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What issues have you run into when getting your prescriptions filled?

There are a number of reasons you may have issues getting your prescriptions refilled, including:
- The pharmacy unning out of stock
- Waiting to long to get a prescription filled
- Trying to refill a precription too early
- A recent move
- A different dosage or supply is required by insurance
- Being denied by your insurance
- A change in providers

Have you experienced any of the above? How did you manage?

  1. The pharmacy not keeping my medicine in stock.i haven't found a solution yet.

    1. I can't imagine how frustrating and anxiety-inducing this must be! How often does this happen? Have you talked with your doctor about it? -Melissa, team member

    2. it hasn't happened too frequently but the last time it took a week to get my meds. And, of course, with triptans you cannot call for refills until you have almost used your previous fill.

  2. I find dealing with my medications is like a full time job.

    Dealing with insurance is the most infuriating. My neurologist will prescribe something and insurance denies it. In my case my doctor is a neurologist who specializes in migraines, an expert in the field.

    Our insurance company will happily pay for narcotics and benzodiazepines because they are cheap yet the pharmacy throws a fit when my neurologist prescribes them.

    I follow all of the rules when it comes to narcotics. I only get prescriptions from one doctor, my neurologist, even if I have had something that might also require them. I only get them filled by one pharmacy. I never to an Emergency Room or Urgent Care Centre, partially because they treat me like a drug seeker. If I go on vacation when my prescription expires I need a note from my doctor approving the early refill.

    I don't understand why the medical community says we're in an opioid crisis and discourages the use of morphine and codeine yet opioids are the only pain medications insurance will pay for without a hassle.

    My insurance company will not pay for two expensive treatments when prescribed together. For example, my neurologist has advised that Botox and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists (e.g. Aimovig, Emgality, and Ajovy) work well together. My insurance company states that if someone needs both, neither is working and won't pay for either.

    When it comes to expensive medications like CGRP calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists the pharmacy refuses to keep them in stock because of the cost. The insurance also company requires that I submit a pre-approval request annually for these medications.

    At some point in time, someone decided that more than nine triptans in a month causes rebound headaches. Hence, my insurance tried blocking more than nine per month. In this case they tried blocking me when submitting my prescription receipts as well as questioning the pharmacy during an audit. Though my neurologist wrote the initial prescription he had to write an additional letter that the pharmacy keeps on file approving the use of triptans more than nine times a month.

    There isn't much I can do to manage. I follow all of the rules. I don't doctor shop. I take as few narcotics as possible. We have a narcan kit and a defibrillator on hand. My neurologist prescribes all of the medications I could get in a hospital so that I don't need to go to the ER, including an oxygen machine.

    1. My insurance refused to pay for medication had to go through peer to peer reviews left and right. Let me go months with no medication and then questions a $35,000+ hospital bill when I thought I was having a stroke(it was a migraine so bad, the symptoms mimicked a stroke). Denied my going to the hospital infusion center but paid $6000+ to a private free standing infusion center for vyepti. So far,so good with vyepti.

      1. yikes, what a nightmare! How frustrating to go through all of that with your insurance. That being said, I'm so glad that it's been so far so good with Vyepti! Can I ask how long you've been on it? And how quickly you noticed a difference? -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)

    2. Christine,
      One dose so far. Instantly noticed results. It's been a month since my first infusion and only 1 migraine. I usually have 15 a month. (Average)

      1. that is GREAT news! I am so happy to hear that you've gotten such relief and noticed such a difference, and so quickly!! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)

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