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hottiefromky
Member
Reged: 05/29/03
Posts: 149
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Ive been using OPs for a few months now and have had no problems but sometimes I get this overwhelming scared feeling like someone will come knocking on my door arresting me. I order hydro and Xanax, which is a Schedule III, and I think the govt is more concerned with the stronger narcs, like the Sch IIs, etc, but am I the only one with this overwhelmingly scared feeling every time I place an order? Just curious
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rex
Enthusiast
Reged: 01/29/03
Posts: 219
Loc: U.S.
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I have a job that does not permit me to get in trouble with the law (i.e. if I got arrested, I might lose my job, and it is way too good of a job to lose - not trying to brag, just describing my scenario  ). I am being somewhat vague to retain some anonymity.
Anyway, I use an OP (with no double-dipping) and I am not at all scared. The OP that I have decided to stick with is among the most strict - they require records, photocopy of driver's license, doctor actually converses with you, etc. To the best of my understanding, I am not breaking the law. I believe that the medical records and phone consultation create a "doctor-patient relationship", which I think is what is required for legal prescribing of scheduled drugs.
I am not a lawyer, but I am describing what I have (hopefully correctly) concluded about OPs. But many people have said that OPs are operating in a grey area (i.e. the existing laws are difficult to apply to OPs), and that maybe (and unfortunately) sometime in the future, laws will be passed that will outlaw OPs.
Hopefully they will remain legal.
Also, my guess is if the feds decided to start arresting, the OPs would be the people most likely to get in trouble. But I may be totally wrong.
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mslily
Board Addict
Reged: 09/06/02
Posts: 322
Loc: Cincinnati, OH
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I know what you mean. It seems as if those of us using ops are bending the law, hiding, going around our physicians to obtain the meds we need, etc. I, for one, am not at all nervous about using us op's to control my chronic pain. They seem to be in that grey area of legality for now, so I feel safe. I use iop's for muscle relaxers (soma or zanaflex to help me sleep/and for pain) because they are quite a bit more reasonable than usop's when you evaluate the cost factor. I read about seizure notices from members of the board here and do get nervous. I guess that you have to play the odds if you want to play at all (using iop's). I think that it has become so easy (but not cheap) for us to buy meds via op's and never have to deal with our primary physicians that lends to that feeling of uneasiness, atleast for me anyways. If you have the money and medical records, you never have to even ask for meds from any unsympathetic doctor in your home town. Sounds good to me.
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1193
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My 2 cents:
1) If you're using domestic OP's, then the doctors are really the ones taking the most risk; there are WAAAY too many people using them for the cops to bust each and every person. There's an interesting article somewhere on DB which is a legal document discussing the case against Dr. Gibbs at medsnationwide. He was the one who got in trouble; not the thousands of patients he helped (i forget the exact number).
2) OP's are in the legal grey area. Even if you give them records, ID, etc. I don't think there is much of a precedent in these types of cases, so it's difficult to say for sure. But for a prescription to be valid, there MUST be a legitimate doctor-patient relationship. A one time five minute phone call didn't seem to be enough in the case of medsnationwide. Until there is a precedent, though, it is virtually impossible to tell how legal or illegal this is. But it's safe to say it's in the legal gray area, regardless of why you need your medication. Not that I agree with this, I'm just giving my opinion (I'm not a lawyer or anything, either).
3) From what I have read, it is difficult to prove in court that a prescription is invalid, regardless of the circumstances (e.g. online, in person, etc.).
4) IOP's are a different story. Yes, most people seem to get a shoebox collection of customs seizures before anything happens (if it does), but this is clearly illegal. I don't know what your defense could be other than "they just sent it, I've never heard of these people before."
Like I said, just my opinion, so no one flame me- if you disagree, be mature about it. I am concerned about it, and I wish there were a concrete answer explaining what is actually legal and what is not. But there isn't, and in the meantime, I'm not worried, just a little concerned.
Stay pain free everyone, hopefully some day none of this will be neccessary.
-yawkaw3
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fishdude
Member
Reged: 12/27/01
Posts: 161
Loc: Very SW, Very hot.
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yawkaw (and others) -
Here is a link to the AZ medical boards paper on Dr. Gibbs. (Dr. Gibbs paper) Quite interesting. I used to drive by the guys office every day I went to work. When I first heard about him awhile back, I thought it was unusual that an OB/GYN doctor would hook up with an OP... but I guess any doc with a DEA number could link up with an OP and begin raking in the dough...
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I know I have a brain, the MRI proved it!
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PrivateRealm
Threadhead
Reged: 03/18/03
Posts: 879
Loc: usa
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I answered in the other forum, BTW, why did you post the same post in 2 forums?, but I'll add a little to my reply here. I use only US OP's. I use the one's that require photo ID's, medicalrecords and phone consults. Though at first I did use ERX, I did have records, but I just realized that they are on the gray side of the law and are too pricey for me. The more respected OP's with good requirements are following the rules, using liscensed docs, providing scripts, using liscensed pharmacys, so no, I am not scared. I have medical reasons, and medical records to back up these reasons, for the services and medications that I am using.
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KeriAnne~~~
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away."
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