b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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Hello,
During a consult today at New Horizons the doctor told me the maximum he could prescribe by law was 30 2mg tablets of generic lorazepam per month. This seemed odd since the OP I was previously at would prescribe 60 and or 90 per month, and if you go to the other OP website they still list 30,60. or 90 tablets. Was the Doctor at New Horizons correct in saying that he could only legally prescribe 30 tablets a month? Anybody really know the law? Thanks for any input.  b5t3
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b5t3
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difficult
Journeyman
Reged: 12/29/03
Posts: 74
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thats probably the max he would prescribe you.
just like he wont always RX #120 hydros
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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No. What this doctor told me was that was the max that could be legally prescribed by him to anyone. He told me that the reason DR IB***Z went "down" was becasue he was over prescribing, i.e. prescribing more than the legal limit of 30 tablets. He said the legal limit on 2mg tablets
of ativan (lorazepam) and xanax was 30. Is threr new law on the prescribing of benzodiazepines, or just specific ones? He said the legal limit for anyone was one 2mg tablet per day. b5t3
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b5t3
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zoecece
Board Addict
Reged: 05/03/02
Posts: 392
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Since when did DR I go "down"? Last I heard he was writing scripts like always. I'm curious because I got a call from his office last friday saying I was due for my consult.
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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ya know, I did not get this doctors name at New Horizons so until I get the medicine I won't be able to say who said what I've been reporting. But this Dr. definitely used the Phrase "that's why DR. IB***Z went down" . I really don't know what is happening, that is why I started this message thread, so we can learn from feedback. b5t3
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b5t3
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1178
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There is no law that a doctor cannot prescribe more than 30 tablets of lorazepam. I know who people who get 90 of them a month from local doctors and people who get the same from OP's.
OP doctors sometimes don't want to deal with the confrontation of telling you they will not prescribe as much as you want, so they simply tell you it's illegal- knowing that you don't know the law, and that this is a solid excuse for them.
Here's something to think about though- if you tell an OP doctor that 1 tablet a day is enough for you, that is all you are going to get. He definitely does not want to prescribe more than he "has" to. If you tell them what works, that's what they will prescribe. So if you told them that you had panic disorder and had been taking and still need 3 a day...
-yawkaw
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zeuzjuz
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/16/01
Posts: 1150
Loc: the milky way
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Yes, it is totally up to the doctors' discretion, how much, how many, of whatever, to prescribe.....
Most likely, for one reason or another, based on your medical records, the doctor felt that is all you needed.
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//zeuzjuz
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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yawkaw
that's what I did tell him, he said it was illegal. I;m beginning to think I got scammed. I was with NWW for the last 3 months and was getting 90 count a month but I got tired of the attitudes, so I went to New Horizons cause I just finished a pre-post surgery treatment of hydro with them. I liked them over NWW. But if this doc lied to me then something is wrong with that. I need to write either Celeste or Marsha in the morning cause this is just not right to be lied to by a doctor. I was thinking maybe because the authorities found so much stuff after the breakin that they (Woody, who handles New Horizons) wanted to just lay low with the scripts going out. Well they should have told me that. It will be interesting to see what they charge me for the 30 lorazepam. This is beginning to feel just not right. I've done everything to the letter, and then a doctor LIES to me about the LAW stating that he can't prescribe more than 30 2 mg tablets a month. This is wrong. I may request a cancel with full refund, cause they went way over the line this time, if it is true that more than 30 2mg can be dispensed at one time. b5t3
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b5t3
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zeuzjuz
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/16/01
Posts: 1150
Loc: the milky way
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Although you can't just expect a doc to prescribe a certain amount, that you have been prescribed in the past - they use their own judegement - I would have to agree with you b5t3 that it is not right, for a doctor to make up a law like that. 
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//zeuzjuz
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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I emailed a letter two days before the consult that detailed by dosage schedule, I stated it was not writen in stone and at timees I don't use the full amount. I listed about 4 current reasons, panic attack, job layofff in future most likely and I get real anxious with interviews, my moms dying of cancer, I have trouble being relaxed enough to sleep after working hard on a 2nd shift. I have not abused the script from NWW. I'm 52, I've been around. I just plain need help. My PCP pushes Paxil which exites me instead of calming me, I taper down once a month to half dosages for a while, I wanted to go from xanax to ativan to beat any tolerance issues. I mean, I consider my request valid. And this guy LIES to me. LIES to me and takes my money. Something wrong with that. I mean, doctors have ethics, they are not to LIE to the patient. They tell me like it is, not LIE. Something real wrong here.
b5t3
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b5t3
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lovepink
Goddess
Reged: 01/01/02
Posts: 1476
Loc: NYC Metro Area
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Quote:
He said the legal limit on 2mg tablets
of ativan (lorazepam) and xanax was 30. Is there a new law on the prescribing of benzodiazepines, or just specific ones?
I've known more than a handful of people who were scripted 90 2 mg. Xanax from local PCPs in the last month...I can't imagine the pharmacies filling them if the law had changed. This doctor probably just wants to keep a very low profile and ensure that his scripting patterns don't raise too many eyebrows with licensing boards given that he is in an occupation that carries a real risk of license loss.
JMO
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Lovepink
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Sky_Queen
Fly Girl
Reged: 12/03/02
Posts: 1957
Loc: Texas
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I think LP hit the nail on the head. I received 90 Xanax from NWW and Midland both (not at the same time of course.) I wonder if this is the same reason NWW won't prescribe more than 90 hydrocodone?? Not trying to get off topic, I'm just wondering why NWW won't prescribe more than 90? I require 120 a month, that's why I had to go to a different OP.
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1178
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bt53 and whoever else,
Just a FYI on this, maybe you already know it, but for the board's benefit I'll post it. An OP doctor isn't making a diagnosis, he is continuing the treatment of another doctor. That other doctor would have to have made you a diagnosis that warrants benzodiazepines.
Examples of conditions that get benzos are: panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, etc. With that said, a doctor doesn't absolutely have to use meds just for their FDA-approved conditions, it's at his discretion, but you can see why an OP doctor wants to keep as tight a ship as possible.
It is unethical to treat the stress of everyday life with a benzodiazepine in most cases. That's not my guideline, don't jump at me, it's a recommendation from the APA, the Surgeon General, and it's in the prescribing information for virtually all the benzodiazepines.
The stress you are going through may very well be Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or possibly even Acute Stress Disorder. But you would need to say you had a condition like that to get a large prescription for benzos.
Some OP doctors don't care, but you are much more likely to get what you want if you say you have an already-diagnosed anxiety disorder. Panic Disorder patients get daily benzodiazepine prescriptions (or they should, more accurately). It is not uncommon for a person with panic disorder to get a script for 3 2 mg Xanax per day. What disorder do your records have on them? I highly recommend getting diagnosed with panic disorder (since you do have panic attacks), if you haven't already- and get it on paper. Then you should have no problem getting what you want from the OP.
But some OP doctors are more liberal than others, you might have very well got 90 from another OP without better records.
-yawkaw
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difficult
Journeyman
Reged: 12/29/03
Posts: 74
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Quote:
I've known more than a handful of people who were scripted 90 2 mg. Xanax from local PCPs in the last month...
My PCP prescribes me #90 1mg Xanax each month.
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rla76
Member
Reged: 09/20/02
Posts: 156
Loc: San Francisco,CA
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My PCP prescribes me 60 (2MG)Ativan per month. I asked my pharmacist and he told me they have a limit, I think he said it was around 120 per month, but it depends on the prescription and the situation of the paitents needs. Everybody's deifferent. My Uncle gets 150 (1MG) Xanax per month, when I saw how much he was prescribed I was suprised, but everybody's body chemistry is different.
I think the doc was just being cautious... Next time you have your consult explain to him you need more than thirty. Take Care.
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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rla76,
there will not be a next time. I think most if not all responders sorta missed the point. Point was PCP prescribed xanax for two month, went to NWW and got a consult.sent records, NWW willing to prescribe xanax 2mg 90 count 3 refills, that course of treatment runs out about the time all the bad news about NWW fills the board, decide to goto New Horizons/Woody since they were fairly decent. Set up condult, New horizons has all records. Doctor calls, asks me to fill him in on details, I do. saay I been suFfering from some srtong anxiety problems, list the problems, job layoff, panic attacks during intrvies process, mom is dying of rare untreatable fast moving cancer, cant fall off to sleep to be able to get 5 to 6 hours anight,social phobia because I has severe cystic acne in 20's & half ot 30"S (52 NOW) The med chills me enough I can open up to people, make friends, instead of being hermit without it. Classic case, and it's all true. Doc LIES and says he can only prescribe 30 2mg ablets a month. Nothing about becasue of my deal, but becasue this was the LAW for EVERYONE. Classic case of unethical malpractice, failure to provide needed treatment. Toatally againt the oath he took to get the deree and licens. In my mind, a fraud. A scam. AndI hope he and New Horizons and Woody take the big dive to obscurity. A month ago I was high on this place, today they really do need to be shut down cause they are trying to bilk legitimate patients of hard earned funds by stretching out the scripts,
LIE to patients about prescribing laws, and generally playing us for suckers for the sole purpose of unearned, undeserved profits. Go ahead, try them, see what service you get. It will be fun for me when I here of the first person to get an illegal 90 count 2mg xanax sript.
b5t3
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b5t3
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1178
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b5t3,
Everyone understands what you are talking about. The doctor said there was a law against prescribing more than 30. He lied. Where is there confusion? It is clear to everyone the doctor lied to you, we are offering help for future consults and possible reasons why he might have lied to you.
You seem to have made up your mind in advance he was out to scam you. Why would he do that and lose a customer? He probably thought you didn't need to take 3 of them every day- I believe you when you say you do, but that's not what he thought.
Do your records have an actual diagnosis on them of some anxiety disorder that warrants 90 a month? It needs to be an actual condition, not just some personal problems written down by the doctor. Do they show you have been prescribed 90 in the past?
I would be mad about this too, but I'd move on and use another OP.
Doctors lie all the time. The OP docs don't want to get into an argument with you on the phone over why they won't give you what you want, so it's easier for him to say there's a law against it. Why he lied to you- we don't know why, we're just speculating- but it's NOT the law for everyone, he was just saying that. This is what we are trying to explain to you, possible reasons why he might have lied. No one is questioning the fact he really did say there was a law against it.
No one is saying your feelings aren't valid, we would all be mad too.
-yawkaw
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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-yawkaw ,
that's interesting becasue as I read the thread it seems that most everyone is saying that I misunderstood the doc and that he was just referring to prescribing to me. Funny how diferent people read it other ways. Oh, well. Thanks for the feedback, have a good day. b5t3
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b5t3
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lovepink
Goddess
Reged: 01/01/02
Posts: 1476
Loc: NYC Metro Area
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You're right in that different people read things different ways...I went back & reread the entire thread & to me, it seems every poster was validating your frustration at being lied to & confirming that your doctor was wrong.
Several other posters beside me were giving examples of people receiving way more than 30 of the benzos that your doctor claimed were unlawful to script in higher quantities to let you know that whatever this doctor's issues are, it has nothing to do with any new law.
I wish you better luck in the future.
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Lovepink
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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lovepink (nice handle{post name} btw),
I guess you are right, except for difficult and zeusjuz, everyone else seemed to smypathize with me. It was such a
strange, first time situation with that doc, I guess I wasn't tuned into what eveyone here was trying to say. My PCP & HMO steer me towards Paxil, but I won't take that. I just wish people, professsional or not, would just lay the truth out on th etable and let me decide, I guess most do, then the ones that don't just get under my skin. thanks.
b5t3
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b5t3
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b5t3
Enthusiast
Reged: 08/31/03
Posts: 201
Loc: Cocoa Beach, Florida
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the final chapter to this story was that Marsha said the individual I talked to was a foriegn PA who misunderstood the meanings of "illegal" and "unethical" , what the meassage was is that more than 30 xanax a month is unethical for me. New Horizons did not charge me for the consult and the script was sent , but returned, and the pharmacy agrees that once all details were checked I'd get a refund to the Credit card. It was an overall sad experience for me because I had high hopes in New Horizon/Woody, after NWW seemed to fall apart. But I think Woody is just going through a bad time. As for New Horizon, no complaints except that they seemed to turn into a medical ethics board as well as a online consult service, I can't see them being all that successful trying to be limiting benzo scripts to "ethical" amounts to customers, but that is their call. Everyone involved was fair to me. The foriegn PA supposedly is looking for a new job after learning the difference between "illegal" and "unethical"
That's all folks. b5t3
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b5t3
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