# Refills are due BUT ! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826 "2016-07-25T01:49:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826/21 "2016-08-05T01:22:07Z")
You might want to find a new doctor. Running out of those kinds of meds WILL create a medical emergency and you’d think any doctor would know that and would figure out some way to fit you in even if it’s just a one-minute look at you and hand you the scrip. Methadone withdrawal is nasty and withdrawal from some kinds of anti-anxiety meds can result in life-threatening seizures. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826/22 "2016-08-06T20:56:54Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > There’s a big difference between how blood pressure medicine prescriptions and opoid pain relievers are handled by pharmacists and prescribing doctors. > > If you are on a maintenance prescription of regular pain relievers then you have a problem. One that should seek an alternate solution than continued prescriptions. Part 1 is true. Part 2? Guess what, lots of people have legitimate chronic pain problems and are on continuous pain killers and take their medications as prescribed for pain relief. THEY are not the reason there are such strict regulations on narcotics. I’d love to hear your “alternate solutions” (not really) for pain relief. I’ve heard them all and until you’re suffering chronic pain, I’d suggest sticking them in your ear and watch your judgements. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826/23 "2016-08-06T20:58:32Z")
> [@Khearts19](#): > > So my husband is on methadone for pain, a anti anxiety medication, blood pressure meds. They were all do dor refills on July 23rd but the office staff has said the only appt they have is on the 27th. I have called and begges them to see him earlier and they keep saying there’s nothing they can do. Going off a pain medication and anti anxiety meds cold turkey for a week can not be healthy. He is feeling absolutely horrible right now because he is so scared and anxious about having another heart attack. How can i get it through to the secretary at his Drs office that he needs a Dr appt earlier??? I just can’t see how this is acceptable. I even asked if he could go to the ER (yhe hospital owns the Dr office) to see if they could maybe let the ER Dr whats going on so maybe they could get him a script to make it to his appt. Keep in mind he isnt trying to get meds early, i just can’t see why they cant make an appt, it takes maybe 20 mins to see the Dr and have him write on a piece of paper. What do I do?? Have him call in the morning and beg for an appt AGAIN?? Going that long off meds with a heart condition just seems beyond unsafe… Pls help! To address the OP: If this happens again, I would suggest calling/stopping in and asking for a 5 day Rx for the prescriptions he needs- that way they know he will keep his appointment and he won’t be without. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826/24 "2016-08-06T21:43:22Z")
Not all narcotic painkillers require a new written script every month. I believe Class IV controlled substances aren’t under this requirement. My Tramadol prescription (Tramadol is Class IV) is just phoned in from the doctor’s office. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826/25 "2016-08-06T23:35:36Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Not all narcotic painkillers require a new written script every month. I believe Class IV controlled substances aren’t under this requirement. My Tramadol prescription (Tramadol is Class IV) is just phoned in from the doctor’s office. Tramadol is relatively easy to get, and you might be able to talk a doctor into an over the phone transitional script for it. (My dog takes it 🙂 My dog also takes Keppra - so our human pharmacy has several prescriptions for my dog) When we ran out of my daughters ADHD meds, the clinic sent in a prescription for two weeks - provided we had an appointment in that time period. Her doctor also does the “write three prescriptions” and I’d lost count of the months. Anti anxiety meds are another one that’s tough to get - my doctor hands them to me FIVE AT A TIME - and expects the five to last all month - or longer. But she’ll give me all the Vistaril I want (ok, I’m exaggerating), so that may be a good transitional prescription. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refills-are-due-but/760826.md?page=1)