Severe Pain and Snafu.

[Not Heidi]

My wife suffers with chronic debilitating pain. She received the diagnosis of degenerative disk disease in 2004. It's worst in her lower back and her neck, but her spine is shot through with the disease.

Alice (not really her name) had her monthly pain doctor appointment today. Everyone she sees at this clinic - one of the two doctors or the nurse practitioner - is compassionate, thorough, and, obviously, dedicated to FDA law. (Re: the latter, Alice wouldn't have it any other way.)

Hours after Alice's appt, the rx isn't ready. I called the pharmacy half an hour ago to inquire about the holdup: the pharmacy's app states "Delayed - Reviewing Prescription." I spoke with the pharmacist. The reason for the delay is twofold: The first reason: Since Alice is a new patient to this pharmacy (we recently switched pharmacies), they must collect her records from the clinic so they have proof that they filled the rx legitimately. The second reason: They're out of the drug, and won't have it in stock until Monday.

My task for tomorrow is to call the clinic to ask them, please, to pull the rx from the new pharmacy and send it to our old pharmacy.

Alice has but two pills left. Don't judge. She was delayed in getting an earlier appt. That's what has her down to her last two pills - she's really had to stretch out her rx. So tonight before bed, she takes one, and she takes the other in the morning. We cross our fingers and toes, that the old pharmacy is on the ball for once and gets it done quickly.

Thank you for listening to my rant. Comments are welcome.

Also, in case you're wondering, SNAFU is indeed an acronym:
Situation
Normal:
All
Fucked
Up.

[Attilatheblond]

1. Fully understand the pain from chronic spinal problems

and fully appreciate that medication snafus can make life worse than usual. Hope things get sorted tomorrow and her Rx is refilled.

I can't tolerate most heavy pain meds, so experimenting with pot... late in life. Just tried a new type of gummy. Hoping sleep will be possible for me and your dear wife this evening.

[askyagerz]

7. Have you ever tried RSO?

I make it for several people I know with my trimmings from harvest. It really helps them with pain and sleep

[Not Heidi]

15. Hi, askyagerz

No. What is RSO?

[askyagerz]

23. Hello 👋

RSO is a full spectrum extract that pulls all of the cannaboids out of the material.
Most extracts are made with 20 second pulls and RSO is made by using a 20 minute soak. The extra cannaboids really can help with pain and sleep.
A lot of your gummies just use distilate which is pure thc so they aren't that good for pain. Then a lot say they are full spectrum but not even close.
Are you buying from a dispensery?

[DET]

25. Can You Recommend Something?

My husband’s lower spine has pretty much collapsed, complicated by cancer mets that have fortunately mostly gone away (at least for now) with treatment. He’s in a lot of pain, but I don’t know how to help him, especially since he is reluctant to take even OTC pain meds. Is there a brand name product that you recommend? If not, is there some formulation that I can request from a dispensary? He just wants some relief from the pain, not to get high. Thanks for any help that you can provide.

[askyagerz]

26. Is there a certain dispensery you go to?

I can jump on their website and see what they have.

[DET]

28. Thanks

Actually, I’m not sure how a dispensary is defined, especially since we’ve never used these products. But there is a place near us in Fairfax, VA called SUNMED (‘Your CBD Store’). They appear to be nationwide with individual franchises. I don’t have the faintest idea how to evaluate their products, so any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

[askyagerz]

30. If youre in Fairfax

The closest actual dispensery will be in D.C. Is that too far for you to travel?

[DET]

31. Unfortunately, yes

My husband used to live in DC when he was much younger and I used to work there, but the trek from western Fairfax to DC is a real pain now (so to speak), especially at our age.

[askyagerz]

32. Im in Oregon

But if he needs medicine I know how to get it to him safely

[DET]

33. I Appreciate That

But I’d only feel comfortable getting it locally. Thanks anyway.

[Not Heidi]

9. Thank you Atilla

I appreciate your reply and your good wishes.

Were you able to sleep last night?

Great user name 😃

[Attilatheblond]

12. Slept some, but the new gummy wasn't as effective

I live by various adaptive approaches, probably like what happens in your household. Chronic pain and spine trouble is a nuisancefor sure. Give your fair lady a hug from me.

[Not Heidi]

16. Thanks, Attilla. *hug* n/t

[Jersey Devil]

2. Did you tell the pharmacy you were down to two pills?

We had a similar situation a few times and the pharmacy we use filled the subscription with a limited amount of pills while everything was being straightened out.

[Not Heidi]

10. Yes . . .

. . . and that's when she told me they were out of stock.

It'll be straightened out tomorrow.

[marybourg]

3. I was told by my pharmacist that he could transfer a Rx to his pharmacy

by simply making a call to the pharmacy currently in control of the Rx. Call the old pharmacist and see if that is true in your state.

[Not Heidi]

17. Hi, Mary,

Was your pharmacist talking about opioids? I did ask my pharmacist, and learned that pharmacies can't transfer opioid RXs in California.

[marybourg]

18. No, mine was not an opioid.

[Jmb 4 Harris-Walz]

4. Yup, you should be able to call any pharmacy to check availability. If in stock, tell them what pharmacy

currently has the pharmacy on file and that you need it immediately.

[Jmb 4 Harris-Walz]

5. Were you in the military?

SNAFU reminds me of the acronym

FUBAR which is a situation so damaged or out of control that it is
"fucked up beyond all recognition," or
"fucked up beyond all repair."

[Skittles]

11. yup

we used FUBAR a lot in the IT field too

[Not Heidi]

13. No, no military.

I used to run recreational softball leagues. You'd be amazed at what I picked up.

[CloudWatcher]

6. Find the right pharmacy ...

I found it shocking just how consistently rude, stubborn and insulting some pharmacies could be. It's important to find a small, professional pharmacy that will get to know you and not treat you like a criminal when you come in to get your meds. I hope your new pharmacy issues are just a one-time thing, but I'd give them two-strikes (out of three) at this point and be looking for someplace better. Good luck!

[slightlv]

8. I was gaving the same issue with CVS

About my pain meds. I never have enough pills to make it the full eom. I'm always a day or two behind. If only yhllthey went back to the old script of 1 or 2 every four hours. Unfortunately my pain has come back b4 the six hours they give me now.

Im sorry your wife has to go thru this. It's a hot button issue with me that so many of us chronic pain sufferers are sacrificed on the altar of not getting addicted... or somehow staving off someone else's addiction. We're being punished for others misdeeds, IMO.l

Sending energy of strength to her on this Hallows Eve. And thank you for being so kind to her about this. My DH is the same way.

[Dave says]

14. I have a buprenorphine patch. It helps a lot.

I also have pain pills to use with breakthrough pain (cancer). They're necessary, too, but a 30 day prescription can last me 4 months. Palliative care has been very helpful. You might want to try the patch, too.

[Not Heidi]

21. Hi, Dave says

I'm very sorry to hear of your illness and your pain. I'm glad you have the patch *and* breakthrough meds,* too.

I've never heard of the buprenorphine patch. I just discussed it with Alice; she said she'd ask the doc about it if she can remember. I told her *I'd* remember.


* May I know what drug your pain pills are? I'm just curious. Or nosy. Pick a word. 😜

[Not Heidi]

19. Thank you, slightlv

I'm sorry you have to deal with this BS, too. I'm sorry you have such pain. *hugs*

Someone on another forum said that it is god's will that my Alice suffers so. That person also informed me - completely without compassion - that my wife will be fine. That person has never heard of suicide as a way out. S/he didn't reply to me when I asked if s/he had imagined that some chronic sufferers might think about making a plan.

(My wife has never and will never give suicide a thought.)

[slightlv]

29. I will admit there have been times

when I've done some fantasizing. Not that I'd go through with it, but just the idea of no pain, and no more hassles in trying to deal with it any longer is so appealing. And then one of my cats climbs up on my lap, purrs and gives me a head boop... and I can't imagine not experiencing that again.

[Jacson6]

20. Do not do any pharmacy shopping, if these are opioids.

Pharmacies have paid $100M+ plus for allowing pharmacy shopping for opioids. A word to the wise. They will deny it.

[Not Heidi]

22. I wouldn't. :-)

Thanks for the tip.

[Jacson6]

24. I used to live in Oregon.

They had all kind of opioids abuse and they set up a database to track prescriptions. I knew legitimate pain suffers that couldn't get their prescriptions any where. It is a real problem. Good Luck.

[Doodley]

27. There's an on/off hydro and oxycodeine shortage. We had trouble filling my wife's last prescription last week and had

to go to several pharmacies to find one with enough stock. I recommend getting a paper prescription so you always have the option of trying other pharmacies. Some will tell you if they have it in stock if you call, but in our experience most have a policy not to because they fear being raided. We have had several situations this year, especially in the spring, of having to drive to many pharmacies to find it in stock.

[mucholderthandirt]

34. No judgement from me. I'm in constant pain, it wears you out.

One of my sisters has fibro, probably loads of other things, and she got limited in what she could get, and how much. She suffers every day.

My mother is too old now to get her other knee replaced, but her doctor gets her shots and pretty much all the Tramadol she wants. She's 85, though, and the issues of being addicted aren't that worrisome, apparently.

We need better ways to handle chronic pain without just handing out pills left and right. Not everyone who's hurting is out for the pills. There has to be a better way.

[Not Heidi]

37. You're so right, mucholder

"We need better ways to handle chronic pain without just handing out pills left and right. Not everyone who's hurting is out for the pills. There has to be a better way."

Someone's got to come up with several better ways.

My best wishes to your mother and to you.

[EarthFirst]

35. It sounds as though your SO and mine suffer from very similar issues...

My wife (45) has been declining in mobility since her late 30’s from a host of degenerative and fused disc issues.

She too; is also on Rx that without; immobilizes her for days on end; often she will find it necessary to re-medicate causing a disparity in her meds towards the end of the month.

I worry about her health tremendously; no good can come from a decade of palliative Rx use. She has participated in three clinical trials through the U of R over the years to no avail…

I too know the race to the pharmacy to ensure that she has the ability to rest comfortably; only for an administrative error to cause disappointment; discomfort and tears.

I wish that there were cannabinoid options for her to explore; however due to the nature of her Rx she is subject to random screening that would impact the future of her current medications that would cause major traumatic withdrawal shock…sigh.

We need to do better in this regard…

Best of luck to your wife; I know it isn’t much; however she isn’t alone and my wife believes that the clinical trials may one day bring treatment options to individuals such as your wife.

[Not Heidi]

36. Thank you, EarthFirst

I'm very sorry to hear of your young wife's suffering. Alice is 72, and with that we've never really been surprised by her diagnoses.

But the 30s is so very young to have to realize that your body's begun to fail you. And so young to begin to rely on narcotics. And to have to make it through - among so many other hardships - the end-of-month shortage in meds - we know how excruciating that is. I'm so sorry for all the suffering your wife must endure.

"We need to do better in this regard…" - truer words were never spoken. I fear - no, I despair - that no progress will be made in health care or pharmaceutical research in the next four years.

I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong.

All the best to your dear wife and to you, EarthFirst.