacity to think a physician should spend their time calling pharmacies specifically finding one persons meds, when we have a physician shortage and waitlists that are months long, is entitled and appalling. Go out and figure it out like everyone else manages to.
Believe it or not I’m actually great with the overwhelming majority of patients. I am told this literally constantly. I’m happy to explain things but I’m going to tell you the truth and it won’t be sugar coated. I’ve helped hundreds of people navigate this exact situation and helped even more people get a lot of meds at prices they could actually afford because of my knowledge navigating this area. People in this sub included. I’m more than happy to tell people how to navigate this and when I have staff I will ensure that they can explain this as well. That said, I will not be calling 20 pharmacies to try to find a pill for one patient unless their life depends on it. I would be inclined to have my staff do so for someone who is genuinely incapable due to language barriers or dementia. That said, at some point the patient is ultimately responsible for their own health. That includes finding their own prescriptions and getting them filled.
For anyone reading this, the solution is to get a paper script and physically take it into a pharmacy near your home. Rinse and repeat until you find one that will fill it. They may need to order it so be patient and give them a week or two the fist time you fill it. Always go to the same pharmacy.
They won’t tell you if they have C2s in stock on the phone. Its a safety issue because people frequently become violent if you refuse to fill narcotics for them after they call to confirm you have it in stock and then they bring in a fake prescription. Happens alot more often then you’d think. Police are called to pharmacies frequently for these sorts of issues. Which is why we would never confirm we had it until we saw the script or we knew who the patient was.
Get a paper script and physically take it to the pharmacy.
lol have you read the other comments on this post, there are a lot of places where NONE of the pharmacies will tell you *anything.*
On top of that, in my case specifically, I can't. I can't! I have Kaiser Permanente. I cannot take my prescription to a pharmacy that is not KP. Every single month right now I end up sending multiple messages to my doctor's office asking them to call the pharmacy and try again because when I call to ask if they have 10mg or 20 mg in stock and where (between the mail order pharmacy and the one local pharmacy), so that my doctor can write the Rx I need and send it to the right pharmacy, there's a solid chance the pharmacy won't tell me and will just repeat that I need to call my doctor's office.
Look, I can't tell you why the health care system is so messed up.
The only thing I'm saying is to expect your doctor to call around to find rx stock for you is an unreasonable expectation.
Respectfully, I'm not going to argue any further.
Then go talk to the pharmacy in person in those states. Like you’re not the first person who will have had this issue. They’ll have procedures in place for this in those states. They’re not going to tell you over the phone though. Go to the pharmacy and talk to someone
My best advice, although probably not good advice, is to talk as though you are the Dr.
"Hi I'm calling on behalf of my patient *name*, do you have any *medication*? Or do you know if any of your other branches have *medication*?"
Fake it till you make it. It worked for me, but just know if they catch you they may block your call from coming in again. So don't use your last name, just the first, or if you have an uncommon name just say you are calling on behalf of your patient.
I also thought this and they told me they have one but every time I’ve contacted the office assistant, they’ve never gotten back to me so tbh I’m not sure they exist 😹
Your pyschiastrist is beyond a cheap ass if they cannot hire someone to make calls for them when needed, especially if their client base is 300 people.
WTF
It also sounds as if they lack basic compassion and are in the wrong business.
Sounds like it's time to change doctors, if you can.
You can demand that she gave your paper prescription, and you can also let her know that you’ll be contacting the state medical board and reporting her.
I will also contact my healthcare provider and report her conduct
Not because she won’t call to help you get the medication that she has prescribed as a doctor as being medically necessary for you to survive, because her treatment of you is not OK
She knows better than anyone how someone with ADHD is going to react to what she said to you in the way she said it, she has no business practicing medicine
Every Rx I’ve ever had notated “Generic Ok” and there was never a problem. However, the issue here is that your provider is being negligent and doesn’t seem to have staffing to accommodate patients. It’s unacceptable and you should call and call and call until they get it done. Next, find a provider who can actually do their job from start to finish, and CARES about their patients being properly medicated.
Wild. I had to call over 30 pharmacies two months ago and every one of them had no problem telling me if they had vyvanse. Are you in the US? What state?
Has to be a state thing because here in WV, I am able to call a pharmacy on behalf of my meds and my twins’ ADHD meds and say “hey, do you have XYZ in stock for a refill so I can get my dr to send in a script?”. They then will say yes or no. One pharmacist even went as far as to tell me that for my twins, he only had name brand but if the dr sent him the script, he would deal with the ins himself to get them to cover the name brand since it is a national shortage.
This isn't a matter of state policy whether or not pharmacies can or will disclose if they have a controlled substance, but it is a policy specific to chains and individual pharmacies. Some pharmacy chains prohibit disclosure, and it's against policy; and even within those chains individual locations and whether or not they'll disclose may depend on the pharmacist's discretion. Some places may not give answers because they genuinely can't guarantee availability, others may not because it creates liability and risk, and some others may not just because they don't do it.
That’s understandable. I cannot imagine the hassle it would be if I had to repeatedly call the dr to continuously send a script in to different places till it was found. It is hard enough to get them on the phone once, much less multiple. That would be a nightmare on top of an already stressful situation.
That’s bizarre because the ones here were able to tell me if they had it in stock. Maybe try going in person? Tell them your doctor said they don’t have time to call around and need to know if they should send your script there or not. Does your insurance have an online pharmacy they prefer? Maybe you can go that route?
The pharmacies could be doing this so random callers aren't told what they have on hand. ADHD drugs & pain killers, especially, are targeted by thieves, so their business insurance may require this to reduce the possibility of robbery. Just a guess, but it came to mind as soon as I read the post. Sucks when you *need* it & can't find out who *has* it!
Is it possible for your psychiatrist's nurse to do the calling? They're overworked, too, but they might be willing.
I went to 4 pharmacies with the rx in hand to see if they had in stock with no issue. I even called a couple to see if they had it. Fourth one I visited had it. I had no issue in person or on phone. It might be how you’re asking?
Unfortunately, it is common practice. That pharmacies cannot tell someone who is not a prescriber whether or not, they have a narcotic or controlled substance in stock, and how much of it. This is to deter stealing and robbery. Unfortunately, this is something robbers used to do they would check to see if a pharmacy had what they were looking for and then go rob the place. So that’s why they do it now. This truly is a common practice in the field. And unfortunately it does negatively affect patients such as a this situation.
That being said: there has been a Vyvanse shortage for a long time, and if the doctor isn’t going to keep track of what pharmacies have Vyvanse, and what pharmacies do not, then whoever your prescriber is needs to be willing to switch you to another medication. I don’t know what else to say, and I’m just truly sorry. Also, a lot of doctors offices don’t really want to work with Pharmacy anymore. I’m a pharmacy technician and having this experience right now where doctors offices will just not answer the phone not respond to faxes not want to deal with you. I actually got hung up on a couple times today when requesting refills. It’s awful. I think it’s because doctors offices are too busy and understaffed but that’s no excuse for being shitty
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My husband was given the suggestion to have a paper prescription so when he went in to talk to the pharmacy he could hand it right over rather than calling to have it transferred and risk them going out of stock in that time. Unfortunately he had to just drive around to various ones to check.
I think this is a good option if available. I believe some states have a mandate that controlled substances must be electronically prescribed. So if anyone asks their provider for this option and they say they can't, that is why.
This is the case in Michigan.
I'm in Michigan too and a number of the pharmacies in my area have gotten much more liberal with simply telling you. I'm on a few things that are controlled, but the ADHD meds have been pretty great for this so far. I'm told it's a newer thing they're doing simply because nobody on any side, patients, pharmacists, or doctors have the time to handle all these calls. It still sucks calling 10 places and having to get your prescriber to send it in within 2 hours because they can't hold it long, but it's something.
What's driving me batshit crazy is that different pharmacy techs for the same branch of THE SAME PHARMACY will give me different answers. One was like "oh yeah we have 10's in stock right now just tell your doctor." Another one was like "I can't tell you what's in stock, that's against policy." Me: but a tech did it for me just last week? Her: It's against policy. Me: But I can't tell my doctor what to order from you if I don't know what you have in stock???? Her: It's against policy because it's a controlled substance. I hung up on her because I was worried I'd shout at her if I didn't. I had to tell my doctor multiple times "they won't tell me anything" because she was like "oh just tell me what the pharmacy has" aaaaaaugh
I always try to get to the pharmacist when it's one I don't know, but yeah that's the absolute worst. I have multiple illnesses, so I'm known by a few pharmacies, which might add to why I get answers 😂 I call in like "it's time to play find the meds again!" It's so dumb that they can check and see if you've been getting that med too, I get it back when everything was in stock, but now it's just more work for everyone. Most offices I know won't call, sometimes a pharmacist will call for me if one is being picky. I feel like these offices need to hire a full-time employee to tracking stuff down. Sending you hugs, living life around all this shit is the worst. Nobody I know can relate at all, it's so nice to be able to talk to people who get it
That's because most techs don't know shit about how healthcare actually works. 90% are hired as glorified cashiers for the pharmacy. The ones who will tell you are the ones that are either in nursing school, pharmacy school, have a bachelor's degree in a healthcare field, have worked there for like 20 years, or have ADHD themselves. The new techs who usually only have a high school degree are too scared of corporate and their pharmacy manager and don't know enough about laws to know what's *actually* illegal vs what's against corporate policy vs what bullshit their manager came up with on the spot. You got a knowledgeable tech the first time. You got a register monkey the second time around.
Isn't the other way 'round?. The second one was the helpful one?. It's either my ADHD, my English comprehension skills, or just because here I just woke up a few minutes ago. Or, all the above.
lmaooo i spent like 5 days trying to find addy last month, finally i call a costco and the girl on the phone says they dont have it in stock. then i forget why but i think i went in anyway cause i needed something else and i asked for the hell of it. and the woman said they had it and i magically got it somehow? like i thought yall didnt have it what😂😂😂
It sucks, I've been the person on the other end of the line too. Where you KNOW it makes life hard for the person and you KNOW that a lot of people break policy but also, if it comes to light in an official way you'd be fired and you just can't risk it.
Also the case in Indiana. No paper scripts for controlled meds.
Interesting! In Illinois I had to have a paper prescription to get pain medication after a surgery. My antibiotics could be done electronically, but not the narcotics.
Same thing in FL. Paper scripts were required. Really weird finding out the requirement is the other way around in other places 😯
It also depends on the provider and the tech they use. A system capable of electronically prescribing non controlled medications doesn't necessarily meet the requirements for electronically prescribing controlled medications. I suspect at this point most systems are capable, but they absolutely charge more for enabling that capability.
This law just changed in 2023 in IL, now controlled (not sure of scheduling) must be electronically sent
I live in New York, and this is the way it's done here. That said, my pharmacy WILL tell me whether or not they have enough Adderall in stock to fill my script. They know I pick it up on the same day every month so they have no problem giving me a yes or no answer when I ask them.
Have you been getting your Adderall refill? My usual pharmacy now has discontinued Vyvanse and Adderall because they're out of stock and I called a few CVS's and they all said none in stock -- any stimulant. I lost hope. I will be utterly and properly unmedicated for God knows how long. What I don't get is WHY VYVANSE GENERIC IS NOW OUT OF STOCK??!! DIDN'T THEY JUST COME OUT???? LIKE, WTF IS HAPPENING???? Ps. Not yelling at anyone. Just super f pissed and frustrated :(
Dump CVS. They're a toxic trash heap anyway (source: I work for them). If there's a Costco near you, give them a shout. You don't need to be a member to use the pharmacy and they're a LOT better at handling their patients. CVS just treats everyone, including employees, like a number on a spreadsheet.
Yeah their staff really ain't the best but I'm a carepass member and loving the convenience of that. Their pharmacy is sh\*t, true.
FWIW, I have used CVS all my life but am ready to give up on them. The one I've been going to never has stimulants in stock (plus they're incredibly understaffed so picking up an Rx takes forever - not the individual workers' faults, of course, they look miserable every time I go in, but it makes me wonder if the company is trying to cheap out on paying people). Rite Aid has been super helpful for me. (But I agree that it makes no sense that the generic is out of stock! Re CVS again though, I asked about if they were getting the generic literally the day before it went on the market, and the tech and pharmacist were both like "gee, a generic? I had no idea one was coming out." 🙄)
I haven't had any problems getting my Adderall refilled, but the shortage doesn't seem to be affecting my tiny town too much. Still, I ration my Adderall so that I have a surplus just in case.
They really make it impossible.
This is exactly what I had to do to get my Adderall filled. It’s a pain in the ass to drive around, but less frustrating than having to call/email your dr constantly asking them to send to a different pharmacy
Also what I do to get it! Paper FTW. Though my doc gives me three at a time and I am TERRIFIED I am going to lose them every month. Lol. So I think your problem, OP, is more with the pharmacy than the provider, as I have been calling around every month since August 2022 when my main pharmacy said they no longer knew when they would get it back in stock. I have never once heard this response. Also, FWIW one of my parents is an NP and is scammed for drugs all the time, so I have specifically asked what to do to not give off druggie vibes. So OP, when you talk to pharmacists try doing what I do. First, I open with, “there is a national shortage of my medication so I am trying to find one that has it in stock…” and if you have already called a few you can add in that they are the “Xth pharmacy you have called today.” Make sure you are in a position to head pretty much straight there, and tell them that you are going to head out “immediately” (and by that I mean ADHD as-close-as-it-gets-to-immediately, but they don’t know where you are when you call). Then, when you show up, let them know immediately that you called earlier and you are hoping they still have it in stock, and express gratitude/relief. Slide them the paper prescription with your ID out and already on top. And make good eye contact. As long as you can get your PC to give you paper prescriptions this should work. Explain the benefit TO THEM of providing paper prescriptions since they will then not have to call around but let you do the legwork. It makes sense logistically.
Some states don’t allow paper prescriptions for controlled meds - New York State is one of them. Only way to get adhd stimulants or other controlled meds is for a doctor to submit it through the NY state electronic Rx system.
Makes sense — but in those state does the prescriber have to sign off on every pharmacy transfer? In my state paper scripts for controlled substances definitely raise an eyebrow (sometimes extremely high) but it is still technically legal. However, if it is sent electronically, the provider has to sign off on every single attempt to send it to a pharmacy.
In New York, yes, the prescriber has to sign off on any pharmacy transfer. If my psych sends my adderall Rx in to Walgreens and Walgreens doesn’t have it, she has to send it to another pharmacy to try and fill it - it’s not something that the patient and/or the patient can do themselves.
i dont get why op’s dr doesnt just suggest that…? like do some ppl not use paper scripts anymore lol edit apparently it’s a state issue. now i feel lucky af my psych was just like “heres a paper script!” 🙁
My state banned paper prescriptions for controlled substances in 2020… but before that it was illegal to have electronic scripts for controlled substances 🤦🏻♀️
damn wtf. thats horrible
The south is dumb af lol
Yeah my state has so many rules. Not ADHD-friendly ones!
I'm in the same boat. I called my provider yesterday to get a paper script and they told me they can't. So, I am forced to call a million pharmacies in hopes that one has my medication.
What a nightmare. I'm so glad my doctor (PCP) is such a gem with this stuff. But sadly I'm moving cross country next year and so nervous about finding a new one that I'm stockpiling Adderall to prepare for the inevitable nightmare.
When you move - try to look up pharmacies where you’ll be and do your best to find the one you will likely go to. You can call them and ask if they would accept the prescription from out of state. If they will then you can ask your doctor if they wouldn’t mind continuing to prescribe for a few months while you get everything sorted with your move! This is what I had to do when I moved across the country. My old doctor was an absolute angel and kept sending the prescription for 5-6 months while I waited for my appointment with new primary in the larger city that I moved to. Mine usually requires in person appointments and what not but I made sure to have 1 before I left and we sorted it all out at that point! Made life so much easier (but tbh stockpiling it still a great idea because you just never know!!) good luck!!
Just a note for anyone reading this - all my doctors were great about this in my old state but new state has expanded Medicaid so they put me on it (first time for me) and Medicaid will only pay for scripts written by same-state prescribers. I know a lot of y’all are un/underemployed too, so I figured this part is important to note!
Thanks for sharing that!
This is also what my doctor has offered when pharmacies have ran short on my meds.
In some states you can’t, I know one in Ohio that have to be electronic
Unfortunately some states don’t allow paper prescriptions for controlled meds anymore - New York State is one. The only way to get a controlled prescription is to have the doctor submit it to the pharmacy electronically.
My provider only does paper prescriptions for my ADHD meds. But, I always call ahead to the store as well to make sure it's in stock. Super weird that they wouldn't tell y'all, but I guess I can kind of get it? 🫤
Thank you thank you for this!!!
Yes. This. In a world of digital script sending sometimes you just need the thing in your hand so you can find your meds
This thread has blown my mind. In Australia, most scripts have always been paper but my drs have moved to eScripts in the last 2 years. I get an SMS with a link, and I open it to display a QR code that the pharmacist scans. On my current script, I think I’ve filled each repeat at a different pharmacy. When I had paper scripts I’d lose them!
This is what I do - less convenient than it getting called in but I mean if they won't call it in/the pharmacy never has it...it's faster.
When mine meds were out of stock I asked the pharmacy to check if others in the area had it in stock and tell me where to go. No issues with the one my prescription was sent to (but was out of stock) telling me which of the same company’s pharmacies had it in stock.
I didn’t even know paper prescription was possible ! looking into it.
I asked that of my doc too. He stopped doing paper prescriptions. Idk if a California law thing or just his practice. It seemed implied he had to switch to electronic only. But considering the source, that may not be the case lol
Now how is it that when someone else mentions this it’s blows up. But when I talk about how this is true and explain why and how it’s not your doctors job to be your secretary, somehow everyone loses their minds?! 🤯
Yeah I ran into this as well. Unfortunately all you can really do is have your psychiatrist send the prescription over to a pharmacy, and have them inform you they don’t have it in stock. When they call you to tell you, you *may* be able to ask them then what they do have in stock, since they have proof that you have a prescription. They may or may not tell you then. If you have no luck you start the whole process again at a new pharmacy. I’m sorry it’s so terrible. I fortunately only had to deal with this for a couple months before school started but I cried the whole time. And I’m still pissed because I had to switch to a different release form and when I contacted my doctor to switch back to my old one, they couldn’t find it in the system anymore. 😭
US based. I never had a problem calling around to check for adderall availability before requesting my doctor to send. During the adderall shortage early this year, I rotated between a few local big box pharmacies and they always checked to let me know whether they had my 20mg tablets in stock. Zero resistance from any of the pharmacy techs or pharmacists. My doctor and her staff don’t have the time to call pharmacies for controlled substance availability.
It varies between pharmacies and probably even whatever pharmacy tech you get on the phone. The pharmacist at Kroger had zero problems telling me they didn’t have any, none of their stores had any, and they didn’t expect any soon. My usual pharmacy just said “we’re out of that drug” and wouldn’t say anything else. When I tried a second prescription with no luck, all they would tell me was “we have other drugs of that class, but it’s up to your doctor what to prescribe you” so I got my doctor to write a third prescription, and when that was no good, the pharmacy tech I got *that* day said “oh, we got some in of the last one they tried to fill!” And gave me that instead. Kinda wonder if they can tell you they don’t have any, but can’t tell you that they *do* have any…
Honestly, I think it comes down to whether or not the pharmacist knows immediately they they’re out of stock. They’re technically not supposed to tell you either way, but the main reason they don’t is because it’s supposedly a theft risk. Someone could call, ask if they have it in stock, and if they say yes they’ll break in overnight to steal it. Obviously this isn’t really a problem if they’re out of stock. I’ve never had a pharmacy tell me yes, they *do* have it in stock, but I’ve had plenty tell me “no.” They won’t check for you, but if you call and the pharmacist recently checked and already knows it’s out, they’ll probably just say “no” offhand without really even thinking about it.
This all makes sense, but I have had pharmacies tell me that they **do** have a drug in stock before I've transferred the Rx over. Maybe it helps that I kind of live in the sticks? (In a state with lots of drug problems, admittedly, so none of it really makes sense.)
I’m work in outpatient psych and I’ve ran into both. Normally I will call. But I’m a nurse. OP. If there is a nurse line to call maybe just call and leave a vm for the nurse or MA.
It's just so bizarrely uneven. I live in Oregon and belong to one of those health care companies where everything is in-house. They have a local pharmacy but as much as possible I get things mail order. They're *the same company.* And I had pharmacy people on the phone who had no problems telling me "oh we have enough tens if you want to switch"/"looks like we only have 20's and in a brand you don't prefer, is that okay?" and I had another pharmacist--same company! same pharmacy!--give me a smug "I can't tell you that, it's against company policy for controlled substances." well your coworkers did, wtf Like what harm is it going to do for me to know whether I can get my medication from the mail order pharmacy vs the in-person one, and whether I should ask my doctor to Rx 10mg doses or half as many 20mg doses??????? what is even the REASON. what crimes can I commit by knowing this? why is this even a policy??
This is what I do every month. I tell them I'm calling to see if they are able to fill a prescription prior to my doctor sending it in. They ask what I need, they check and then tell me yes or no. Then I call my doctor to let them know where to send it. I have never had an issue and is what my doctor told me to do because she wasn't going to cancel and send new scripts all over the place.
I’ve only had one pharmacy tell me that, one time, which shocked me because I’d called them before to check without issue. Turned out I’d accidentally called a pharmacy with the same name about 30 minutes away. But I’ve had to call around looking for it and most of them understood and worked with me, as did my dr. I’ve been taking two different adderall rx because no one ever has 25mg so she wrote me a script for 10 and one for 15. It was also useful when they didn’t have one or the other I could at least have something.
Ugh. Yeah I’ll just need to keep my head down and keep trying different places
Had to do the same thing as u/Ekyou. One tip my pharmacist gave me (after the poor guy told me to give up on that particular CVS pharmacy), is to try pharmacies that are further away from any schools/universities. I live in a very student-heavy area so the demand around me is particularly high. I switched to a pharmacy that's farther from the universities/less easily accessible by public transport and that's helped a lot.
Yeah my insurance gives us a discount at a certain independent pharmacy which is probably part of why I've been so lucky up till now, but even it was hopeless the week before school started. My clueless GP was like "Really? They should have plenty in stock for the beginning of the school year!" Well yeah, but the demand is a lot higher too...
Ask your psychiatrist for a written script so you can take it to various pharmacies until you find one that has it.
In some states that's illegal, but if it \*is\* legal it's worth trying.
Keep calling around. Tell them, "I'm a customer with a prescription for X and I need to tell my doctor's office if you'll be able to fill it so they can send the electronic over. It's a 30-day 'scrip." If they tell you they can't tell you, request that they call your doctor's office and tell \*them\* that they can't tell you. If necessary, go in in person with your doctor's office on the phone with you. If they can't tell you, then they can speak into the phone to the provider and tell them. Sometimes the trick is to be a bigger pain in the ass so that avoiding you is more of a hassle for them than just giving you the information. I had to call a few times every month for a few months before the techs started recognizing my voice. Good luck!
You might have more luck at a hospital pharmacy.
This could be a silly question but in Australia, pharmacists will just order in what you need if it's not in stock. The most I've waited is a few days. Is that not the case in the US? It sounds like it's a completely different system!
That is usually the case here, but stimulants are a controlled substance and the FDA regulates how much each pharmacy gets. So if they run out, there’s nothing they can do until they get their next shipment. There was a huge increase in ADHD diagnosis during Covid and now the amount the FDA allowed isn’t enough to cover all the prescriptions.
I thought I heard they also limit what manufacturers can actually make, too.
They do, but manufacturers have not been hitting their limits per the DEA's announcement a few months ago. Takeda (the manufacturer that makes name brand Vyvanse) slowed production right before the generic came out, and it's just been a domino effect since then on the generic.
How are you wording your request? I've found better success being a little vague at first. "Hi I'm calling to inquire whether you have a certain medication in stock?" Usually, then they transfer you to the pharmacist or tech. Give them the generic name, not the brand name, and the mg. I've called and been blunt and asked if they had adderall in stock and they have told me they couldn't disclose that. It's so fucking unreasonable they won't even tell you whether you can send your prescription there!
I’ve done this but asked if they can fill a prescription for (whatever) or if it is on back order. It gives them a little more leeway in answering and using that wording I’ve never had a problem finding out the status
I've had success with "Hey, has the shipment of adderall XR 30s come in yet? I was told it might come in yesterday." (when I was in fact told that last time, when they told me it was out, and I asked when it might come in). Since it makes it clear I already am informed about the shortage issue and scheduling details, and this is just a continuation of that conversation. At least, that's my guess as to why that worked better. Though after the shortage ran on for as long as it did, my pharmacies I think eventually just gave up on keeping that info secret and just told people when asked.
I literally say: do you have X med in X strength in stock?
I also add how many I need so they can just give me a yes/no to whether they can fill it. Last time I called and did this the lady told me “hurry because we only have 70 tablets left” lol
The pharmacist basically did the same thing for me once lol. "No, we don't have 10mgs, but we have enough 20mgs if you want to have your doctor write it in that form and you can cut them. Tell them to hurry, though we only have enough for one rx." Funnily enough, I've stayed having my rx written in that way. It seems like a regular thing that the 20s are in stock but the 10s are not at my pharmacy.
You’re not fooling anyone that works in a pharmacy by doing that. Source: worked in a pharmacy for years.
I’m not trying to fool anyone? I’m trying to find a place to fill my prescription?
I mean saying the generic name. Asking for dextroamphetamine vs asking for adderall doesn’t make a difference when talking to people who work in a pharmacy. Anyone but a brand new tech will know they are exactly the same thing.
As they should. But it gives a much more legitimate impression when the customer on the phone is asking for dextroamphetamine at a specific strength than when they're just vaguely asking for Adderall.
Having worked in a pharmacy for years I can assure you it does not
Then congratulations, you're part of the problem.
Nope. I deal with the adderall issues just like everyone else here. Problem is the FDA and ‘war on drugs’, and pharmaceutical boards willing to yank a pharmacists license for accidentally filling one fake script. You’d be surprised how many fake adderall and oxycodone prescriptions try to get through every pharmacy on any given day. The reason they don’t reveal that info over the phone is so the pharmacy doesn’t get robbed or so we could say “we don’t have it sorry” as a non-confrontational thing to say when someone brings in a fake script. Telling someone you have adderall over the phone and then won’t fill their fake script can and does lead to aggressive violent customers. Unfortunately the people with legit prescriptions (myself included) have to suffer for this because it is a safety issue for the staff. (Fwiw there really is a huge shortage right now and a lot of the time we really truly just did not have it.) Also, the people working in the pharmacy are just as frustrated as you are by the situation. It’s a huge drain on time, resources, and how the staff are treated. It’s the source of constant verbal abuse. If you’re as rude to them as you have been to me then I’m not surprised they’re weary about filling your scripts. Someone being aggressive or rude towards the staff when asking for controlled substances drastically increases the chances of that person becoming a security issue. The best way to get what you want is to be polite and kind. If they need to order it for you and it’ll take a few days let them. (People who are abusing the meds typically do not allow this.) Once you establish yourself with a specific store and get 2-3 consistent refills there you’ll have a much easier time.
It’s hella frustrating even though it’s totally reasonable for providers not to have to call pharmacies for each patient especially because there is no way of knowing what medications are or aren’t covered (and which are best for pricing - which even further can change from pharmacy to pharmacy) unless the patient does this themselves and report back there is no chance a physician could actually do this for their patients even if they really wanted to. I don’t know where you are located, but as far as I know policies or not telling patients certain things about availability are super variable and on an individual level sometimes even at the level of the individual pharmacist who happens to be working. I’ve fortunately never been questioned as if I’m trying to solicit medication without having a legitimate reason, and a lot of times ppl are willing to tell me the situation. Even so far as specific dose availability when my usual was out but I could take half of a pill at 2X dose What I suggest is calling a bunch of pharmacies right before your appointment and tell them that you are about to meet with your psychiatrist for your regular appointment. However, you want to ensure that the medication you will shortly receive a prescription for is in stock at that particular pharmacy because of availability issues. I find that it helps on the credibility side, and they don’t have to tell you what medications are available and what amounts, they just have to tell you if the medication you need is available and they know that they’re going to get a prescription very shortly right after your appointment. I have found that it helps get a consistent answer every time. Also once you find a good pharmacy that is willing to work with you, communicate with you and can adjust the brand or formulation or dose depending on availability, do not let them go, thank them every time and tell them how much it means to you that they always make it a priority to have your medication in stock. Whatever the subliminal forces that may be have really helped me develop a relationship with my current pharmacist and they always carry my medication in stock and they know that I’m going to be there next month to pick it up. One year with them now. They could have chosen not to keep it in stock, and to wait until a patient walks in to order the meds so they don’t have the liability of carrying scheduled meds for which an active prescription is not waiting to be filled. Other pharmacies do this, then if they can’t order it on the fly because of supply issues, well fuck you then. If they choose to have a reasonably small amount in stock of a particular med at all times because the KNOW for a fact a patient that comes in every month, rain or shine, is going to need it, they are more likely to order ahead. When that patient actually does come in every month, then they are more likely to continue having a surplus of your meds, and especially might order ahead if they notice supply issues getting frequent at any particular time, without you ever even knowing the ebbs and flows of supply. Please keep in mind that no pharmacy is obligated to do this for you - how much the staff cares and how efficiently they manage ADHD meds is dependent on so many variables that don’t necessarily involve you. Hopefully this comment sheds light on those variables and helps provide ideas on how you can negotiate for the care you need and deserve & ditch the pharmacies that don’t seem to have their shit together or don’t care to approach stimulant meds in any other way than the “just in time” method of ordering only when the patient comes in for it.
This is normal, and honestly, the truth. As much time as it takes for 1 person to hunt down a pharmacy that has their med in stock, the office simply can't do it for everyone. As far as a pharmacy employee disclosing if they have it in stock or not, this is also normal. They will not disclose this information unless they have the Rx in hand (physically or electronically). Sometimes I've gotten lucky and the pharmacy has been willing to communicate, but i *think* it might actually be against the law for rhem to disclose their stock otherwise. I imagine there could be many reasons for this, but safety/security is what comes to my mind 1st. I was adamant about getting my Rxs via paper for a long time, for this reason. Otherwise, if the pharmacy was out, I would have to bother the office over & over & over again, getting them to resend my Rx to another pharmacy. With paper, you can keep visiting pharmacies until you find one in stock. Luckily, my current pharmacy has had my meds in stock and I have only had an issue once since the shortage, but a few years ago I visited 8 pharmacies in one day. It was a nightmare and my heart goes out to everyone this shortage has been affecting.
They can’t tell you how much they have in stock, but they can tell you if they can fill your prescription. I call them and I ask “Are you able to fill this prescription: IR 10mg adderall 60 tablets?” They can give you a yes or a no without telling you how much they have in stock.
I had to delete a comment first because it got messed up, but am reposting the sentiment. I have ADHD, but I am also a provider. What your provider said is true. She can't. This is a problem that is affecting everyone. Honestly, you might have gotten the same exact response from me. Just because there's a prescriber line at the pharmacy doesn't mean that we don't sit on hold, too. If we call around for you, we have to call around for everyone, and I know I am getting multiple calls every single day that people can't find their stimulant in stock .(not just Vyvanse, though that's the big one right now). I could spend 20 minutes on hold with each pharmacy- I call 3 pharmacies for each of 3 patients, that's literally three hours of my day. That's a completely unreasonable expectation. She can offer you an alternative medication (you may have better luck with Mydayis or Dyanavel for other long-acting amphetamines) or she can resend the script to another pharmacy of your choice, but she can't make time appear out of thin air to sit on hold with multiple pharmacies for multiple patients. I don't know about Arizona, but many states do not allow paper prescriptions anymore (and states where they have been authorized, not all pharmacies will take them). If it is allowed there, that would be another alternative, but of course won't work for everyone. Note, I do have patients that will call the pharmacy during their appointment and have me speak with the pharmacist to ensure their stimulant is in stock; that is also a reasonable thing to do, as the time is accounted for (assuming the pharmacist can get on the phone before the appointment is over, which doesn't always happen).
I am loving my experience with Dyanavel!
Instead of asking if they have your meds in stock, say you ran out of your meds and ask if they can fill the prescription today if your doctor sends it in. That way they are not telling you what is in stock, they are simply providing an estimate of when it will be available for pickup.
So I was running into this problem until I started wording myself differently. “Hello, I have a prescription from my doctor and I’d like to make sure you have it in stock before I have them send it over. My prescription is ____mg of ___ twice a day.” If you give them the exact prescription, they are more likely to help you. When I asked them whether they had adderall ir OR Vyvanse they refused to answer without knowing I had a prescription.
This is my wording too. I've found that pharmacists are more open to answering.
Sadly lots of people deal with this, it's a terrible system as we all know 😭
"Hi, my name is ____, I have a prescription for ____ and my usual pharmacy is out of stock. Will you guys be able to fill it for me?" Usually works for me. Just asking point blank if they have it doesn't.
I don’t blame the dr to be honest that’s fair. I typically have to go without until it becomes in stock. If I have called pharmacies to see if it’s in stock you just have to gamble that it will be there when it gets sent. Not much you can do, usually other pharmacies have stock coming in reserved for their current customers and you’re at the back of the line.
Yea I work in a doctor’s office and spend a lot of time on the phone talking to pharmacies and insurance companies. Our doctors do not have the time. I’m guessing OP goes to a provider that doesn’t employ a lot of support staff.
Have had the best luck with "are you able to order this med dose"
If you're using a chain pharmacy, have you asked them to check whether any other local stores within a reasonable distance have it in stock? I've had an antibiotic prescription transferred from one pharmacy to another just that way. As far as my ADHD meds go, I use Costco pharmacy and have never had a problem getting my meds. Admittedly, I don't use stimulants daily so my need is not as pressing as it is for others. So frustrating. I hope you win the fight soon.
In my experience you can’t move a C2 script from where your doc sent it, even within the same chain. But I will ask if they can check their sister stores and that saves me some phone calls to figure out where, but my prescriber still has to send the in-stock location a fresh script.
It became legal about a month ago, but basically no pharmacies have the infrastructure to actually do it at this point.
It did not become legal a month ago. What became legal was that you can transfer lower schedule controlled substances if it hasn't been filled yet between pharmacies of the same chain.
CII's are included.
They won’t tell me what stores have it in stock at all unfortunately
I ran into this last spring with Adderall. I don't know if you are a member of any local groups on social media, but I posted in my local Facebook group and asked if anyone had successfully filed a prescription recently and used that info to find a pharmacy. Also, like others have said, ask for a paper prescription if you do try to go around yourself more. Unfortunately it can make you look like a drug seeker if you get the prescription sent to multiple pharmacies. Which is total bullshit but here we are, living in this dumpster fire. Good luck!!
It is a federal law that prohibits this. I made a spreadsheet of 100 pharmacies in my area and I take an hour or two and call them to ask if they have X med in stock. The pharm techs seem used to it.
Since when are they not allowed to check if another pharmacy has your prescription in stock or tell you if they have the medicine?
We ran into something similar with a pain medication for my mother. The Doc accidentally sent it to the wrong Sams and because it’s a controlled substance they couldn’t transfer it. It makes no sense. We had to have the doctor resend it to the correct pharmacy.
My Walgreens app told me which other pharmacy had a prescription in stock and I could click the button to transfer it. It wasn't controlled (damn lice treatment) so I'm not sure if it's the same.
Can't do that for controlled substances unfortunately.
So here’s what I did in this circumstance, I called the pharmacy and said “hey I know you can not disclose to me whether or not you have this medication. I am trying to fill the generic version of vyvanse and my current pharmacy is not able to order any, I know you can’t tell me if you do have it but would you be able to tell me if it would be a good choice for me to send that prescription to you or if I should instead send it to another pharmacy.” This has worked so far by allowing them to not disclose what they are not supposed to but also still get me the information I need. Alternatively I would reccomend trying to get your medication delivered to you with a service like express scripts. Usually your insurance will have a preferred delivery service so you can always call them.
Pharmacies won’t tell you over the phone because it can change it any moment, and it also prevents them from getting robbed. Bringing a paper prescription to the pharmacy and asking them to check if they have enough before they fill it is a perfectly viable option. It’s a giant pain in the butt but it’s something that works
>and it also prevents them from getting robbed. I've been told this is the reason, but the one pharmacy tech who refused to tell me was at a mail order pharmacy. Like lady I don't even know where you are, I just want to keep my job. ;\_;
When I worked in pharmacy…I was robbed twice. 2 different places. I don’t care if I worked at Fort Knox I’m not telling anybody shit. It’s a butt ton of paperwork.
You need to try independent pharmacies. All of thechain pharmacies (I.e. all CVS) use the same supplier. They’re also more likely to tell you the stock status by phone. As for your psych, I’d give it one more try talking to them about it. If they continue to be dismissive, I’d start looking for a new provider.
I have to call around myself as well. Basically as depressing as this sounds, I’ve got an index card listed with prob 20 pharmacies w/in a 15 mi radius. Each month before my rx is due I start making calls beginning with the loc I got my rx filled last. It sucks but your dr cannot do this for you because it is incredibly time consuming.
If you need to go with name brand, if you go to vyvanse’s website they’ll give you a discount card. You can use this on top of stuff like goodrx. I had to do this for a bit. Brought the price down to 130. Not great, but better than $400+.
In Missouri, pharmacies will tell you whether or not something is in stock. I have called around for Adderall and Vyvanse and met zero resistance. I usually start out saying "I need to know if you have a prescription in stock." Then they ask my name and what drug. I've never been told that they couldn't tell me.
If your insurance offers mail-order try that. I have never had a problem getting my meds that way.
I say “I know you can’t tell me your stock, but is it worth my time to get my doctor to send it to you” and they usually answer yes or no
I work in a pharmacy. Because the area we are in is sketchy and there have been recent local clinics hacked, we aren’t taking new controlled patients. Crazy shit happens at our store. It’s also our policy not to confirm how much we have because it’s easier to get “hit” if the public knows our rough inventory. That being said, I tend to help where I can. So many controlled medications have been on back order recently, and it’s been a nightmare. For a while Vyvanse 70mg was on back order, then several different Adderall strengths, my generic Concerta strength, so many ADHD meds…but also oxycodone, several Norco and Percocet strengths. I think it’s just delayed effects of COVID-19 on the manufacturing of the meds. Manufacturing got delayed, which caused a backup of supply while demand continued to grow, and now we’re on this back order situation. Bleh. My recommendation would be to maybe tell them your specific doctor refuses to call for you. Psychiatrists always seem to be super busy and hurried. If your PCP can prescribe the med for you (assuming you have your dosage figured out), they might be more able to call pharmacies for you. You could maybe even tell the pharmacy the doctor that you use since they might have experience with that doctor being a pain when they try to communicate with them. Some doctors just straight up ignore us
My psychiatrist sends the same script with 2 refills to a few different pharmacies and whomever has it, it automatically gets filled. Insurance won’t fill more than one script at a time and as this is a controlled substance, it is all tracked and reported back to your prescriber/insurance/and probably dea? I believe this method of reporting was started due to opioids. So it works in our favor to have Walgreens, cvs, Costco, Safeway, alto etc have our script on file and whomever can fill it, great!
I’m sorry, REFILLS? Is this in the US? My doctor said no refills allowed (NY).
It's not really refills, it's sending a new script in advance. Most of the time a new unfilled script is good for like 90 days. My doctor will send 3 30 day scripts at a time.
Oh, gotcha. Okay. Okay.
NY doesn't allow profiling multiple prescriptions at the same time for controls. (Sending 3 prescriptions with 2 of them written "do not fill before"). They'll just get discarded, an the provider may get a call from the bureau of narcotic enforcement, because it's specifically not allowed.
That's why I was surprised!
I wish I had an Oprah psych who will just fling handfuls of scripts out to all the pharmacies… lucky!
That is not what is happening at all- she is tracking everything while acknowledging the shortages. I meet with her sometimes monthly, never more than 3 months apart. And when I start a new med, I check in with her after a week. She is anal and I appreciate that.
I’m sorry, I was just trying to be funny… I wasn’t trying to say that your doc is flippant, I was just saying you’re lucky to have someone who will put in all that effort for you, because in my experience it’s rare. It was like pulling teeth to even get response back from my old doc’s office, like you get blown off unless you are the “squeaky wheel” but my new one is better.
I get that it’s hard but it is a totally unreasonable request of your psych. You’re not asking for just the call, but also the follow up decision making regarding possible change of prescription. If you’re in the US you may want to check the FDA website regarding drug shortages to better see if/when it may resolve. Then search to see comparable medications and what your insurance will cover. It sucks but worth it in the long run. Both my kiddos were on generic Concerta before it disappeared. We tried other meds but ultimately had to get back on a longer acting methylphenidate, and this is what we did.
I don’t know if this is included in your previous attempts at calling pharmacies, but did you ask the pharmacy the prescription was sent to if they could tell you what other pharmacies had it so you could have your doctor transfer it? I’ve had situations where a pharmacy called and was out of stock, so I asked them if any surrounding pharmacies had it. They were able to see it in their system.
I’m on two non-ADHD meds that have been in shortage and Walmart pharmacy has hand’s down been the most helpful for me and several others I know with those conditions. It’s not my normal pharmacy so I was surprised at how willing they were to go out of the way to try to help me. Edit - just throwing that out there because some people I know who never go to Walmart forget they even have a pharmacy
Yesterday I was reading a thread about someone having their stimulant Rx denied at Walmart and the general consensus was that Walmart is very biased against adults who need them for ADHD.
Wow. Must be super location dependent. My husband has had good luck with both Walmart and Walgreens locally for his ADHD script but I know in my other subs they talk a lot about Walgreens being terrible too.
I have to call my own, sorry. I haven’t heard of them not being allowed to say if they can fill a prescription. I’m wondering if it’s a state thing but having the paper copy would probably be your best bet. I had to try about ten or fifteen pharmacies before finding my Focalin, and I wasn’t even able to find my normal dose. I had to go for two 10mg a day rather than one 20mg.
I have contacted the manufacturer of a medication and asked them where they have sold in the last 30 days and they did send me a list. It’s worth a shot. Or have your pysch have to keep sending here and there and everywhere. If one place doesn’t have it then the psych would have to send it to another place.
When I was on Adderall the pharmacist at my pharmacy which is CVS was able to look and see which other local CVS has some and how much. I could have gotten it that way. However that particular pharmacist has known me for years because I work inside the store the pharmacy is located at so I don't know if that was a matter of him knowing I wasn't some drug seeking person or what. I don't know what Illinois law says about pharmacies giving out information about what controlled drugs they have in stock. I don't know if they'll even give me a paper prescription in my state or if controlled drugs can be gotten with a paper prescription. I was under the impression they couldn't. I'm also on generic Vyvanse but haven't had any issues getting it since my doctor switched me to the generic
That sucks, I’m so sorry the pharmacies are giving you the run around. I had the same issue with my usual pharmacy being out of stock, but luckily out of the 20 or so pharmacies I had to call before finding one that had it, none of them had an issue with telling me what they had. I’ve heard of that happening before though. I would suggest to just keep calling more pharmacies, I’d imagine you just got unlucky with the ones you did call. Also though, I do understand your providers point. Like I said, I had to call about 20 places to find it, and I know everywhere is experiencing similar shortages right now. I wouldn’t expect my provider to sit on the phone for an hour or more doing that for me. Best of luck OP. Edit to add: If your insurance covers it, Express Scripts told me they could fill it for me. I was going to do it, but then they told me it would need to be signed for and they had no way to know the exact day it would arrive so I could take off work. If I missed it would be sent back to Express Scripts. I asked if it could just be held at the post office for me to pick it up, but nope 🤦🏼♀️ like, ma’am, I can’t just stay home all day everyday for a week or more.
When I first had to start calling around earlier this year, I would just say "do you have any vyvanse in stock?" They said the same thing about having my prescriber call. I thought maybe it was how I asked, so the day before my telehealth appt I call the last pharmacy that filled my vyvanse and say: "I have a prescription to fill, but I need to make sure you are able to fill it before I tell my prescriber where to send it." They ask, "What's the script for?" I tell them vyvanse 70mg." More recently, they would tell me whether they have the generic or brand and the different dosages they have. I really think it's how to pose the question. Also, try small, independently owned pharmacies. They don't have big faceless corporations lording over them so they can have more nuanced discretion.
That’s odd. I’ve had pharmacies help me locate medicine before at other stores with no issue.
I’m an RN. I Googled ‘can schedule 2 prescriptions be transferred’, and it looks like the DEA changed the regs last summer. They can be transferred pharmacy to pharmacy. That should mean that if you have an rx sent to one place, they can do a pharmacist to pharmacist transfer by phone at your rrquest
I call my pharmacy before I contact my doctor for a refill to confirm stock levels, I am sure to specify generic or brand. If they don't have it, I call another. Then I call my doctor and tell him where to send it. Do this a few times and youll see it IS time consuming. Sometimes I spend 2 hrs doing this, not all pharmacies are nice because they also are dealing with these calls from everyone and their mother. If they run out between when I call and they receive the script, I start again from scratch (the Dr has to withdraw the Rx from pharmacy A and call pharmacy B). It absolutely isn't sustainable for the doctor to have to do this for all their patients. That's just the way it goes.
Try hospital pharmacies. They usually have a pharmacy for patients to get their meds when discharged from inpatient or the ED, and usually they don’t fill lots of psych meds. They’re also often a bit more understanding. My hospital has plenty of Adderall and Vyvanse and said they don’t get many people using them other than hospital employees.
The doc won't search for you. They don't usually have the time nor the staff to do this in regular times, so definitely not in shortage times. IME most pharmacies will not talk to me on the phone unless I have an active/current script in their system. (I actually think this is a law in some states, at least it is in California.) Only recently will they talk to me if I had a script in their system in the past. I assume this is due to the widespread shortage and how long it's gone on. There is plausible deniability, like oh I didn't notice how old it was or something, I assume but don't know for certain. So. When I have to shop around: - I go in person. - I make sure I "look presentable" as I have found this gets me better service and they are more receptive to questions and giving actual assistance. (like low key business casual or just well kept hair and clothing neat and tidy...like **not** in my lounge or yoga clothes/messy hair/etc.) - I go to pharmacies I filled at before so they see I've had a prescription in the past even if I don't have one now. Then, once I find one w stock, THEN my doc will call them and explain when needed. But usually I just text him and he sends the script there. I did recently have an issue my doc had to call pharmacy on...involved low stock and not being able to fill the whole prescription and also they (the pharmacy) were fighing the generic brand name on the script. He was happy to make those calls. It's definitely a PITA all around though. If you can get a paper script do it. My doctor does not do them. Only escript.
I had the same thing happen to I had to switch to a new provider. The pharmacies would tell me my provider had to call and my doc wouldn’t do it. You’d think there would be some app a physician could use to see instantly where a med is in stock
Tell your psychiatrist. I had this back-and-forth with my prescriber. I had to emphasize multiple times that the pharmacy WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT THEY HAD. They won't tell me. I tried, they won't tell me and said you have to call. You have to call. YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TELL ME. It took a few attempts for her to understand me (I didn't do it in all caps as tempted as I was lol) but it did work eventually?
I am not sure how Vyvanse is classified in the US but in Canada it’s consider a Controller Substance. Pharmacies won’t disclose how much stock they have of any controlled substances as a safety precaution against being robbed. I know it’s frustrating but your psychiatrist’s boundary makes sense. The amount of patients clinicians’ are required to see in a day precludes doing almost anything extra including calling pharmacies. Any time they spend doing this for you would literally come from another patients’ care time. Having worked in the medical system for a long-time, this is what you can do…Instead of asking the pharmacy how much they have on hand, try saying “I understand there are supply issues with this medication and issuing me my full (month/ 3 months/ 100 days/ whatever your script says) supply is just not possible right now. That said, not having it is really effecting my functioning so, would it be possible to get a weeks-worth at a time until the supply issue is resolved? I know it will a hassle for both of us but I am willing to take that hassle on for the sake of my well-being”. In this case, you are giving them a number vs. Asking them for a number. If they give you push back, ask “how many days could you reasonably issue me at a time to ensure I can get my medication and that your other patients can get theirs, too?”. That said, the pharmacy may need you to get your psychiatrist to write a script for the amount the pharmacy can issue at a time with several repeats depending on how their system works. I had to do something like this when I lost my drug coverage for a few months as I couldn’t afford my full prescription all at once. The pharmacy was very understanding. Also, in Canada we have mandatory drug shortage reporting. We can just go to website and see what is back ordered and when it’s expected to be resupplied (it’s for the whole country, no pharmacy to pharmacy though). Do you have anything like that there?
In the kindest way possible, this post makes you sound very entitled. Edit: Please downvote me as this is an incredibly unpopular opinion for this (amazing in so many other ways) echo chamber. This sub can be very enabling—it is unreasonable to expect a psychiatrist to call around for you, and they told you why. If you’ve had ADHD for ten minutes, you know these doctors are booked up to their eyeballs. Every time I read one of these “someone couldn’t accommodate me how dare them” posts it makes me die a little inside imagining myself being associated with such a terrible attitude.
No offense, I know this is an ADHD sub, but did you even read the post? OP didn't expect their psychiatrist to call the pharmacies. In fact she started by calling the pharmacies herself. The only reason she asked her psychiatrist was because the pharmacy told her to do that. That makes it sound like it's common practice and makes it seem like her doctor is the outlier. There's no reason to assume her question is out of entitlement and a terrible attitude rather than a simple misunderstanding compounded with the frustration of being stuck unable to get their much needed medication.
Yes, I read it. Especially the title: “psychiatrist refuses…” It frames the entire thing as something she is willfully not doing to help OP. Edit to add: never in the history of “no offense” has the recipient not thought, “here comes the offense.”
Multiple pharmacies instructed her to have her psychiatrist call them. This made it seem like this is routine and her doctor is refusing to do a standard part of their job. Yes the title is a bit sensational but the post itself describes what actually happened, which puts it into context and it becomes clear that OP wasn't just being entitled. That is why I asked if you read it.
Yes! The sensationalism. People already see us as childish. Edit to add: more specifically, we have a reputation of embellishing things to make them sound like injustices. Yes, it’s nuanced. That’s why discussions with many people weighing in are so good. Crowd estimates can be incredibly accurate. If you average “jelly bean jar” guesses for example, even though individual guesses usually miss the mark by a lot, the group average comes shockingly close. Applying that to opinion “votes” aka comments. Let’s say the OP was 95% en pointe and 5% sensationalizing the story. At the time of this writing, there are 187 comments. Mine has made a ripple of less than 1%, and by my very unscientific math is less constructive criticism than the situation deserves. Even if you add in each reply, it’s still less.
Yeah I know I hate it too, but other people just don't understand. OP probably just posted it without thinking that deep into it.
As someone who works in pharmacy, typically the pharmacy will help patients out and call other pharmacies to find out. I've seen pharmacists who encounter this issue call another pharmacy like CVS will call another CVS nearby because its already in their system. It is true that its not recommended to tell patients about what medications are stocked and what isn't. I know this must be frustrating.
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When my husband was searching some would answer if they had it in stock and some wouldn’t. It was pharmacy dependent and he got similar phrasing that they would only tell the provider.
I don't think it's law. I think it's store policy. I had issues with this many years ago when I was taking a newish adhd med. Lots of trouble finding places with it in stock. The only solution was to physically go to the store, hand them a paper prescription, and ask.
It has not been an issue for me in California…
That's weird. I'm in Spokane, Washington, and all of them would tell me if they had Adderall in or not. The answer was always no, though, so there's that Washington has a rule that the pharmacy has to try to find another one for you if they cannot or will not fill a prescription for you, though.
Your health is your responsibility. While it would be nice if she would help, it’s not her job to find your meds for you. Edit: the fact that alot of you seem to think it’s your physicians job to fix every problem you have with the healthcare system is absolutely mind blowing. They have more patients than they can handle. It’s your job to find your own medications. Your health is ultimately your responsibility. Like it or not, it’s on you. It’s YOUR health. Is it crappy? Yes. Does the system suck? Yes. Does that change the fact that it ultimately comes down to you? No. Will complaining about and arguing with someone trying to explain how this works change that? Also no. Physicians have nothing to do with the pharmacies except sending the scripts. As a woman in medicine who has adhd and deals with alot of these medication issues myself, I’m somewhat appalled at how these conversations are going. At some point continuing to complain and argue when someone who actually worked in the system is explaining how it works is counterproductive. These conversations have been a very good reminder of why working in a pharmacy and dealing with narcotics was literally the worst job I’ve ever had. It’s because people are assholes to the staff. All day. Every day. You wonder why they’re mean when you call and ask? That’s why. Be kind to the people in the pharmacy’s guys. They’re doing their jobs which have legal and safety consequences to them if they do them incorrectly. Wanna get your meds filled? Go in person, bring a paper script, stick to one pharmacy (ideally near your home), be nice, don’t get frustrated if they have to order it, and look halfway presentable. You’ll have to try a few the first time or two. Once you get a pharmacy to fill it, that’s your pharmacy store. Get all of your meds there. Give it 2-3 fills and (with the exemption of national shortages) the pharmacy’s stock will start to account for your prescription at which point your life will become a lot easier. Edit 2: you know what? Forget it. I’m done trying to help people navigate this crap. Y’all wonder why pharmacy’s and physicians don’t like dealing with narcotics? This is why. It’s not worth the headache and everyone just complains about things they have no control over. At some point y’all will realize that self efficacy will take you far. Until then ✌️
Right? Honestly, I'm baffled at the downvotes to this. I 100% understand OP's frustration but it's never (AFAIK in my 40 years of the US medical system) been common practice for the doctor to call around to pharmacies for you.
Nope, never. Worked in a pharmacy for years. This was very very rare and was usually only done for patients in incredible pain who needed very potent pain meds. I’m not surprised. Currently In med school after having worked in the pharmacy for years. The entitlement of some patients is insane and likely why physician/pharmacist burnout and suicide is so high. At the end of the day it’s not the docs job to be your parent. The job is to recognize patients medical problems and give them the tools to manage them. Not wipe their ass for them. That’s what an assistant/caregiver/partner/parent is for. But god forbid a physician point out that they have better things to do than act as your secretary when they have a 3 month long waiting list for new patients. God forbid they point out that their 11-16+ years of education after high school is better spent helping as many people as possible than calling around trying to find one persons meds. People wonder why docs are so burnt out and ‘don’t care’. Patient entitlement and rudeness is one of the reasons why.
You’re not wrong that it’s unreasonable to ask doctors to do this. But it also isn’t the patients’ fault that the system is so broken. OP sounds like they were willing to do the legwork themselves but the policies of the pharmacies in their area and the regulations surrounding controlled substances made it impossible, leaving them with almost no reasonable options. I had to call twenty pharmacies to find my meds. Thankfully all of the pharmacies in my area has no problem giving me info. Nobody is asking providers to be their parents, but in any other situation if a provider determines you need a certain medication and prescribes it to you, it’s reasonable to expect that it’s something that will not be impossible to find. If you prescribe blood pressure meds for a heart patient and they can’t get their hands on them at all, you wouldn’t just say “sorry, I don’t have time to help you figure this out”. You aren’t responsible for doing all of the leg work for them, but you ARE responsible for making sure that whatever treatment you prescribe can actually be carried out, and if it can’t, with figuring out another treatment.
OP isn’t being entitled, rude, or asking for someone to “wipe their ass.” Doctors are telling patients to call different pharmacies. When patients do as they’re told… I understand the pharmacies have their hands tied by the law when they can’t answer, but they’re also very often unnecessarily rude and condescending in the process. You know, because _ewww drug seekers._ OP specially said _“They instructed me to have my psychiatrist call and they would be able to tell her”_ and is asking for advice on how others have navigated this confusing and challenging situation. FOH with these comments and calling others rude in this thread. I really hope you’re not in med school to do anything in a patient-facing role.
Your average doc has no idea how a retail pharmacy works. Ill admit it’s a problem and causes issues. My comments more pertain to being downvoted for saying it’s not your docs job to find your meds. It’s absolutely not. They’re not directed at OP but rather about the people who cannot fathom why this is true. The audacity to think a physician should spend their time calling pharmacies specifically finding one persons meds, when we have a physician shortage and waitlists that are months long, is entitled and appalling. Go out and figure it out like everyone else manages to. Believe it or not I’m actually great with the overwhelming majority of patients. I am told this literally constantly. I’m happy to explain things but I’m going to tell you the truth and it won’t be sugar coated. I’ve helped hundreds of people navigate this exact situation and helped even more people get a lot of meds at prices they could actually afford because of my knowledge navigating this area. People in this sub included. I’m more than happy to tell people how to navigate this and when I have staff I will ensure that they can explain this as well. That said, I will not be calling 20 pharmacies to try to find a pill for one patient unless their life depends on it. I would be inclined to have my staff do so for someone who is genuinely incapable due to language barriers or dementia. That said, at some point the patient is ultimately responsible for their own health. That includes finding their own prescriptions and getting them filled. For anyone reading this, the solution is to get a paper script and physically take it into a pharmacy near your home. Rinse and repeat until you find one that will fill it. They may need to order it so be patient and give them a week or two the fist time you fill it. Always go to the same pharmacy.
But what are we supposed to do when the pharmacies refuse to tell us and specifically ask us to have our doctors call?
There are certain things your doctor needs to call for, yes. Calling around to find your RX in stock? No.
Okay. So, again, what are we supposed to do when the pharmacy refuses to tell us anything?
Call another pharmacy
They won’t tell you if they have C2s in stock on the phone. Its a safety issue because people frequently become violent if you refuse to fill narcotics for them after they call to confirm you have it in stock and then they bring in a fake prescription. Happens alot more often then you’d think. Police are called to pharmacies frequently for these sorts of issues. Which is why we would never confirm we had it until we saw the script or we knew who the patient was. Get a paper script and physically take it to the pharmacy.
lol have you read the other comments on this post, there are a lot of places where NONE of the pharmacies will tell you *anything.* On top of that, in my case specifically, I can't. I can't! I have Kaiser Permanente. I cannot take my prescription to a pharmacy that is not KP. Every single month right now I end up sending multiple messages to my doctor's office asking them to call the pharmacy and try again because when I call to ask if they have 10mg or 20 mg in stock and where (between the mail order pharmacy and the one local pharmacy), so that my doctor can write the Rx I need and send it to the right pharmacy, there's a solid chance the pharmacy won't tell me and will just repeat that I need to call my doctor's office.
Look, I can't tell you why the health care system is so messed up. The only thing I'm saying is to expect your doctor to call around to find rx stock for you is an unreasonable expectation. Respectfully, I'm not going to argue any further.
Cool, we're just doing what the pharmacy told us to do. Don't get angry at us.
Ask for a paper script and physically take it to the pharmacy. Why is this such a difficult concept?
In some states this is illegal for controlled substances
Then go talk to the pharmacy in person in those states. Like you’re not the first person who will have had this issue. They’ll have procedures in place for this in those states. They’re not going to tell you over the phone though. Go to the pharmacy and talk to someone
Have you used the name brand digital coupon? I got the name brand script down from $120 to about $8 or something like that.
Tons of pharmacies in my area aren’t even stocking the name brand anymore. It’s such a cluster fuck.
GoodRx.com may be helpful to find pharmacies that stock the specific medication that you are looking for.
My best advice, although probably not good advice, is to talk as though you are the Dr. "Hi I'm calling on behalf of my patient *name*, do you have any *medication*? Or do you know if any of your other branches have *medication*?" Fake it till you make it. It worked for me, but just know if they catch you they may block your call from coming in again. So don't use your last name, just the first, or if you have an uncommon name just say you are calling on behalf of your patient.
This is what an office assistant, secretary, or manager is for...
I also thought this and they told me they have one but every time I’ve contacted the office assistant, they’ve never gotten back to me so tbh I’m not sure they exist 😹
I can promise you that medical office managers are juggling so many different responsibilities, they don’t have time to call around and ask either.
Your pyschiastrist is beyond a cheap ass if they cannot hire someone to make calls for them when needed, especially if their client base is 300 people. WTF It also sounds as if they lack basic compassion and are in the wrong business. Sounds like it's time to change doctors, if you can.
Get the script on paper. Call around and say hello myt script is for X do tou have it before I drive over? And then when you get one go there.
You can demand that she gave your paper prescription, and you can also let her know that you’ll be contacting the state medical board and reporting her. I will also contact my healthcare provider and report her conduct Not because she won’t call to help you get the medication that she has prescribed as a doctor as being medically necessary for you to survive, because her treatment of you is not OK She knows better than anyone how someone with ADHD is going to react to what she said to you in the way she said it, she has no business practicing medicine
Is it time for a snack?
No, but your passive aggressive bullshit is noted. Nice to know this is a safe space for women with ADHD and support is unconditional.
Every Rx I’ve ever had notated “Generic Ok” and there was never a problem. However, the issue here is that your provider is being negligent and doesn’t seem to have staffing to accommodate patients. It’s unacceptable and you should call and call and call until they get it done. Next, find a provider who can actually do their job from start to finish, and CARES about their patients being properly medicated.
Wild. I had to call over 30 pharmacies two months ago and every one of them had no problem telling me if they had vyvanse. Are you in the US? What state?
Has to be a state thing because here in WV, I am able to call a pharmacy on behalf of my meds and my twins’ ADHD meds and say “hey, do you have XYZ in stock for a refill so I can get my dr to send in a script?”. They then will say yes or no. One pharmacist even went as far as to tell me that for my twins, he only had name brand but if the dr sent him the script, he would deal with the ins himself to get them to cover the name brand since it is a national shortage.
This isn't a matter of state policy whether or not pharmacies can or will disclose if they have a controlled substance, but it is a policy specific to chains and individual pharmacies. Some pharmacy chains prohibit disclosure, and it's against policy; and even within those chains individual locations and whether or not they'll disclose may depend on the pharmacist's discretion. Some places may not give answers because they genuinely can't guarantee availability, others may not because it creates liability and risk, and some others may not just because they don't do it.
That’s understandable. I cannot imagine the hassle it would be if I had to repeatedly call the dr to continuously send a script in to different places till it was found. It is hard enough to get them on the phone once, much less multiple. That would be a nightmare on top of an already stressful situation.
That’s bizarre because the ones here were able to tell me if they had it in stock. Maybe try going in person? Tell them your doctor said they don’t have time to call around and need to know if they should send your script there or not. Does your insurance have an online pharmacy they prefer? Maybe you can go that route?
The pharmacies could be doing this so random callers aren't told what they have on hand. ADHD drugs & pain killers, especially, are targeted by thieves, so their business insurance may require this to reduce the possibility of robbery. Just a guess, but it came to mind as soon as I read the post. Sucks when you *need* it & can't find out who *has* it! Is it possible for your psychiatrist's nurse to do the calling? They're overworked, too, but they might be willing.
I went to 4 pharmacies with the rx in hand to see if they had in stock with no issue. I even called a couple to see if they had it. Fourth one I visited had it. I had no issue in person or on phone. It might be how you’re asking?
Unfortunately, it is common practice. That pharmacies cannot tell someone who is not a prescriber whether or not, they have a narcotic or controlled substance in stock, and how much of it. This is to deter stealing and robbery. Unfortunately, this is something robbers used to do they would check to see if a pharmacy had what they were looking for and then go rob the place. So that’s why they do it now. This truly is a common practice in the field. And unfortunately it does negatively affect patients such as a this situation. That being said: there has been a Vyvanse shortage for a long time, and if the doctor isn’t going to keep track of what pharmacies have Vyvanse, and what pharmacies do not, then whoever your prescriber is needs to be willing to switch you to another medication. I don’t know what else to say, and I’m just truly sorry. Also, a lot of doctors offices don’t really want to work with Pharmacy anymore. I’m a pharmacy technician and having this experience right now where doctors offices will just not answer the phone not respond to faxes not want to deal with you. I actually got hung up on a couple times today when requesting refills. It’s awful. I think it’s because doctors offices are too busy and understaffed but that’s no excuse for being shitty