OB/GYN vent and ?

[gris gris]

It is just my Dh has been out of town for training and will be home tomorrow. He doesn't work a typical job that he is home every night. He is home maybe 3 nights a week.

Woo hoo - have fun tomorrow night!!! It sounds like you have everything straightened out and can relax with DH!

 

[mousey]

If it happens again, just let the pharmacist call the dr. office for the refill. My friend is a pharmacist and she says this kind of thing happens all the time. People don't realize they are on there last refill and its not a problem.

 

[arminnie]

Yeah, you should have planned ahead, but stuff happens. Your doctor's office should be responsive. It would be cause for me to switch doctors.

I am almost 60 so don't have to worry about the pill. But I did accidentally leave my meds at home recently when going out of town for a 3 week trip. I had packed them in a small ziplock which fell out of my suitcase.

I realized it the first night and called my doctor in the morning for an emergency 3 week supply. I take some pretty serious meds so it was NOT an option to just do without even for a few days.

Yes, it was totally my fault not the doctors, but that doesn't mean that I should have been placed in a life threatening situation. I called on a Friday, but believe me I would have been calling the emergency number had it been a weekend.

About 20 years ago I called my doctor because I was DEATHLY ill. He was out of town and his partner refused to see me - told me to take robitussin. I had double pneumonia and was having an allergic reaction to penicillin. I literally almost died. I was in the hospital (with another doctor) for over 2 weeks, and it was touch and go for awhile. Had I just waited I would have died.

Believe me I changed doctors. Yes - missing the pill is not necessarily a life-threatening event, but it would worry me that the doctor's office is not run very well and at some time it could be a very serious matter with dire consequences.

 

[Caradana]

You're going to change doctors because of it?

Here there are signs in my doctor's office lobby, waiting room AND in each exam room telling people to give the doctor/staff AT LEAST TWO WEEK's NOTICE when they need new prescriptions/refills. It's not the doctor's responsibility, or the staff's, to keep track of patient prescriptions. It is the patient's responsibility.

If I remember right, I believe that this poster has a religious objection to birth control.

In any case, if it happens again and you're on Ortho-Tri, please PM me and I will fedex you a pack. I get occasional samples from my incredibly amazing GP, and I've switched to the Nuvaring (ask your doctor about it - I LOVE IT - it's the most convenient medical decision I've made in a long time).

Also, ladies, ask your doctor to write you a pre-scrip for Plan B (the morning-after pill). This drug should be over-the-counter, and the fact that it is not is a triumph of politics over medical science. It will be reversed in time, but in the meanwhile, consider following the AMA's advice and having the drug on hand in case you or a friend should ever need it (god forbid). Read more about this here: http://www.arhp.org/healthcareproviders/resources/ecresources/ecotcsummary.cfm

 

[ohiominnie]

Our hospital is nick named the "band-aid station" becuase that is all it is good for. The hopital isn't that great.

I see you live in Ohio. Probably close to me. B/c that's all our hospital is good for also! We are always seeing Med-flight out over our backyard going to our little hospital to evacuate someone to a REAL hospital. We are directly on their flightpath and it's pretty obvious when they go over!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If I remember right, I believe that this poster has a religious objection to birth control.

This isn't a case of objections over birth control. Someone forgot. They want a rush script filled. They are stuck to the doctor's timetable.

Unless for an illness or injury--it is nothing more than poor planning and poor planning does not constitute an emergency.

I'm very very curious as to why this isn't a simple case of a refill. Did the OP change pharmacies as well as docs?

The one time I did take BCP--I had a 3 months supply complimentary as they were samples from the office and then a script in hand to refill (opted not to for personal as wel as religious reasons).

So I am lost on why OP didn't have a refillable script.

ETA: fellow posters have explained this for me. so I understand now.

 

[LadyyRedd]

So I am lost on why OP didn't have a refillable script.

My guess is that because the OP said she was on her last pack and had her appt scheduled for next week, that she had already filled her last refill in that precription. My dr only writes them for 1 year at a time and when I go for my yearly, I get my new precription. I've miscalculated when my appt should be, in the past, and have had to call to get an extra refill called in. If my dr's office told me it wouldn't be a problem and by the end of the day, it hadn't been done and I hadn't been notified, I absolutely would have a problem with that.

Kimya

 

[dcgrumpy]

So I am lost on why OP didn't have a refillable script.

They're not refillable forever. I've had 6 month or 12 month prescriptions depending on the doctor. After that you have to get a new prescription.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My guess is that because the OP said she was on her last pack and had her appt scheduled for next week, that she had already filled her last refill in that precription. My dr only writes them for 1 year at a time and when I go for my yearly, I get my new precription. I've miscalculated when my appt should be, in the past, and have had to call to get an extra refill called in. If my dr's office told me it wouldn't be a problem and by the end of the day, it hadn't been done and I hadn't been notified, I absolutely would have a problem with that.

Kimya

That makes sense. I never made it that far for it to be an issue.

At my present pharmacy--attached to my doctors office--we can do automated refills and if a script isn't refillable and you need one, they will consult with DOC--and you can leave a voice message attached to your request explaining the circumstances. I had a refill of a medication this way. However, they have a 3-day window on when to fill that.

Also with both my gp and my midwife--when you leave messages they actually have a message that says msgs left after 3pm will be returned the next business day. So if they didn't return the call--that would be a poor business practice. And docs out of office have someone to back them up and take over their cases in their absence.

Rereading the OP since she called last week (with I would think plenty of notice on a refill even though doc was on vacation)---I don't know what else she could have done as that was maybe roughly 10 days prior to the end of her pack. It would be reasonable to expect something to happen. And it isn't like her doc communicated that he/she would be on vacation.

I could see that as a valid issue against the ob/gyn.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They're not refillable forever. I've had 6 month or 12 month prescriptions depending on the doctor. After that you have to get a new prescription.

Didn't know OP's timeline and what she meant by "running out" (in my head she had one pack and that was it). Nor did I know the refill protocol.

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[LadyyRedd]

At my present pharmacy--attached to my doctors office--we can do automated refills and if a script isn't refillable and you need one, they will consult with DOC--and you can leave a voice message attached to your request explaining the circumstances. I had a refill of a medication this way. However, they have a 3-day window on when to fill that.

We have that at my pharmacy too, but my doctor won't call in a refill (for birth control) unless you have your appt already scheduled, if it's time for it. And since they write them out for a year, (well, 13 months), you should be covered from appt to appt. But like I said, I've miscalculated before (such as thinking I had one more pack when I was really on my last one) and my appt wasn't soon enough that I've had to have the doctor call it in.

Kimya

 

[jodifla]

I'd absolutely change doctors over this kind of thing. It's not rocket science to refill a prescription, and they should have a nurse to handle this.

What's absurd is the fact you feel you need to attack every post I make.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

jodi--you just quoted yourself. Did you mean to do that?

 

[jodifla]

That's absurd.

What's absurd is the fact you have to attack every post I make, even though others are saying exactly the same thing, and you don't attack them.

And thanks, Lisa Loves Pooh, for pointing out my posting mistake.

I've had it happen before that my annual appointment didn't match the ending of my prescription. Any doctor with any professionalism should be able to have a system set up to get a prescription refilled by the end of the day, end of story, especially a bridge prescription meant to tide you over on BCP. Any OB/GYN doctor doesn't IMO doesn't care about women's health, shouldn't be in the business, and won't get my business.

 

[Galahad]

What's absurd is the fact you have to attack every post I make, even though others are saying exactly the same thing, and you don't attack them.

And thanks, Lisa Loves Pooh, for pointing out my posting mistake.

I've had it happen before that my annual appointment didn't match the ending of my prescription. Any doctor with any professionalism should be able to have a system set up to get a prescription refilled by the end of the day, end of story, especially a bridge prescription meant to tide you over on BCP. Any OB/GYN doctor doesn't IMO doesn't care about women's health, shouldn't be in the business, and won't get my business.

I'm not attacking you, I just think leaving a doctor over your own mistake is absurd. There is no indication the the BCP were for anything other than contraception so it isn't really a health issue or emergency. If a man ran out of his Viagra before his big weekend with his wife and the doctor couldn't re-order the script in time and the man were honked off at the doctor for it it would be equally absurd. I don't think YOU are absurd, just the idea of leaving a doctor over this.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I'd absolutely change doctors over this kind of thing. It's not rocket science to refill a prescription, and they should have a nurse to handle this.

It's also not rocket science to keep an eye on your meds and make sure you aren't going to run out.

 

[jodifla]

It's also not rocket science to keep an eye on your meds and make sure you aren't going to run out.

Yes, but things happen. And it's not rocket science for a doctor's office to refill a prescription in a timely manner. If it is, then they are in the wrong business.

And contraception is an important part of women's health, and shouldn't be taken lightly or ignored by a doctor.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

And contraception is an important part of women's health, and shouldn't be taken lightly or ignored by a doctor.

I agree. I am on the pill for hormonal reasons. If I were to run out and not have any pills at all, you would not want to be around me. The pill helps me have a normal period and makes me feel normal. If I screwed up and ran out I would be willing to deal with the consequences.

 

[MScott1851]

Still, there are circumstances beyond your control sometimes that prevent you from getting the meds you need, when you need them.

I've only been to my new Ob/Gyn twice in two years...not enough time for me to get cozy with the staff or him at all. I ran out of my patch the last two years before my annual appointment. He would write me 12 refills, I would use them, and inevitably run out two or three weeks prior to my next visit, and my insurance will only let me schedule one checkup per calendar year, and they are very strict. When I called him to get a refill, the staff won't call in an extension, and they told me to make an appointment to come in. But I CAN'T...or I have to pay OOP.

Not to mention me wanting extra patches to postpone my period for vacations and special occasions...I've been scrounging patch prescriptions and free samples from every doctor I work with.

I can imagine what an inconvenience it must be for someone who doesn't have easy access to doctors willing to write prescriptions...

Hugs to the OP...and just snuggle this week. (I personally think you'll be okay if you start your BCP today. I forget my BCP on Sunday all the time...in fact I put my new patch on just now when I read this. But that's not sound medical advice...my luck you'll follow it and end up pregnant. )

 

[ntburns22]

My guess is that because the OP said she was on her last pack and had her appt scheduled for next week, that she had already filled her last refill in that precription. My dr only writes them for 1 year at a time and when I go for my yearly, I get my new precription. I've miscalculated when my appt should be, in the past, and have had to call to get an extra refill called in. If my dr's office told me it wouldn't be a problem and by the end of the day, it hadn't been done and I hadn't been notified, I absolutely would have a problem with that.

Kimya

This is exactly what happened to me.