This is a belated follow-up to a post from several months ago.

TL;DR: New restrictions on controlled medications require that patients use a pharmacy within a few miles of their prescribing physician, and my psychiatrist is two hours away. Many comrades suggested looking into online pharmacies.

Developments

I called three online pharmacies and inquired if they could fill controlled prescriptions. They all said yes!

However...

None take patients without health insurance! meow-tableflip

And so, my routine continues. I'm going to the pharmacy tomorrow. If I leave by 8 AM tomorrow I should be back in time for afternoon classes. yes-honey-left

My Refill Workflow

  1. Leave a voicemail with my physician's clinic requesting a refill

  2. Pharmacy never automatically fills it, so I have to follow up.

  3. Call pharmacy. Robot says

Hi. What can I do for you? :blob-no-thoughts:

I'm inquiring about my prescription's status. comrade-raccoon

Okay, I can help you with that! Please say or enter your prescription number. :blob-no-thoughts:

As a matter of fact, I don't have it because controlled substances cannot be refilled and thusly every dispensation requires a new, unique prescription number which I have literally no way of knowing until I receive it. :morshupls:

I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that. Please say or enter your prescription number. :blob-no-thoughts:

I don't have it. comrade-raccoon

What can I do for you? You can say things like: "what are the pharmacy hours", or "refill a prescription" :blob-no-thoughts:

Motherfucker, if you don't put me on the phone with a person RIGHT NOW I will crawl through this goddamn telephone wire and SHOVE your stupid-ass code through your interface! knifecat

Okay. I'll get you to someone. :blob-no-thoughts:

Hello, mister pharmacy tech, sir. Can I pick up my prescription tomorrow morning? comrade-raccoon

I don't see any prescriptions here... Wait! Oh, it looks like there is a problem with your prescriber's DEA number. capitaldcolon

Yeah, that sounds right. The very same thing the last five times, too. The head pharmacist should be able to straighten it up. comrade-raccoon

Okay. Check back this afternoon. feinberg-sicko

  1. Call pharmacy again for Follow-Up: Round Two. Repeat the locution with the bot to speak to a pharmacist who confirms it's ready.

  2. Drive a zillion miles and pick it up.

God Bless America amerikkka-clap

  • Chronicon [they/them]
    ·
    23 days ago

    one possible improvement: on most phone systems there's some way to bypass the automated system and get to a person without yelling at it, usually by spamming pound sign, zero, or star. annoying as it is I like doing that better than just failing to provide what it asks for until it gives up. I've only ever run into one or two I couldn't bypass that way tbqh (but I'm not on the phone that much)

    This is such fucking bullshit and makes me not want to get medicated :/ even though I have insurance

    • TankieTanuki [he/him]
      ·
      23 days ago

      I'm certain I've pressed 0 or 1 at least once and it replied "all right. Let me see if I can help you first..." It knows.

      • Chronicon [they/them]
        ·
        23 days ago

        yeah usually you have to spam it. I've seen sites say 4-5 times but I usually just press pound like 20 times lol

        • chickentendrils [any, comrade/them]
          ·
          23 days ago

          Yeah I just keep hitting 0/# when I'm confident the automated system will be useless. Very rarely fails.

          When I'm too lazy to do that, touching the jack on the 3.5mm cables to some old speakers I use together or against metal makes a popping sound that they detect on speakerphone but definitely don't try to do anything with and just sends me to an operator sometimes.

          • TankieTanuki [he/him]
            ·
            22 days ago

            A popping noise puts you directly through to an operator?