Getting A Supply of Your Meds

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   Please plan ahead to stockpile your meds.  They may be the most important item in your supplies.
1)  Ask the doc prescribing the meds to write an extra, separate scrip (a duplicate) when s/he is writing them out.  It would not work to get 'refills' added to a single prescription, because the pharmacy filling that scrip will only give you one refill per month, not two in one month.  
2)  Most likely your insurance plan will refuse to pay for more than one refill per month.  This does NOT mean you are not entitled by law to more than this if your doctor writes for it, just that you would have to pay for the extra scrip yourself.
3)  If your doc will not write an extra scrip, appeal to any other docs your family sees-- the pediatrician, the OB-gyn, the opthalmologist, psychiatrist, etc.  I've been asked to refill a few meds for patients to maintain medication continuity, when the person could not get them easily any other way.  Just ask them.
4)  If you have to pay out-of-pocket yourself, unfortunately the cost may be too much to bear.  Try costo, sam's club, and discount online pharmacies like drugstore.com.  Don't forget to try legitimate Canadian pharmacies, too.  (Link to  a list of verified canadian pharmacies: http://www.napra.org/docs/0/586/717/719.asp)
5)  Always ask your doc for samples of your meds every time you go in.  Name-brand, non-generic meds are the ones that drug reps bring to our offices weekly, not the generic ones.  (I use our supply almost exclusively for people who don't have insurance coverage for the meds, or who are in a financial pinch and can't afford the copay for their meds that month-- I work in an area with much poverty.)
6)   DON'T stop your meds on your own, or try a lower dosage, or take them every other day, etc. to stockpile some extra.  When faced with patients doing this (just tell your doc you're thinking of doing this) most doctors will find a way to help you out.
7)   Any extra meds you stockpile, remember to rotate them into your regular meds (rather than put them in a box with the cans and TP for a few years).  Rotate them according to the expiration dates.
Best wishes - cupcake mom

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CupcakeMom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 20 2006 Status: Offline Points: 140	Post Options Post Reply Quote CupcakeMom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Getting A Supply of Your Meds Posted: February 06 2006 at 7:30pm
	Please plan ahead to stockpile your meds. They may be the most important item in your supplies. 1) Ask the doc prescribing the meds to write an extra, separate scrip (a duplicate) when s/he is writing them out. It would not work to get 'refills' added to a single prescription, because the pharmacy filling that scrip will only give you one refill per month, not two in one month. 2) Most likely your insurance plan will refuse to pay for more than one refill per month. This does NOT mean you are not entitled by law to more than this if your doctor writes for it, just that you would have to pay for the extra scrip yourself. 3) If your doc will not write an extra scrip, appeal to any other docs your family sees-- the pediatrician, the OB-gyn, the opthalmologist, psychiatrist, etc. I've been asked to refill a few meds for patients to maintain medication continuity, when the person could not get them easily any other way. Just ask them. 4) If you have to pay out-of-pocket yourself, unfortunately the cost may be too much to bear. Try costo, sam's club, and discount online pharmacies like drugstore.com. Don't forget to try legitimate Canadian pharmacies, too. (Link to a list of verified canadian pharmacies: http://www.napra.org/docs/0/586/717/719.asp) 5) Always ask your doc for samples of your meds every time you go in. Name-brand, non-generic meds are the ones that drug reps bring to our offices weekly, not the generic ones. (I use our supply almost exclusively for people who don't have insurance coverage for the meds, or who are in a financial pinch and can't afford the copay for their meds that month-- I work in an area with much poverty.) 6) DON'T stop your meds on your own, or try a lower dosage, or take them every other day, etc. to stockpile some extra. When faced with patients doing this (just tell your doc you're thinking of doing this) most doctors will find a way to help you out. 7) Any extra meds you stockpile, remember to rotate them into your regular meds (rather than put them in a box with the cans and TP for a few years). Rotate them according to the expiration dates. Best wishes - cupcake mom

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 06 2006 at 8:04pm
	That was very nice of you to provide this guidance. You must be exhausted. Take care.

CupcakeMom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 20 2006 Status: Offline Points: 140	Post Options Post Reply Quote CupcakeMom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 07 2006 at 5:54pm
	thanks, Rick. You're a good guy

Thordawggy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: January 28 2006 Status: Offline Points: 107	Post Options Post Reply Quote Thordawggy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 09 2006 at 8:54pm
	I have an EXTRA 6 weeks prescriptions so far. Total is 8 weeks The first month, call in your prescription a week early, then again 3 weeks from that date etc. I think just about all health plans will let you get them a week early . You just keep doing that and after 4 months you have an extra months worth etc. Works well for me. Try it, it works! I use high blood pressure and cholesterol meds.

Trigger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: January 13 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 77	Post Options Post Reply Quote Trigger Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 10 2006 at 12:45pm
	What do you do if you do not have a prescription for antibiotics? My doctor won't give me one because I am not sick. I really don't want to use the Canadian pharmacies, I would be too afraid that I would pick a one that was not ligit even ifiti was on the okay list. Any thoughts?
	Trigger

Thordawggy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: January 28 2006 Status: Offline Points: 107	Post Options Post Reply Quote Thordawggy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 11 2006 at 11:22am
	Trigger - sorry about the anitibiotics. Other folks have purchased fish antibiotics on line. Check out the aquarium or pet sites. The pills are the same as the human ones. They are capsules that are normally opened into the tank. Same milligrams etc. Amoxicillan and several others.

CupcakeMom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 20 2006 Status: Offline Points: 140	Post Options Post Reply Quote CupcakeMom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 12 2006 at 8:09pm
	I am stymied on how to stockpile antibiotics if one of your docs won't write you a scrip. A good one to consider if you want to stockpile for bf would be zithromax. It comes in a pre-packaged dosage regimen (like Tamiflu does) called a Z-pack. It would help with the potential bacterial infections that could be superimposed on the bf lung damage. (I just hope the bacteria developing in all those cases of bf will not become resistant to antibiotics, too.)