This is something I have always wondered and is pertinant now because I have two scripts from the same Doc for the same medication, only one Brandname and the other Generic. Obviously I am supposed to only fill one.

So, when you give a pharmacy the prescription piece of paper (Schedule II) the doctor writes for you, does the pharmacy send them back to the doctor after they are filled?

Basically, will the Doctor know if I fill both scripts?

Thanks Everyone!

Well if the same Doc gave them to you he knows that.

If you have triplicate scripts then SOMEONE is going to know. You could put one on hold and fill it later.

Thats actually a good question...Does the doc know if and when you fill one of their scripts?

It depends on your state and insurance.

Someone who works at a pharmacy would be able to answer your question. I don't believe that they send it back to the doctor. It is kept on file somewhere. Do not use insurance on one of the scripts and fill them in different pharmacy's.

tammy, that might not even help, depending on the state.

My state has a PMP, doesn't matter if you use insurance or a different pharmacy, it's on file.

I think triplicate states are even more strict. A person can google their states pharmacy board and find out all the info there.

You might be right on that Stacy. If the state has a PMP it would all go into a central data base. But I think that if you spaced them out, no one would come knocking at your door for filling 2 scripts. I doubt that it would send up the red flags. Now if you filled multiple scripts for the same thing 10-15 or more, then your taking a risk.

The only thing that might be ok is it is the same doc giving the scripts for the same meds, which doesn't make sense really.

There have been people that have had a script for a pain med and then got something like a cough med from a different doc and been busted for doctor shopping, even though they weren't doctor shopping and the meds were for different things.

You just never know, it depends on the state and the city in which it takes place, there are a lot of things that factor into it.

We don't have triplicates here, but reading just a bit from google about them, they were probably the first PMP, so someone gets the 3rd copy:



It would help to know why the doc wrote two scripts for the same med and gave both scripts to the patient. Seems odd for a doc to do. Once an urgent care doc had written a script for cough meds for me, something was wrong the way he wrote the script and they were waiting for the doc to call back. It was taking so long, I just took the script back and left. The doc didn't want to call in a script with me having a script in my hand, even though he knew it would be an issue getting it filled because of some way he had written it.

I have a fax machine and offered to write VOID on it and fax it to him. Once I did that, he called in the script.

So I'm kinda confused about the OP wondering if the doc will know if both scripts were filled if the doc wrote both of the scripts....

i am not familer with scedII meds but i am wonder is there a spot to say ok to fill with generic? maybe he wrote that incase there is no genreic version you can us the one for the brand? or brand is too expensive you know? and there wouldnt be an issue .. do sced II meds have to be dated for the day they are to be filled or can they like scdIII med be active for like what i think 6mths? you can always check script laws online for ur state.. to see where those trip script goes u know .. i dunno maybe i am rambling lol HTH

oh and def if you can get both filled .. only do one on insurance LOL .. cuz we all know insurance will be like NO!! u have exceeded your limit we dont care what you Doctor said or how bad u fill TOUGH Sh*t lol ... no soup for u sucka.. that is how i feel when i had insurance lol

Schedule II's are usually only good anywhere from 3 days to a week (in the two states I've lived in the last couple of years). I've heard a few people say they are good for a month in their states, but by no means are they good for 6 months ever. Schedule II's are so strictly regulated that when my doctor gave me my prescriptions each month he told me to fill them as soon as I left his office.

If the doctor wrote both prescriptions assuming that you would fill both and there's no hanky panky, then get one filled and give the other one to the pharmacy and they'll hold it until it's time to get it refilled. If you hold it yourself it will expire.

This is purely my experience so I don't know your state. But if your doctor wrote both and expected both to be filled, he wouldn't have a problem with you filling one and then letting the pharmacy hold the other. It could be that each prescription is supposed to last 2 weeks and maybe he thought it would be easier to do it this way? Honestly I don't know.

BUT...if you know it's all above board and he knows about both, don't worry about it. Have the pharmacy hold the other one and if they have any concerns when it comes time to fill it, they'll call the doctor to make sure.

Oh, and Lextech? There is a place where the doctor can sign to say "Only Name Brand" or "Generic substitutes allowed". Whichever area he signed he name over is what he wants. If he writes that generic is fine, insurance won't pay if you decide you want brand. That's why on a few occasions when certain generics didn't work for me he signed his name over the line that said "Name Brand Only -no substitutes".

are you saying you want to fill them both? dont take the chance.

I have never had problems with SCH 2 scripts expiring as long as they are filled within 6 months. That is the normal time for a prescription to be good

You are certainly taking a chance at filling both. The only think you have going for you is one is brand name and one is generic. If you fill the generic first, you can possible fill the second one and if asked tell the pharmacy that you had problems with the generic one. Again, it would help to know why the Dr. wrote the two scripts.

That's not true for all states. In some states you have 48 hours to 7 days from the date on the script. Now they are being able to predate Sch II's and if that's the case, then that is not a problem.

The person would need to ask a pharmacist how long before the Sch II needs to be filled to be sure.

In Oregon, which is a more liberal state - no triplicates, etc., a doc cannot post date a Sch II. No refills. If it were me, I would not risk it. It must be filled within a week. Must be picked up each and every time.

Once, when I was due for a procedure (oh, those procedures - aren't they fun), he gave me extra. But it was all in the same script. When I asked Dr Dave if he was OK with me getting an additional script for the procedure (from a different doc), he just gave it to me himself.

It could be - and this has happened to me - Dr Dave simply forgot what he had already written. I would always tell him. Hard to imagine a doc would write you 2. If your doc upped the dose, then you can get it filled early.

I'd call the doc. Tell him you have 2 scripts for the same med, same dosage, etc. You will best preserve your relationship that way. If a doc knows you are managing your meds, they are comfortable.

OK, done being bossy. Resorts, do I need another time out?

Rain,

I was thinking it was a Federal thing that was passed in the last year or so. To stop CP'ers from having to go back to the doc every month. You could get 3 scripts on your appt, two for future fills.

Let me see what I can find.

Here's the DEA info on it.

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/mult_rx_faq.htm#1

The Doctor wrote two different scripts because I am a cash patient and I told her money was an issue. She had a free 30 day supply for the Brand Name. If the Brand name wasnt available she wrote a second presciption for the generic brand for 7 day supply.

FWIW....

maryland is also liberal about this, no triple Rxes for schedule II, which i found out last year after dislocating my shoulder. dilaudid was written on the same pad i've had xanax written on.

but my dr. keeps online records for simplicity (uses a computer system for his records) - so there is an online database someone could pull if they wanted. in addition, i use a Rx card (obviously trackable) and my pharmacy does everything on line. so even though technically it can't be tracked without a lot of work...they could do it.

whether your state has laws about tracking is going to become irrelevant within the next 5 years, i'm guessing, because some sort of database will be available that can point to you. the technology is there and most major chains use it.

Stacy - thank you so much for the link. Eye opening info.

Sch IIs are a tricky business. But it is good to know the laws. My doc is good to me, but I must manage them or poof.

I just fell asleep on the pot. Maybe I should just go to bed, lol?

Happy Sunday.

wouldn't the doctor just write one prescription for brand name and then check the box that says "allow generic" or the equivalent of checking that box depending on the style of the paper?

every script I've ever gotten has been done this way.

I agree with Birdtruck, but I know that pharmacies hold onto the scripts they're given and put the info into a computer for all their branches. Usually, it seems that asking the same insurance company to pay more than once for the same med is the problem and causes red flags, but it's not the only red flag. Just your physician giving you a generic and a brand RX for the same prescription during the same timeframe makes it looks like your doctor keeps poor records, if any. That would be a Big Problemo for him.

Unless you live in one of the four states without an active and functioning PDMP, both RXs will go in a database and could be sent to your doctor after possibly triggering two RXs in same period of time. That is why they want you to fill it in time it would take to use meds as dispensed--if you get forty, up to four a day, and fill two during the ten days the scripts should be in use you would have a problem and your doc would most likely be notified. However, each state uses the program for different reasons and frankly, most double dipping via RX situations are caught by insurance companies and pharmacists. I know this is an old question, but there were a lot of inaccuracies stated. I am one of many who has been writing a proposed PDMP for a state, so am familiar at this point.

Yes in Illinois. After a certain time period not sure what it is. A year or 2. The pharmacy sends all scripts back to the originally prescribing dr. I have actually seen them in dr's offices. But didn't look at the date. He had stacks upon stacks upon stacks. Not sure how many years he is required to hold on to them either. Be advised this was before electronic monitoring.

I don't think docs get notifications every time a patient fills a prescription, so to answer that in a way no. if you fill them at the same pharmacy, the pharmacist would more than likely see something is up and prob let yer doc know.

like someone else said do um at two diff pharmacys. if it comes back to you, you can always say u lost the first script, someone stole your purse or some junk. i mean he did write you two scripts. if it came down to it if anyone would get in big trouble it would be your doc. i mean we're all too dumb to understand these advanced concepts of prescription drugs and all. i mean we need someone else to tell us if we can even take them or not. fill both lol.

Not worth the chance ... don't fill both

No they do not, they have to keep it on file in the pharmacy for two years.

Several years ago I had day surgery a Southern state. I asked the surgeon to give me pain script in advance because I live alone and had no one to fill it after I got home and shouldn't be driving (living in NYC is so much easier). He understood and was happy to give it to me. After the surgery, he must have forgotten and gave me another script for Percocet. A couple of days later I had that one filled as well at another pharmacy without incident. My insurance covered everything. To be fair this was about six years ago but it happened.

My daughter had a similar situation happen 2 times during about a 6 month period, she was seeing 2 doctors. The insurance company sent the doctors a list of what had been filled and when .... she got cut off by both doctors.

I just think ... why take a chance ... especially if you have a decent doctor.

Good Luck

Curious - if it were me, I'd simply call the doc. Tell him/her that you have 2 scripts for the same med.

One time, Dr Dave wrote me double the amount - a 2 month supply - which is not OK. I called and told him - he rewrote it. Sch IIs.

This builds trust with your doc. If you are being treated with pain meds - long term - you definitely do not want to do anything to "red flag" you. Do not sacrifice that relationship for an extra script. You'll be SOL. It pays to understand the "Rules".

It doesn't matter if it is brand or generic. It is the same med. The exception is a dose increase or a change of med.

Hope you made a good decision about this. And shopping around for different pharmacys will also eventually leave you high and dry. Stick with one.

OK, it's too early and I'm too wordy.

I think you should proceed under the premise the physician's office is knowledgeable. Forging scripts is a felony.